Albuquerque

Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

Kelly is friendly and professional and seems to know what he is talking about and an absolutely wonderful teacher. Kelly is very professional, sincere and a dedicated teacher. He worked very hard to teach me, and I was able to roll within 20 minutes of his instruction. Rest of the evening was one roll after another. I hope he can continue to hold more similar clinics on other advanced techniques. Thank you Kelly. Amit.

Amit Goswami - M.D. VA Hospital

This is without a doubt the best outdoor class I have ever taken. Kelly and his team are totally skilled as teachers. I plan to sign up for every class I can with this team. My enjoyment and skill level immediately improved after one day. I didn't realize I was using body memory from paddling a canoe many years ago that were not good practice with a kayak. Take these classes! They're a great return on investment and a whole lot of fun besides!--Kate O'Neill, 54yo teacher

Kate O'Neil - Teacher / UNM Taos

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

You guys rock!!! I couldn't wait another minute to tell you how much fun the girls had last night! What a great lesson! We didn't even need the games because they enjoyed what they were doing so much. One of the coolest things was seeing girls who were a little bit timid, feel comfortable enough to try things that they normally wouldn't have tried. What a great time! Well done all!

Cris Todd - Girl Scout Troop #1521

This class was amazing! Learning to do things the right way from the beginning prevents you from having to 'unlearn' bad or possible dangerous habits later on.

Heidi Craig - Retired, Artist

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

I would wholeheartedly recommend this course. My girls had a blast and I thought the price was a bargain. My girls are young enough, so almost any activity is still "fresh" for them…they are up for about anything. The girls had a blast - they really enjoyed this.

Kathleen Tighe-Smith - Troop #10228, Brownies, Albuquerque, NM

Kelly is friendly and professional and seems to know what he is talking about and an absolutely wonderful teacher. Kelly is very professional, sincere and a dedicated teacher. He worked very hard to teach me, and I was able to roll within 20 minutes of his instruction. Rest of the evening was one roll after another. I hope he can continue to hold more similar clinics on other advanced techniques. Thank you Kelly. Amit.

Amit Goswami - M.D. VA Hospital

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

Kelly is a terrific instructor! He's extremely patient, manages to maintain a sense of humor, is very safety-conscious (a good thing on the river!), and has some unique tricks to help his students, be it learning to roll or learning to read a river. He explains things clearly and simply. He also seems to have the ability to get inside the heads of his students to help them get to where they need to be.

Deborah DeMack - Attorney

I was a self-taught kayaker who constantly got caught in situations that were either dangerous or beyond my skill. In fact, I almost gave up the sport multiple times before I met Kelly. After taking his courses, I found that I was in much better control on the river and began to enjoy it more. I never realized how much technique went into boat control and reading the river. Kayaking changed for me from a sport that constantly terrified me, to a sport where I felt exhilarated and challenged, but still in control. Kelly’s classes focus on reading the river, developing paddling skills, safety, and responsible fun. The best part of taking his courses is meeting new people to paddle with. I am now surrounded by like-mined paddlers whom I can trust on the river, for I know they received the same training. Kelly’s classes turned me into a life-long kayaker.

Glenn Wellman - High School History teacher, APS

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

Kelly is fun and enthousiastic about kayaking. If you're interested in learning to kayak, this is the place to be!

Linda Scott - New Mexico Adventure Racing Club

Kelly is friendly and professional and seems to know what he is talking about and an absolutely wonderful teacher. Kelly is very professional, sincere and a dedicated teacher. He worked very hard to teach me, and I was able to roll within 20 minutes of his instruction. Rest of the evening was one roll after another. I hope he can continue to hold more similar clinics on other advanced techniques. Thank you Kelly. Amit.

Amit Goswami - M.D. VA Hospital

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

This class was FANTASTIC because the instructor was very well educated and experienced. Kelly closely observed the girls skill level and encouraged those that needed a little extra to make all of us enjoy this wonderful event. I would like them [troop leaders] to know this activity is an opportunity to allow the girls to have a memory of a lifetime. It was a great event full of challenge, teamwork and FUN!!!!

Margaret Baca - Troop #171, Juniors, Santa Fe, NM

It is amazing to do something so challenging. I feel like I have accomplished something that I never thought possible.

Dena Hunt

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours (SOLD OUT)

Kelly is a terrific instructor! He's extremely patient, manages to maintain a sense of humor, is very safety-conscious (a good thing on the river!), and has some unique tricks to help his students, be it learning to roll or learning to read a river. He explains things clearly and simply. He also seems to have the ability to get inside the heads of his students to help them get to where they need to be.

Deborah DeMack - Attorney

Thank you! The girls had an absolute wonderful time at the Paddle Safety class. You represented your sport well with the girls and it shows through their enthusiasm. Good Job!

Melaney Olander - Troop 707

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

Great course, tons of information, practice. Marcel and Kelly are the perfect teaching duo, the Oliver and Stan of coastal waters techniques. Enjoyed sharing the experience with everyone who attended.

Zoe Krasney - Freelance writer & journalist

This clinic introduced me to the essential strokes, and the situations in which to apply them, including understanding which stroke would be efficient for the objective. I learned so many things that I never knew about Kayaking. I also enjoyed the introduction to assisted rescue. Kelly, the instructor, gave some excellent tips on how to tkae what we learned, into a pool session or other practice, and challenge yourself with each basic skill.

Lance Johnson - Bradley Alpinist, LLC

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Albuquerque

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Balloon Fiesta - Guided Kayak Tours

I took a roll class from Kelly. I have had some previous instruction in rolling and in boat handling techniques, but I learned more from Kelly in three hours in the pool than I did in a two day course from another instructor. I am very close to being able to roll after only one class. I'm sure with another class I'll be able to roll quite well. Kelly has a unique capability to explain how to roll, and has the patience to work with people who are having difficulty learning. He is a great teacher!

Doug Chinn

I took the Intro to Kayaking (level 1) class and it was GREAT. I'd actually done a lot of different types of kayaking (touring, sea, whitewater), but had never gotten any formal instruction. Wow, what a difference a few hours makes. I learned a lot of technique that I had been lacking. Kelly is a great instructor and I was impressed with how efficiently the class was put together. He is passionate about enabling people to participate in the sport that he loves. Definitely recommend this class to anyone interested in learning to kayak!

Tracy Davis - experienced kayaker

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