On this coming Friday, August 27, I leave on a multiple-month whitewater kayaking and rafting sojourn that will take me across the North American continent and into the jungles of Central America. The first three months of my journey are very well organized through a rafting company in Quebec called Esprit Rafting Adventures. In fact, I will be participating on a whitewater-guide training program called WILD, the Whitewater Intensive Leadership Development School, operated by Esprit. WILD is based in the Ottawa Valley for the month of September with training focussed on the many rivers of northern Ontario and Quebec. Most of October will be spent training in the United States, particularly in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. All of November will be spent paddling the various rivers of Mexico, starting in the northeastern state of San Luis Potosi and traveling south into Veracruz and finally west into the state of Oaxaca. By December I will be basking on the white sand beaches of the beautiful Pacific Ocean, taking the time to contemplate my cross-continental journey and figure out which direction my life should go next.
As of now I have no formal plans for adventure after WILD finishes. I have a number of options available including finding work, further explorations into Central America, or perhaps just becoming a beach/river bum. Only time will tell. I have no issues with going wherever the wind, or water for that matter, will take me. If all goes well I will be returning sometime early next year.
