ABOUT the Author

Even playful adrenaline junkies
take time to quietly soak in
some nature with friends.

The "I Play In Nature" blog is the creation of Dale Swanson ... me.

This is a broadly interpreted "adventure sport" blog focused primarily on paddle-sport generally and whitewater standup paddleboarding specifically - since that's where my passion has been lately. Climbing, backpacking, mountain biking and trail running will also appear from time to time as extensions of the real theme of this blog ... Playing in Nature.



So, while there are plenty of posts about technique, gear, and destinations, I will also indulge in exploring the rituals, communities, and other aspects of the adventure sport lifestyle. IPlayInNature is also a vehicle for expressing my own philosophies about play, nature, and the spiritual enrichment that wild places offer.

My credentials for telling people how to operate or train their body for whitewater stand-up paddling? Marginal. About all I can share are my personal observations ... what's worked for me and some of the people I've paddled with. I've read a few books, spent some time on the water, and worked as a river guide and instructor on rivers here in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In the Spring of 2017 I joined USA Raft Adventure Resort to help grow their whitewater SUP program and the regional community of enthusiasts. Shout out to Matt Moses - USA Raft owner - for making the Nolichucky the hub of whitewater SUP in the Southern Appalachians.

I first taught canoeing as a 16 year old waterfront staff member at Camp Marin-Sierra; a Boy Scout camp nestled into the western slope of the Sierra Mountains not far from Lake Tahoe. Being young and stupid and flush with know-it-all authority I was a harsh drill master. I would pace up and down the dock towering over my students critiquing their J-Strokes. I'm sure I drove a few of them away from canoes entirely. The one positive thing - drilling 14 year old scouts on canoe paddle strokes for a couple of months developed a foundation of technique and understanding that served me well when I returned to the canoe in my mid 30's.

Suddy Hole rapid on the Laurel River (aka, Big
LaurelCreek) near Hot Springs, NC (2015)

Today my approach to paddling instruction is much less rigid. Enjoyment and "good enough" technique are my immediate goals with beginners. Yet real enjoyment - at least for me - comes from dedication to skill mastery. Mastery allows for the emergence of creativity - and creativity brings joy. Joy is my goal.

Thanks for checking out my blog and taking the time to learn a little about me.

SYOTR (See You On The River)

-Dale