Author: Supposer

Spring into summer, warm weather is finally here.  The peepers are out, dandelions are popping and the lawn can wait to be mowed until after the first paddleboard sessions are over!

Movie down the St. Croix

First thing is first – get the car relay situated.  One car at the end point and the other with the paddleboards at launch.
Launching from the Log House Landing, just outside of Scandia, MN we started our paddle down the St. Croix.  Although the wind was fierce (15 mile gusts) in some spots, we were not going to let that stop us.  The weather was ripe and there wasn’t a boat in site.  For a little over two hours we made our way slowly down the river, traversing into some flooded treed areas.  Typically the sides of the river are peppered with sandy beaches but not this time of year with spring’s high current.
But this trip, we even had to portage across a few downed logs.  Felt like a bit of modern day Huck Finn (and not a Band of Robbers ).  Oh there is really nothing like getting out and letting the flow of the water take you down stream, while the wind is fighting to parasail you back.  The balance you strike is in the strength of your paddle strokes, shield of the trees and the breathe to keep you going.  Exhilarating.

After about 5 miles, we docked right by the Mill Stream in Marine. Normally on a hot summer day, that is the siting of many an ice cream cone from ‘The Scoop’.  A little too early in the season for that. We hiked our paddleboards up the hill and had to settle for a nice cold Farm Girl from The Brookside before our car relay return.  Life is good.

 

One paddle board and one paddle.  Just add water.  Paddle to the rhythm of your heart beat.  Mix it up with some flow yoga,  adding a dash of salamba sirasana .

 

Yoga has been around for over 5,000 years, Stand-up Paddleboarding floated centuries ago but SUP Yoga is still very much in the making  The Future is here.  The creation of SUP Yoga is still underway in most places.   And most definitely, it is evolving here in Minnesota.

 

Any given day (ah-hem between July – October) on the lake or river here in MN end in queries like this:

 

• “OMG, I love this – I want to buy a board, which one is the best?” – starry eyed student
• “When is your next class?” –paddler with a smile

  

 

Keeping in mind that we are in the last throws of the lows being above freezing point and paddling will be limited over the next few months, I wish to offer a simple reply.. ‘the board that is right for YOU, keep practicing yoga on and off the water’.

Meanwhile… stay tuned for SUP yoga updates from the non-frozen parts of the world and the exciting new release Rave Cross-fit board I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of (releasing Spring 2016).

 

Even thought Minnesota has more coastal line than California, Stand-up paddleboarding has been slow to market.  Not to mention the more sportier aspects such as cross-fit and yoga.  That’s why when I heard about Rave Sports, right here in my own back yard (White Bear Lake), was releasing a Yoga/Cross-fit board, I was all over it.

I am in love with my first born in the fleet, the Boga Yoga board.  Purchased over 4 years ago now, it still is my trusty touring and teaching board.  Since then, I’ve tried Starboard, ATX, Isle Soft and Pau Hana in the repertoire of yoga SUP.  Boga has been the swiss army knife for me.  I love to paddle out and warm up, then hit the yoga sequencing.  Not many of the boards fly with a paddle warm up and turn around to be as balanced as a manduka on hardwood lying on the surface of the water.

We spent a morning on White Bear Lake, prototyping a few concept Cross-fit Yoga boards from Rave.  Trying to put my midwest pride beside me(I really want to see them succeed) and the protective nesting nature of calling to your comfort (insert my first board – Boga) – I took a unbiased view on trying the boards out.  For me, it comes down to 3 elements to score: size, balance and glide.

 

Size – Size DOES matter. If you are above 5′ 5” (my un-expert opinion), you need a board that is over 10′ 5” and 34” wide.  Don’t ask me about the dynamics but just simply walk, nose to tail and find your center.  You will see where you dip in.

Balance – Gonna be perfectly honest here, I did not know how much importance a stringer had in the overall balance/stability of the board.  Let’s just call it the placebo effect, but I’m not convinced I need stringers all the time.

Glide- My good friend, Randy told me, once you get going, its all about keeping going.  Otherwise you have all this energy to start back up again.  Well it sure helps if your board is a positive glider.  That way when you switch grips for sides, you still have that momentum to keep you forward without having to build all that inertia again.

 

Here we are.  What is the review?  Positive. Except that the board doesn’t hit the marketplace until April 2016.  My only hope is that, the board comes off the shelf with all these vast improvements where other aging boards have fallen short.  I’m confident this local MN board will give those coastal glances a run for their money.  You will find me toting this one around next season.

 

There is this lovely little yoga studio I’ve been teaching at for this last year, Yoga Hus, in Scandia, MN. Tonight I was subbing for my dear yogini, Chris Coleman, when I was inspired to do something different. Skandasana. Perfect for Skandinavians, in Skandia. That’s when I happened upon Loretta Jo Schlatzer’s video on Mojo Yoga that included Skandasana in the sequence. I.AM.INLOVE!!! Loretta is amazing. She doesn’t know I’m a fan yet, but within minutes I incoroporated her sequence into the evening. Loretta runs Yoga Mojo. Perfect. Who doesn’t need a little mojo. I do!  The students I had in class tonight all did amazing.  It is as beautiful as a seamless dance.

I couldn’t get enough. I went home and did a little version on my own. Next up… mojo on the SUP board. Anyone care to join me?