Loving Lately // Catalina Crossing

This weekend is probably one of my favorite weekends of the year. This weekend is the Catalina Crossing. am ready to paddle my ass off to get to Catalina Island from Newport Beach, CA. It is about a 27 mile race, with 9 girls in a 200lb. canoe. We were flying on Wednesday night at our last practice of the season, so I can't wait to see how we do. This will be my 12th crossing and we have a rockin crew, with great coaches and what looks to be like WARM weather. That maybe the best part of the deal. Jumping in and out cold water is sooo much better when the sun is out and it is hot.

This season has been a different one, new coach, new teammates, I decided to start my own business and I am planning my wedding. Lots going on and a lot of adjustment. The great thing about paddling 6 man is the coming together and pushing through, getting through a race or a practice with a bunch of girls that might have a lot differences, or have completely different things going in their lives, or girls you might not have that much in common with. But, you have paddling in common, a love for the water and a want to do better, be better whether it is faster, a cleaner stroke or a better blend...there is always a goal to achieve, and there is something to be said about doing it together as one that makes it awesome! These girls are my friends for life...no matter where we end up, we experience things together that no one gets to do every day. Whales, dolphins, fun waves, big waves, windy days and some of the most gorgeous summer nights...what is not to love about any of that. We also get to experience the tough times together - the hard workouts, the not so easy lineups, the last minute changes, people dropping out and the days where you are just fighting the water rather then riding it...these days happen, but the girls that stick around through all of it I know have my back.

"Disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged, there's a choice I make." - Charles Stanley

Every girl in my boat tomorrow I know will bring her toughest game face, her best dance moves and an awesome attitude. They made their choice to fight on with their team, to get out there and race the race that means the most. For me, most of us, this is the race we train all year for...this is the journey we seek to find. I think most would agree, there is nothing like finishing this race.

Here are some photos from my past Catalina crossings over the years and here is to an awesome weekend on the water and messin' around with boats. Can't wait!
 

Catalina 2012 c/o C. Silvester

Catalina 2012

Catalina 2010

Catalina 2009

Catalina 2009

Catalina 2008 (Love this photo!)

I will follow up with some photos and an update from this year in the next few weeks, but if you would like to follow along over the weekend, check out my Instagram and Twitter @maddiedierkes.


xo,

Read More

Wanderlust Wednesday // Spring 2013

2013 has been a craaazzzy year...to say the least.

It is one of those times in life where you are like how on earth did I think I was so busy before all this???

This year:
Started planning our wedding
Started my own business
Will attend 5 weddings/receptions by the years end
Paddled the 6 man outrigger season
Travel to: Monterey, Big Sur, Ventura, Havasu, Florida, Palm Springs (2x), Catalina (2x), Hawaii (possibly 2x)...and  I know there will be more since Fall is our favorite time to weekend camp trips!

"Have I gone mad?
 I'm afraid so, but let me tell you something, the best people usually are.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland  

...I hope this is true.

I have already written about my trips to Big Sur and Monterey in my Central California Road Trip post and Ventura was all about Craftcation, which I wrote about here and here. I can't write about Hawaii (I leave in a matter of days!), but I have yet to write about my Spring trips! Havasu and Florida in April, and Catalina in May!

I had not really gotten a chance to go through the photos from these trips until recently and I been loving going back through and enjoying the memories this past week.

Havasu
My Aunty's wedding.
This was my first time in Havasu and the lake and views were of course gorgeous. It looked like a typical Spring break hang out...which is what it is most known for becasue the weather is so nice. It was hot but dry so I was in heaven. I love the desert (don't tell Jimi). I am a huge fan of dry heat, warm winds, fiery sunsets, and giant mesas always in view. Here are a few photos from the trip.

We really loved these trees..they were every where there!

The best sunset.

Can't beat hot weather and the pool.

Florida
Jimi's cousin wedding and a weekend with his family at their house in Florida.
This was my second time to Florida, check out my first Florida trip post here, but this was my first trip to where Jimi spent most of his summer's as a kid. Sebastian, FL sits along a lazy river just off of the Intercoastal. We made sure we were out on the water each day we were there. The quiet serenity of the river was truly wonderful. We also made it out to the Intercoastal to hang out on the sand bar that sits in the middle. It is kind of a perfect place to set up camp and stay awhile. Got some great shots of us on the water.

Sandbar in the Intercoastal.

Read More

Hello 9 Man Season!

Dana Race: NAC Women finish

 The outrigger season has been in full swing since May, but August and Sept are my favorite, because that means....9 man season!

We just had our second 9 man race in Oceanside this past weekend and we placed 6th overall.  We had such a fun race and we were all stoked after it.  We only had girls instead of 9, so we were happy with where we ended up.

Oceanside Race: NAC Women

Here are some pictures from our first two 9 man races (Dana and Oceanside)...next up Catalina!!!  

All photos on this post from © C. Silvester.  Thank you so much for all the amazing pictures you take every race of the season!  We all appreciate it so much!

Dana Race: NAC Women

Oceanside Race: NAC Men

Dana Race: NAC and Dana Men battle for 1st

Dana Race: NAC Men

Read More

Paddling to Catalina and Back Again

This weekend around 100 boats will be paddling to Catalina Island out of Newport Beach, California and back. The women race there Saturday and the men race back on Sunday. This may seem crazy to most people considering the channel is about 27 miles wide and takes anywhere from 3 and half hours to six hours to cross over but to paddlers this is what we consider fun! This is not done with the same six paddlers the whole race. This is a 9 man race and a pretty big one at that, for California anyway.

This is one of my favorite races of the year, even though it is the most trying. I prefer to not have to look at the island for those 5 hours and prefer to look at fog but with this glorious heat wave I think we will be looking at island that never gets closer, even when you are a half hour away. At least with the warm weather it will not be so painful to jump in the colder ocean water to make a change.

A change? Right, we do actually switch people in and out of the boat because who wants to paddle for 5 hours in the same seat. Every 20 minutes or so a change is made where 1 to 3 paddlers jump in the water off a motor and wait as the canoe passes by. Which at this boat 1 to 3 paddlers jump off the other side while the paddlers in the water get into the canoe. The paddlers who just bailed out of the boat are now on the motor boat for about 10 to 20 minutes far a break and then it happens all over again.

Now you may think we are even more crazy jumping in and out of the ocean, dodging boats, barges, waves and whatever else comes our way out at sea but again we think this is all good fun. I guess that is what makes this sport so special. People ask me what they heck are we doing out here??? Teamwork? Yes. Exercise? Definitely Yes. What else?

Being one with the ocean, paddling through all the shit to the other side, to accomplish something that not only challenges you but is far bigger than you. To paddle is to move forward or IMUA (which is our team name), that is why we are all out there is to move forward and you get a little bit farther, a little bit faster and gain a whole ton of experience every season.

Catalina is the grand finale and we go out with a bang to reward ourselves for all the hard work over the past year. Catalina is goal at the end of the road, the goal accomplished, the end to a great year and the next step to move forward.

Good luck to all those racing on Saturday and Sunday!

Read More