9/14/05
Hey Mike, thanks for another great race.  I wish we had the time to stick around for the awards. 
 
It was my partners first time to race the CR100 and she was really cursing me at mile 80.  I remember her saying things like "how did I get talked into this," "this sucks," and "this is the hardest thing I've ever done."  All of that was coming from one of the toughest women I know.  I think most of the pain was a result of our boat selection.  An 80 pound plastic sit-on-top is not the best boat for the CR100.
 
Next year I might go in an aluminum and try (again) to be the fastest mix team in the adventure class.  The only suggestion I would make is to try and find a way to restrict some of the real competitive guys from dropping into the Adventure Class with a race hull.  I know it would have to be a judgment call by you and that would be tough, but it's a real discouraging thing to see a 28' tandem race hull drops in the water next to my 16' plastic barge.  My suggestion would be to restrick the adventure class to non-racing hulls only.  Something like the Safari's novice class (to include double blades and kayaks) or the description for boats in the Yukon River Quest.
 
Again, great race!  I really think you are the only one in the kayak/canoe racing scene that is getting it right!  Great organization, great challenge, easy to get involved, easy to get information, great communication via the web site and forum.  At every other kayak race I have been to, I TOTALLY feel like an outsider and not welcome.  What is so strange about that is that I have gotten to know several paddler and once you break the ice, they are the best people you will ever meet.
 
Keep up all that your doing with the CR100
 
Bobby

9/8/05
I am sorry I can not think of any way to make it better. Accept maybe a little more time to the first cut off. I know I am a slow paddler but it seems like both years I was in danger of not making Smithville in 6 hours. Smithville in 7 hours? I don't know. I am not complaining at all just trying to come up with SOMETHING to help. It was great. joe 

9/8/05
Mike,
Awesome job. Terrific staff - amazing how they kept their spirits high. You do a fabulous job with sponsors and contributors - makes for an exciting awards ceremony with so many prizes (especially the Zav paddle). It is nice to see so many willing participants outside of the usual TCRA circles. Great job with the funky rescue jon boat - a timely purchase. Your roomie and friend did a very nice and courteous job working it up and down the river.

Great performances all around. Armin stands out with an exceptional performance. We didn't know what he was capable of solo - voila !! Did you have to put a catch net at the end to stop him?

No gripes other than I think the LaGrange ramp is a bit crowded and those who "parked" for a fair amount of time should, perhaps, be required to move their boats out of the way (or have some able-bodied folks do it for them).

The Howell's cannot get enough applause and thanks for use of their wonderful facility and grounds. We owe them.

Dave

9/7/05
Mike,
 
Thanks for organizing the CR100 again! It's a lot of work putting on a production like that! I hope to make the run again next year!
 
I should have entered the Adv class in my solo unlimited, I would not have been dead last and an hour behind the next boat (I think!) I drive a SAG van every year for the MS150 bike tour, so I know what it's like to patrol a course for one final slow person!
 
This is a challenging race; I'm glad you're doing it.
 
Henry Mecredy
Austin

9/7/05
Mike, for next year I'd like to order twice the cfs, no fog, no wind, no wading livestock, chainsaw fairies at mile 80, and omlettes at the first checkpoint. Fantastic race, well organized, super volunteers and safety crew. I'll be back.
Ann
9/7/05
thanks to all who get this race going. I know there will come a time where people will be fighting to get into this race because of the limited slots. even though you feel like dying during and after, it is an awesome race. where can you paddle in the dead of summer, though thunderstorms, pouring rain, and fog so thick you wonder not if but when your going to hit something ,all in 1 day. you can't beat it. I've talked to some Victoria paddlers and they can't wait to join the mip's next year.mip's? mentally impaired. cuz ya got ta be crazy todo dis.
Starbor

 9/6/05
Mike, I want to thank you for another fantastic event!  I really enjoyed participating again this year.  Heck, the heat, wind, rain and fog thrown in just for kicks…You put on a real Adventure Race Man!!!!
Quality Directorship, superior event, excellent Volunteers and personal touch made it a memorable time for me and my crew (Mom and Brother)!
Bless ya Dude!  Can’t wait until next year!  Please let me know if I can help you in anyway!

Regards,
Mike Gordon #11

10/22/04
 Just had to let you know this:

Brenda and I spent the last couple of days down at a friend's house; one of her son's did the CR100 and the positive impact on his life is wonderful. He and a cousin did it and it was a life experience they will be forever proud of. The really cool thing is that his younger brother told me he is going to do it with him next year. That hit me hard -- a great experience, passed down to another generation because the younger has seen the change in the life of the older. Thanks.

I was so glad that you put the CR100 on -- long enough to be a struggle and accomplishment, yet safe/non-technical/easy? enough that I could readily recommend the race to these friends of mine who were enamored with the Safari, yet unskilled enough that I wasn't comfortable telling them to give Safari a shot with the lack of prep I knew would be the case. Thanks, again -- great job -- you let me be a good guy to a family that is very dear to me, and I am seeing that I'll continue to get to be the good guy as more of the family gets involved. Plus, since you let this race be totally supported (unsupported?, I don't know which), Brenda and Becky (my friend) got to have a completely different experience than a Safari Captain and set the standard for riverside picnicing and dining -- made it impossible to care about rushing back into the river at the checkpoints!

