Hometown

Norwood, Colorado

Favorite Hala board

Radito

How many years have you been SUPing?

10 years

Tell us a little bit about yourself

@nolasvoboda

Ahoy! A true Colorado native, born on the Western Slope, I have lived all around the state. I landed in the Telluride area from Grand Junction over 10 years ago, currently residing in the small ranching community of Norwood. I work as a freelance/contract digital marketer and graphic designer, as well as seasonally as a SUP and fly fishing guide for Telluride Outside, with the occasional stint in the winter for the ski resort.

I began my paddle boarding endeavor 10 years ago when a shop in Telluride started a weekly SUP club in which they donated paddle boards for locals to borrow for group floats on the river and lakes. First trip down "The Miguel" and I was hooked! We made new friends, had lots of laughs, good beer pit stops, and got tons of locals hooked on the sport. This is also how I met fellow Hala Ambassador, Mo Hanna! I became a paddle board guide for Telluride Outside in the summer of 2016 and have since declared it to be the one job I absolutely have to do each summer, no matter how busy I am.

I love paddling all water, I'm not picky one bit. But the rivers are my absolute favorite. Lazy rivers, whitewater, catching little waves, fishing trips, day trips and overnight river trips, I just love moving water! My favorite river SUP is the Dolores, the whole thing from the San Juan Mountains to its confluence with the Colorado! Other top river SUP sections for me are: The San Miguel, basically the entire thing. The Gunnison River from below the Black Canyon to Grand Junction but especially the section known as Pleasure Park. The Colorado through the Grand Valley, Ruby Horsethief, Cisco all the way through The Daily on into Moab, and Cataract Canyon. The Green River below the Flaming Gorge (basically the Green to its confluence with the Yampa), and the lazy float through Canyonlands National Park. I also dig overnight trips on the Yampa through Dinosaur National Monument, and the San Juan, especially through the Goosenecks State Park.

If I must be on a lake/pond (which is pretty much the case once the snowmelt is gone, you will either find me guiding on Trout Lake, doing "fitness laps" on Miramonte or Ridgway Reservoirs, and/or fly fishing. SUP fly fishing just happens to be my second favorite thing to do on a paddle board!

Okay, enough about me, if you're ever in Telluride/Norwood/Colorado's West End region, hit me up and let's float!