Paddlesport Industry Association

     I’m in Panama City, Florida for the Paddlesport Industry Association Annual Conference and Trade Show.  This is Mike’s last conference as President of the National Association so we are here for a week with the kids.  

     The weather is very warm and nice except for the fact it is a Red Flag Day.  Can you imagine?  A red flag day?  Do you know what that means?  It means there is a high chance of a fire today because of winds and dry conditions.

     I really don’t want to think about the chance of a fire here.  The buildings are concrete and the shingles are also concrete so the only thing I can  see that is wrong are a few pine needles in the gutters.  I don’t think there is a chance that a fire will erupt here.

     Recent fires in California have brought back my nightmares of fire.  I tried not to read too much about the fires because it is still so scary and fresh in my mind.  I obviously read too much because last night I dreamed about a fire across the river that was heading straight for all of our bunkhouses and cabins.  Planes were dropping water but the winds were too strong for the water to make it to the ground.  Ashes were falling from the sky and I was stomping them out into the dirt.  The flames continued to dance into the night and the sky glowed it’s evil orange color.  There was nothing we could do but wait and watch as the fire munched it’s way closer and closer.

     My thoughts and prayers go out to those people in California.  Fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, car accidents, you just never know.  I hope Mother Nature will be kind to Panama City and very selfishly I hope she will be kind as long as we are here.