Kayak Session: You just got home from a month on the Zambezi. Welcome back! How was it?
Hayden Voorhees: As good as it gets! I had very high expectations leading into the trip, and the river and the country exceeded all of them. We never got bored and came back in great shape, ready for spring kayaking. It was the classic African paddling trip, paddle, get beat down, hike out, and crush the board games. It was our brother Connor’s first international paddling trip, and our first international trip with all three of us. It was fun to show him the ropes. He loved the eat, kayak, chill, sleep, repeat, routine.
Ales Voorhees: We had plans to all go to Mexico in November but had to cancel. We were even more stoked to get on the Zam after that, and all had a blast. The Zam is such a playground–it’s not that hard of whitewater but will still show you who’s boss.
KS: You started paddling because of your parents, is that right?
AV: Yes—our parents, Mike and Jody, met in college at Idaho State University. My dad began kayaking in high school because of my Great Uncle, who started the first rafting company on the Kern River. My dad went on a few rafting trips, then learned to kayak, and was hooked. Dad was a kayak instructor for the ISU outdoor club and told mom, “You should learn to paddle!” From there, it’s kind of history. They were driving down Highway 55 along the North Fork of the Payette River on their honeymoon when my dad spotted people paddling. They stopped at as many pullouts as they could and followed them downstream. Turns out, it was Rob Lesser. My dad was awestruck and said, “We have to move to Boise so we can paddle this all the time.”
KS: And then, they raised you on the river.
AV: Basically! In the southwest corner of the main Banks parking lot, there is a little bit of shade, and they would bring the crib or playpen, set it up, and take turns paddling almost every weekend, dad doing North Fork laps, mom getting on the Lower Five of the North Fork or the South Fork.
“…PADDLING WITH YOUR BROTHERS IS ALWAYS THE BEST. THERE IS A CONNECTION THAT IS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT.”
