Home sweet home

Another riddle: What's the first thing kayakers do upon returning home?
Answer: De-stink their gear! This is a rather urgent matter. After 48 hours of stewing in their own juices, our neoprene wetsuits, spray skirts and booties are overripe. They need to be soaked and scrubbed with wetsuit shampoo, rinsed and dried. Our gear cared for us, keeping us comfortable on the water for two weeks. Now we care for it, cleaning it and putting it away for our next paddle. We've found that if we set aside time for this part of the process, what used to be a chore has become preparation for the next trip.