I spent Saturday afternoon with gorgeous Fall weather, a stand up paddleboard,  and Shannon,  my SUP instructor @ Pier 66 (Manhattan Kayak Company).

SUP’ing on the Hudson was a bit more calamitous than I’d anticipated; compared to Sunset and Newport Beach’s calm, quiet waters,  the Hudson held a few surprises for the beginner SUP, including but not limited to: helicopter winds,  big boats, and wind-driven waves.

Shannon taught us the Tahitian paddle,  which I learned was far more efficient than what I’d been doing.  Basically,  the former is a total body workout,  leveraging hip and torso movements, while the latter is all arms.

I ended class with om, downward dogging to stretch out my legs from thr 40 mile, 1700′ climb by bike I’d done earlier in the day.  Sadly,  I fell into the murky Hudson River shortly after attempting a side plank on my board. #SUPyogafail.

I look forward to SUP’ing next season in the city!