Age? 59
Marital status? Married to Melanie for 36 years
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Bob & wife Melanie |
Family?
Three daughters, one son, one granddaughter. Club members who were around in the late 90's will remember paddling with my son Joey.
Occupation?
I’m currently retired. I’m a Chemical Engineer by education. I worked as a Project Manager or Engineering Manager on oil and gas projects.
What other hobbies do you have?
Crossfit, Swimming with a Masters Swimming group, camping, hiking.
How did you get started canoeing?
I came to canoeing through the Boy Scouts. I first canoed with Troop 483 in Farmington, Missouri, as a kid. When my son was in Cub Scouts, we paddled at Camp Strake and the hobby took off from there.
How many years of paddling experience do you have?
About 15 years.
What boats do you now own?
• Millbrook Boasts Coho – 16 foot Kevlar tandem canoe set up for poling
• Dagger Sojurn – Royalex solo canoe
• Dagger Genesis – Royalex whitewater playboat
• Perception Rhythm – Plastic kayak
• Wood & Canvas canoe my Dad and I built from a kit when I was a Boy Scout
What is your favorite place to paddle?
Texas Hill Country Rivers; Guadalupe, Medina, Llano, San Marcos
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On the Nash Stream,
Maine |
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On the Colorado
River, Texas |
Do you prefer a canoe or a kayak?
Canoe
Do you prefer a single blade or double blade paddle?
Mostly, I pole, but I use both kinds of paddles.
What do you like most about the sport?
I like the combination of physical challenge and mental gymnastics to read the river.
What do you like least about the sport?
The driving miles to get to and from favorite paddling spots.
What is an important safety tip?
Dress for weather extremes. We’re lucky to be able to paddle year round here but hypothermia is still a real risk in the winter months.
Why do you paddle?
Contact with nature, physical challenge and camaraderie with my fellow paddlers.
If you could do a fantasy tandem paddle with anyone you wish, with whom would it be?
Bill Mason, a Canadian author and filmmaker who produced several iconic books and films on paddling and the Canadian wilderness.
What was your worst moment ever?
The day one of my poling buddies pinned his boat just upstream of Old Mill rapid on the San Marcos. Five of us worked all afternoon to recover it, eventually sawing the boat in two and leaving half of it to recover later when the flow went down. It was a very humbling and scary experience.
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Bob with son Joey,
on the Guadalupe |
What was your best moment ever in a canoe?
Taking a five-day Ozark Society trip on the Buffalo River with my son Joey.