Author: Warren Currie

Easy Rider is proud to announce the addition of Jimmy Lewis SUP boards to its line up.
Jimmy Lewis has been shaping surf boards since 1968, sailboards since 1978 and Kiteboards since the mid 1990’s.

Jimmy has found his new passion – Stand Up Paddling.

While several of his models are  designed for the surf, he is also focusing on flat water and race board designs.
Easy Rider has already received several of the new boards and they are already in the store.

For more info check out the following links.
Jimmy Lewis Canada
http://www.jimmylewis.ca/

Jimmy Lewis
http://jimmylewis.com/home.asp

Here are a few shots I took with a Go Pro camera.
It was a “nice” day for northern Alberta in mid November so I figured I would do a bit of a “downwinder”.
Air temp was about -2 celsius with the wind chill and the water was right around zero.

The camera worked great.
You can set them to take a photo every 2 or 5 seconds, or it can shoot video.
It takes a 2 GB card and that will get you either about 700 photos or just under an hour of video.
It is amazing that so many cool features can be packed into such a small case.
They are waterproof to 100 feet and you can get a ton of different mounting kits for them.

The brand new Go Pro HD cameras have just hit the store as well.  They are just over $100. more than the regular ones and they shoot up to 1080p.  The HD version will also shoot video at 60 frames per second – so you can do full slow motion!

Stop by the shop and check them out – just in time for Christmas.

Went for a paddle on the North Saskatchewan river last night – what a blast!
The air temp was a balmy +1 C  and the water was some where around zero.
I learned a few things about paddling with ice flows – and in case any of you decide to try it out, here they are:

1) You spend a lot of time an energy dodging the big ones.  The paddle was a slalom race around moving ice.
2) When going up stream into the ice flows – the current can “close a gap” that you are aiming for very quickly.
3) If you stand really far forward on a Starboard Pin the bow acts as an ice breaker and can split the flow in half.
3 a) If the nose doesn’t split the ice – the board will push the ice down and then it hits the fin and stops you dead – especially going up stream.
3 b) To break the ice once it has gone under the board – rock back and forth with your feet right as the ice gets under your feet.
4) The water splash on the board freezes in to a nice, slick layer of ice – so get comfortable with your stance because you aren’t going to be able to move around much.
5) Do not ever get hit broad side by a flow as you are turning around to go back down stream – they can take the board out from under your feet.
6) Your paddle will collect a nice coating of ice making it several times heavier than it should be.
7) Try it – it was one of the neatest experiences I have had on a Stand Up Board!

p.s. Thanks to Quiksilver for making kick butt wetsuits, booties and gloves!

(click on the photos to view full size)