SONS OF AUXVASSE CREEK
Race to the Dome
JULY 3, 2010
Matt and I left Maysville at 4:04am Saturday and headed to Hartsburg which is the starting point for the Race to the Dome. We arrived at the Hartsburg Missouri River access at about 7:50 and unloaded our canoe and got her ready for the river. The finish line is actually Cedar City which is 16 miles downstream and across the river from Jefferson City and the state capitol building (which has a dome).
Our good friends Tom and Joy Young from Auxvasse met us there to shuttle our vehicle to the finish line. Tom and I both competed in the MR 340 last year but on different teams. I had a MR 340 skull and crossbones decal on my canoe from last years MR 340. The fact that we (actually it was Chad and I) had competed in the 340 last year created instant creditability for the Sons of Auxvasse Creek. A few other 340 boats were in this particular race as well but most had only heard about it or wished they could do it.
This would be the first time Matt and I had paddled on the Missouri River . We have canoed on the Auxvasse Creek and on a local lake but this would be our first time with a steady current. This took a particular amount of courage from Matt because the last time he and I had this canoe on the water I swamped him.
Unlike the MR 340 this race started in heats based on the class each team was entered in. Our class (men’s tandem) had 18 entries and was the second heat. When the MR 340 starts in Kansas City in a few days all 340 boats will start at once. Of course in a 340 mile race starting position is not as critical as it is in a 16 mile race.
When attempting to maximize ones speed on the Missouri River it is important to find the channel because that is where the best current will usually be. With the present high water conditions even the slow part of the river is faster than usual but it is still better to be in the channel.
At the start Matt and I headed downstream and across the river with a group of about 7 or 8 boats. The other boats just headed downstream which looks like it would be quicker but the extra push from the current more than makes up for the added distance once one gets in the channel which is usually at the outside of the bends in the river. In this 16 mile stretch we will need to cross sides 5 times to stay in the channel.
There seemed to be more whirlpools than usual and they can throw a canoe off course. When we would see one of the canoes ahead of us do an unusual move we would either try to avoid that piece of water or power thru it. This strategy paid off for us. While they were attempting recover we were able to paddle by them.
At about 5 miles out it was apparent that 5 canoes would be contending for the lead of our heat. A 16 mile river race would have to be considered a sprint. We didn’t paddle all out all of the time but we did frequently. Our maximum speed was 11.6 mph which is quick for a 2 person canoe on the Missouri River .
By this time we were catching up with some of the slower canoes from the first heat and we were being passed by some of the faster kayaks that started in the heat behind us so it was difficult to tell for sure what position we were in. I thought we were in 3rd place about 50 yards behind the next tandem canoe. Matt and I made a charge on the canoe ahead of us and they responded by picking up the pace. We couldn’t close the gap so we backed down to our regular pace and followed them on in to the finish line which was pretty chaotic with the current, other craft landing and taking off, high water and mud. I was pleased to finish in 1:51 with an average speed of 8.6 mph and in what looked to me to be 3rd place.
Matt has more strength than me but I have a lot more river experience so we made a good team. When we were doing those sprints I could feel the benefit of all of those push ups and sit ups I have been doing these past months. Once the MR 340 gets underway the extended bicycle trips should benefit when it gets down to endurance both physical and mental. The Race to the Dome was mostly power but the MR 340 will be about 30% power, 40% endurance and 65% mental.
After landing and loading our canoe up for the trip home we waited around for the awards ceremony. The Old Brickhouse deli was serving food to the participants so we had our polish sausage and kraut for lunch. While we were waiting around the “dragon boat” arrived for a test run from Jefferson City to Herman which is about 50 river miles.
The dragon boat is a new canoe that has 20 paddlers and a helmsman built to specifically compete in the MR 340 this year. She is a good looking watercraft. They had two openings on her for paddlers for the test run and it was tempting for Matt and me to take a ride on her. I would guess they could get that canoe up to 20 or 25 mph with the fast current and 20 paddlers. The dragon boat should set a new race record for the MR 340.
