MtSurf

We filmed a show for the Food Network today.  I had a chance to take Giada De Laurentiis out on the S.Platte for a little ducky trip.   Giada was a real trooper.  I’m sure she was talked into the whole thing by some remote Production Company.  Because, last week it was 90 degrees… and, today.  Yep- overcast and 65 degrees.  But, she showed up.  Dressed up like a real kayaker, and headed out to the river. (- thank you NRS and Werner.)

We filmed a little bit in the shop and then we were off to Confluence Park.  I gave her  sixty seconds of some of the best kayak instruction that money can buy.   Here’s how to hold a paddle, this is a sweep stroke, this is a forward stroke, and your eyes do all the stearing.  You’re ready- now let’s get ready to get wet.  I grabbed my safety boater and we headed up to the top of the course.  One more bit for info before we launched ” lean forward to keep for flipping”.   Now follow me.

We made it throught the top of the course with only a little bit of spinning.  Blasted through a few waves, spun a couple more times, almost made it to the bottom of the park before we spun out into a large eddy.  Only one more small sticky hole to go.  I tell Giada that we don’t want to fight the current- just go with the flow.  I’m leading as I peal out into the current, with Giada tight on my heals.  She is having just a little bit of trouble keeping it straight as she enters the hole.  She missed her power stroke, and insted of moving downstream, she’s surfing.  Oh no.  This isn’t going to end well.  In one of the worst moments of my kayaking career, I watched helplessly as her ducky rose vertical and back endered into a half barrel roll.  All I saw was the bottom of the kayak and half of her production company running into the river.  She popped up right beside the ducky.  Within 5 seconds there were five folks there to walk her out of the river.

We filmed a quick thank you for ruining my hair segment.  Now I’ve got to go back to the hotel to shower, go through 4 more hours of hair and make-up to film our next eating segment.  Needless to say.  I was not invited to dinner.  Other than that it was a great day on the river.

For more details about the show check out  http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_wg/