The Kawlloween, the year's final race put together by the gang at Rivermiles.com, is a bittersweet event, both a cap to the paddling season and a celebration of the same. Most of the river rats gathered Halloween morning at the Lawrence, Kansas boat ramp were veterans and die-hards. This year, the 31st of October set the starting temperature in the low-to-mid fifties with a wind from the west at about 12 mph. During most of the 35 miles to Edwardsville, KS, the wind would be at our backs or on a beam.
The Start! Photo by Karin Thomas
Old Crow and I had teamed once again for mutual support and camaraderie. We had been looking forward to this for some time and were relieved to find the climbing sun burning away a low layer of dingy clouds. Before the starting air horn sounded I shucked off one of my own "layers" as the morning's chill was fading and I suspected I would soon find myself overdressed.
Low water raised the sandbars to a troublesome level. The main problem with Kaw sandbars is that unless they are above the water, they are invisible in the muddy water. Old Crow and I had some tense moments when we chose our course poorly and wound up dragging bottom. Once, the sandbar stretched across the entire river (I believe) and there seemed to be no escape. Shortly after this bar, Old Crow managed to caught his bow carry-loop on a slender snag near the shore where a channel should have by rights existed (it did not). This was a feat that could not be repeated intentionally once in a thousand times. I paddled back upstream against a fair current, paddling past him so I would float back to the snag. The current kept pressure on Old Crow's kayak making it perversely difficult to shift the loop off the nib of a snag holding it. Several long minutes later(all the while trying to keep my own boat under control) the loop slipped free and the Crow went twirling away in the current, paddling hard to keep out of the shore brush already reaching for him.
Old Crow mentioned he must have offended the River Goddess in some way. I remarked that it must have been hubris. He thought if that were the case, I would have been swamped and eaten by a monster catfish within the first mile.
We grabbed a quick break and a sandwich at the midpoint, all provided by O.C.'s wife and ground crew.
The race became longer after that, our energy wearing down near the finish point at the Edwardsville ramp. The fall colors and crisp temperature moderated by a warm sun made race a memorable cap on the 2009 paddling season.
Finish line sprint Photo by Karin Thomas
I finished sprinting with another racer while Old Crow cruised up behind us a minute later to a small crowd of officials, racers, and ground crew.
Old Crow in the home stretch. Photo by Karin Thomas
Tired, we loaded our boats onto Old Crow's truck and mixed with the small crowd of racers, officials, and ground crew before claiming our trophy mugs and heading home to await the trick-or-treaters. If you like racing, reading water, and fall weather, try the Kawlloween.
Finish Line Booty
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