Itinerary and Updates for OGC
Support for the the Old Goat Challenge has been overwhelming.
1. Contribute to the fundraising. While we have more than doubled my event goal of $6,000, we are still about $1,500 short of the actual need to buy stoves and pay for associated costs of sending our Hands for Peacemaking Foundation staff to the village to do the work. Any additional raised will go towards needs at the village school (desks, text books, etc.) or for other prioritized needs of the village (water tanks, filtration systems, etc.). 
2. Turn out for the OGC! Below is an outline of the schedule with ETAs and possible viewing spots. (If you come please wear a mask and practice social distancing to protect yourself and those around you).
5:30 a.m. Assemble at beach on north Camano to launch kayak(s) and support vessel.
5:46 a.m. (sharp!) - Leave beach at Camano. If you'd like to be there for the send-off, get in touch for directions. We can offer a camp spot for the mostly self-contained if you'd like to come the evening before (we can also offer a sink, warm water, an outhouse and a camp fire). I'd also invite anyone interested to join the "goatilla" with their own kayak, SUP or rowboat and follow us out as far as you feel you can! Unfortunately I can't wait for anyone though due to the low tide I need to beat and in consideration of meeting the schedule. Depending on the tide there may be an opportunity to walk on the beach north for a time as I will be paddling close to the shore toward Brown Point.
8:15 to 8:25 a.m. - Arrive at east Goat Island after crossing over from Ika Island. How close I get depends on the tide. Will begin rounding Goat Island, which is at the south end of the Swinomish Slough jetty. It would be cool to have anyone in a kayak, SUP or other small craft to help escort me in with a welcome "goatilla." Here is the full kayak course.
9:10 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. - Pass under Rainbow Bridge over the Swinomish Slough just south of LaConner. There are wide platforms at either end of the bridge and a narrow walkway across the bridge. The bridge is basically adjacent to the boat ramp where I will be finishing the kayak portion.
9:15 to 9:30 a.m. - Arrive at launch ramp, load kayak (and possibly inflatable support vessel) onto/into the waiting support vehicle (a blue 2003 Ford Expedition). Transition to the half-marathon. While I expect to be busy here with changing and vessel loading, it would be a good chance to say hello (and help if you'd like).
9:30 to 9:45 - Half Marathon portion begins. Route includes downtown LaConner so that is a good place to watch. Here is a link to the course, which continues up N. First by the boat basin and over to N. 3rd. The course goes through the backroads - mostly farm and dairy country. Not a lot of places to safely stand through this stretch. At least one or two others (mainly my son Kyle, my brother John and his friend Rob) may join on the half-marathon route. As of this writing they are not fully committed.
10:30 to 10:45 - Rexville Grocery at corner of Best Road and Summers Drive. Quaint country market and could be a good place to observe as we, uh,fly run jog crawl go by.
11:30 to 11:45 - Half-a-thon finish. Conway Park just off Greenfield and Fir Island Road would be a fine place to stand as we run around the corner toward the finish at Main and Second. That also happens to be the location of the Conway Tavern, where we will rest for lunch before moving on to the cycling portion. (The pub will be open at least for take-out, pre-ordering advised).
1 p.m.to 1:15 p.m. - Cycling segment of the OGC begins. (Building in extra time to allow for delays, slow cooks, etc.). At least one other person, a fellow cycling enthusiast with whom I've logged many miles named Tony Chursky (yes, he has his own Wikipedia from his professional soccer playing days:-) ) has committed to join. My son Kyle and possibly one or two others may as well.
The 35-mile cycling route goes south, then east to the freeway and south, then west through Stanwood (around 2 p.m.). It is mostly flat until we reach hilly Camano Island, where there will be an overall elevation gain of more than 2,000 feet. It dips down to the waterfront along Sunset and Madrona beaches on Sunset Drive before climbing back up to North Camano Drive and back to our place. Here is the cycling route.
3:30 to 4 p.m. - Finish up back at Camano. If you'd like to be a part of the welcome back committee, again please just get in touch for directions. My plan at this point, assuming I make it, is to collapse and maybe shower. But if anyone else wants to plan anything, I'm game.
3. If you do come, I would welcome photos and videos of the event to share with donors/friends.
Thanks everyone! So looking forward to the Old Goat Challenge, and hope you are too.
