March 13, 2010 in Washington Voices

Sunny days entice folks to trail, river

Richard Chan Special to Voices
 
Richard Chan photo

A kayaker practicing various maneuvers, including paddling upstream.
(Full-size photo)

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The weather was nice enough that a lot of people were out and about this past weekend.

Our winter may have been an almost record-breaking mild season, but I think plenty of folks have had their fill of endless overcast and rainy days – including yours truly. All that sunshine and blue sky dragged me outside for a Saturday photo walk down the Centennial Trail, where I was joined by neighbors of all ages riding, sliding, walking and running, many with their children and pets leading the way.

Some huffed and puffed while others, like me, strolled leisurely – and sweated anyway. I caught some kayakers down by the river having a lot of fun practicing various maneuvers, including paddling upstream. I guess they’d never heard James Taylor sing “Ride with the tide and go with the flow.”

One of the hardest working persons I saw was a wheelchair racer – “Rock Star” – who blasted by like some sort of yellow-suited Superman. I wish I’d gotten his name, but he sped by so quickly I was lucky to get his picture. I’ve seen some serious wheelchair racers on the trail in the past year and I mean these guys just fly; it’s awe inspiring. You have to see it to believe it.

I didn’t even know about wheelchair racers until I moved to the Spokane area in the mid 1980s and caught some Bloomsday coverage on KHQ. The idea that over 50,000 people from all over the world would gather in my newly adopted home town to walk, run and perspire almost 8 miles was pretty phenomenal in its own right; that athletes in customized wheelchairs raced through the course first and faster than anybody was just pretty darn amazing. Nobody pushes these guys around!

Even though Saturday’s photographic encounter happened in a blink of an eye, it was both humbling and inspiring to witness. Spring – and Bloomsday – really are just around the corner!

Reach Richard Chan by e-mail at richard-chan@ comcast.net.

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