Wednesday 30 July 2008 Lake Solano, Winters, California

Marley and I drove to upper end of Lake Solano. We unloaded our gear and began blowing up our new Aire Lynx II inflatable kayak. We met Guillermo Santana formerly of Guadalajara, Jalisco. He has lived in Winters the past 20 years, and all of his family is here now. He plays guitar at his church. He helped us blow up the raft. He had wanted to fish, but didn't have a license. I told him that was very risky, and advised against it. I gave him some water and loaned him my tarp on which to rest in the shade. He was getting eaten up by ants down by the river.

Bob Langley arrived just as we began inflating the kayak. Bob and Guillermo helped us gear up and carry the kayak down to the lake. The water was exceptionally clear and cold. We paddled down stream for a while. Bob instructed Marley in good paddling technique, eddy turns, and ferry angle. We practiced in the flowing water. Large basalt boulders and sand bars provided eddies where we could practice moves. We eddy hopped back up to our put-in. Marley noticed some white water up stream. We paddled upstream as far as we could.

Marley wanted to paddle in the white water, so we put the boats in Bob's truck and drove upstream about 2 miles to the gauge. There are several easy rapids between the gauge and the lake. Marley really enjoyed them. She wanted to paddle them a second time, but while Bob and I were deciding how to do the shuttle, she remembered that she had promised her friend, Kaylen that she would be home by 1430. We stopped at the taco truck in Winters. Marley ordered a bean and cheese burrito, Bob and I split an order of 6 tacos.