Joey’s Christmas present was the deluxe GMG baseball cap. When he gave it to me he said, “I want to see you wear it in this year’s Blackburn Challenge.”
Joey. Mister Motivator. I did that paddle five times around Cape Ann and last year I took it off. So I was thinking instead of the GMG baseball cap I would wear a buttermilk pancake instead.
But I changed my mind. Why putter around the Cape in a motor boat when you can do it with a paddle? As of last week I am sixty years old. I already checked and there are no age brackets in the Blackburn. Not that I would have come close to even sniffing a ribbon since most of the leather and sinew paddlers in my kayak class are older than me and the last I see of them is around the Annisquam Lighthouse.
So it’s on. I have 133 days to fit into my kayak. Saturday July 25, 2015. Here is a map. Here is a timer. Here is a link to the details of the Cape Ann Rowing Club who do an awesome job on the race with food and beer at the greasy pole finish. And the warmup is the Essex River race on May 16, 2015.
May 16. 64 days away. I’ll do that too or I’ll eat my pancake.
Good Morning Gloucester 
You’ll do a great job paddling around the Cape Paul! One note- the date of the Blackburn Challenge is July 25, 2015 (not the 15th). -Suzanne (Cape Ann Rowing Club)
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Thank you Suzanne, I’ve corrected the date. I did the math problem right just typed the wrong date. (Now 132 days 20 hours!)
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I like the hat energy to go on the challenge – if lucky might not even miss a paddle! 🙂 Dave
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Blackburn July 16, 2016, Rubber Duck is back in and taking no prisoners this time. 125 days to go.
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