Georgia — Blog - Joshua Forester

Blowing Snot Rockets in the Age of COVID

So has 2020 really been that bad? Well, I can tell you it's to the point that having an upbeat attitude or even thinking that the pandemic is not so bad is seen as traitorous by many. It’s hard to be balanced on the issue. Instead of the caricature of an angel and devil on my shoulders arguing each of their cases, it is a different scene for me. I am tasked with the celestial role, met instead by an imp on each shoulder: shame for attempting positivity when the year has been so bad for others and guilt that the truly bad things happening to me haven't yet crushed me. Maybe it's not COVID that has made me feel socially isolated--perhaps it is that positivity is no longer culturally en vogue.

Adventure RacingJoshua ForesterDecember 8, 2020adventure racing, The Georgia Saga, Georgia Comments

Endurance Paddling Showdown: Surfski vs. Kayak

If we come over here to the hull shape of the 18X, it's a little bit broader and that accounts for stability. It is a sea kayak, so it's it's made for billowing waves and big chop out in the ocean. Obviously, it's got a lot more carrying capacity than the surfski. That's a good thing when you're doing a very long paddle and you have to carry a lot of gear with you. The carrying capacity of the 18X is far superior to that of the V10 surfski, and mainly that's because of the hatches that they have in the bow and also the stern back here; but also to the right back of the paddler that's accessible from the cockpit…

PaddlingJoshua ForesterDecember 31, 2019lake lanierThe Lanier Lap, Georgia, paddling Comments

GRIT. GETS. IT.

It was time to redefine my plan. I knew I was competing against guys riding e-bikes and those who rode regularly in group rides where they could benefit from drafting off of other riders. While I did now have a newer, faster bike, it does not have electronic-assist, nor do my work hours allow me to join others for group rides. All my miles were into a headwind governed by my pedaling speed. I had my Weapon; I needed to wield it.

The Lanier Lap - How We Did It

I missed the sun. I missed watching it rise and fall over the lake. I missed the rainbows of colors it pours over the sky—a heavenly canvas mirrored by the surface upon which I flew decorated with a million million sparkles as the water’s ripples become the ticker tape of my passing. I missed the calmness of a clear night—the silky, moonlit quiet of the water. So calm that you feel like the lake is whispering to you to be still for just a moment with her, so quiet that you can marvel at the sound of your own heartbeat carrying over her serene waters. I missed the lake day celebrations, the children swimming under the watchful eyes of their parents, the smell of grilling, and the sounds of splashing. The sun did eventually come out, and I finally dried out...mostly…

PaddlingJoshua ForesterJune 12, 2019Lake LanierThe Lanier Lap, Georgia, paddling Comments

The Lake Allatoona Run

The ‘Toona Run is the time in motion equivalent to running three 50-mile ultra marathons back to back…to grueling back. To be honest, I’m not sure how my body will respond. But finding out before The Lanier Lap—twice the distance—takes place is my goal. Never have I felt so underprepared for something, and there seems to be such little time between now and then to get that way.

PaddlingJoshua ForesterApril 12, 2019Lake AllatoonaThe Lanier Lap, Georgia, paddling, Lake AllatoonaComment

Supporting The Lanier Lap

Apparently The Lanier Lap has been getting some shares around the interwebs, and numerous generous people have reached out to ask how they can help support the project. So I decided to give everyone the skinny below on how you guys can help!

PaddlingJoshua ForesterApril 8, 2019Lake LanierThe Lanier Lap, Georgia, paddlingComment

Atlanta Biketober 2018

It meant leaving work to start a ride at 7pm and finish in the chill of 1am. It meant being sent over the handlebars in the middle of the night, spraining my wrist, and acquiring a little road rash in the process. It meant dealing with rigid and sore muscles for the first ten miles of a ride before they finally loosen up enough to feel normal again. It meant limping around the office with Neosporin helping to heal my nether regions from the saddle sores only to re-chafe them later that evening. It meant withstanding all of the aggression and road rage motorists in Atlanta could muster. It meant riding no less than 3 hours a day the final week for 7 days straight. It meant blowing through 10 tubes, 8 spokes, 4 brake pads, 2 wheels, and over 10 gallons of water while riding. It was suffering for the sake of competition with no reward save that which most benefits us more than money—pride.

Cumberland Island Getaway

I attempted to walk with dignity to the ocean to wash them off, only to break into a run after I simply could not take it any more. Wading into the water was sweet relief, and for a wonderful moment I was both cool and relieved be bug free. It was at that moment I was surprised to see two dorsal fins in the shallows a mere hundred feet away. It became clear they weren’t dolphins when one of the sharks launched out of the water with a fish in front of its tooth-filled maw, the entranceway into its stomach opening and closing several times midair. I was in awe. It was one of those jaw-dropping moments on Shark Week where upon seeing it you swear off oceans for good. The shark was roughly 5-6 feet long head to tail, and I wouldn’t have guessed it to be in such shallow water. The dorsal fin of the other was no smaller. I was then faced with a decision--to stay in the water with the sharks, or to return to the sand gnats. With a vigilant eye focused on the sharks, I stayed. It was in this way I learned I hate sand gnats more than death…

Mount Yonah/Unicoi Adventure

That is when the monsoon hit and turned the sloped granite of the approach trail to a slip ’n slide. We did our best to work together as a team to safely get down from our climbing camp perch with our gear, but it was slow going. As Shanna and I were in a rush to get to the wedding, we grabbed our gear and ran down the trail to get back to our cars, the lodge, the shower, and the wedding. On the way to the ceremony, it was a torrential downpour to the point where we had to drive incredibly slow because even with the windshield wipers raging it was impossible to see through it…