Blessings,
Brian
Not only have we exceeded my fundraising goal, but a number of folks have said they want to either participate or cheer us on this Saturday. I received a very kind email from Jon Skiffington, pastor of the Christ the King Church in LaConner (and father of Pastor Jesse Skiffington of Marine View Church where Dee and I attend), saying he was excited about the event, and offered possible support from his congregation. He has also consulted with the kayaking community on my behalf to relay some local knowledge.
I'm still hopeful that someone will actually do the full OGC with me, but at this point it looks like I'll be solo for at least the kayaking portion (brother Tom has agreed to escort me in a vessel). I'm not opposed to paddling in rain, but if it's blowing like mad that morning and white cappy, then for safety's sake plan B would be to skip the kayak portion and add extra miles to the cycling segment.
A number of people have said they would like to support or otherwise help in some way, so here are some thoughts:
2. Turn out for the OGC! Below is an outline of the schedule with ETAs and possible viewing spots. (If you come please wear a mask and practice social distancing to protect yourself and those around you).
5:46 a.m. (sharp!) - Leave beach at Camano. If you'd like to be there for the send-off, get in touch for directions. We can offer a camp spot for the mostly self-contained if you'd like to come the evening before (we can also offer a sink, warm water, an outhouse and a camp fire). I'd also invite anyone interested to join the "goatilla" with their own kayak, SUP or rowboat and follow us out as far as you feel you can! Unfortunately I can't wait for anyone though due to the low tide I need to beat and in consideration of meeting the schedule. Depending on the tide there may be an opportunity to walk on the beach north for a time as I will be paddling close to the shore toward Brown Point.
8:15 to 8:25 a.m. - Arrive at east Goat Island after crossing over from Ika Island. How close I get depends on the tide. Will begin rounding Goat Island, which is at the south end of the Swinomish Slough jetty. It would be cool to have anyone in a kayak, SUP or other small craft to help escort me in with a welcome "goatilla." Here is the full kayak course.
9:10 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. - Pass under Rainbow Bridge over the Swinomish Slough just south of LaConner. There are wide platforms at either end of the bridge and a narrow walkway across the bridge. The bridge is basically adjacent to the boat ramp where I will be finishing the kayak portion.
9:15 to 9:30 a.m. - Arrive at launch ramp, load kayak (and possibly inflatable support vessel) onto/into the waiting support vehicle (a blue 2003 Ford Expedition). Transition to the half-marathon. While I expect to be busy here with changing and vessel loading, it would be a good chance to say hello (and help if you'd like).
9:30 to 9:45 - Half Marathon portion begins. Route includes downtown LaConner so that is a good place to watch. Here is a link to the course, which continues up N. First by the boat basin and over to N. 3rd. The course goes through the backroads - mostly farm and dairy country. Not a lot of places to safely stand through this stretch. At least one or two others (mainly my son Kyle, my brother John and his friend Rob) may join on the half-marathon route. As of this writing they are not fully committed.
10:30 to 10:45 - Rexville Grocery at corner of Best Road and Summers Drive. Quaint country market and could be a good place to observe as we, uh,
11:30 to 11:45 - Half-a-thon finish. Conway Park just off Greenfield and Fir Island Road would be a fine place to stand as we run around the corner toward the finish at Main and Second. That also happens to be the location of the Conway Tavern, where we will rest for lunch before moving on to the cycling portion. (The pub will be open at least for take-out, pre-ordering advised).
1 p.m.to 1:15 p.m. - Cycling segment of the OGC begins. (Building in extra time to allow for delays, slow cooks, etc.). At least one other person, a fellow cycling enthusiast with whom I've logged many miles named Tony Chursky (yes, he has his own Wikipedia from his professional soccer playing days:-) ) has committed to join. My son Kyle and possibly one or two others may as well.
The 35-mile cycling route goes south, then east to the freeway and south, then west through Stanwood (around 2 p.m.). It is mostly flat until we reach hilly Camano Island, where there will be an overall elevation gain of more than 2,000 feet. It dips down to the waterfront along Sunset and Madrona beaches on Sunset Drive before climbing back up to North Camano Drive and back to our place. Here is the cycling route.
3:30 to 4 p.m. - Finish up back at Camano. If you'd like to be a part of the welcome back committee, again please just get in touch for directions. My plan at this point, assuming I make it, is to collapse and maybe shower. But if anyone else wants to plan anything, I'm game.
3. If you do come, I would welcome photos and videos of the event to share with donors/friends.
Thanks everyone! So looking forward to the Old Goat Challenge, and hope you are too.
Blessings,
Brian
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