EXPLORE KENTUCKY X KYFORKY

We’re proud to announce we have teamed up with Kentucky For Kentucky to bring our collection of goods to their awesome platform!

Together our goal is to promote Kentucky's rich outdoor legacy and get more people outside. A percentage of the sale of this collection will go to the development of #ExploreKentucky's outdoor equity fund, which will support projects that promote positive health outcomes, inclusivity, diversity, and leadership in Kentucky’s outdoors with focus on Black, brown, immigrant, and refugee populations.

Hike, Paddle, ClimbEKI StaffDecember 6, 2020 Comment

Black Lives Matter Paddle Out Kentucky

Huge thanks to the nearly 70 beautiful people who attended, paid tribute, showed solidarity, and enjoyed community on the water at the Black Lives Matter Paddle Out Kentucky that we hosted on the beach of Fort Boonesborough State Park. Much gratitude goes to Katrisha Waldridge, Frankfort City Commissioner, Martina Jackson for 81st District State Representative, and Matt Walker for joining EKI founder, Gerry Seavo James and delivering powerful messages.

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesJune 24, 2020Comment

Expedition Frankfort: Run| Ride| Paddle - Race Recap

don’t know where Frankfort is (other than the Frankfurt in my home country, Germany) A quick google search reveals that it is the state capitol of Kentucky - it also reveals clear gaps in my knowledge of geography. A doable 6-hour drive from Chicago. Ok, ok, but I don’t have a Mountain Bike. Still only half-serious I e-mail the race director: “Is it ok to use my Cyclocross Bike?” Almost instantly I get a response from Gerry, the race director: “Yes you can use your bike as the trail is moderate. You should be more than capable of tackling the course.” Excited about starting racing season early I sign up.

Our Favorite Visuals from the 2018 Kentucky Waterman Series

This year was the second year of the Kentucky Waterman Series, our all-inclusive paddlesports event series which hosted 11 events across over 200 miles of Kentucky waterways.

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesJanuary 1, 2019paddlesports, paddlingComment

Kentucky Waterman Series Event Profile: Mighty Cumberland River Run & River Festivus

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesJuly 30, 2018kentucky waterman series, Burkesville, Eastern KentuckyComment

The Rockcastle River Narrows: A Kentucky Wild River Adventure

PaddleBrandon JettMay 2, 2018wild river, Kentucky Wild RIvers Program, Rockcastle River, Office of Kentucky State Nature PreservesComment

Kentucky Waterman Series Race Profile: 5th Annual Taylorsville Paddle Battle

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesApril 7, 2018kentucky waterman series, kentucky state parks, Taylorsville Lake State State ParkComment

Be That Girl

Ladies, stop sitting at home looking through your Instagram feed wishing you were “that girl”. BE that girl! Take your adventure into your own hands. If you let fear of the unknown consume you, then you will never know what greatness lies in the outdoors. I believe by properly preparing yourself, there is no destination that cannot be reached by a group of women, or even a woman trekking out into the wild on her own. By preparing yourself, you CAN DO THIS! It's like this; Know your trail. Know your waterway. Know your limits.

Paddle, HikeShara SumnerJanuary 1, 2018women, Hike, hiking, camp Comments

Kentucky Waterman Series 2018 Updated Class System & Rules

We hope your offseason is going well. As we move towards our first race in April, the team here at EKI wanted to highlight some of the changes we made in order to qualify for the series and the class system.

PaddleEKI StaffDecember 28, 2017watersports, paddling, paddlesports, canoe, SUP, riverdash, Big South Fork, race, racing, kayak, Top feature, featureComment

Behind the Lens: Big South Fork River Dash

The last time I camped out in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area was the early Spring of 2016. I packed one insulated jacket and that was about it. No gloves, hats, or base layers. After suffering through a snowy night in March, I learned to pack better for the cold.

PaddleReed MattisonNovember 24, 2017Big South ForkComment

Congratulations to our top 2017 Kentucky Waterman Series Finishers

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesNovember 20, 2017kentucky waterman series, Race, paddlesports, Southern Paddlesports, featureComment

Explore Kentucky X Bluegrass Cellular

We're excited to announce our partnership with Bluegrass Cellular, a technology company headquartered in Elizabethtown, Kentucky that delivers nationwide cellular services to over one million people across 34 counties in Central Kentucky. To kick off this partnership we're collaborating with Bluegrass to offer four free Smartphone Photography classes led by founder of #ExploreKentucky movement & EKI Director, Gerry James, at select Bluegrass Cellular retail locations.

PaddleEKI StaffOctober 4, 2017kentucky waterman series, Outdoors, water weekComment

Great Ohio River Odyssey 2017

All in all everyone involved made the Odyssey a smashing success, coupled with Mother Nature for blessing us with blue skies, flat water, and relatively no wind!

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesSeptember 20, 2017Kentucky, kentucky waterman series, Get Outdoors, Ohio, Ohio RiverComment

Kentucky Waterman Series Series Sponsor Profile: Southern Paddlesports

As we were pulling together the idea for the Kentucky Waterman Series, one of our most ardent supporters of the concept was Pat Dour, owner of Southern Paddlesports; a performance paddlesports company based in Taylorsville, Kentucky.

PaddleEKI StaffApril 21, 2017kentucky waterman series, paddlesports, Madison County, Richmond, Kentucky, featureComment

EKI Introduces The Kentucky Waterman Series

We know that watersports can thrive in Kentucky and we plan to keep working in 2017 with the Kentucky Waterman Series, a 6-10 race season.

PaddleEKI StaffFebruary 13, 2017watersports, paddling, paddlesports, canoe, SUP, riverdash, Big South Fork, race, racing, kayak, Top feature, feature Comment

EKI's new project with Southern Paddlesports

Our design process was to produce a striking, sleek, and contemporary logo design that was easily identifiable by the public and makes for a great decal for paddlecraft.

PaddleEKI StaffJanuary 7, 2017Top feature, Kentucky, paddling, paddlesportsComment

EKI on the Kentucky Paddlecraft Registration Rumors

It is our understanding that no such policy has been introduced into any KYDFWR plans. However, KYDFWR is seeking to start a conversation with Kentucky’s growing paddle sports community on how to address individuals’ needs as paddlers; education, safety and infrastructure like docks and portage trails.

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesDecember 18, 2016paddling, rumors Comments

Big South Fork River Dash Recap

This weekend my heart was warmed to see so many people from across our nation taking the opportunity to visit of one of Kentucky’s gems; the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. I feel blessed that we hosted such a diverse showing of craft in a first-year event with a rowing shell, SUPs, an outrigger canoe, canoes, kayaks, surfskis, ICF K-1s and a tandem surfski along our 8-mile course.

PaddleGerry Seavo JamesNovember 18, 2016Big South Fork, Race, AppalachiaComment

A Weekend in Shanty Hollow

PaddleElon JusticeJuly 16, 2016Comment

Louisville Group Spends Weekend Kayaking and Camping in LBL Backcountry

As the sun began to sink below the horizon, we packed up our gear. We wished them well for the long evening ahead and for the last leg of their trip. Their exhausted smiles will forever be etched in my memory. Smiles that only come from contentment from an excellent day on the river with friends. Perhaps by the time they return, we’ll have larger kayaks ourselves. And we’ll be strong enough to keep up with their speed. If not, we’ll offer them trail magic again, and find a few more lessons learned.

PaddleMary MedlockJune 17, 2016kayak, Western Kentucky, Land Between the Lake, land between the lakesComment

FIELD JOURNAL