Lost a Week, Here's Why

As I sit typing, I think to myself, “How can it be Saturday?”
“Where did Sunday through Friday go?”
The excitement of being a spectator at the 63rd annual Ausable River Canoe Marathon was simply overwhelming this year.
As summer progressses in the small town of Grayling Michigan, thoughts become focused on the Ausable River Canoe Marathon. Held each year on the last full weekend of July, it is the longest nonstop canoe race in North America and is said to be one of, if not the toughest spectator sport in the world.
Now please do not take this as me “stealing the thunder” from the canoe racer, as that is the last thing I intend to do. The men and women who paddle this exrtraordinary race are themselves extraordinary athletes. To run full speed for 4 blocks carrying a canoe on your shoulder, hoping to keep in sync with your partner who is carrying the other end, all the while trying to avoid crashing into one of the other almost 200 racers who have the same goal in mind, get to the river. Not necessarily get to the river first, just get to the river.
The canoe racers must jump in their canoes in the river and paddle 120 miles to the finish in Oscoda, Michigan,stopping at least 6 times to get out, pick up their canoe, and carry it up and over a dam, just to continue on the other side. No breaks for feeding or resting, that is all done in mid stream. The fastest of the canoe racing teams will arrive at their destination in Oscoda, about 14 hours after they started in Grayling. Oh, and keep in mind that this all begins at 9:00pm so the majority of the race takes place in the dark of night.
These paddlers are tough. I could not do it. Right now, this very day, or just about any other day in my life I could not do it, but the Ausable River Canoe Marathon is also known as one of , if not the toughest spectator sports in the world,and though I can not say I am , or have ever been a contestant but I can say that I have been a spectator.
I have personally attended nearly 30 of these races, and am proud to say I am a serious spectator. In fact on many ocassions I have followed the entire marathon from start to finish, an event which I hoped to accomplish this year.
I began my spectatorship in ritualistic style, arriveing in Grayling about 5:30 pm, a couple cruises through town, park a couple blocks from downtown and make the walk through the street vendors and all the arts and crafts tents. The local bars, restaurants, and retailers were brimming with business. Always the same ole thing but always exciting to be among the crowd which had reached about 2000 spectators, so many in fact that one of the 3 lanes through town was closed to allow for better passage for spectators.
Amongst the crowd of thousands I managed to run into one of my oldest friends, Mike Petrie. Mike and I graduated from Graying High School in the mid 1980s along with many others who no longer live in Grayling but still make the annual pilgramage to be a spectator in the Ausable River Canoe Marathon. A short visit then back across town to park on Madsen St.,heading East. ( Trust me, some seriuos spectatin experience here)
I make my way to a 4 city block area where the racing canoes and their paddlers are lined up and anxiuosly awaiting the start of the race. Spectators from all over are meeting the paddlers, talking to feeders, getting photos with paddlers and canoes. I met my friend Tim Sheldon who was a Grayling High classmate of mine but was also paddling the marathon. We shared a little chit chat, I wished him luck and then made my way to my favorite little viewing spot behind the back corner of the old city police post.
By 7:00 pm the grassy bank in front of the Old Ausable Fly Shop and Canoe Livery (Rays as many old timers might know it)is shoulder to shoulder with spectators from around the United States and several other countries. 5 city blocks are lined 8 and 10 spectators deep. The “back bridge” is full of cheering fans.
As the clock ticks closer to the marathons’ 9:00 pm starting, there becomes a steady humm of excitement. A stirring buzz of adrenaline that can be heard from 10 blocks away. The emcee builds the crowd into a roaring wave just as the starting gun goes off signifying the beginning of the 63 annual Ausable River Canoe Marathon.
Marathon spectators have several options when it comes to following the race. The easiest, and most often chosen option is to watch the start and then just go home. Maybe catch the updates throughout the night on the radio and watch the news to see who wins the next day. Almost not a
true spectator by the “diehards”, but hey, you showed up, I bet you even cheered and had your own little rush of adrenalin as the canoes and their paddlers raced by. You are just as much a spectator as those who follow the race beyond the start.
