VIEW FROM THE BACK

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Paddle because you can.

Paddle because you have to.

Don't have to because you're winning money or you have to keep your sponsors happy.

Paddle because you have to because it's in your blood.

Paddle because if you don't, you can't feel the saltwater coursing through your veins.

Paddle because we are all made of water.

Paddle because you can go places on a board that you can't go any other way.

Paddle because it's the only thing that will get you up at 5am after you go to bed at midnight.

Paddle because there's nothing more breathtaking than gliding through the water with dolphins and sea turtles and stingrays.

Paddle because you get sick if your sinuses don't get cleaned out often enough by the rush of saltwater up your nose after a rough tumble.

Paddle because you need Vitamin D.

Paddle with your hands or your double bladed paddle or your short single paddle or your long single paddle.

Paddle in the waves, in the flats, on the rivers, in the rapids.Paddle into the wind.

Paddle with the wind at your back.

Paddle into things that scare you.

Paddle with friends.

Paddle in new places.

Paddle the old familiar routes.

Paddle alone with your thoughts.

Paddle when you're too busy to paddle.

Paddle in the rain and the sun and the fog.

Paddle toward something.

Paddle away from something.

Paddle and when you're tired, float.

Paddle to challenge yourself.

Paddle to challenge others.

Paddle to save your life.

Paddle to build a new life.

Just paddle.

Just some words from an article by Katie Elzer-Peters. Read the full article here:
www.paddlemonster.com/2014/07/29/view-from-the-back-just-paddle/

One of the things I have enjoyed the most about Stand Up Paddle is the people I have met over the years.
I have met more inspirational people in this sport than most I have been involved in.
One such person is John Beusang the Editor of Distressed Mullet, one of the wittier and entertaining, community based websites coming out of the US right now.

When I asked John where he thought the SUP market was headed in the US he referred me to this article written by his friend Katie who never enters a race to win. In essence his message was - dont forget these people, AA, they are Stand Up Paddle!

Inspirational words from the most challenging place of all - the view from the back.

AA

Yeah nice Andrew. Read it twice. There are a lot of different people on this forum, some new to the sport, some are legends, most are probably not, but if we all still get that strange, funny feeling in the stomach as you are walking down to the waters edge and throw your board in the water then stand up and start paddling then that's all that really matters

Thanks for posting, stoked.

Reminds me of a young kid who looked at me when I hesitated on a big set one day about five years ago and said "You'll never know unless you go".
He will never know what an effect that had on me and now I mostly just go.I've had some crazy wipeouts but more to the point is that I have had some great waves that I would have missed.