Day 1 - from Cleverdale to Crown Point **UPDATED**

July 23, 2020

Day 1 - from Cleverdale to Crown Point UPDATED

Due to technical difficulties (the text wasn't received,) this post originally stated that Al hadn't written a blog at the end of his first day of rowing. He did, and here it is:

46.3 miles

10:36 "moving"

I shouldn't have taken on such an ambitious Day One, but now that I'm here, I'm feeling pretty wise about it all. Of course, I probably won't be able to move in the morning, but to quote Scarlett O'Hara, “tomorrow is another day.”

But what a beautiful day for rowing. My 28.5 stretch on Lake George was like glass all morning … mid-week helped, but barely a puff of wind all the way up. The reflections of the mountains off of the black glass of the water were like paintings …. simply beautiful.

The portage through Ti went well, even though I seemed like a bad out-take of Roddy MacDowell in “Planet of the Apes” - an ape in Crocs and socks? Oh, the horror.

The final 15+ mile push up the narrow section of Champlain was tough … it was here I began to question my judgment! But a light rain cooled things off, I found my stride, and honestly, the stretch of the portage loosened up my legs. I'm here.

I will confess that more than a few times today I simply stopped, leaned back, and either laughed, or cried, or sighed as I came to grips with just how fortunate I am to do this … and to start on a lake that would be breathtaking were it encountered anywhere in the world. I thought of my parents, my family and friends, and even unwitting strangers who have encouraged me to do this, to do any well reasoned or worthwhile thing … and, well, I just had to stop now and then, like in a great book, and just … wonder.

Sorry for the pap; maybe it's the 'lil Bota Box (a saucy Cab) talking. I'll be in the land of Nod by sundown, trying to come close to this morning's 4:46 departure, which ended up helping a lot on the arrival side. I may move tomorrow to 6:00, though, now that my first portage is behind me.

That's assuming I'll be able to stand up.

xxoo,

peace, love, and happiness … and good health!

Go LGA!