Create an unforgettable birthday by challenging yourself to do something that you’ve never done before or set a new personal record. Test your physical and/or mental skills in a way that you’ll never forget!

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Details

• Time Needed: One day or less
• Cost: $
• Difficulty: As hard as you want it to be!
• Other Variations: Consider this for other celebratory milestones like anniversaries and do it with a partner!

March is my birthday month and my annual reminder that I can’t stop getting older! With that reminder comes the fears that I’m getting weaker, slowing down, or losing my edge. So for a while now, I’ve seen my milestone birthdays (usually every 5 or 10 years) as opportunities to challenge myself – whether it’s a race or some other new, physical experience. By doing that, I can remind myself that I can still do big things while also creating a birthday memory that I’ll hold on to forever.

Try turning your next big birthday into an easy but memorable adventure by coming up with a new physical challenge to accomplish. Even better is to find a way to tie the challenge to your age. For example, walk, run, swim, bike your birthday years in miles or kilometers.

For me, I decided to kayak farther than I’ve ever kayaked before – 40 miles for my 40th birthday!

My Adventure

Paddling 40 miles is exhausting… and it takes forever (this ended up taking me 11 hours)! Also, the landscape moves slowly around you when you’re traveling at 3-4 mph so it’s as much a psychological challenge as it is a physical one. Considering those factors, I needed to stay close to home in the Inland Empire but still wanted to attempt this challenge in a place that was new to me, where the scenery changed quickly, and where conditions were fairly predictable. With that in mind, I chose to kayak the Black Canyon National Water Trail, only a four hour drive away. Below the Hoover Dam the Colorado River splits the states of Nevada and Arizona as it winds for miles through a deep, fairly inaccessible canyon (Black Canyon). Beyond that it opens up into a wider river as it makes its way to Lake Mohave.

My journey would take me from the only access point in the canyon (Willow Beach) where I would paddle the 12 miles upriver to the Hoover Dam before turning downriver, passing my put-in and continuing south to a remote beach on the Nevada side of the river called Eldorado Canyon. I had ground support from my partner, who could help me with the launch and then be there at the takeout further downriver when I finished.

The Black Canyon one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever kayaked and was the perfect choice for this adventure. In such a narrow canyon, the scenery was incredibly dynamic, with views changing every mile or so. I was always curious to see what was around the next bend!

The trip upriver from Willow Beach is popular with kayakers. Only a couple miles upriver is one of the most famous sights in Arizona, the Emerald Cave. At the right time of day, you can park your kayak far back in a cave and see the water glow a brilliant green color. It’s in fact so popular that people in Vegas spend as much as $200 per person to get on a kayaking day trip excursion out to this spot. While I had the cave to myself on the way upriver, coming back down I ended up passing 150+ kayaks on their way to the cave as part of these excursions. To this day, I’ve never seen so many kayakers in one place!

Further upriver are other amazing sights. The area is known for natural hot springs and many people choose to take kayaks or canoes up to these hot springs, camping on beaches along the way. My time was limited so I wasn’t able to explore the backcountry hot springs. But as I neared the dam, I did find a waterfall of hot water pouring onto a beach at the edge of the river. I made time to land and enjoy a hot “shower” before continuing on the journey. The water being released from the Hoover Dam is around 55 degrees (Fahrenheit)year round. So the chance to warm up for a few brief minutes was welcomed!

As I neared the dam, the current became insanely strong, to the point where I was moving inches with maximum effort. The flow coming out of the dam varies throughout the year and even throughout the day. I was lucky enough to hit it a time where I could crawl my way up to a sandbar with a view of the bridge next to the dam. But I couldn’t make it any further and turned around to start the longer of the two trip legs. The benefit of a strong current is that it makes the downriver trip a little easier! I spent the first few miles easily doing 5-7 mph before the river flattened out and it was a more typical flatwater experience for the rest of the paddle.

As I neared my takeout, I found myself about a mile short of my 40 mile goal. So as my partner watched from the beach, I kayaked in large circles until my odometer ticked over. 11 hours later and I had completed my challenge! I didn’t have much left and was thankful for help getting everything back into the car. That night, we stayed at a nearby hotel and I never slept better. I also swore I’d never paddle that far again!

Most of that trip was Type 1 fun – enjoyable in the moment. But also, a good chunk of it was Type 2 fun – brutal at the time but good to look back on. For me, Type 2 fun makes the stickiest memories and I don’t expect to forget this adventure anytime soon!

Before You Go

Obviously, it’s important to create a challenge that aligns with your interests and abilities. Weather and other conditions are also an important factor. If what you are celebrating falls in January, your challenge probably looks different than it would for something in July. Do your research, know your limits, take appropriate precautions, and have fun!