tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7126722394124918172011-10-11T11:28:44.969-07:00sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-27723739626203277112011-10-10T12:21:00.000-07:002011-10-11T11:28:45.021-07:00

The south end of San Francisco Bay has two kayak specific launch sites, one in Palo Alto and the other in Alviso. The advantage of these facilities is that you can launch or land your kayak without even getting your feet wet, let alone muddy. Last Saturday I decided to take advantage of both locations in a one-way kayak trip between the two. The shortest kayak distance between the two points is

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-40990973465062213522011-08-24T11:12:00.000-07:002011-08-24T11:12:39.724-07:00

Tomales Bay Kayak Adventure One of the premier kayak destinations in the San Francisco Bay Area is the 15-mile long Tomales Bay bordering on Point Reyes National Seashore. Last Saturday, Phil Pierpont and I guided a group of eleven kayakers to Tomales Bay on a day tour sponsored by Livermore Area Parks and Recreation District. Our launch site was Miller County Park on the mainland side of

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-79407025062718422412011-08-18T19:56:00.000-07:002011-08-18T22:17:05.370-07:00

Launching from Dunphy Park in Sausalito, CA A great adventure can often be found right in your own backyard. For the last couple of weeks I was aware that last Saturday night would have a full moon and it had been several years since I had done a good moonlight kayak trip. As the weekend approached I could see that the weather was going to be mild and possibly fog free on the Bay. I had

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-88493578934027759242011-07-27T09:09:00.000-07:002011-07-27T10:20:54.179-07:00

Every year Sunrise Mountain Sports hosts an ACA (American Canoe Association) Instructor Certification Workshop to increase our expertise in kayak instruction. We hire ACA Instructor Trainer Educator Roger Schumann from Eskape Kayaking to oversee the training. We now have six ACA-certified sea kayak instructors on our staff. This year's training took place at our Kayak Center at Lake Del Valle and

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-22804702299176030712011-05-16T17:56:00.000-07:002011-05-16T18:04:08.010-07:00

Saturday was our annual Lake Del Valle Kayak Festival. Even with the weather being a little cool, over 100 folks came out to enjoy the kayaking. New this year we provided almost 80 kayak lessons on everything from beginning kayaking to Eskimo rolls. Roger Schumann and Gregg Berman were our lead kayak instructors, giving everyone involved a taste of their expert instruction. Sales reps from Hobie,

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-74751316003066327672011-05-03T08:50:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:52:10.574-07:00

Last Sunday morning Tim Andrews and I did a little exploring on Alviso Slough at the South end of San Francisco Bay. We were experimenting with a GoPro camera mount and doing a little bird watching. We ran across a Black-crowned Night-Heron and a mellow unexpected tide race between the slough and a salt pond. Of course we noticed the "sign" after playing in the current. Fantastic weather!Kim

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-50438735623794839272011-04-28T10:49:00.000-07:002011-04-28T10:49:37.934-07:00

Yesterday morning Tim Andrews and I took out our new Valley Aleut II double sea kayak for a paddle on Lake Del Valle. Wow, what a kayak. We managed 8.2 mph on the GPS easily although we couldn't hold that speed very long without a bit more training. The Valley Aleut II is one of the crown jewels of our complete Valley Sea Kayak demo fleet housed at our Kayak Center at Lake Del Valle. Carbon/

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-73794027812872639672011-04-13T14:51:00.000-07:002011-04-13T14:57:39.635-07:00

My wife Kathy and I along with Paul and Margerite Hara of Walnut Creek joined a group of nine adventurers on the beautiful Yucatan coast about a 3 hour drive south of Cancun, Mexico. We had signed up for a week long stay at Rancho Caphi Ha run by a kayak outfitter, Living Adventure, based at the western end of Lake Superior in Bayfield, WI.  The week had a very laid back feeling and plenty of

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-30068728156984455272011-01-24T11:23:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:05:03.789-08:00

Tim Andrews and I just finished a two day, 26 mile sea kayak river trip on the Stanislaus and San Joaquin Rivers. The upper 12 mile section was done yesterday and the lower 14 mile section was done about a week ago. We were accompanied by Patty Andrews, Charlene Grandfield, Rob Grandfield on the upper section and David Lunn on the lower section. I had driven near these rivers for years and

