PBS SHOW City Camping, Water Safari, Caddo Rain #2721

The. Texas, Parks & Wildlife television, series is funded in, part by a grant from the wildlife and. Sport fish, restoration program. Through. Your purchases of hunting and, fishing equipment and, motorboat fuels. Over. 50. Million dollars, in conservation efforts. Are funded in, Texas each, year. Additional. Support provided by, Ram trucks, built. To serve. Coming. Up on Texas, Parks and, Wildlife so I don't buy this argument that people, aren't enjoying. The outdoors anymore, I think they're just enjoying it in different ways, maybe. A little bit of a pride thing and you get to that's, got to be the hottest spot and hole rate and, you don't want to mess up we're. Gonna go the same speed the, entire time and we're gonna hit our checkpoints, when we say so, you know our strategy is basically keep our energy up through the whole race so that we can finish. Texas. Parks and Wildlife a television series, for, all outdoors. So. I work for the, Paramount, Academy, for the Arts which. Is the educational. Branch of the Paramount Theater, working. At the Paramount is a very, fast-paced environment it's, go-go-go. Okay you. Know what I mean oh I don't know the, showstoppers, one word yeah I'm excited, see ya paramount. Is in. Downtown Austin, and it's, right off Congress Avenue just a few blocks from the Capitol, everything. Is very fast paced. And, so that's why I really like to take. A step back you can breather get. Outside. There. Are so many opportunities even. Within an hour's drive. So. I don't think it's difficult to get outdoors but it is something you have to you. Have to make it a priority I. Think. A lot of times being. Outdoors can be intimidating. You. Know I definitely felt that way I know a lot of people feel that way, but. I don't think you, have to have that background, information to enjoy the State Park I. Don't. Think I bring. Anything super. Special to the table I think I just ask. The right questions, and I'm, not afraid to admit when I don't know the, answer to something or I don't know how something works. It's. Not state-of-the-art, it's not anything. Fancy it's, pretty simple but it. Works for me I. Probably. Do not get outside as often, as the. Generation, before me. But. I also think it's coming back into style I think people are, realizing. The, value of the outdoors and the value of just experiencing. And exploring, nature I. Don't. Know what it is but it does not look fitness I. Don't. Think anyone hates, the outdoors I think that's that's. Bogus when people say that I think there's something in the outdoors for everyone, and you just have to sort of find what your thing is. So. I don't buy this argument that, people. Aren't, enjoying. The outdoors anymore. I don't, think that's true I think they're just enjoying it in different ways. I don't, think there is a right way to use nature, you know what I mean I don't think there's a right, way to experience, the outdoors. Of. Reading, a book outside is one of my favorite things and. It's good in almost. Any, circumstance. And. If. You're going for, a selfie, versus, going to tough. It out in the wilderness for five days great both are valid options. Alright. I'm gonna do it I'm gonna be super narcissistic, can't get a selfie, please. Don't judge me I. Think. The outdoors are for everyone I think they are called public lands for a reason. All right. Good. I feel. Like that's a common goal in general as to I want to spend more time outdoors. But. Until you book it until you make the plans and it's not gonna happen. And, the. Opportunities, are there it's just about really, committing to it and going for it. You. A. Texas. Water Safari a. Race. For warriors. You. Know parts of the river has been just pressure wash and it's just like highways, like driving down i-35 but. Then you, know you get to a spot that's completely junked up in the jammed up a. Race. To reconnect. The. Partnership. And the, love that you feel you. Know going through this it's just amazing. It's. Rewarding and, ridiculous. All at the same time. It's. Just past 6:00 on a typical Tuesday night for John Medrano you're, doing it with your spouse his, wife Jenny just beat him home then spaghetti half your busy American, family, with two jobs two kids and an incredibly, hectic life. Oh man, that's it that's a lot of that personal, time that we spent kind of came to a fight y'all had some of the other stuff I. Mean. You just kind of wake up one day and you look at each other like who are you you know because you spend all of your time trying, to do everything you can for, the babies and then kind, of look at each other like, you've.

