Brookville Canoefest 2009

Some of you may not know of this hoosier spectacle, but the Canoefest is truly a big event for the state, or it may become one if others learn where Brookville, Indiana is located.






(Angie's note on this picture: This is one of my former students with her father, passing us. They actually started with the group behind us. Her younger sister and mother passed us too! They ended up winning the mixed youth/adult group. What a great family activity!)

For those of you that don't know. The Fest is a weekend event held on the Whitewater River about 45 min. northwest of Cincinnati. Not only are there canoe races, recreational canoe trips and other canoe related events, there are also concerts and the states largest fried chicken cook-off. It is a small town good time for all.


This year Angie and I were able to take part in the weekend as we took some time off from our move to Germany. The first plan was for Angie and I to enter into one of the fun races, but this plan was quickly changed. As Angie put it,"Erik was stolen for the bank team." This is not quite true. I was given to the bank team by her and I had no part in the plan. But, it worked out great! her good friend, Randi Hollen and she made an awesome (not humble) team.

The girls did not tell one another that each of them had never canoed until the morning of the race, but their inexperiance was quickly overcome as they ran the two mile coures in a good time and did not flip the boat over. I was able to see them a two points in the course and they ran right down the middle of the river with no problem.

When it was time for them to stop they had some issues. The finish line was on the bank of the river just before a area of fast water. They over shot the bank and would have sill been going down the river without the help of a few wet race workers.

I had equal luck in my race with the Bath State Bank Team and our leader Gorge. We finish the race first and second, and beat the hard charging FCN Bank time be several minutes. For our effort Gorge and I took the first place trophy. Though I have always canoed, this was the first time that I had raced in a canoe, and it was fun. Outside of the fact I was in a boat, it was alot like being on a bike. The cool part was the groups of my fans on the bridges as we pasted by. Sports quote: "Without the fans, Erik could not do what Erik do."

This was a very fun event and a great way to spend a day on the river.