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-75872840961462830832010-12-27T09:10:00.000-08:002010-12-27T09:27:10.256-08:00

I'm sure a lot of folks thought that this year's Christmas Cruise was going to be a cold and wet event based on the forecast last week. They could not have been more wrong! About 25 true believers braved the weather forecasts and were greeted with a fantastic winter day on the water. Most of the group paddled the full 7 miles to the dam and back. The first few kayakers on the water were treated

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-63267700546617613012010-12-09T10:07:00.000-08:002010-12-09T10:07:24.393-08:00

Avalanche Awareness Last night Aaron Johnson from Mountain Adventure Seminars (MAS) put on a FREE Avalanche Awareness Lecture at the Sunrise Mountain Sports Store in Livermore. A full house of backcountry aficionados including skiers and snowshoers showed up for the enlightening lecture. The program was just the first step every winter backcountry enthusiast should take to ensure their own

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-88723177948842444272010-11-30T09:34:00.000-08:002010-11-30T09:43:29.416-08:00

2010 Turkey Day Paddle Over 40 kayakers joined us for an early morning paddle from 8 AM to 10 AM on Thanksgiving Day. The event took place at our Kayak Center on Lake Del Valle where we store most of our 100 plus demo/rental kayaks. The air was a little cold when every one started arriving at 7:30 AM but became rather pleasant as the sun came up and we all launched our kayaks. Most folks

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-76449281911721207172010-11-24T14:08:00.000-08:002010-11-24T14:08:32.643-08:00

This Saturday, November 27th, is "Small Business Saturday."  It's an effort by communities and businesses to encourage people to shop locally this holiday season.  To promote the event, Sunrise Mountain Sports will double your Rewards Program Points for all purchases this Saturday.  The offer applies only on Saturday, and certain exclusions exist.  Please contact the staff for more details. In

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-91448449170254120592010-10-19T17:46:00.000-07:002010-10-19T18:00:32.078-07:00

A couple of months ago my friend Roger Schumann, owner of Eskape Sea Kayaking in Santa Cruz, mentioned that he was going sea kayaking in Chile. My reaction! Can I come too? The answer was yes, so now myself, my wife and several friends are busy packing for a kayak trip in Patagonia. As with my Alaska expedition this past summer once the trip starts you can follow our progress "live" from my "Spot

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-49861168610140964802010-10-19T13:23:00.000-07:002010-10-19T13:25:32.639-07:00

Veteran Mariela Meylan makes the transition from wheelchair to kayak On Friday, October 8th Sunrise Mountain Sports hosted a Heroes on the Water (HOW) kayak fishing event for wounded veterans at our Kayak Center at Lake Del Valle Regional Park. The event was organized by Don Anglin, HOW coordinator for Northern California. About 35 veterans and an equal number of volunteers, mostly from NorCal

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-51466258087062744092010-09-20T13:24:00.000-07:002010-09-20T13:24:44.502-07:00

Our Annual Used & Demo Kayak Sale was a huge success over the weekend! We sold over 40 kayaks in two days but we still need to find homes for another 60 kayaks. Plus we have some other great rental and demo paddling gear. Want 30% off a demo carbon fiber Werner paddle? Come get one while supplies last! Want an extra life jacket for a friend to use? Grab a Stohlquist Escape life jacket for under

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-28968487137599682752010-08-12T10:13:00.000-07:002010-08-12T11:08:01.078-07:00

I've just returned from my 3-week, 300-mile kayak expedition around the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Expect a program at the store this fall, after I edit my movies and photos down to a watchable length. In a previous post I mentioned I was using a "Spot II Satellite Messenger" on the trip. The device worked out fantastic for keeping my friends and family informed on my location and letting them

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-54728053820207371772010-07-17T07:46:00.000-07:002010-10-19T14:54:35.434-07:00

I'm leaving today for a three week, 250 mile kayak expedition, tracing the southern coast of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. I will be kayaking with Dick Ryon, Jerry Leugers, and Dick Lampman. Our planned route goes from Homer, Alaska to Seward, Alaska. The Map above shows our approximate route. During the trip I will be using a "Spot II Satellite Messenger" which will allow me to call for rescue

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-49869655960486035432010-07-11T20:46:00.000-07:002010-07-17T09:06:04.552-07:00

I'm just back from an exciting kayak adventure on Drake's Estero. Our group of 17 kayakers from 13 to 77 years old covered seven or eight miles out to the mouth of the estero and back. The photos from the trip can be viewed at Drake's Estero. If you enjoy these photos you might want to join us on August 22nd for a similar LARPD kayak adventure to Tomalas Bay. Give us a call for more info. Kim

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-45610978196178086592010-06-23T23:29:00.000-07:002010-06-23T23:41:51.429-07:00

KayakElkhornSlough from Kim Grandfield on Vimeo.

