Articles We Wrote

I knew the blue canoe would capsize several seconds before it happened. Its paddler—a scruffy-bearded 60-something—was wide-eyed in the whitewater. He slammed his waxed basswood paddle across the boat, bridging the gunwales. It was a pose that had meaning. To the eyes of seasoned paddlers, adopting it is as good as saying, “I feel in over my head. I’m going to desperately grasp for anything that might feel stable. I’ll be toppling into the water momentarily.”…

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the Schuylkill River Sojourn! Prepare yourself for a week of sore arms, blistered palms, and wet bottoms! Please, put your hands together for our featured act: a 100 person, 112-mile synchronized river paddle! Get ready for the greatest show on Earth!…