Paddle or Die

That was the slogan of Sobek's trips on the Zambezi when I was working there (for Shearwater). Loved it.

That could be the slogan this weekend when boaters of the human-powered varierty converge on Buena Vista for Paddlefest '07.

Demos, clinics, gear swap, movies, live music and all kinda stuff begins at 9 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and lasts into the night. HQ is Colorado Kayak Supply, 327 E. Main St. It's a few blocks from the Arkansas, where you can drop in.

Rafters will be there, too. Check out the full sked online.

Grab your paddles

Creators say they've put the last boulders in place at Buena Vista River Park, the town's whitewater playground we wrote about a year ago.

They say paddlers are merely waiting for runoff to hit three new surf spots along nearly a mile of river trail.

Read Dave's story about the brains behind the park and nearby housing development here.

See some photos and read the developers' take on their work here.

(Photo is from the Buena Vista site with a Mike Harvey article)