Paddling as a Community in New Mexico
Spring is here and community paddling events for all skill levels have kicked off in New Mexico. Easter weekend saw the seven-mile Ice Breaker SUP trip down the Rio Grande and the first in a six-part SUP fitness series. With fantastic temperatures and good flows, paddlers got the chance to shake off the cobwebs with the benefit of ACA-certified instructors on hand to give out a few pointers to new boaters. If you missed these great events, fear not! There are plenty of community events scheduled throughout this summer.
Albuquerque-based MST Adventures will be hosting weekly paddle sessions at Sandia Lakes every Wednesday evening through September. These weekly sessions offer a great opportunity for experienced boaters to hone their skills and novice paddlers to learn the skills to be safe and have fun on the water. In additions to lessons, this year MST Adventures will host organized games, family-focused events, and SUP yoga.
Building a great community is more than about teaching people how to paddle, its also about supporting those around us. Over the last year MST Adventures has provided financial and in-kind support to several local groups including the Friends of Sandia Mountain, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Presbyterian Ear Institute, The Great Sandia Lakes Cardboard Boat Race benefiting the Serenity Mesa Recovery Center, and many more.
Lastly, the Adobe Whitewater Club and New Mexico River Outfitters Association are co-hosting the 61st Annual Mothers’ Day Races and whitewater festival. This weekend-long event starts with a Dutch oven cookoff, has race categories for every kind of paddler, and ends with a day of group paddling for everyone from family tips and adaptive paddling to Class IV runs down the Taos Box.
Catching a wave during the Ice Breaker paddle trip on the Rio Grande through Albuquerque.
Stretching before beginning the first SUP fitness paddle of the season.
