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Thanksgiving Addendum

Regarding my September 3rd post about annoying kayaker sayings, I have something to add:
#7 of annoying things that kayakers say is "Training." Don't get me wrong I think training is a legitimate thing in sports, and in kayaking it's more and more relevant as time goes on. The 2007 Green Race is a perfect example. Training certainly legitimizes and validates our sport as "professional." I would just like to go playboating or out creeking one time without someone referring to what we're doing as "training." Dammit, can't we just go kayaking?

While we're at it how about a #8? As quoted above "Professional" is the term. Everybody knows that too many people call themselves professional kayakers. Shouldn't professional be determined by the fact that this is what you do full time, for a living? Even more annoying is how so many self proclaimed pro paddlers suddenly become pro at whatever else it is they do while kayaking, like photography and video shooting. As far as I can tell the main thing that most "pro" kayakers are pro at is not working and not being nearly as pro as they claim.

Happy Thanksgiving. Make sure and give thanks for all your friends who don't take themselves too seriously when using any of these words in reference to kayaking. Try to relax this weekend. Try not to be too hard core. Head to the beach and enjoy just surfing a wave and going fast. You'll find that it's more like creek paddling than you know.

With a certain level of sincerity,

Spencer Cooke, Effort.tv