My Name is Jessie Sterling
Like any good addict when someone told me that there was a way for me to get my product easier and possibly cheaper- I jumped on it.
Well that’s not exactly true...
I agreed to it. Then I started having doubts, came up with excuses and ultimately needed a kick in the rear to pull the trigger. Who would want to read a blog by me? Me, a female kayaker, a weekend warrior, a 30 something with a very healthy obsession with her dogs, someone struggling to find balance between her corporate day job and her "hobbies". Who would want to read anything written by that person? I guess we'll find out!
Hello, my name is Jessie Sterling and I am an addict.
No one told me it would be like this. No one warned me. I just thought it would be something fun to try. Maybe if I liked it, this could be something to do occasionally in my spare time, when the weather is hot and sunny. A new form of exercise...
That was 3 years ago. The longest I have been out of my boat since I started whitewater paddling was 6 days and it was hell.
Can’t stop, won’t stop. By the end of my first year I had 4 boats in total, 3 for whitewater. They’re the ones that matter, let’s focus on those. My Dagger RPM (my very first boat), a Jackson Rockstar and a Jackson Karma Creeker, I frequented local pools to practice in my playboat 1-2 times a week , I was paddling local runs and surf spots before and after work. (Mind you I still do all these things) When the weather started getting cold I traded up my hydroskins for a dry top and neoprene pants. When the water got low in the Northeast, we ventured down to PA and WV. Sure it was mid-January but that did not matter, I was hooked. The moment my paddle blades hit the waters of the Kennebec River in the West Forks of Maine my soul was sold.
I began racing competitively my second year. I had a tendency to go fast out of self-preservation and with encouragement from my paddling partners, as I became more comfortable in class III/IV water I began competing in the MaCKRO series and Maine Whitewater Championships. I’m one of the top female racers in Maine. My blogs are going to be a bit about me, a bit about the people I surround myself with, about the places we’ve gone, the place we’re going, the things we do and all the dogs we play with.
My name is Jessie Sterling and I am an Outdoor New England athlete. I hope you enjoy the blog and maybe learn a thing or two from the mistakes I’ve made along the way.
Instagram:
Follow me @JeSter1ing
Follow Outdoor New England @outdoornewengland
P.S for those who are wondering, my boat count is now up to seven.