Hey guys, it's Ben White, back for my Week 6 post on the Keener blog. Sadly, this will be my final post on the blog as a Keener, as I'll be too old to come back next summer. Nevertheless, these past 6 weeks have been some of the best days of my life. Coming into the program, I had a fairly limited skill set when it came to playboating and big water kayaking. I've since learned how to bow stall, stern stall, right blunt, left/right roundhouse, back deck roll, basics for an airscrew, clean spin, and air loop. I am also much more confident running challenging lines, like punching right side Phil's or doing the Hero ferry on McCoy's. Since I arrived 37 days ago, the water level has gone from 14 feet to -1.5, providing me and the group with a myriad of playspots and fun lines, from Minibus to Garburetor. These past couple weeks, I've been devoting the majority of my time to cycling on waves in order to learn and perfect the blunt. Today on Garb, I cycled to the top of the foam pile and threw my first air blunt. It was an awesome feeling, as I could finally see all of my hard work pay off. For those who don't know, a trick with "air" is when you and your boat are completely aerial at some point during the trick. I've been having an amazing time on the Ottawa, and I think it's safe to say that I've fallen in love with the river's warm, deep water and world-class whitewater. When I go back to my local (very small) playspot in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, I'll probably drop to my knees and cry, wishing I was back on the Ottawa. First world problems, I know, but it's true. I'd like to say thank you to all of the awesome coaches, friends, and paddlers I've met through the Keener program for making my stay on the Ottawa an unforgettably amazing experience, and especially my parents for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Keeners has been super solid!
Popcorn time, Ben
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