SUP204

Last week, I found myself at a wake, a collision of joy and sorrow so raw it felt like life itself cracked open. One of those rare gatherings where laughter and tears share the same table, where stories flow freely, and grief is softened by the warmth of community. It was beautiful. And then, it was brutal. Because virtually everyone left with a parting gift: COVID. Including yours truly. A true superspreader send-off. If there were medals for pandemic irony, we’d all be wearing gold. The Reckoning Fast forward a week, and I won’t sugarcoat it, I’ve been wrecked.  Six days straight in bed, pinned down by a virus that felt less like an illness and more like a reckoning. Fever dreams blurred into daylight, and somewhere between the sweats and the shivers, the mind wandered to darker corners. Not just discomfort, but disorientation. The kind that makes you question everything, your routines, your resilience, even your relevance. By day four, I was bargaining with the universe. N...

There are just 48 days until the Red River Paddle Challenge, and I’ve been aiming to stay as consistent as the weather and life will allow. If you’ve been reading this blog, you already know what’s what. But just in case you haven’t, let me fill you in. The Red River Paddle Challenge is totally legal, but after completing the distance from St. Vital Park to Lockport via the Red River of the North, you’ll wonder why such an addictive event isn’t treated like a restricted narcotic. The race is a long-distance paddling event that turns Manitoba’s Red River into a floating festival of endurance, adventure, and community spirit. Held every September, it invites paddlers to journey from Winnipeg to Lockport, covering a scenic 44-kilometer stretch of water. But let’s be honest. It’s not just a race. It’s a full-body, full-river experience. Sure, it’s supposed to be about grit and grace, but by the end, I’m usually all grit and zero grace. And I’m not alone. Participants come in all forms. Y...

What a difference a week makes! Last week: smoke, sweat, and sadness. But now? We’re back, baby! The wind rolled in like it had something dramatic to say, the haze finally gave the sun a cameo, like a shy celebrity peeking out from backstage, and a few motorboats decided to RSVP to the comeback party. And us? We hit the water like we owed it rent. No stunt doubles. Just grit, blisters, and a whole lot of heart. Paddling like it’s the season finale and we’re the heroes racing against time. Why? Because here’s the truth:   The environment is changing … fast.  This year? The worst fire season on record, more smoke days than we’ve ever seen, the skies have turned sepia, and every day the air is thick with warning. And the river? She’s feeling it too: lower levels, warmer water, stressed ecosystems.  Global warming isn’t a distant threat anymore, it’s the backdrop of every paddle, every breath, every decision. The new normal? There isn’t one. Conditions shift by the hour;...