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Just around the riverbend

MSU Outdoors Club kayaks 160 miles from East Lansing to Grand Haven

April 13, 2014

In their second annual Campus to Coast event, members of the MSU Outdoors Club kayaked from East Lansing to Grand Haven, following the Red Cedar River and the Grand River. 

Photo by Ben Stram | The State News

The event began at the rock on Farm Lane. Kayakers then followed the Red Cedar River into the Grand River, going through Grand Haven before finishing at Grand Haven State Park.

The race is 160 miles long with some of the fastest finishing times between 36-40 hours and 57 hours being the cut-off time.

About 100 MSU students and residents of all levels of experience participated in the trek.

Michael Lohr said although the race is a great adventure, it also brings challenges, such as going to the bathroom and eating while paddling down the river.

“There’s rest stops along the way, so if you need to stop to use the bathroom there’s port-a-johns at a lot of different boat launches that you can use,” Lohr said. “Otherwise (the) food that you need, you can bring it with you or you stop along the side of the river and decide to stop at a restaurant.”

It costs $20 per year to join the club, or $15 per semester. And this is just one of many events the MSU Outdoors Club hosts throughout the year.

Education senior Allison Tobin said people in the group set up their own events.

“People just make their own trips,” Tobin said.“They basically just say, ‘Hey, who wants and go do this?’ and then a bunch of people get together, we make a carpool list and then we go.”

Some students who have never kayaked before decided to come out for the race.

Both civil engineering senior Danny BenSalem and Tobin were first-timers at the event.

They brought snacks such as apples, bananas, nuts and cookies for the trip.

BenSalem said this was his first time kayaking, but noted events like these are why he joined the club.

“I love doing a lot of stuff outdoors, and that’s what the Outdoor Club is about,” he said. “Rock climbing, adventure races like this, hiking, the whole package.”

MSU alumnus Tom Baweja used to be president of the club when he attended MSU. While returning to East Lansing for the Campus to Coast race for the second time, he took the time to reflect on how much the MSU Outdoors Club taught him.

“I learned a heck of a lot. Now I pass that on to people,” Baweja said. “I came as a freshman knowing very little about everything I know now that I’ve gained from the club and pass that on to other people that were just like me.”

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