Next are the spectators who will not only be at the start of the race, they will be loud, they will holler, they will cheer and whistle. They are glad to give the big beach ball a whack as it bounces its’ way amongst outstretched hands. These spectators will generally wait until the very last canoe team has entered the water,then they will scurry for their vehicles and rush to one of the first viewing bridges, Stephan or Wakeley bridge. They will hang out for an hour, maybe two, hoot and hollar a bit as the first 10 or so teams go by, and then they will call it a night. You folks are alright! You really get the crowd rallied and prepared for a long night.
Then there are the “GOING ALL THE WAY!!!,,,To Mio” group. You know who you are, and there are a lot of you. You are a serious spectator. We hear you as the crowd starts to get big around 1:00 in the morning. Hundreds of spectators are gathering on the sloped, downstream side of Mio Dam. Hundreds more are at the top of the dam, watching with wary eyes for the faint glint of a canoe headlight. The spectators eyes have strained through hours of vehicle headlights when driving, and near total darkness while waiting to view the racers as they ease by in the night. We here ya holler..” GOING ALL THE WAY”,,,, then mumble “to Mio” . You have already been on the go for at least 5 hours. Probably in and out of the vehicle at least 3 or 4 times. Walking the ½+ mile, to and from each viewing bridge. Refueling your body and mind while traveling from one viewing area to another. Hey, you did great. Mio is a tough place to make it through.
And on we go
Through the darkness of night.
There was just enough traffic to help me keep myeyes open as I traveled from McKinley to 4001 Bridge, where at around 5:00am I watched Tim and Ted paddle swiftly by. I warily made my way back to my vehicle and drove to one of the 5 dams that remained to be crossed, surviving only on protein bars, and coke, and cheese and crackers, oh yeah and some chips, and a couple waters, jerky, blah, blah..
RUSH!!!
Off to Alcona, the first of 5 consecutive dams at which a spectator can view the racers. One of the first places along the route of the marathon that spectators will see padders at sunrise.
My eyes blessed the morning sun. Happy to not have to strain to see a distant paddler or a fellow spectator who may have wondered off path. The rays of the sun recharge my entire body. I was alive and loving it at Alcona Dam in Northern Michigan at about 6:00 in the morning. Warm coffee and doughnut tent. Hundreds of spectators greeting the morning chill. The outline of a canoe swiftly making its’ way across the still of the pond. I took a few pictures as Tim and Ted went by,then off to Loud Dam. Only a few hours left and I will have completed, by myself, one of the toughtest spectator sports in the world.
I believe I arrived at Loud Dam around 7:00 am. I approached the dam from the bottom, having walked about 500 yards from my truck. While standing at the bottom of the dam I recognized at least 50 people that I had seen at every stop along the way, and now, 11 hours from the start of the race, I wondered what their nights had been like. I stood in awe and embraced the fresh morning air before making my way up to the high side of the dam. I would be able to watch as the paddlers make their way through the morning calm of the pond at Loud Dam.
Loud Dam was much like all the other stops after Mio. Quiet, subdued, casual conversation, maybe even a little cat nap with a brief round of cheers and encouragement as each canoe team approaced and made their way over the dam. I silently observed the crowd and looked for a good viewing point. It would be several minutes before the first racers would arrive so I decided to make my way across the path and onto the other side of the racers crossing area. With the downstep of my right foot on the edge of the path, where gravel meets grass, my foot slipped just a bit and my body went instantly to the ground with a croud shivering, gut wrenching snap. I think about 50 people in the crowd moaned in unison.
And now to be honest with you, the past 4+ days since Loud Dam have basically been a blur. I do recall a few datails.
I know several wonderful people asked me if I was ok. I know I stayed over an hour to see Tim and Ted come through then walked 500+yards to my truck and drove 80+ miles home. I also know that I have an xray sitting next to me of the bones in my lower right leg, just above the ankle.
I know I just realized that it is Saturday, and, apparently, the extreme pain in my leg is from the surgery I had Tuesday. Surgery that was necessary to put a few screws and other hardware in my right leg to fix both the bones that snapped at Loud Dam.
To all the spectators who made it all the way, GREAT JOB!
To all the racers who have ever competed in the Ausable River Canoe Marathon I say thank you. It is the extraordinary athlete in you that allows thousands of us to call ourselves the toughest spectators in the world.
See you next year!