Ingle, Cox and their friend John Donnelly paddled their way along the Great Miami River from Indian Lake to the Ohio River on an eight-day, 160-mile journey. Pitching tents along the way, the paddlers enjoyed a weeklong kayak adventure without ever venturing far from home.
“These rivers are in our own back yard,” Ingle said. “You could do a day trip, a weekend or a week right here.”
Ingle and Cox will tell tales from their 160-mile adventure on March 2 as the final presentation in the four-week Adventure Speaker Series. Learn what it takes to plan a multi-day kayak trip – from packing the right gear to planning the journey and coordinating nightly camping.
As the avid paddlers can attest, a kayaking adventure doesn’t need to be expensive or intimidating.
“We didn’t have much of an investment,” Ingle said. “Much of our gear was from our backpacking days and I bought a used kayak.”
“Some people are intimidated by the rivers they see on TV, but the rivers here are pretty flat, it’s not like there are miles and miles of whitewater,” Cox said. “You should be cautious, but not intimidated.”
You don’t even need to buy equipment to give kayaking a try. Five Rivers MetroParks offers free try-it programs and local outfitters and liveries offer rentals.
“And if you don’t have anyone to go with, there are groups like the Ohio Paddlers where you can meet up with other paddlers,” Cox said.
The Ohio Paddlers have both a Meetup and Facebook page – Paddle Ohio Rivers and Creeks.
With full-time jobs and families, kayaking is not always at the top of the to-do list but it is definitely do-able for Ingle and Cox.
“We want people to know that anyone can do this and they can do it right here,” Cox said.
Paddling is just one of the topics covered during this year’s Adventure Speaker Series.
Jordan Hart, a local photographer, cyclist and all-around outdoor enthusiast, will discuss "Bike Touring the Underground Railroad" on Feb. 7. Hart rode more than 2,000 miles – from Owen Sound, Ontario, to Mobile, Ala. – along America's legendary route to freedom in the fall of 2016.
Todd Soprych, a self-described "over-educated adventure dirt bag that chooses to sleep outside more than he does inside" will present "Bikepacking the Great Divide" on Feb. 15. After cycling the trans-America bike route from Virginia to Oregon, Soprych wasn't ready for the trip to end. He went on to travel the world's longest off-pavement cycling trail – the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
Chuck and Beth Hewett, Northeast Ohio residents with an extensive resume of long-distance hiking, will share their experience "Backpacking the Buckeye Trail," on Feb. 23. The pair, who began hiking as a way to explore nature and stay fit after retiring, hiked the Buckeye Trail for 76 days in 2016, experiencing the great outdoors and 100 small and historical towns along the way.
ADVENTURE SPEAKER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Feb. 9: Jordan Hart: "Bike Touring the Underground Railroad," 7 p.m., Wright State University Student Union.
Feb. 15: Todd Soprych: "Bikepacking the Great Divide," 7 p.m., Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark auditorium.
Feb. 23: Chuck and Beth Hewett: "Backpacking the Buckeye Trail," 7 p.m., Wright State University Student Union.
March 2: Chad Ingle and Jeremy Cox: "The Great Great Miami River Expedition," 7 p.m., Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark auditorium.
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