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December 23, 2016

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Sorry I haven't posted much but frankly I haven't been doing much interesting or fun.
No water to paddle, haven't been caving, I'm pining for a ski trip soon, but in the meantime I've been working a lot, including doing some stints in on-air Graphics in D.C.  It's fun (and scary) to be in a control room again for a change.  My hope is to paddle on NYD as is my tradition, and to spend the next couple of months creek boating and skiing.  For Christmas I have purchased for myself a Bell Ocoee canoe and have ordered Fall Line bags for it.  It's going to rock!  
Still taking piano lessons, still playing guitar, and recertified as an ACA L4 kayak instructor.

Here is my gift to you all:

November 28, 2016

Fun Stuff 2016

Jan 1  South Sauty Creek.  In the LL Stomper 80.  Level 17" at put-in, 15.5 when we got to the take-out. With Andy and Lynn, Sam H., and Stephen R.   Air temps 40's and grey, water temps mild.  Photos here.  
Jan 2 Mulberry Beach Clean-up.  With the BCC.  
Jan 16-23 Snowmass.  With the Nashville Ski Club.  Photos here.
Jan 30 Ridgewalk.  In Henshaw Cove.  With Dave H.  Found an arrowhead and an old lead Dave wanted to check.  It probably goes but will need digging.  Air temps 60's, blue skies, gorgeous day.  Photos here.
Jan 31 Mulberry.  In the LL Stomper 80.  With Clayton V., Chuck N., and Chuck's brother and sister-in-law.  Level 1.8, air temps 70, wonderful gorgeous day.  Photos here.
Feb 4 Birthday.  Feb 6th New Boat - Dagger Axis 10.5.  Then Birthday Party which was awesome.
Feb 7 Age of Aquarius party at Daniel Day Gallery.  
Feb 14 The Starlings at Daniel Day Gallery.
Feb 20 Ridgewalk.  In Big Coon.  With Dave H.  Found a great blowing lead and found Jason's lead from 2010.  Wonderful day.  Air temps 60's and cloudy.
Feb 21 Mulberry.  In the LL Stomper 80.  With Andy and Lynn, Vander, Josh, and Sam. Level 1.5, warm temps, cloudy.  Then visit at Daniel Day Gallery w/the Blue Dogs.
Me at Daniel Day Gallery visiting next to talented artist Ms. Rachel Dobson
Feb 26-28  Birmingham Grotto Getaway.  At Paint Rock Valley Lodge.  Great Ridgewalk with discovery of 2 qualifiers.  Photos HERE.
March 4 Free Symphony Concert.  With Laura N., Angela M. 
March 5 - 6 Mulberry Fork Races.  Gate judged Boatercross and 1-5 on Saturday.  
March 6 Mulberry.  In the Stomper 80.  With Clayton V., Chuck N., Sue R., and others. Level @ 2 ft. on bridge gauge, air temps upper 60's, water temps cool. 
March 12-14.  ALF.  In the Blackfly Option and Stomper 80.  Middle Tellico 3 days in a row. Saturday and Monday about 1.7, in the Option.  Sunday about 2.2 in the Stomper 80.  Air temps mild, water temps mild.  Some rain Saturday night.  With the Lost Tribe.
March 26 Farm Fun.  Visit to the Princess's family farm with friends.
April 3 Brushy Creek.  With the B'ham grotto.  Level medium-low, air and water temps mild.  First trip in my new Dagger Axis 10.5 kayak.  
Beautiful Sougahoagdee Falls is a short walk up a tributary that runs into Brushy Creek, in the Bankhead national Forest.  The falls run year round and is approx. 75' tall.

April 4 Mulberry.  In the Stomper 80.  With Clayton and KahLee, Chuck N. and Larry D. Water about 1-1.2 feet, fun day.
April 9 Wonder Cave.  With Sewanee Mtn. Grotto.  Gorgeous cave.  Photos here.
April 10 Locust Fork.  With Sue R. and Bill M.  In the Project X56.  Level 2.3 (low!) but still lots of fun waves to surf.  Air temps lower 70's, water temps chilly.   Wonderful day.
April 16 Paddling 101.  Helped teach a class at Oak Mtn. lake with fellow instructors and members from the Birmingham Canoe Club.
April 17 Upper Locust Fork.   With members of the Birmingham Grotto.  In the Dagger Axis 10.5.  Level 2.5 on the USGS gauge.  Wonderful trip.  Photos here.

On the Upper Locust,  Chris caught some fish... and loaned me his ultralight rig for a bit.  I hadn't fished in many years, but I caught the bug again.  As is the Ranelli tradition I didn't catch any fish though.

