Strange realizations [rowing]
Jul. 25th, 2019 10:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
For years and years and years, I have thought I wanted to save up and get my own single rowing scull. There was the temptation of that amazing wooden Pocock 1x in California, you'll recall, prevented by the questions of, where will I put it and how will I transport it?
More recently, I've had a change of heart. I find it more rewarding to row with a team than to dream of being able to row by myself, anytime, anywhere, in my very own fragile, expensive rowing shell. The questions of "where will I put it and how will I transport it?" still stand. I mean, we have two kayaks right now in the garage and we've been working so hard to figure out how to answer the transport question without resorting to fossil-fuel use. [I did figure out at least one "no" answer in this regard: no, I will not just stick the kayaks in the boatyard in a corner somewhere just because there aren't any rules about doing that kind of thing.]
So I'm shelving these single rowing shell plans for now. Cooperative ownership (i.e. being part of a club and using club-owned equipment) comes with its fair share of challenges, not the least of which is ensuring standards of care. But then there are the benefits: so much help with answering the questions above, and even more than that, the encouragement, challenges, and camaraderie of teammates.
And who knows, I might change my mind yet again later in life.
More recently, I've had a change of heart. I find it more rewarding to row with a team than to dream of being able to row by myself, anytime, anywhere, in my very own fragile, expensive rowing shell. The questions of "where will I put it and how will I transport it?" still stand. I mean, we have two kayaks right now in the garage and we've been working so hard to figure out how to answer the transport question without resorting to fossil-fuel use. [I did figure out at least one "no" answer in this regard: no, I will not just stick the kayaks in the boatyard in a corner somewhere just because there aren't any rules about doing that kind of thing.]
So I'm shelving these single rowing shell plans for now. Cooperative ownership (i.e. being part of a club and using club-owned equipment) comes with its fair share of challenges, not the least of which is ensuring standards of care. But then there are the benefits: so much help with answering the questions above, and even more than that, the encouragement, challenges, and camaraderie of teammates.
And who knows, I might change my mind yet again later in life.