ThePADDLER 40
Quickies …
Who would it be if you could paddle with anyone , dead or alive ? I ’ d like to paddle with Barack Obama .
Which famous person would you like to watch playing you in a film ? Joan Plowright . I don ’ t know why ; I just like her .
Pick two celebrities to be your parents . As human and flawed as they were , I ’ ll stick with my parents .
Do you have a mentor ? I don ’ t have a paddling mentor . I ’ ve learned so much from so many people . But in terms of Church of the Double-Bladed Paddle and social media , I couldn ’ t have had a better teacher than Cat Severson . Church wouldn ’ t be what it is without her guidance and wisdom . I still miss her every day , and when a problem comes up at Church , I think , what would cat do ? Sometimes the answers come to me . She was smart and tough and so so funny .
An ideal night out for you is ? Paddling in the moonlight . Or wine tasting with my boys , who find me quite funny when I ’ ve had a little wine .
What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island ? I need a really good bed .
What would you prepare for us if we came to your house for dinner ? Probably stroganoff , I don ’ t cook much , but my stroganoff is excellent . And berries . The best strawberries in the world grow in my hills , and wild huckleberries , we haunt the forests in late summer and bring home gallons of huckleberries .
What ’ s in your fridge right now ? Lots of leftovers . Spaghetti , Tandoori Chicken . My husband is the cook .
Who are your kayaking / canoeing / SUP buddies ? I don ’ t paddle with anyone regularly anymore . It ’ s so much less complicated to go by myself . But sometimes , having someone to meet up with will get me out of the house . A group of my friends have all ended up in Florence , Oregon . They ’ re paddling together often , and I love to paddle with them , but I don ’ t get to often enough . I am scheming a way to move there .
Favourite music ? I love the blues . Taj Mahal is my favourite , and the last two times I saw him , I paddled to the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland and danced in my kayak . Bluegrass is my favourite paddling music .
Favourite film ? My dad taught film at university , so I grew up watching the best films . Night of the Hunter has to be my favourite . Two kids rowing away to escape from scary Robert Mitchum down a river at night . It ’ s a beautiful black-and-white masterpiece .
What three words would you use to describe yourself ? Paddler , librarian , grandmother
If you could be a wild animal – what would it be ? A water ouzel , of course . They call them American Dippers , but I prefer water ouzel , and I ’ d love to be one .
Any final shout-outs to friends , supporters and sponsors ? Of course , the group ’ s admins , a more fine group of intelligent , kind , wise , unselfish people , can ’ t be found . And a shout out to the whole congregation , who continue to surprise and delight me .
I don ’ t have any sponsors , though I sometimes get pro deals because of Church . Is it sponsoring when RPC made me three beautiful custom wing paddles for free ? Kayak Pro also sent me a free rack . I like that kind of sponsorship . I need a kayak ergometer ( and a bigger house to put it in ), plus Stellar gave me a pro deal on my S18R .
Casle would like to point out that she ’ s wearing a PFD in all photos , but she mostly uses a belt inflatable so you can ’ t see it .