Insider Rowing

Hell yes! We made it to Nationals and I’m thrilled to be here. Good old Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We scored a sweet new Wintech pair from Fairmount and it’s a HUGE upgrade over our previous shell. We took it out for a swing tonight and it feels light and responsive. Because of this, we’re going to be able to lengthen the oars a bit, get more leverage, and hopefully race a little bit higher. Our big issue now is steering; since the boat moves differently it’ll take us a few practices to get used to it.

So I realized I’ve visited four cool new cities this summer during my rowing related travels: Cincinnati, Marietta, Louisville, and Pittsburgh. All have a different size, vibe, and flavor, but they have one commonality. Each is a city on the Ohio River. I find these river towns compelling and I could see myself living in one even though I’ve lived on the coast for most of my life. They’re all pretty laid back and everyone I’ve meet has been totally cool.

No racing tomorrow. We’re practicing twice, at 6:00 am and again in the evening. I’m psyched.