Austin Kayak - July Newsletter

Austin Canoe & Kayak
July Newsletter

July Newsletter
July 2008 Issue 7,Vol 2

In This Issue

:: Happy 4th of July

:: ACK Baby Watch

:: Deal of the Day

:: Demo Days

:: Texas Water Safari

:: CamelBak Products at ACK

Happy 4th of July

With gas prices sky-rocketing it can be a rather daunting task to plan a trip to some far off location. Maybe this is the time to focus on your local lakes and rivers for 4th of July fun and adventure. Some of my best Fourths have taken place on a calm lake watching fireworks from all sides. These memories are flooded with times spent with my family, watching the celebratory bursts of light flash across the sky, holding my Dad's hands over my ears.

Nowadays, I'm eager to create the same memories with my own family... but I no longer need to plug my ears. So, grab a bag of charcoal, some meat patties, and pick out "the perfect spot" on the lake. Enjoy the water, your family, and the memories.

Happy Fourth of July,
The ACK Staff

ACK Baby Watch 2008
More Free Labor!!!

Some of our faithful readers may remember last July when Chris, the San Marcos Store Manger, got a pretty little Texas girl to marry him. It didn't take long for 'baby fever' to take over and this July or August (Kara hopes July) the two of them will be welcoming a little boy into the world. His name is a secret so check back next month for details and pictures.

Deal of the Day

Extraordinary Deals - Mind boggling prices

This is probably the most exciting event we have ever launched. At a time when everything appears to be getting more expensive, ACK decided it is the perfect time to offer stunning deals on amazing products.

Here is how it works; everyday at 8am CST we will release a new Deal of the Day. This deal will last until the following morning at 8am or until we sell out of the item, whichever comes first. Quantities are limited and in the deals are just so great that they will most certainly sell out fast.

You can find the Deals each day here. Be sure to check early, you will be surprised at what we are selling and at the incredible prices!

Demo Days
Mark Your Calendars
The ACK fall Demos have been scheduled and the excitement is building. The vendors have been summoned, the staff is being prepped and the savings are being calculated.

Austin Sept. 20th and 21st
Hyde Park Quarries

San Marcos Sept. 27th and 28th
Texas Ski Ranch

ACK Texas Water Safari
A Great Adventure

The Texas Water Safari is generally considered the toughest canoe/kayak race going today. This 260 mile race brings out the best in so many and allows glory for so few. The truth is that half the field did not complete the race. Austin Canoe and Kayak sponsored some local participants for this years event. These folks are amazing! I truly enjoyed the event and the spectacle that it is. I wanted to recognize and thank the great paddlers and support folks that did such a great job.

Bruce Tranum #1984- Nicknamed the "Mad Moose" Bruce was paddling for the John Wayne Cancer foundation. Bruce was unable to complete the race due to a pinched nerve and a dropped boat at Martindale Dam, a portage he estimates he practiced a hundred times. The crack in the boat the injured arm and to much gear forced him to fall short of his goal this year. He will be back next year stronger than ever.

Tim Curry and Jason Dluhy #1017- A great effort they finished fourth in the standard class and 36th overall. This working-mans team didn't have all the time in the world to train but still got out there and gave their best. What drew me to this team was their association with a local brewery that sponsored them with a few cases of beer. That's Awesome!

Phil Bowden #134- Phil paddled this amazing race solo. Which means he was by himself in the woods on the river for 54 hours. Most people don't spend 54 minutes alone. Meeting Phil was a joy; his passion and attitude towards the sport of canoe/kayak racing is unmatched. Phil runs a boot camp for people looking to get into the safari and trains hard. He finished 2nd in the solo class and 10th overall. A top 10 solo is very rare from what I hear!

Debbie Richardson and Ginsie Stauss #18- The Girls team aka 'She Ra Rides Again' made a successful debut as a woman's tandem team. These ladies were well stocked and taught me a great deal about this amazing sport. I was so happy to be associated with this team. Great attitudes and spirits led them to a 2nd place in the female class and 22nd overall; finishing in front of several men's teams. I asked all our teams to put together some information on their experience at the safari and what I received from Ginsie was a 3 page masterpiece that details the teams experience. I was moved by her words and want to share them with our readers.

Click here to read Ginsie's experience.

New Products from ACK

CamelBak Unbottle
The CamelBak is not just for bikers and runners anymore. These convenient water bottles can strap to your seat or pfd and offer the ease of drinking hands free. An accessible and durable pack that allows you to hydrate on the fly.

CamelBak Better Bottle
I kind of giggle when I think about the first time I used this bottle on the treadmill. I never really run that hard so the water that didn't get in my mouth always made it look like I was working real hard. The bite valve and straw get me the water I need and no spilling. I guess I need to start running harder.

ACK offers our sincere thanks for taking the time to read our monthly newsletter. We hope you find it valuable and informative. If you have any suggestions or requests to make the newsletters better and more informative, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Austin Canoe & Kayak
www.austinkayak.com