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There are many endeavors that we participate in solely based on the challenge, but when I agreed to take part in a Stand-up Paddle Board crossing of lake Tahoe I think I must have been coming off some experience that made me feel “tough.”  I thought to myself, “Paddle boarding eh!,,, Can’t be that hard.  I have seen guys like Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton do it in 20ft waves, so I should be able to cross a lake….” 

When I arrived here two days ago and tried Paddle Boarding for the first time and came to the conclusion that there are two different kinds of people.  Water people, and those who grew up in the central mountains of Colorado….  In all honesty it’s not that hard once you find the balance point, and actually it was really fun gliding across water only a few inches above on an oversized surfboard.  However, I cowered at the thought of my undeveloped technique and atrophied muscle groups as I had no recollection of distances on water, I thought about how long it takes to ride a bike 22 miles, and then I was a little intimidated. 

However, what I thought would be a simple event featuring a group of athletes racing across a lake to raise money for some foundation turned out to be nothing short of prestigious. The organization, media, and support crews were all spectacular, but most of all the roster of athletes involved was the veritable “who’s who’s” in snow and water sports.  Headed up by professional paddlers and big wave surfers like Dave Kalama and Chuck Patterson, but supported by snow athletes like Daron Rahlves; the Winn-ingest US skier in history; big mountain rider and snowboard pioneer Jeremy Jones; world record holding skier Julian Carr; the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome, Mark Wellman; as well as other world class athletes from sports of all kinds.  Many of use were just honored just to be apart of the event and have our names on the roster, but furthermore the event had a deeper meaning then crossing a lake.

The incredible talent pool had been brought together to raise support and awareness for the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which is an organization making waves in the field of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress.  After ABC reporter Bob Woodruff suffered a severe head injury from a roadside bomb while reporting over seas, this organization was started to offer support to vets and their families from the Iraq and Afghanistan whom are suffering from these conditions.

This experience was an honor not only to be supporting an incredible organization, but also to be standing on a paddleboard among a dozen of my life-long idols.  Furthermore, the distance was daunting and the task itself was nothing short of intimidating given my ten minutes of experience on a board prior to the events start at 6:00am.  The next morning when we arrived on the south shore, after boating across the glassy lake in the dark, the air was dense and cold.  Raccoons were scurrying to their homes as we unloaded gear on the docks and prepared to embark.  The water was smooth and tranquil as we left the beach, but as the sun rose and illuminated the north shore, 22 miles away, my confidence was a little rattled as we could see the curve of the earth over the water.  However, as we got-our-stroke-on and fell into a rhythm the miles clicked off.  The morning was perfect as we were the only people on the water, which, made it easier to paddle without waves, but also offered the perfect setting to remember those who we were helping in the process.  At the same time it was a opportune time to reminisce about experiences with friends who had suffered from brain injuries as well.  In the sport of skiing alone there has been miraculous recoveries from people like Charlie Gaylord, CR Johnson, and others all of whom suffered from TBI in the last few years.  With support from organizations like The Bob Woodruff Family Foundation, people like Charlie and CR have been able to make solid recoveries, but there are those in the world that have been less fortunate and have not received the care and support needed to over come such tragedies.  

Tragic stories keep rolling I from the Middle East, but there are few organizations like the BWFF that are making and effort to help these forgotten heroes.  Crossing lake Tahoe was only the start in a long line of support necessary to make such organizations a success.  Sore, but proud we all walked away honored to take part in the event, but as we prepare for another season and wait for the snow to fall it is important to be aware of the greater story unfolding around us and that there is a greater cause for all of our actions.   For more information please visit The Bob Woodruff Family Fund at www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org.  To learn more about the Tahoe Stand-Up Paddle Board Crossing 2008 and how you or your firm can support for this worthy cause, please contact Dr. Robb Gaffney, 530-412-1325, robbgaffney@hotmail.com, or Rob Howard, 510-773-4701, rhoward@bikeskills.com.