Rangers lead the way -- unless there's a picnic.
Norm


 10/22/04
 The California Surf Ski Paddler

I just wanted to give a quick congratulations the 3 surf skis that risked life limb and boat to challenged the Texas water safari bugi boats on the Colorado river 100.  Dave Bartel on his Fenn Mako XT and Sally Mason on the Huki S1-A.  Sally got first place in the Female unlimited solo division and Dave finished way in the head of the pack in the Male Unlimited division.  This was a great inspiration to see surf skis mix it up with the gnarliest boats I have ever seen built (The Safari C1/K1 hybrid designed to hit mid river boulders at 3:30am in pitch black). All the Skis on the water took some decent hits but all finished in a single piece. 
 
This race turned out to be one of the biggest ever held in Texas with over 130 boats.  With the Superior Race organization that Mike Drost put on and the 1000’s of dollars in award money for finishers, I would have to say that this was an event that ALL surfskis should consider for next year. In addition, there where dozens of volunteers/ fans, and support crew cheering and helping thru the duration of the race. I am sure Mike will send off invites when the time comes next yerso keep an eye out.
 
I wish I could describe the event or what it is like paddling down a river straight thru the night with river critters/ snakes / rain / swooping bats trying to eat bugs off you head lamp / alligator gars /  fog you could cut with a knife / never ending distances  and 100’s of other unidentifiable noises but it is something you must experience first hand.
 
Congratulations to all Surfskis finishers, Mike Drost – race coordinators and the volunteers for putting on a unparalleled event.
 
Carter
9/07/04
Mike,

The race, the river, your crew of volunteers, the organization...all were great! It was the first time for my son and me to participate in an event like this. Our primary goal was just to finish. We made it, thanks to some sage advise from Wes Hansen? to keep paddling down river when we considered resting...and thanks also to Wes for the electrolyte tablets. We owe you.

Mike, thanks to you and your crew's hard work and long hours to put this race together. My partner and I have a memory to last a lifetime. Hope to see you again next time.

George Krezinski

 9/07/04
Mike, volunteers, spectators & other competitors,

A very well run and extremely well oraganized event, espescially for a first time. Would have liked to stay for the awards ceremony, but I need to make enough $$ to support my canoe & ski addictions. I suspect as reports of this event spread around you will grow very fast.

thanks,
dave & my partner Brett
(Dahl & Thunstrom)

 9/07/04
Mike - thanks for a great time! Nice weather, beautiful river, and the best-organized race ever. Some of us old guys are just there to participate and hopefully finish, so the adventure class took some of the pressure off. And - I REALLY appreciated the ability to enter this solo without a support crew. River water with iodine and Gatroaide powder is not bad - just a little gritty. The showers, my personal gear delivered to the finish line, and the shuttle servcie were especially helpful. This race cured my depression of having been scheduled out of the Safari this year. Thanks again. Bob Brown, 1/2 of the 'Agin Bulls. College Station.

 9/07/04
Mike,

Awesome race. This is certainly the best run, most organized canoe race in Texas given it's length and the logistics involved. It's also the best race for prizes and money (the only one I think). You did a fantastic job of getting goodies to raffle off. Seems like everyone won something. I wish all Texas paddling races could be so organized.

Great things:
- Adventure starting before competitors
- It turned out that 3 hours was almost a perfect spread in the classes
- Staggered starts of solos and tandems
- For the adventure class, the points were all where you said they would be. This may be the first "adventure race" where that's ever happened (Rattlesnake Racing excluded of course :))
- Fairly easy to find checkpoints
- Just enough water access points to keep us all alive
- The check in was well run and organized by your sister and Erin.
- A safe place to stash our boats the night before
- One person in the water, one out of the water

As I said, though, an incredible race for a first time event. It was nice to have such organization when you are coming from out of state like we did. Hats off to West and Erin for their help in this event, too, as well as the dozens of others that were behind the scenes. Thanks to John Glock for taking pictures. And on a personal note, thanks to John Bugge for a great boat and for making it easy for us to rent it from out of state. I'd recommend his boats to rent anytime.

Steve Daniel
Team Gator Bait - Denver, CO

 9/07/04
I thought the race was very well organized and went off really good. I have confidence that Mike and all his volunteer help will only make this event even better next year. There was great support and encouragement all along the way. I REALLY like the staggered start...not just the solo and tandem at 5 minutes...but the comp paddlers starting 3 hours later. This gave us novice and aspiring paddlers a chance to see some really good comp paddling...and this certainly doesn't take away from the job the adventure paddlers such as Charlie Stewart, Doug Rhude and many others did...either. Any problems I had before, during, and after the race were from my own inexperience at such events. The only petty complaint I have is that I would like to see better maps for the adventure (and comp) paddlers. Great job to Mike and all the staff. You deserve a hand.
Oh yeah...I gotta agree with Rameen. A pre race shuttle for those with out support would be nice.

9/07/04
 had a blast this weekend

huge thanks to all involved, you did a great job, everything looked really smooth and controlled from our viewpoint on the water.

definately be looking to come back for more next year,
Sarah

9/07/04
Hey All, Gruelin' race huh? I had a blast!. Mike, I hope you can keep this race goin' for years! Thanks to you & all those envolved!.... Congrats to all who finished! It was a tough race! See ya' on the next one!....
Doug Rhude
9/06/04
Big thanks to all that made the race possible. This was the first race for my partner and I. Mike and all the organizers/volunteers really made it easy. Great coordination and support throughout the race.

Thank You!
dieck


9/06/04
 It was a great race, if I didn't have so much fun playing around on the banks, I might race it next year.
I think it went off great for a first time race like this.
If I'm able, I'll be sure to make sure to lend more help to see that this race takes place again next year.

Andrew Nelson