Jenna Fallon – Digital Director
Jenna loves to stand-up paddle. “Every moment in the sunshine makes me do a happy dance.” And she makes it a point – even living in the rainy Pacific Northwest – to do her SUP and sun inspired happy dancing as often as possible.
But she does have a day job. Jenna is our Digital Director. “I manage the yakima.com user experience. My job is to help consumers find what they need on our website to create their first-ever roof rack system by setting up the online process that helps you figure out how to find the right one for your car as simply and easily as possible.”
But when she gets the time, she loads up her husband, their kids – and maybe some friends’ kids, too – packs the sunblock and trail mix, and hits the Willamette River or Lake Oswego for some stand up paddling.
Paddling in Downtown Portland, Oregon
The Right Gear
The right gear makes life easier. Jenna is not someone you’d call ‘tall’, so getting SUPs to the top of her Honda Pilot used to be a chore. Not anymore.
“I love the ShowDown. The load assist – it makes it easy for my 5’1” self to load my board so I can easily get from home to the lake or river. My husband likes it, too. The ShowDown is making life easier for him because I don’t have to ask him to come help every time I want to load the boards. I am the tiniest of all my friends…and it’s a little challenging.”
Jenna also keeps the FullSwing hitch rack on her Pilot at all times for impromptu family bike trips… making them a true multi-sport family.
Another piece of go-to gear? “It’s my paddle. I own two of them – Slingshots – and won’t use any other kind. It’s adjustable so it works for my husband, kids and myself, and it’s super lightweight. I do love that thing.”
Jenna’s Wheels
ShowDown on JetStream CrossBars |FullSwing
Jenna’s Tips
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Sun protection! Bring sunblock, a trucker hat, sunglasses and a UV protective long sleeve shirt
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Bring snacks like trail mix…
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. …and make your own. Just combine dried mango, homemade baked almonds, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips
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If you are not especially tall, get a load-assist SUP rack, like the ShowDown. You, your friends and family will appreciate it (more below)
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Some things bare repeating: SUNBLOCK!
On the Road
Most Memorable SUP Adventure
Jenna SUPs a lot, and that makes for a bunch of epic days. Is there a most epic? “It’s hard to pick one. Doing Yoga on a stand-up paddleboard on the San Diego bay with a group of friends. Or being on a paddleboard on one July Fourth evening in Portland and watching fireworks. Or my after-work adventures hanging with my daughter and son on paddleboards together.”
All awesome, but then she hits on it: “Getting my family on our boards is the best way to spend quality time together. Watching the Oregon sun go down and watching the colors of the sunset is moving for all of us.”
More UnRacked
Jenna’s not our only awesome employee. Checkout our entire UnRacked series to see who else here at Yakima is getting outdoors, how they have their car racked out, tips and tricks, and their favorite Pacific Northwest adventure spots.