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-1359522242841151342010-05-27T19:10:00.000-07:002010-05-27T19:32:31.113-07:00

Last Wednesday some Sunrise staff and friends took the morning off to do a little whitewater kayaking. We picked the Electra Run on the Mokelumne River. The run is 3.2 miles of beginner-friendly class 2 rapids with an easy shuttle. The run is short enough to run two times in a day. I think you will enjoy the fun video I took with my GoPro HD Helmet Cam. If you have some interest in doing a

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-20326391167805599332010-05-01T18:53:00.000-07:002010-05-02T07:53:40.679-07:00

Today was the first day of the 2010 Bay Area PaddleFest held at Quarry Lakes Recreation Area in Fremont. My brother Rob, my daughter Allison and I represented Sunrise Mountain Sports and our Kayak Center at the event. The venue was a nice sandy beach with hundreds of kayaks from at least a dozen kayak venders. A day pass for unlimited demos was only $10 and a all-classes pass was only $30. Quite

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-61711971688490769832010-04-20T09:07:00.000-07:002010-04-20T15:53:28.443-07:00

Three weeks ago I led my 28th Annual Igloo Building Class. This event has been sponsored by Livermore Area Recreation and Park District and Sunrise Mountain Sports since 1983. Early Saturday morning the group headed to the trailhead at Red Lake, just past Carson Pass on Highway 88 in the Sierra Nevada. We parked our cars and snowshoed or skied a mile or two into the Mokelumne Wilderness before

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-12509276639533047232010-04-19T09:17:00.000-07:002010-04-19T10:39:29.406-07:00

Rob Grandfield teaching the strokesThis past weekend, April 15th, 16th and 17th, Boy Scouts from all over Northern California gathered at the Alameda County Fair Grounds to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. More than 20,000 scouts and their families spent the weekend partaking in all things scouting. Every activity imaginable was available for scouts to try including

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-78492749071196313512010-04-06T11:39:00.000-07:002010-04-06T12:37:57.893-07:00

The view from Rocky ridge towards Mt. DiabloSpring is still coming, I promise! Even though it was in the low 40's yesterday morning, my wife and I took the opportunity to get in a hike between rain showers. One of our favorite hikes is the climb to Rocky Ridge along the Ohlone Trail from the west side of Lake Del Valle. It climbs about 1700 feet in 2.5 miles which makes it a great training climb

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-1559790054408600652010-03-24T22:22:00.000-07:002010-03-26T11:14:43.935-07:00

I would like to bring to your attention backcountryskitours.com, a web site created by Livermore resident and long-time friend Marcus Libkind. Marcus has written a number of excellent cross-country skiing guide books over the years (we still have a few of his books in stock in the store) and has recently turned his efforts online. His web site is extremely well organized and allows users to

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-68457554623858409082010-03-02T12:01:00.000-08:002010-03-03T20:07:25.097-08:00

I'm just back from the 2010 Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium held at Horseshoe Cove near the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. Well over one hundred sea kayakers and coaches converged on the site from 15 different states and 6 countries (USA, Israel, Italy, England, Scotland, Germany). The event was a huge success with our California coast providing incredible views, big ocean swells, fast

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-5127739337822083612009-12-27T22:26:00.000-08:002009-12-27T23:51:06.151-08:00

The First Annual Christmas Cruise was an effort to work off some of those excess calories that we all seem to accumulate over the holidays. The weather forecast for today looked a little shaky over the last few days, but, as is often the case, the weather could not have been better. When we emerged from the gloom that enveloped Livermore, we found the sun was shining with very few clouds in the

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-35205124001564536252009-12-07T13:26:00.000-08:002009-12-07T17:17:54.789-08:00

