Beauties, bootie beers, boofs and bros - the SE Wrap-up

It's been one hellva great year and change.  True, I didn't complete my Southeast tick-list, but a lot of it got ticked.  And I still have a CO tick-list after 13 years of boating.  I guess I just never will get enough paddling done.  Well, I just wanted to post some of my favorite shots from the year and give a shout to the homies who made it awesome:

I gotta start with one of my OGs, Eric.  He was one of my original paddling partners from my first days.  Day one of his paddling career started off in Cataract Canyon where we told him that if he could knock-out 100 rolls in the four days of flat water, then he might survive the class IV rapids.  He made it without a swim!  His triumphant return to the Southeast from CO occurred right in the middle of my time here and it was a blessing to get out and charge with him again!

Eric toobin the Green!

Early on, I spent a lot of time scoping the Green putin for potential paddling partners.  I was lucky enough to find Katie in need as well one sunny day.  Her and Zac will make the next generation of River Gypsies.

Katie likes it Horsey-style

Speaking of the Gypsies, Leland and Andria are still living large.  It is so much fun to see what a life-long paddling career looks like.  Thanks for introducing me to the joys of Fall Dam Boating - I'm addicted.

Leland is still Climaxing

After my soft year in Texas, Jim Janney was so kind to help me back in hard-man's class V. It is hard to catch a good photo of him not because he doesn't fire huge, but rather because he's always rallying off to fast to focus the camera.  I still need more of the West Prong and Raven Fork, so I hope to find myself at his house in the rain again soon.

Jim: N. Chick

This year I was able to wet the appetite of my very favorite River Betty.  Her shuttling skills, while not quite professional like Justin's wife Lori, have become polished.  She's also paddled down the Gauley a handful of times and lit up Bayless' Boof.  Her tick list includes the forks of the Salmon, Rogue and Deschutes.  

Jess representing for the CO 

The 'rado boys showed up to the party as well.  Alex Clayton was first, but we took all the shots with his camera, so I don't have any.  Justin convinced Lori that they should 'vacation' in the SE this fall:

Justin redeeming his frequent flier miles

My other boys rolled out for Gauley season.  Joel just couldn't miss the Green while I was SE livin' and Mother Green didn't disappoint.  We got a spectacular 200% day and Joel got the joy of just rolling Hammer Factor - blind.  "You only get one shot to run it blind" - DD

Damn fine Mank Crew!

One amazing aspect of paddling in the Southeast is the quantity of stellar kayakers.  Meeting big names in the kayaking industry just requires showing up at the putin.  If you want to paddle with them, just pick up the phone and ask.  Toby MacDermontt started by bumming shuttles from me, but by the end he'd shown me the Linville, Horsepasture, and a 200% Gorilla.

Babelling

Having all of these phenomenal paddlers around also really opens your eyes to exactly what is possible in kayaking.  I watched Pat fire up a new line on Oceana, tail squirt the Triple Crown in pitch blackness, and launch a monster monkey boof backwards while 'racing' the Green.  Dane rock spun the left line at Sunshine.  Lil' A charges so hard that it's nearly impossible to keep up.  I'm just here trying to make the 'classic' class V lines look good.

I've got this shot of Pat at 1am as well.  It was a little to dark to post.

Snowy is the all-around funniest guy I met.  Who'd have thought that a Brit would know the best Mexican food in the Southeast?

Lil' A fighting Gravity

I met Scott Peaches while he was crankin' his Masters in Fort Collins.  He then moved to Disgusta, GA for med school and I followed for my program.  We were able to get out and get the charge!

Pinballin' around the nation

And in the end, there was the Green Race.  It is one of those pieces of paddling lore that I just had to play a part, even if minute.  You can catch the Huckin' Duckie Cape in its full glory here at 3:50 (filmed by Pilot Collective Media).

Cheers to all you boofers out there!  Looking forward to sharing an eddy with you soon!  The Mank Crew over-n-out to the Pacific Northwest via Kiwi land!

True to the 'hood

Forkin Fun

So Colorado just received their first foot of snow!  Cheers to a good season in the Rockies this winter and next spring.  But meanwhile, I plan to continue taunting y'all with a little Southern comfort - whitewater style.  I am always hungry for new personal first descents, so it has been awesome to live in a different neighborhood where they come aplenty.

Last weekend, in-between 16 hour operating room shifts, I was able to squeeze in a trip to the legendary Russell Fork Gorge.  On the way there, my beta was relatively limited.  I knew there was a release happening and I knew the river had bad sieves.  I didn't have a guide or anyone in mind to meet.  The only important piece of information, however, is that there was a water release happening - I was on my way with a cooler full of PBRs looking to make friends.