When the officials passed out the awards we were pleasantly surprised to find we actually finished 2nd in our class. Matt and I are looking forward to next year.
Next event: MR340 start at Kaw Point in Kansas City , Ks. @ 8am, July 27.
Our good friends Tom and Joy Young from Auxvasse met us there to shuttle our vehicle to the finish line. Tom and I both competed in the MR 340 last year but on different teams. I had a MR 340 skull and crossbones decal on my canoe from last years MR 340. The fact that we (actually it was Chad and I) had competed in the 340 last year created instant creditability for the Sons of Auxvasse Creek. A few other 340 boats were in this particular race as well but most had only heard about it or wished they could do it.
This would be the first time Matt and I had paddled on the Missouri River . We have canoed on the Auxvasse Creek and on a local lake but this would be our first time with a steady current. This took a particular amount of courage from Matt because the last time he and I had this canoe on the water I swamped him.
Unlike the MR 340 this race started in heats based on the class each team was entered in. Our class (men’s tandem) had 18 entries and was the second heat. When the MR 340 starts in Kansas City in a few days all 340 boats will start at once. Of course in a 340 mile race starting position is not as critical as it is in a 16 mile race.
When attempting to maximize ones speed on the Missouri River it is important to find the channel because that is where the best current will usually be. With the present high water conditions even the slow part of the river is faster than usual but it is still better to be in the channel.
At the start Matt and I headed downstream and across the river with a group of about 7 or 8 boats. The other boats just headed downstream which looks like it would be quicker but the extra push from the current more than makes up for the added distance once one gets in the channel which is usually at the outside of the bends in the river. In this 16 mile stretch we will need to cross sides 5 times to stay in the channel.
There seemed to be more whirlpools than usual and they can throw a canoe off course. When we would see one of the canoes ahead of us do an unusual move we would either try to avoid that piece of water or power thru it. This strategy paid off for us. While they were attempting recover we were able to paddle by them.
At about 5 miles out it was apparent that 5 canoes would be contending for the lead of our heat. A 16 mile river race would have to be considered a sprint. We didn’t paddle all out all of the time but we did frequently. Our maximum speed was 11.6 mph which is quick for a 2 person canoe on the Missouri River .
By this time we were catching up with some of the slower canoes from the first heat and we were being passed by some of the faster kayaks that started in the heat behind us so it was difficult to tell for sure what position we were in. I thought we were in 3rd place about 50 yards behind the next tandem canoe. Matt and I made a charge on the canoe ahead of us and they responded by picking up the pace. We couldn’t close the gap so we backed down to our regular pace and followed them on in to the finish line which was pretty chaotic with the current, other craft landing and taking off, high water and mud. I was pleased to finish in 1:51 with an average speed of 8.6 mph and in what looked to me to be 3rd place.
Matt has more strength than me but I have a lot more river experience so we made a good team. When we were doing those sprints I could feel the benefit of all of those push ups and sit ups I have been doing these past months. Once the MR 340 gets underway the extended bicycle trips should benefit when it gets down to endurance both physical and mental. The Race to the Dome was mostly power but the MR 340 will be about 30% power, 40% endurance and 65% mental.
After landing and loading our canoe up for the trip home we waited around for the awards ceremony. The Old Brickhouse deli was serving food to the participants so we had our polish sausage and kraut for lunch. While we were waiting around the “dragon boat” arrived for a test run from Jefferson City to Herman which is about 50 river miles.
The dragon boat is a new canoe that has 20 paddlers and a helmsman built to specifically compete in the MR 340 this year. She is a good looking watercraft. They had two openings on her for paddlers for the test run and it was tempting for Matt and me to take a ride on her. I would guess they could get that canoe up to 20 or 25 mph with the fast current and 20 paddlers. The dragon boat should set a new race record for the MR 340.
When the officials passed out the awards we were pleasantly surprised to find we actually finished 2nd in our class. Matt and I are looking forward to next year.
Next event: MR340 start at Kaw Point in Kansas City , Ks. @ 8am, July 27.
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