Kayak + Lake = Madison Summer

Madison is on an isthmus, between two lakes. Here, when we hear the word rutabaga, we don’t think tuber. We think paddlesports. As in Rutabaga-The Paddlesport Shop. After spending the morning online, lusting after many and varied kayaks, I hopped in the car and made my way to Rutabaga to look at the real deal.

I’m seeking solitude on the lakes. Seeing my world from a different perspective. I’m looking for a beginner kayak. Steady. Not too heavy. My intent isn’t to drive it anywhere on top of the car. It’s to get a little two-wheeled kayak cart and pull it to the lake which is just a block away. No whitewater. No ocean. Just paddling ‘round the shoreline and in the river.

I look at kayaks with stormy names like Hurricane and Tsunami. I look at seats. One with a rudder. Blue, red, green. Ten footers. Twelve footers. Hatches, bulkheads, footrests. Paddles. I take in information. Although I feel like diving in and buying, in 3 weeks when the ice is gone, I’ll be able to test paddle. And I decide to wait.