Some texting paid off and I was able to link up with a true legendary whitewater paddler as a guide down the Fork!

The Man, the Myth, the River Gypsy - Leland Davis

 If you have not paddled with the River Gypsies, then you haven't been around the proverbial whitewater block.  After all, they wrote the book on the classics of your whitewater neighborhood.

Speaking of classic - peering down into the Russell Fork Gorge with full Kentucky fall colors in effect

Yayaya, so it is purdy.  But how about the boofing you ask?  The Fork is down right boofalicious.

Rolling into Triple Drop (courtesy of www.RiverGypsies.com) 

I should mention that the Russell Fork at 8-900cfs has relatively easy IV+ with a spice of V- rapids.  However, it is not a place for those looking to progress to IV+.  Any of the rapids could prove disastrous again as they have in the past.  The sieves live up to their reputation.  You're playing for all the marbles in this gorge.   

Jeff Matonis laying into the Horrendous white fluffy pillow of joy

People always talk about this infamous rapid El Horrendo - spanish for 'The Horrendo'.  The name brought sweat to my palms as we rolled up to the huge horizon line and witnessed the whitewater spray distorting our view of the large group of gathered spectators.  Leland and I spun circles in an eddy while he described the line to me.  As Andria and Leland disappeared off the lip, a little light of joy flickered in my mind.  The thought brought a huge smile across my face while I remembered the legendary Daniel DeLavergne quote, "You only get one chance to run it blind!"   

Some of the best Glory Boofing east of the South Fork of the Stillaguamish! (courtesy www.RiverGypsies.com) 

The River Gypsies missing their faithful hound Hudson - possibly one of the most famous river dogs?

Leland proving with his Golden Stroke that he's been in the game longer than you know.

Thanks for making all these pretty pictures!

So check it out.  The Fork is holding heavy with intense fall colors, glory boofs, one of the deepest gorges in the Eastern US, a sweet play wave at the takeout (bring the playboat!), and great camping.  But one of the most important things in my criteria is good eats near the takeout.  Again the Russell Fork comes through with an unbelievable Southern BBQ joint smack in the middle of the shuttle!  Five star paddling trip, represent!

Baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwich, smoked sausage, spicy baked beans and homemade potato chips covered in a spicy vinegar based Southern BBQ sauce.  Legit.

Andria, Leland, Jeff, Sean and I got into a conversation over a 30 rack of PBRs about how guidebooks are dead.  People are not willing to pay for what they perceive they can find for free on the internet.  These are sad times my friends.  I surf the world kayaking web as much as anyone, but it has limitations.

I love guidebooks because you get tons of information from people who actually know what they are talking about unlike the internet.  All the information for lots of runs is in one place (putin, takeout, nearest watering hole, kayak shops, camping, etc)  The authors perceptions and stories enhance my enjoyment of the river.  For a prime example, read the description of the Clark's Fork Box in Whitewater of the Southern Rockies.  

Most importantly, as one author stated, "I love buying guidebooks to all regions of the Earth because the act of buying one significantly increases my chances of finding myself on an adventure."

In that thought, I bring you a list in no particular order of some of my favorite whitewater books:

...Colorado Rivers and Creeks II - Out of print.  Mine is double laminated to help me keep my first guidebook forever.  The book to which all others will be measured.  Still has the best directions/maps for kayaking Colorado classics.

...The River Gypsies Guide to North America - Spectacular book that will get you on the classic runs all over the Continent.  It'll steer you toward the nearest watering hole as well!

...Whitewater of the Southern Rockies - Probably the most complete compilation of kayaking runs ever created.  Legendary stories, epic commitment.  Easily the new standard that is likely to never be met again.

...North Carolina Rivers and Creeks - Continued the stellar tradition of CRCII for the Southeast.  Introduced me to a whole new world.

...Canyonland River Guide - This book welcomed me to the idea of 7 days, incommunicado.  Beautiful.  Probably one of the best covers!

...Montana Surf - also out of print and I can't get my hands on one.  Bummed.  One quote for you: "Poach that Shit!" - YLA forever.  

...New Zealand Whitewater 4th edition - A classic book that will help you get it done Kiwi style.  Excellent illustrations and Kiwi speak.  The West Coast is truly one of the best kayaking destinations in the world.

...The Kayaker's Guide to Ecuador - The best travel destination for Class II-V- boaters on the planet!  This book was written by the people that made it the destination.

...Whitewater Classics - I love kayaking culture and this book brings all of the personalities into the rivers that made them.

...The Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande - My only companion and advice for 7 days on the Mexican boarder.

So go buy yourself a whitewater guidebook and have one hellva adventure!  I can't wait to hear about it.

Every river should end in a huge Climax:

courtesy www.RiverGypsies.com