Dear HCC Members,

Well, winter seemed to have settled in and most people have put their boats away for the season. I wanted to send you a note since the next regular Hoosier Paddler won't come out until late January and I wanted let everyone know the results of the club election.

Contents:
· New Years Day Trip on White River
· 2009 Trip Planning
· 2009 Officers and Board elected
· Cold Water Paddling Trips
· 2009 Dues Reminder
· January Board Meeting

New Year's Day Trip – White River (Waverly to Henderson Ford)
I will sponsor a New Year's Day paddle on the White River from Waverly down to Henderson Ford Bridge, about 8.5 miles. Meet at 10:30 am at the Dairy Queen on SR 144 at SR 37. Dress appropriately and bring a dry bag with extra warm and dry clothes. Bring your own lunch items if we decide to stop for lunch.

Contact me prior to 8:00 pm on December 30th to let me know you intend to paddle. If there is severe cold weather (under 25 degrees F), rain, flooding, or high winds, I will cancel the paddle.

Dwayne James (317-834-3649)

2009 Trip Planning –
It's time to start thinking about where you want to paddle next year. If you have a trip that you would like to see happen, or if would like to sponsor a trip, contact your Trip Chairman with the location and tentative date for your trip chairman. Theresa Kulczak, our new Executive Office, will set up a trip scheduling meeting in January (bulletin board/e-mail announcement to follow).

Send your trip ideas to:

Flatwater Trip Chairman: Linda Smith fw@hoosiercanoeclub.org
Whitewater Trip Chariman: Jordan Ross ww@hoosiercanoeclub.org (Include KAYAK in Subject)
Touring Trip Chairman: Reggie Baker sea@hoosiercanoeclub.org

2009 Officers and Board
On November 16, the HCC held its annual meeting. We swapped gear and stories aw well as demolishing 28 pounds of turkey and numerous desserts. We also elected the 2009 officers and board members. As we change officers, I would like to thank Reggie Baker for the tremendous job that he's done guiding the club for the last two years. His efforts to broaden the appeal of the club should continue to pay in coming years.

Since you may not know the new officers, I've a short padding biography for each:

Skipper: Dan Valleskey

Started Paddling: I bought a tin boat about 22 years ago. It was too short (15 feet) for the Boy Scout leader who owned it.
Paddling Preferences: Whitewater, flatwater, and touring, all that. I like 26 mile days, but I have also had some great trips covering only 4 miles for the day. I usually have a kid in tow, so I don't often get to use my pretty solo Blackhawk canoe. At one time, I considered myself to be a bi-paddler. Yes, I have used training wheels and worn a skirt. But really, the old saying is true- "Half the paddle, twice the paddler". I'm not going to make too big a deal out of it, at the risk of eating my words. As I get older, it hurts more to kneel, I may end up back in a kayak. I've paddled off shore in the gulf, that is a grand place for a decked boat. Not the best place for a canoe.
Favorite boat: See "Blackhawk" in the previous line item. Also, you will often see me in a handsome old Mad River Freedom (See "kid in tow" previous line item.
Favorite place to paddle or trip: The Pigeon and the Fawn run next to each other in the North part of the state. I've been paddling there since shortly after I bought that short scout boat. The trips are easy, the water is clear, and we always see critters. There are several good choices for camping nearby. And we have found most of the decent restaurants.
A close second is the Hiwassee down by Reliance Tennessee. 15 years ago, I'd have included all the rivers in the Obed/ Emory system, outside Crossville Tennessee. For some reason, I fit in to that area, socially (yes, I am often called a "redneck"). Just don't get there any more. I miss it.
Favorite Quotes: "Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day." Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known." Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
"It is pleasant to have been to a place the way a river went." Henry David Thoreau

Executive Officer: Theresa Kulczak

I've always loved the water. My "paddling" experience started with several seasons of rowing crew on Eagle Creek in the early 90's, followed by years of putzing around with a friend and his kayaks on White River and Eagle Creek. My passion for paddling kicked into high gear when my 90-year old neighbor and I built a Pygmy wood sea kayak about five years ago, which meant that I finally owned my own boat. The next year I discovered the Hoosier Canoe Club, Muskrat's Wildcat Creek Expeditions, and several regional paddling groups. I've learned so much about paddling from the HCC's senior paddlers, the HCC's great clinics, and by spending Wednesdays in winter with the HCC at Thatcher Pool.
My boats include the Pygmy, a rec kayak, a Jackson whitewater boat (for my beginner forays), and recently, two solo canoes.
Favorite trips include a ten-day sea kayaking expedition in Baja, a week of rafting and camping on the Middle Fork of the Flathead in Montana, whitewater rafting on the Gauley, and this past year, my first paddling trip to the Tennessee rivers and NOC.
Favorite place to paddle: Indiana rivers, all seasons
Favorite quote: "So get out there and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while... May your trails be crooked, winding, dangerous, leading to the most amazing. May your rivers flow without end." Edward Abbey

Purser: Matt Slagel

Started Paddling: 2001
Paddling Preferences: Whitewater with very rare flatwater canoe trips.
Favorite boat: Whatever 2-year old boats our hot-shot paddlers might be unloading! (I currently own a Riot Sniper and a Dagger Kingpin.
Favorite place to paddle or trip: Probably, Cheat Canyon. I really prefer lower volume "creeky" runs with steep valley walls. I'm not picky, however . . . when I can get away I'll go wherever anyone else is going!
Favorite Quotes: "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." Heraclitus

Yeoman: Linda Smith

Started Paddling: 2004
Paddling Preferences: Rivers/Creeks/Reservoirs
Favorite boat: Current Design Kestrel
Favorite place to paddle or trip: Blue River - This 14 mile run with small rapids was the first club trip I took and was led by Shirley Gates. On that particular day we saw turtles, heron, muskrat and swimming deer. Since then I've paddled 18 different rivers and creeks in Indiana, but have promised myself a trip back to the Blue someday.
Favorite Quote: ""If there's any magic left in the world, it's in water." Unknown

20009 Board Members:

Reggie Baker
Terry Busch
Mariann Davis
Dan Evard
Sue Foxx
Dwayne James
Kellie Kaneshiro
Mary Keith
Suzi Rapp
Jordan Ross
Jan Sneddon
Jim Sprandel
John Wainscott

Cold Weather Paddling Tips–
During the winter, paddling is still enjoyable but you need to dress properly to be comfortable and safe. The Fort Wayne paddling group circulated the following links on how to survive if you fall through thin ice:
http://www.archive.org/details/ColdWaterSurvival
http://www.archive.org/details/YoureOutNowWhat
http://www.archive.org/details/Gett...tSinkingFeeling

You also might want to re-read Garry Hill's article on Cold Water Paddling that we published last March for tips on how to keep paddling through the winter: http://www.hoosiercanoeclub.org/new...nal1.pdf#page=4*
If you want to paddle, be sure to paddle with other people. Especially during this time of year, there's safety in numbers.

2009 HCC Dues – Your 2009 HCC dues are still only $15 per year. Dues should be be paid by March 1 and can mail in your dues to: Dave Ellis, 7650 Poplar Rd, Brownsburg, IN 46112. Be sure to include your current E-Mail address and contact information.

January Board Meeting – The HCC Board will meet on Tuesday, January 13 at 7:00 pm at the China Buffet restaurant on East Washington Street.

Jim Sprandel
Editor – The Hoosier Paddler