I kind of got my chance this past weekend with the Paddle Bayou Lafourche event. It's hosted by BTNEP. (I know what it stands for but have zero clue how to spell it... google it if you want to).
On Thursday, reporter Robert Zullo and I put our canoe in the water in Donaldsonville and spent four days paddling down the bayou to Lockport. Each night we camped at a different location. First night was a Plantation home, next night was Nicholls State University and the final night was on the lawn of the Chief of the United Houma Nation Indian Tribe.
It wasn't true camping however, since we had our cars with us, and had to drive back to the office each night to get the paper our stories and photos. But it was close enough for me.
In fact, when I packed, I packed thinking "how can I keep all this stuff with me? Pack light and pack water safe since it'll all be in a canoe."
Well stupid me didn't' realize that I'd have my car each day at the finish spot. So I could keep the tent, clothes, sleeping bag... etc in the car. I'm used to packing for camping trips where I have to keep everything with me.
Anyway, it was still awesome, and gave me my fix for paddling a canoe and sleeping in a tent. Hadn't done that since high school. We missed out on each evenings activities because we had to go work, but next year I've promised to only paddle and not work.
We also did a little experiment by posting short updates on what was going on to our website, and having people follow us as we went on our journey. So every so often, I'd pull out my phone and update my Twitter account which would automatically post to a page on our webstie. Check out the page here.
By the end of the trip, we were known as "the courier guys" and we got lots of positive feedback from the paddlers about the stories and photos.
So if anybody wants to come down next year and paddle, I've got a tent, and know a guy who has a canoe. Come on down.
You can see my favorite photos from the trip here.