Every few years or so it snows in Livermore and today was the day. Not to waste several inches of elusive snow, Rob and I got up early, grabbed our skis, and headed to Del Valle Regional Park. We were surprised to find enough snow for skiing in the large grass area next to our Kayak Center at an elevation of less than 600 ft. We had to share the area with several hundred Canada Geese but managed

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-11227643890310073412009-11-23T12:17:00.000-08:002009-12-07T14:10:33.876-08:00

David Lunn, Ryan Campbell and I guided a BSA Venture Crew from Livermore on a kayak wildlife safari on Elkhorn Slough. The tide was high all day allowing us access to all the nooks and crannies of the slough. We saw lots of wildlife as you will see when you check the trip photos. If you are interested in joining us on one of these trips watch for an upcoming trip announcement in the near

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-20445648750947704882009-11-08T21:55:00.000-08:002010-01-20T20:41:07.523-08:00

David Lunn and I completed the third day of an ACA Instructor Development Workshop on Sunday. The IDW was conducted by Roger Schumann of Eskape Sea Kayaking. Our group consisted of 10 students and 2 instructors. We departed the harbor at Horseshoe Cove and headed for the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our goals for the day included tides & currents practice, navigation, group

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-74390830678202349292009-11-03T10:38:00.000-08:002010-01-20T20:41:58.043-08:00

Phil, Kim, David Lunn and Gregg Helton tried out a new launch site on Friday 10/30/09. The Martinez Marina turned out to be nice place to launch kayaks into the Carquinez Straights near the Benicia Bridge on the Sacramento River. The site had free parking, free launch (if you carry your kayak down the ramp) and clean public restrooms. The group practiced some advanced strokes and maneuvers inside

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-65127328835919881352009-10-26T10:49:00.000-07:002010-01-20T20:42:36.293-08:00

What a beautiful day for a kayak trip! Kim, Dave and Phil guided a group of paddlers through the sloughs on the Cosumnes River Preserve on Sunday. Check out some photos from the trip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimgrandfield/sets/72157622664126272/.

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-35454198832509211392009-10-25T11:30:00.000-07:002010-01-20T20:43:36.339-08:00

On Saturday October 24, Kim, Allison (his daughter), and Dave Lunn paddled a triple kayak in the "around Angel Island course " (9.5 miles) of the 28th Annual Sea Trek Regatta. They finished first in their class in a time of 1 hour and 43 min. Sunrise kayak instructor Tim Andrews also completed the Angel Island course in a single kayak. The race is a fun annual charity event and is open to all

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-80146936049909046902009-10-19T22:39:00.000-07:002009-12-07T14:13:39.489-08:00

October 16th, 17th, and 18th I attended, TAKS, the annual gathering of traditional kayak enthusiasts at San Simeon. More than 60 folks gathered to practice kayaking and rolling skills off the Central Coast. The event celebrated the use and construction of traditional hand made kayaks of wood and nylon. The event was attended by "Dubside", a kayaking guru whom has adopted the practice of

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-54409418917754049522009-10-12T10:52:00.000-07:002010-01-20T20:44:12.946-08:00

Over the weekend Kim and his wife Charlene made a quick getaway to the San Juan Islands in Washington State. The San Juan Islands are a world class kayaking destination that is only a short flight away just north of Seattle. The islands are reached by car ferry from Anacortes, WA. The big kayaking attraction is frequent sightings of Orca whales (the best season is July-August). Although they

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-74317798506779522002009-10-05T12:43:00.000-07:002010-01-20T20:45:01.913-08:00

Kim and Tim particpated in a forward stroke clinic for ACA instructors with Brent Reitz. Also in attendance was Roger Schumann from Eskape Sea Kayaking. The clinic was hosted at the Sunrise Mountain Sports Kayak Center at Lake Del Valle. For any of you who have purchased his DVD, you already know his method for developing an efficient forward paddle stroke. The clinic was an opportunity to

sunrisemountainsportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149885374797347889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-712672239412491817.post-83383663045179720972009-09-11T13:29:00.000-07:002010-01-20T20:46:06.732-08:00

Our early morning paddle on Lake Del Valle turns in to a wildlife safari. Check out some photos we took this morning. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimgrandfield/sets/72157622217976247/

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