Changed And you don't really know what you've changed them to apparently. At some point, along the way I became grouchy. Careful. It's hot. Which. One oh yeah. That's a callus so. Tomorrow. It's like standard, run get. Up at 4, out. Of here by 4:30. His face drink. John. And Jenny are training, for the Texas, water Safari. Which. Is about four months away. Neither. Had even paddled, in a canoe together before, this ready. And. Now. They train just about every, day. Better. Compared. To the first time we have. These paddles turn, the right direction it's embarrassing, as that is, they've. Named their team couples. Therapy, so we had lost a you, know a lot of time. Together. And this. This. Is you. Know an effort, and trying to get that back and it's worked, wonderfully, it's, been healing and helpful for us in a lot of ways I, had. To spend most of the time at the beginning just basically. Making the boat go straight, cut. So. Now I'm trying to learn, my. Paddle technique. Paddle. Technique is not a problem for team Texas flood but. As good as it gets it's, called a closed cell foam so, it doesn't take on moisture. A. Lot. Of effort in water evacuations, I think these weigh 22. Ounces in these weighs. 7. Ounces maybe the, six-man veteran, team won last year. And is expected to repeat. Best. Thing is just we're all good friends you know it's just guys that I enjoy spending time with uh you know we did it last year we put the team together we all had a real good time after the race we all wanted, to race together again. Train, and run we're. Going 48. Miles we're, going from here to Palmetto. State, Park. When. We're training we'll go real hard for a mile and do like a mile interval, on high fast water I think we've done close. To 11 for a mile. Dean. The world's, toughest canoe race the Texas, water Safari is. A 260. Mile River adventure, from San Marcos, to Seadrift. It. Started, in 1963. And, has become one of the premier paddling. Races, in the country. Look. At home. Good. Evening from central Texas the scene of utter devastation a natural, disaster of epic proportions. After, days of relentless historic. Rain triggered, raging, floods, because. Of the historic, flooding the race is postponed, twice I, wish, I could. Be. Laying it over a month but. Now and nothing is gonna be the same and, we're novices so, you know we prefer to go look at it scout it out so. It'll, be interesting. With. Just a week till the race both, teams get in a final practice, it's. Compared to previous years that we've raced this is probably one of the highest water, years that we've seen so a lot, of junk lot of logs a. Lot. Of 40. The. Six-man team swamps. The cotton, seed racket, so. We've been practicing, this stretch all spring and we had it each turn, just, down pat you know we were nailing it and then, it flooded and, everything. Has changed and we've got almost, zero time to learn the whole river. You. Know it's both excitement, and nervousness they're. Working, for I guess, five months now just, working our butts off to get ready and it's. Almost time. Maybe, a little bit of a pride thing when you get to constantly that's got to be the hottest spot cold race there's.

People Everywhere but. We had swamped and practiced, a couple of times so, you, want to do it well, you. Don't want to risk messing, up your race there by doing something fully you don't want to mess it up. Um. Me. And John our strategy is, slow. And steady we're. Gonna go the same speed the, entire time and we're gonna hit our checkpoints, when we say so, you know our strategy is basically to keep our energy up through the whole race so that we can finish. We. Are at Fentress, on the. San Marcos River waiting, for team 150, to come through. Throw. Their empty jugs out upriver. Get. Three jugs in each hand and just throw them in there when they go by and they're just keep on going the. Paddlers, aren't the only ones racing. Support. Teams scramble to, stay a step and, a stop ahead we. Might. Get like a 20-minute nap somewhere but for the most part we have, to keep going through the whole day. It's. Maybe less fun tomorrow if you asked me. We. Got it harren get that. Like. I. Can't. Pull anything out. Hold. Your drugs out they don't want us doing it will, you get that bottle. Now, we gotta hurry up and wait somewhere. Let's go let's go doing. Good. Doing. Okay so far we're staying on schedule that's, good this is fun. Well. It's Edler we're, preparing for a night time that's gonna be dark, we, don't want have to pull over on a riverbank and put lights on so, we're, doing it. They. Say that Palmetto you need to go right yeah, okay, try, not to spend too much time there it's easy to spend time at checkpoints. Talking to people or doing things I don't want to get this trap we just want to get right back in the water now and all. Right keep up the good work. Absolutely. Keep it going. As. Sun sets on day one the solitude, and silence of, the San Marcos, River sinks. In. There's. No ambient light so you're hearing these noises all, night rushing, water different. Sounds, things crashing, through the underbrush and. You have no idea what it is you can't see it and you can only see straight at. Night. Guard, your fire. That's. One of the hardest stretches at the race just. That first night when you're really all alone and you can paddle in all day and kind of dawns on you that you're a third of the way done. Hey. Look. Baby daddy's in the boat say go dad go. You. Have a louder so you can hear you. This. Is my vacation but, this. A hell of a lot easier than going to work every day I mean, for sure so, there's today too when, you're super tired and, all you're focusing, on is staying. Healthy and trying to get that paddle in the water and pull on cars and you're totally forgotten about everything else, you. Get to this real simple existence.

