Dec 13 2014

Paddleboard Camping!

Published by under Mexico Whitewater

In my relentless search for places to escape the cold, I found Mexico!  A refuge from the polar vortexes of the U.S. and also a paddlers paradise.  There is so much diversity of whitewater that you need multiple river craft to enjoy it all!

The headwaters of the Santa Maria River lie in the semi desert region between the states of Queretaro and San Luis Potosi.  150 miles from the gulf of Mexico where it finally meets the salt water.  Santa Maria has no Dams and all 150 miles are excellent runnable whitewater.  5 Canyons, miles of big water class 4-5 and a 315 foot waterfall from the Rio Gallinas make this a multi-day paddlers dream!

We recently did the most upper stretch of Santa Maria on SUP boards.  Its a 12 mile scenic canyon float with one class 4 rapid.  Our plan was to put on in the afternoon and camp beside the class-4.  Put ins in Mexico are sometimes an adventure in itself.  This particular part of the river is a favorite watering hole for local cattle!

Heather and I used the Czar 6 and Baron 6 SUPs.  The extra flotation comes in handy when carrying camping gear and food.  I carried mosquito net, hammock, rain fly, jet boil stove and K-pump.  Heather took the extra clothes, water filter and head lamps.

First day of paddling was a little more than an hour.  We found a nice spot on an island just beside the portage.  One of the amazing things about inflatable paddleboards is how comfortable they are to sleep on.  Let out half the air and you have a huge therma-rest bed.  The Baron 6 sleeps two people if they are friendly!

We decided to avoid any bug encounters in the night, so i strung our hammock loosely over the Baron 6.  This hammock has mosquito netting built in and also comes with a nice rain-fly.  it looked like rain so we used the fly as well.

After a good night sleep, re-inflate the board, take a nice river shower and we launched for the next 8.5 miles of class 2.  There are huge Sabino trees over 500 years old, a portion of the old Spanish silver train runs along the river right side.

​ The Sabino tree has one of the most impressive root sytems I have ever seen.  these old trees actually from the river back, their roots intertwine and become an unbreakable shoreline, incredible erosion protection!


As we moved farther into the canyon the riverbed starts to become very sandy.  It makes for nice soft fall if you’re just beginning to learn SUP.  There are numerous springs that enter the river as waterfalls on river left. I counted at least 5 and all were quite a bit warmer than the actual river water.  As you can imagine they are also full of incredible vegetation.

This section of the Santa Maria passes through the historic town of Conca, Queretaro.  A Franciscan mision was built here in the 1700′s.  There are 4 more, nearly identical throughout the region.  At one point the river banks to the right and you can turn and see the Mision.  Its just visible in front of Heather above the first row of trees.

If you are looking for new ways to enjoy and explore using a paddle board, I highly recommend the over night trip.  SUPs are a true SUV of paddle sports.  With the right board and dry equipment the experience is stress free and much easier than I ever thought possible.  Its your own personal watercraft and bed rolled into one.  Make sure the run isn’t too difficult because the weight of your gear does affect how the board handles.  I found that by moving back towards the tail balances things out and makes for a great workout too!
​ I know its cold in the states right now, so roll up those boards, grab some friends and head down to Mexico and see us.  Water temps are in the 70′s and there are plenty of enchiladas for everyone.

Words by Aaron  Photos by Heather and Aaron

 

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Dec 16 2012

The New Astral Brewer river shoes. Made for SUP.

This blog is from a SUP stand point.  SUP is much more footwear intensive than kayaking.  When we find something good..we get very excited!

http://cksblog.com/2012/12/astral-brewer-long-term-review-by-aaron-

YouTube Preview Image

 

until later

 

Aaron

 

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Feb 04 2011

The Beauty of Queretaro!

Published by under Mexico Whitewater

I have been travelling in Mexico for 5 years now. The country never ceases to amaze me. This past weekend we visited a couple of small towns in the state of Queretaro.
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The first is the village of Conca. It is one of the 7 sites for the famous Franciscan Missions of the Sierra Gorda. An amazing pueblo with great food and a laid back atmosphere.
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Our time in Queretaro was spent exploring the two rivers in the area. The Santa Maria and the Ayutla. The picture above is the Canyon of the Santa Maria.
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You can only see the canyon by watercraft. We chose kayaks but a local outfitter offers SUP boards, rafts and Sit on top kayaks as well.
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The views from the river are incredible. We spent 4 hours on the water and arrived in the joining of the 2 rivers Ayutla and Santa Maria. One is transparent green, the other turquoise blue. along the river we found several hot springs waterfalls to relax and enjoy the scenery in!
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This is an amazing place..if you are interested in exploring Conca..then check out www.kayakhuasteca.com They will be offering trips to this seldom visited place in the world. The best season to go is during the month of december.

From mexico
Aaron

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Jan 29 2011

Spokiz Sunglasses…

Published by under Mexico Whitewater

Once in a while you come across a product that just makes sense.  Spokiz sunglasses make SENSE!  There are no arms to break, the frames are cast aluminum, lenses are poly-carbonate polarized and BOMBPROOF. 

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Spokiz have unique built in chums.  There is no need to buy extra cords or straps to secure your glasses.

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These glasses fit perfectly under bike, kayak, surf and snowboarding helmets.

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The frames are held together with common bike spoke nipples, hence the name SPOKIZ pronounced Spoke-eyes!

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Below is a short video promo for Spokiz glasses.  They are always looking  for more reps and people who want to help with the revolution.

CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR MOVIE     Spokiz Testing Procedures!

If you want the glasses check out  www.teamspokiz.com

                                   or   www.spokiz.com

 

Aaron

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Nov 02 2009

Rafting the Rio Micos.

The waterfalls of the Micos river don’t get run in a raft.  We decided it would be a good test run.  We picked some durable people and sent them on their way.  Patrick, Claudia and Sarah gave it a go.   This video is the result.
Click the link below….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRslU23HGx0

Enjoy
Aaron

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