I started my winter paddling season on the South Platte River in the middle of November. It was a short trip, rather a photo session. The goal was to photograph old cars on the river shore at the Patterson Ditch dam. That time I packed my “big” camera, Canon EOS 40D together with a tripod, launched my Thunderbolt-X kayak at Evans Riverside Park and paddled about two miles down river to the dam.

I spent about one hour shooting the dam and old cars protecting river banks. I was planning to start paddling back exactly at sunset, but I stayed at the dam much longer enjoying the gentle light after sunset. I paddled upstream with in a falling darkness. It was a good workout. Only once I got stacked in a sandbar. Hundreds of geese were landing on the river and ponds nearby. At the end I had some problems to find my launching spot and a pathway to my car. It seems it was much easier to paddle on the river than to carry kayak on land in the complete darkness.

It wasn’t the first time when I photographed these old cars. It must be some strange attraction. Here are my three earlier posts where these old cars were involved:

• South Platte River – Another View or How to Photograph the River?
• Canon EOS 40D, Thunderbolt Kayak and South Platte River in Winter
• Old Truck, Young Eagle and the South Platte River Mysteries