April 23 Earth Day at the Caudles.  With members of the Birmingham Grotto.  I stopped by.  The others had finished a cleanup of Bryant Mtn. cave.  

May 8 Cahaba Lilies visit.  With the Howells and Valerie's mom.  Photos here.

May 14 Walls of Jericho dayhike.  With Norma L. and Amanda S.  Photos here.

May 15 Coosa. In the Wavesport ProjectX 56. Level 8000.  With Joan S., Ming S., Clayton and Kahyee, others.

May 21 Blue Spring Cave.  With members of the Birmingham Grotto.  Photos here.  Video here. 


May 30 Coosa.  In the Wavesport ProjectX 56.  Level 10000.  With Brandon S., Steve and Sue R., others.  

June 3- 5 SERA 2016.  Hosted by the Nashville Grotto,  at Smokey's farm in LaFayette, Ga.  With members of the Birmingham Grotto.  
  June 3 Nickajack bat flight viewing during SERA 2016.  In the Dagger Axis 10.5.
Photos of SERA and the bat flight here.  

June 5 Harry Connick Jr. concert.  At the BJCC Concert Hall. 

June 11 Hiwassee.  With Christine B., Joe B.  In the Liquid Logic Stomper 80.   Beautiful day.

June 18 Horse and Adcock Caves.  With members of the Birmingham Grotto, and lots of kids.   Photos here.

June 25 Hiwassee.  In the Wavesport Project X56.  With Christine B.   Ooh baby-baby, playboating. But I forgot to bring my camera.

July 2-3 Sinking Cove plus a visit to Pisgah Gorge.  With the B'ham Grotto.   Pics here.


July 16 Gross-Skeleton Cave.  With the B'ham Grotto.   Video here.  Pics here.                                   

July 30-31 Bear Creek/Dismals Canyon hike.  With the B'ham Grotto.     Pics here.                           

August 6-7 Adult Canoe School/Shred Ocoee With the Lost Tribe on the Hiwassee, and Christine B. on the Ocoee.  In the Dagger Ocoee canoe and Hyside Paddlecat.  Pics here.

August 20 Grotto Splash.   With the B'ham Grotto.  At Little River Canyon mouth park.

August 27-28 Ocoee.   With the River Dogs.  In the LL Stomper 80.  Aug. 28th I recertified to teach ACA L4 Kayak.

September 3-4 Sewanee Cave Fest/Ocoee  In the LL Stomper 80.  

September 10 Conasauga Snorkel Hole.  With the B'ham Grotto.  Pics here.




September 17-18 Hiwassee Ladies' Paddle.  Sunday there was no water so some ladies went home and some went on a hike to Benton Falls.

September 24-25 GAF 2016.   In the Octane 92 for the Upper Nanty, and in the Hyside Paddlecat for the lower Nanty.  Stayed in a cabin with members of the B'ham Canoe Club. Pics here.  Video of PBnJ rapid on Sunday 9-25 here.
Steve I. and me going thru Troll Hole on the Upper Nanty in the Octank.  Photo by Chris Anderson.

October 7-9 TAG.  With the Birmingham Grotto.  For the first time in my years of attendance I didn't bring a camera.  
October 8 Saying goodbye to the Hiwassee for the season.   With Ryland and Jenni.  In the ProjectX 56. 

October 22-Nov 6th  England.   Pics HERE. 

There has been a drought in the Southeast.  No paddling...


November 27  Ridgewalk.  With Fenn and David H.  In the Big Coon.  Again, no camera. We returned to one of Dave's leads to confirm it as a qualifier.  






John Muir

July 24, 2016

Week of Rivers 2016

I was only able to go to WOR this year from Thursday evening - Sunday.  I got two days paddling in with my crew, Friday the 8th on the Nantahala and Saturday the 9th on the Tuckaseegee.  Here's a video of scenes from this year's WOR:


May 20, 2016

Go find a puddle!

This is a perfect depiction of what going to the rivers and caves with my friends feels like


May 2, 2016

Another hidden musical gem

...This one comes to me from my dear friend Gregory.  What a great way to brighten an otherwise rather dreary day.   I love it.

April 29, 2016

Groovy Album

Somehow, during a random Internet search, I found this album.  I had never heard of it before. It's great and groovy and smooth, check it out:

March 31, 2016

March 11, 2016

This. Is. Awesome

http://www.classicfm.com/discover/music/in-my-life-george-martin-piano/



They have this piece of music played at the original tempo.  I had never heard it this way before.