Hey Paddlers! Have you ever wanted to learn more about kayaking or practice your paddling skills in the setting of a warm pool during the late fall and winter months? 

Join UAC at the Free State Pool in Lawrence. Dates are alternate Sundays beginning November 13 and running to April. Time is 10am to 2pm and price is $10.00 per person.  Enter through the north doors of the Free State Pool Complex.  Bring your gear and kayak. Gear and kayaks must be clean of all dirt, mud, and debris.  To paddle a kayak in the pool a helmet and PFD must be worn at all times.  All Free State Pool rules and regulations apply to participants. For a complete list of dates look at the upcoming events calendar.

Contact us to let us know you will be there or if you have questions. We might have spare gear for you to borrow for the sessions, so let us know!

We've been busy getting the Up a Creek photos from this summer posted out on the site. We had a great summer and hopefully we'll see everybody back next year!  Check out the pix and then email any that we missed to mindisalas@gmail.com.

Up a Creek celebrated the dog daze of summer just recently. Check out pix of Puppy and Fam floating the Kaw.

Hello UAC Paddlers! I found myself out this last weekend in the timber beginning to cut this winter’s wood supply. As I looked out over the foliage I noted that the hedge and mulberry trees were starting to turn their orange and yellow colors. It got me to thinking of the fall foliage on the Kansas River. As much as I love summer’s heat and a cold IPA on a float down the Kaw, nothing quite compares to it like floating down the Kaw on beautiful fall afternoon, the river cutting through the beautiful fall foliage on the banks and stark blue skies above you.  Make your plans now for a float trip to enjoy Mother Kaw, the fall foliage and UAC for the next 3 weekends in October. This weekend, October 8 is a Jay’s Float,   6.5 miles of the best stretch of what Kaw has to offer from here to Topeka. The float will start at 12:00. October 15^th is Perry to Lawrence Float, 11 miles of winding turns and sand bars. This float will start at 12:00. October 22^nd is a Delaware Float, 5 miles of high embankments and plenty of wildlife for you animal lovers.  If you have interest in any of these floats contact by email or phone;  Puppy at 785-840-4204 or Uncle Ron at 785-213-6981.

The Katies returned to float down Mother Kaw this year and came with hubbies and boyfriends in tow. Of course you can’t see them in this photo; they’re off to the left of the girls soaking up some brews, water and sun. But what a nice pic of the girls though!!!

The Katie’s just about broke a record for a Jay’s run - 6.5 miles in 8 hours! (The record is 9 hours for a Jay’s run held by Standard Tire Crew.) Better luck next time girls! Check the photo gallery for more from this kick-ass day on the Kaw.

Memorial Day 2011 was one for the books with Up a Creek. 29 paddlers, 10.5 miles of river and 40+ mph winds made for a more than memorable afternoon. Props to Lila, queen of the Jello shots, Tim and Mindi, gods of sand and mud, Dozier for braving a solo canoe in the white squall, Mike for not getting second degree burns, and Lacy for walking a fine line between sobriety and the dark side.

This was the UAC official season kickoff and as expected, we had a blast and paddled it with style. As always, if you have a bad time, it's your own fault!

-Uncle Ron, Baywatch & Puppy

A flash from the past in prep for the future. Here's Lorrie showing us how it's done, circa summer 2008. Typically this is Uncle Ron's trademark move, but not that day!

Looking forward to seeing her again when she hauls her volleyball team up here from Texas in July to hit the Kaw, Up a Creek-style!

I won't even pretend to know what went into naming this particular float. I'll leave that to the girls to explain. Nonetheless, Michelle, Janis, Deanne and Krissy were the UAC 2011 season opener float this past weekend.

And while our morning started with trailer lights that didn't work, followed by a flat tire at the boat ramp, somehow we still managed a great UAC weekend out of it, due partially to the good beer we were afforded thanks to the Sock Monkey crew. Thanks, girls!

Check out more pics from Saturday's float here.

Since the 2011 season isn't in full swing yet with UAC, I thought we would give you a taste of our off-season activities. With a hint of Summer just around the corner, we've been spending as much time as possible hitting the water that we don't take our regular UAC paddlers on during our busy months. White water below the Bowersock Dam and near I-435 on the Kaw.

Props to Tim for the best photo in the biggest wave. Anyone else interested in joining? We've got extra boats and always looking to help attach the needle in the arm of the next whitewater addict. Just holler -- we're only a short stretch of river away.

-Baywatch

Okay fans, UAC had it's first 2011 board meeting last night and we're planning for another busy summer. We posted dates on the web site calendar for a number of floats, including 2 full moon night floats. We'll be posting alerts for those as we get closer, but if you're wanting to join one of our infamous full moon floats, mark your calendars for July 1 or July 29. See you on the river!