Haven Livingston
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Finding new moves and skills no matter how old the run
By Haven Livingston

Seeing your route from a new angle definitely lends fresh perspective.

Seeing your route from a new angle definitely lends fresh perspective.

After logging a whopping 115 days of kayaking last year, itโ€™s disappointing to admit Iโ€™ve only reached 27 days so far this year. Work, other sports, life; there is so much to do and so few hours of daylight. The adventurous runs are so far away โ€ฆ or so I thought.

Instead of traveling to kayak new runs Iโ€™m finding myself on my neighborhood run, Chili Bar, on the South Fork American River more often than I thought tolerable. You know the feeling; youโ€™re tying your laces up and hitting the same after-work trail run youโ€™ve done every Wednesday night that you can remember. Youโ€™re thinking, โ€œThis, again?โ€ How mind numbing.

But after more than 50 times on the run Iโ€™ve discovered there are still new moves to be had, and skills to work on. The trick of the trade is finding them.

Iโ€™ve recruited veteran Chili Bar aficionados, newbies, raft guides and even a few fish to paddle with me downriver and help me discover new spots to play, practice tricks and heck, even finding a new pee stop is a score. Open the blinders up and take a new loop, or close your eyes and go through a run backwards. Switching up boats keeps it interesting too. Test your balance on different equipment. All Iโ€™m saying is that sometimes, youโ€™ve got to get a little creative to get past the predictable, and our own backyards are still beautiful fun places to play.

Of course, it never gets old when youโ€™ve got good company.

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Check out Haven Livingstonโ€™s whitewater blog Wavehaven Adventures at wavehaven.wordpress.com.