Milestones

I'm not real big on watching numbers or touting my own accomplishments, but yesterday this blog passed 100,000 views. It's not a big number in the viral world, but that's a lot of eyeballs looking at my simple words and pictures. I took up this blog six years ago just for the fun of it, and I'm happy to report that's still the reason I write - because it's fun. It's nice to know that some people out there enjoy it as well.

In looking back over the six years and 260 posts, some things stand out. My first post turned out to be a bit prophetic, an early visit to Mendocino and the place I now call home. My most viewed post is a kayak review, though it also demonstrates why I don't do a lot of reviews on the site. My most commented on post deals with kayak repair - and I've actually updated it recently in case it's a topic you're interested in. And the post that went the most viral (at least for a day or two) seemed to connect with many of the everyday paddlers out there. Lots of highlights in there, and I'd be hard-pressed to choose a favorite. But there is one post that stands out as the epitome of why I started this blog - to relate the joy of paddling that I've found and share a personal experience that hopefully inspires others.

While I may cringe a little at the low quality of some of the video I first put up, and I know that I'd lose days and weeks if I went back to edit all the writing that really isn't up to my current standard, I'm quite proud of this little blog overall and like it all the more for not being perfect.

And though I sit alone and type away at my computer, processing photos and editing video, there is something about sharing thoughts and feeling along with the simple details that make the experiences all the richer. So thank you all for visiting. Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing your own thoughts. Thanks for adding to my tally and expressing some appreciation, whether in a simple like or some kind words around a campfire. Paddling itself is just one more activity to do. It's the people that make it special.

In that light, and continuing to try to give back to a sport that's given me so much, I'm having a little contest. The first person who can name the location of this picture (body of water) will win a free Paddle California DVD. Leave your guesses in the comments (I may be out paddling, so don't be upset if I don't respond to the winner right away :-).