Kip’s Comments - December 4, 2022
December is Done - Janesville Challenge
For more years than I can remember I have paddled during every month of the year. Most years the months of December and February have posed the greatest challenge for finding open water. As of this morning, paddling during December 2022 is complete after I found some partially open water in Janesville at the Dort Landing on the west side of the Cedar River, under the Pedestrian Bridge. The temperature was 10-degrees when I left home, but had warmed a few degrees to make for a pleasant winter paddle.
As I paddled I was thinking that the location might work well for our annual New Year’s Day Paddle. January 1, 2023 will be the 31st year my buddy and I have brought in the new year on the water. More years than not, finding open water has been challenging. For that reason I would like to suggest the “Janesville Challenge.”
The “Janesville Challenge” is extended to my many friends with Janesville addresses, their spouses, their family and their friends. The challenge is really quite simple. If just some of my friends each adopt a day to go down to the Dort Landing and break the ice apart, then paddle their canoes, kayaks, or boats up to the highway bridge (and back) to assure open water, our New Year’s Day Paddle can be held in Janesville.
You might ask “What’s in it for me?” For each of my Janesville friends who adopt a day to keep the Cedar River open until 1:00PM on January 1, you will get the day you open the river named after you. So Christa - If you take December 5, then Monday will be known as “Christa Day.” Dennis - You might volunteer for December 6 and then Tuesday will be “Dennis Day.” What an honor! Beth Ann - You could ask for Wednesday which will then become your day. Eric - Thursday would sound good as “Eric Day.” “Jen Day” sounds good for a Friday. You could open the river up before school and then after school paddle up the river again to make sure it stays open. What fun!
If we can get enough people to volunteer for days to keep the river open, but still need to cover just a few days, I will suggest Chief Tim fill in the holes on the calendar. Isn’t this a great idea! You each get a good reason to get out on the water to enjoy the winter - at least December of 2022!
An added bonus will be that on January 1, when we begin our annual New Year’s Day Paddle, those that invested their valuable time to keep the river open will be the first folks to go paddling on that wonderful day. And one more bonus to make your winter paddles value-added winter paddles, you each might get to see some of the beautiful Janesville bald eagles, like I did. That alone should have people lining up for this!
Just think of Janesville, Iowa becoming a tourist attraction for winter paddling on New Year’s Day! How cool might that be?
OK Janesville friends that I have already named…who’s in. And for my many friends I have not named, feel free to reach out. This is your chance to shine!
Canoeing the Cedar River - Image 783786
Canoeing the Cedar River - Image 783822
Canoeing the Cedar River - Image 783831
Canoeing the Cedar River - Image 783834
Canoeing the Cedar River - Image 783847
Bald Eagle Over Cedar River - Image 843777