It's. Just a beautiful river. Year. After year you see things change you see the, same magnificent. Tree year after year certain, places that, no. One has access to unless, you paddle to it. It. Is 7:48, and our, guys are coming in to, the finish line. Your. Drain physically, you're. At your limit and, and. You're almost there. Hey, Sam did the Midas belt they just flip. That's that, they. Just split out, in the bank so. They're trying to get back in. Despite, the dumped in the bay team, Texas flood finishes. The race in 35, hours and 2 minutes winning. The water Safari for the second year in a row, it's. Kind of a culmination of all the hardships you've been going through you you're reaching your, accomplishment. Your goal so. It's very emotional, to. Reach, that point you put your stamp on it good, or bad and you can look back and. Be proud of. You. Know the race isn't all about the, race it's more about the experience the camaraderie and I, really enjoy spending time with all these guys that's, what's important, you know really. Yes. Today is like my third Whataburger, meal in two days. Probably. 90% metal, at this point. But. It's, very challenging it, forces, you to push it to the limit and that's, what we're here for. The. Relationship, we've been together 12. Years and things, were great before kids we had a lot of fun we did a lot of traveling, right a lot, of that personal, time that we spent you know and doing the fun things kind, of came to a halt so we, had lost a you, know a lot of time, together. Get. Pounded from way from both sides better hurry. The, river heal me, and John quite, a bit. And it brings, your priorities, back into alignment you, realize what's really important, in life, you. Know and this race is all about that. How. Are we doing over here. Right. Here right here. Neverending. John. Was a little concerned, about, me I'm, hallucinating pretty, badly. Thanks. For great hallucinations. Also. Right now we're, not taking care of ourselves like, we had throughout the race every, hour we ate consumed, stuff we were making sure we were drinking a lot we weren't doing these. Basic, things to keep ourselves healthy you know what I mean I need. A xanax. Like. Raging heartburn. Yeah, they took a beating this time, it's. A good real beat you. Get hooked it's. A spiritual, cleansing because. It makes you appreciate everything. All. The small little things like a. Place. To lay down. They. Persevered, through a lot, sleep, deprivation, not, eating a lot maybe not being able to hold down food, they've, accomplished quite a big feat, after. Three days and paddling. 260. Miles, John. And jenni finally, make it to see drift together, I, guess. It's a testament, to how, much you do love somebody right regardless, of what state your relationships, and when you can sit down and do something so, difficult together. For. The sake of you know healing, all the things that have been going on, me. And John connected, on a level that you, don't, even think is possible, and it's, amazing, to, be with someone through this journey and know that when you were at your lowest point you. Don't think you can go on someone's. Gonna pick you up and you figure, out really fast what you're capable of, and you, know what's important, to you out on that River. It's. Great, it's. A wonderful feeling. The. Race was amazing, and it changed, us so. It, did what it was supposed to do. And. We're. Absolutely addicted, so. We can't wait to get back on the river now. Let. Passport, to Texas be, your guide listen. To the weekday radio series, and encounter. Fascinating. Wildlife. Explore. Cooking wild game. Enjoy. The country's, best hunting, and fishing. Visit. Passport, to Texas org. To find a station near you and remember, life's better outside. This. Series, is funded in part by a grant from, the wildlife and. Sport fish restoration program. Through. Your purchases of hunting and, fishing equipment, and, motorboat fuels. Over 50. Million dollars, in conservation efforts, are, funded in Texas each, year.

Additional. Support provided by, Ram trucks, built. A sir.

2019-03-09 15:47

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