On the Sunday of the Reno River Festival, while everyone else was gearing up for the boatercross, I packed up for my first round of road trips. I headed north and deep into the woods of Northern California to a kayakers paradise: Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School. Located at the Forks of the Salmon Otter Bar is a resort every kayaker should make time for; excellent location, top-notch food and world-class instruction (and I’m not just saying that because I was there). I learned a lot of all of the instructors (including the great Mick Hopkins and talented Andy Round) and many of the students too.

If you do make the trip to Otter Bar be ready to eat, sleep, paddle. Nothing else matters when you’re there and it’s WONDERFUL!

After a week in the heavenly oasis of Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School (www.otterbar.com) I repacked and hit the road towards Colorado.