May 2010 Archives

The folks at Riverside have been awesome so far.  So far they've been a very friendly group and very much focused on rowing enablement (as opposed to rowing prevention).  Their system is different then what I'm used to in NYC but it's very flexible and allows their members to come and row when they like.  If you want to row, you show up sign out a boat, row it and bring it back.  They also have more formal practice sessions and even a high performance rowing group.  I've only been there a couple of days, but it seems like they are very enthusiastic and welcoming.  

The boat house it's self is vintage and reminds me of many of the houses on Boathouse Row (sans attitude). They have lots of nice club shells.  Of course they are sitting on the banks of the Charles River.  Personally I think the Charles is one of the nicest venues I've every rowed on. The Charles is convient to anywhere in Boston, Cambridge, Brighton, or Watertown winding it's way all they way past Beacon Hill, Back Bay, MIT and Harvard. Ascetically it's a beautiful place to row, bordered on both sides mostly by parkland.  The natural bank and curves of the river make it ridiculously flat.  With at least half a dozen bridges and even more curves in 4 miles make it an even more interesting place to row.  You heard the right "I LIKE BRIDGES, I LIKE CURVES", bring em on. The water is also free of debris and large floating obstacles.  

So far on my trip I've gotten up at 5am two mornings in a  row to row at 5:30.  Both times watching the sun come up over Boston from a single has been extremely rewarding.  I'm never sure how I get up that early, but I never regret it.  

Before I picked it up I had a few thoughts around whether or not I should have spent so much money on a toy, was it really a good idea.  Mysteriously after I picked her up, these thoughts have since vanished from my consciousness and have never been heard from again.  It's a beautiful  white shell with a dark grey deck stripe edged in red.  The hull is so incredibly smooth. The seat glides effortlessly and the boat just feels like it fits. 

I feel I need to share some pictures.

  

I got a chance to take her out Friday afternoon before packing it away for my trip to Boston.  I also got to test out my Croaker oars that have been sitting in my apartment for weeks.  The shell feels amazing in the water, its fast and smooth, and I'm sure someone other then me could row it very well.  As for me I'm a work in progress, but I was still able to keep up with the juniors doubles.  

I can't wait to get back and get out on the water.  It ended up being a fairly eventful day. When I woke up I found a puddle of oil leaked under my car.   It turned out that the hydraulic motor mount on the MINI blew out.  So in addition to picking up the boat I had to get my car to the mechanic and get it repaired in preparation for a trip to Boston.  It meant I spent less time rowing it Friday then I would have liked. Fortunately they gave me a UNI with the boat because I didn't have a chance to get home and pick up any rowing clothes.