In October of 2018, I was ready for a big change in my life.
I had finished my third incredible season working as a river guide, with my final trip of the summer being an 18 day Grand Canyon trip. As this was my first time down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, floating that stretch of river and rowing that big white water, I went into the Canyon one person and came out forever changed. I pushed off from Lee's Ferry with big eyes, all of the excitement in the world and also a lot of uncertainty. 18 days later when my feet hit pavement at the Pierce Ferry takeout, it was with a new found confidence in my skills as a guide and a deeper love for the river and a certain level of resolve within myself for my seasonal lifestyle. A feeling that I had been unwilling to commit to for three years. I had decided: no more back and forth for me, constantly trying to live between worlds, a river guide in the summer, and a Portland dweller living with her boyfriend in the winter. Nope, I was all in on river.
And all out on Portland and the boyfriend package deal. Which meant that the fall of 2018 left me with no commitments, nowhere I needed to be. So I looked ahead to the next adventure and set my sights on Latin America. I was going to pack my bags and travel through Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador for four months, mostly solo, and meeting up with a few friends along the way. Which led me to one pocket-sized leather and wood cribbage board. This travel sized board would become my new best travel partner, my go-to when I met a new friend in a hostel, offering up a game of cards.
The first handcrafted leather and wood travel cribbage board looked very different from the one we make now. (link) And don’t tell anybody, but it was actually missing 10 points to the track (whoops!) But it served me well for those four months abroad. I always had it close by in my backpack or pocket, ready to bring it out at the local cafe or while I was ass in the sand on the beach. I played numerous hands of cards that winter. Most of the games I won, as I had the privilege and benefit of teaching the rules of cribbage to the folks that I met along the way. And when that cribbage companion started to get the hang of the game and in turn began to beat me, well that’s how I knew it was time to pack my bags and set out for the next spot.
I still have that same board with me to this day. While it doesn’t get as much action as it once did, it serves as a reminder and guidance to the entire Kinshop brand - to design and build functional, keep-worthy pieces that add to the journey.
