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The ultimate thrill ride By
Katie Miyake "I am thankful for amusement parks," said Christensen. "It makes it so everyone isn't on the river." But on the river is where he and Eri Suzuki get their thrill. It comes from stepping into a 14-foot-9-inch, banana-shaped watercraft, facing whitewater rapids and rocks with nothing but their wits and a paddle. The thrill and challenge of whitewater kayaking are what first got Christensen and Suzuki interested and what keeps them kayaking today. Christensen, who has brown, sun-bleached blond, slightly wavy, shoulder-length hair and wears a black Nine Inch Nails T-shirt, started kayaking in 1998 and today is the president of the Utah State University Kayak Club. He first got interested in kayaking when he was on a Boy Scout river-rafting trip in middle school. "I loved the fluid motion of the kayak and the way it maneuvered down the river," said Christensen. He also liked watching kayakers roll their boats in the water. A roll is actually a self-rescue maneuver and not a trick. When a boat tips and goes upside down the kayakers use their hips to snap right side up. Suzuki, a petite, 5-foot-1-inch woman from Japan, has a different story. She moved to the United States in 1994 when she was 18 years old. She first moved to California and after four years she decided to try kayaking. Suzuki said she started because it was something different and interesting. But even though the workshop she took had a 1-to-3 teacher to student ratio she really didn't enjoy it. Suzuki has now lived in Utah for almost a year and it wasn't until last summer that she picked up the paddle again. "I started again for something to do and a way to meet people," said Suzuki. "I also didn't like being scared of something and wanted to get over my fear." Fear is something very real to many people who kayak because the sport does have potential for injury and even death. Because of this extra risk factor Christensen believes the sport attracts more adults than teens. "Fear keeps you alive and the sport intense," said Christensen. Christensen also acknowledges there are limits and times when it is better to walk around a rapid. As he approaches a rapid he has never run before, Christensen paddles to the bank of the river, gets out and walks until he can see the rapid. From there he scopes out how fast, how deep, and what the obstacles around the rapid are. If Christensen thinks it is safe he hikes back to his kayak and paddles down. If not, he would rather pick up his kayak and walk past the rapid than take the risk of getting injured. He advises to always be aware of what you can and cannot do safely. "Pushing your limits could result in disaster," said Christensen. "That is when most deaths occur, when people aren't experienced enough and push the limits." Gaining experience is something every kayaker must do. Kayaking is more about finesse and technique, than physical strength. Suzuki said this makes it easier for women to learn how to kayak because their center of gravity is lower. Christensen believes kayaking has a gradual learning curve and a certain stage where you are unsure of yourself and your abilities to maneuver on the water, but once you get over that phase things only get better. Christensen was able to get through this stage only by going more often. He said by going frequently you feel more comfortable on the river and remember your technique and form better. When Christensen started kayaking, he only went twice a month. "The problem with that is I would have to re-learn everything and would get nervous and shaky each time I got in the water," said Christensen. Today, Christensen is constantly thinking about the river and when his next trip will be. Last summer the best place to find Christensen between 7 to 10 a.m. was on the Logan River, where every morning before work he and a friend would go out for an early run. The difficulty level of each river is rated by from 1 to 6. Class 1 would be merely ripples in the water. Class 2 rivers, which are mostly what Suzuki runs, are slightly more difficult with small sections of short-lived waves. Christensen mainly runs a level 3, which has more rapids and big waves, but require mostly straight-down-the-middle kayaking. Class 3 also allows the kayaker to swim away safely if the boat capsizes. He also does an occasional level 4, where the river is running faster and more technical moves and skill are required to maneuver around boulders and other obstacles. A class 5 river would generally be steeper and faster with more boulders and strainers, which are trees and other debris that allow only water to get through while everything else gets caught. "Running a class 5 would definitely be life threatening," said Christensen. The most life threatening, however, is a class 6. At this level the river is considered impossible to run. Niagara Falls would be considered a class 6 along with other waterfalls and huge drop-offs. According to Christensen the water on the Logan River is the best from late-April to mid-June and can be classified as anywhere between a 2 to 4. For any level there is a river or lake in Utah. Popular places to paddle, according to Paddling.net, include Flaming Gorge, Green River and White River in the northeastern part of the state and the Colorado River that passes through Moab. The site even suggests the Great Salt Lake as a place to leisurely paddle in solitude and escape the worries of the world. Christensen likes to paddle locally at the Logan River, the Oneida Narrows in Bear Lake and the Weber River in Ogden. Suzuki's favorite place to paddle is the Snake River in Jackson, Wyo. One of her favorite trips was there when she did her first whitewater roll. She said it was the kind of trip that makes you want to kayak everyday of your life and one she will never forget. Suzuki, who still considers herself a beginner, knows that kayaking is a big investment. According to an article by Tamia Nelson on Paddling.net, the best thing to do if interested in kayaking is "rent or borrow a boat, find an experienced paddler to show you how it's done and go paddling!" Christensen also advises you ask yourself how much money you want to put into it and how often you plan on going. Then you can decide what and how much you should spend. The amount a person will spend will also depend on the type of kayaking he or she chooses to do. Whitewater kayaking is only one type of kayaking. You can do anything from sea kayaking where you leisurely paddle down the coast to a highly competitive Olympic sport, slalom kayaking. Also available are two-person kayaks for family recreation use and for those who love competition and tricks there is rodeo kayaking. Tricks such as flat-spins, where the paddler spins around on a wave, and blasts, when the nose of the kayak is thrown out of the water, are typical for rodeo kayakers. The next step for any kayaker would be purchasing a boat. There are many different ways to go about such a purchase and include choices of used, new, rigid, folding and inflatable boats. According to Kayakonline.com, the rigid kayak is the one many people think of when they think of a kayak. The least expensive of the rigid kayaks are the plastic boats. These are also the heaviest, but they are tough and can take a lot of abuse. A folding kayak, a collapsible boat made of fabric stretched over either a wood or aluminum frame, has the advantage of being easy to transport and store. These tend to be more expensive, but also last longer and hold a higher resale value. Inflatable boats generally are the least expensive and are very easy to get in and out of the water. A person can spend anywhere from $250 to $4,500. But like Kayakonline.com, says, "Oh, but what the heck, it's only money!" To people like Christensen and Suzuki, it is money well spent. They agree it is definitely not a waste of their time or money. Suzuki loves the challenge and the sensation of moving right along with the water. Suzuki, tired from a whole day of paddling, said nothing could beat the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment of running a river. As for Christensen, kayaking not only gives him a sense of satisfaction, but also a sense of adventure. It is interesting to him that the West was mostly explored in watercrafts. He enjoys the natural and unlocking feeling of exploring rivers. Christensen, while tapping his relaxed fingers on the desk, further described his passion for kayaking. "I love the intimate relationship with the water," he said. "I like the fact the water is level with the boat and you are part of the water as one." Forming a relationship with, and passion for, kayaking is what Christensen and Suzuki have done. The raging river on a cloudless, sunny afternoon is where they find their ultimate thrill ride.
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