Jan 3rd. Mulberry. Level 2 ft. With Joan, Tracy, and BJ. In the WS EZ.
Jan 4th. Crossfit 101. First class. oof!
Jan 8th. Mulberry. Level 1 ft. With team V. In the WS EZ. Perhaps 550 - 600 cfs? = low 1ft.
Playspot near Glen Clark was in but shallow, Training Wheels was in,
Lunchstop was in.
Jan 15. Ridgewalking at Guntersville State Park in the snow. With Dave and Valerie. Pics here.
Jan 16. Hike at Oak Mtn. Solo.
Jan 22. Locust Fork. With Vander, Mark, Gray and Chuck N. Level very low. In the WS EZ. Got surfed in hole at base of Powell Falls.
Jan 23. Iron Hoop Cave. With the B'ham Grotto. Awesome trip. Pics HERE.
Jan 29. Mulberry Fork. In the WS EZ. Level right at a foot on the bridge. With Team V. High in the 60's. Pics HERE.
Jan 30. Locust Fork. Level 350ish (low!) With Team V. Pics HERE.
Feb 4. Ridgewalking. Somewhere in the B'ham area, looking for a rumored local cave. No luck, we found something but I am pretty sure it is an old mine shaft.
Feb 5. Went to Locust Race. It
was cold! Didn't paddle. Slalom postponed till sunday; downriver started at 3. Hung out with Mark and Vander, then they left and I spent some time with Ryland and Jenni after they got off the downriver course for a warmup.
Feb 6. Mulberry Fork. In the WS EZ. Level 2 ft. With Team V, also Glen.
Then went by the Locust Race, saw Mary M., Jason and Moe. Pictures from Mulberry and from the race are here.
Feb 12. 5kBR. Benefiting Kid One Transport. 9:24 first mile; pace time 10:37, race time 32:55.
Feb 12. Locust Fork. In Panda's Dagger Crossfire. With Ryland in his Dancer, plus some newbie boaters from Mississippi. Level very low 413 cfs/2.7 ft. est. Went backwards over Powell Falls. High in the upper 50's.
Feb 18-20 Guntersville Getaway. Pics HERE.
Feb 26-27 NPFF. Pics HERE.
March 5 KofC 5k. 34:10.
March 6 Hucking Graves Creek Falls. With Mary Mills. Mulberry Fork Race was rained out.
Video of me:
Video of Mary:
March 12 Ain't Louie Fest. Elkmont section of the Little, 3.6 ft. In the Magnum. With Wendy and Roger. Went to Sinks to watch boaters go off of it. Video of Sinks HERE.
March 13 Ain't Louie Fest. Middle Tellico 2.5 ft. In the Magnum. With Wendy, Roger, and Sally.
Photos for ALF HERE.
March 19 Mulberry. In the triple X. Level a bit under 2 ft.
March 20 LRC Chairlift. In the Magnum. Level around 500-550. Temp in 70's. Pics HERE.
March 22 UAB Pool Session. In the Magnum.
March 26 Ocoee. In the Magnum. With Ryland and Ben F. Normal release, but chilly drizzly weather. I only brought drytop with thin skin short sleeve underneath and neoprene pants, so I bombed down to goforth and took out there. Ry picked up a fluid solo s for Jenni.
March 27 Ry, Paul E, Lee, and I went to Shoal creek. On the way the gauge spiked to flood. At the take-out it looked pretty good, but there was a dead bobcat with a whiskey bottle between its paws laying on the ground. Not a good omen. We decided not to run Shoal. We went down 79 towards the Locust instead, checked the level at Calvert Prong, too low. Ran the Locust at 3.6 in the Magnum. Great great day. 1 roll at the Falls.
April 2 Tigers For Tomorrow. No photos allowed. A neat place, but also sad because these big cats and other critters had dire need of homes, and their situation would not be as it is if legislation outlawing owning big cats as pets were adopted. You can be arrested for owning a pet whitetail deer or mockingbird in Alabama - but a tiger or lion? Legal!
April 3 South Sauty. In the Magnum. Level 12.5 inches, Town gauge 560ish. Air temp 70's. With BMac. Photos here.
April 9 Mulberry. In the WS EZ. Level 1.5 ft. Air temp 80's. With Joan, Helen, Heather, Red, Kerry, Mac, happykilmore Shannon; hamburger Bryan's first trip on the M. 30 rolls, 1 combat.
April 10 Locust. In the Magnum. Level 3 ft. Air temp 80's. With Ry and Kenny.
April 16-17 NOC demo days and ERA Nantahala Open. Sat. level 1690 cfs, in the LL Freeride. Sunday 1100 cfs, in the WS Project X 56. Pics here. Boat reviews here and here.
April 23 Locust. In the WS EZ. Level 4.2 ft. Air temp 80's. With Ry, Rundell, Paul and Lee. Lee broke his paddle in Double Trouble and we fixed it with a stick inside, and some duct tape that came off of my paddle outside. The stick broke soon after and Lee paddled Whoop-Te-Do with one half paddle in each hand. He stashed the shorter half and paddled Bullard Shoals to 160 with the long half kind of like a C1 paddle. His run of Bullard Shoals - upright - gave me some of the best belly laughs I've had in a while. He attempted 2 runs of Powell Falls and swam both times, but he almost made it both times too.
April 30-31 Divine Mercy Sunday shoot in Stockbridge, Ma
May 10. My mother Sara passed away. I am putting it here to remind me of what happened around this time.
May 15 Visit to Joan's House. The day after my mother's funeral. In the WS EZ. We played wiffle ball and frisbee with her two nephews and their friend - one 12 year old and two 10 year old boys - then went paddling in the creek behind her house, with periodical cicadas everywhere, white egret, two grey herons and an osprey. Then Joan gave me my first ever tennis lesson. It was very cathartic to hit the tennis balls that came out of the throwing machine.
May 21-22 Boaterchick Festival 2011 and CCC playboating clinic with Jade Wei. In the WS EZ. Nantahala, normal level.
From Left: Joan, Jade, Amanda, Melissa, Mary, Lorraine, Judy
May 28 - Hiwassee. In the EZ. With K1Chik.
May 29 - Ocoee. In a demo Project 56x. With Ryland.
May 30 - Stern Agee JCC triathlon. 200m swim, 8 mi bike ride, 2 mi run. Time: 1:11:05.
June 4 - Coosa. Spectated at the Coosa Whitewater Festival. In the EZ. Level 8000. Temp upper 90's but the water was cool and there was a breeze.
June 10-12 SERA 2011.
June 12 Hiwassee. In the WS EZ. With K1Chik. Paddled most of the day with Team V.
June 18 Nanty. In my new Wavesport Project X 56.
I love my new boat!!!! With Ryland, Jenni, goodbones and tweetybird, and a new friend named Craig. Craig swam Patton's and busted his chin. He had to get 6 stitches in it later on after we got off river and had dinner at River's End.
I love my new boat!!!! With Ryland, Jenni, goodbones and tweetybird, and a new friend named Craig. Craig swam Patton's and busted his chin. He had to get 6 stitches in it later on after we got off river and had dinner at River's End.June 19 Ocoee. In the Project X 56. With Ry and Jenni, Kenny, Julie, and Mikeyboats.
June 25 Tuckaseegee. In the Project X 56. With Amanda H, Mary Mills, TVCC newbie class.
June 26 Ocoee. In the Project X 56. With Amanda H, Mary Mills. Met up with Ryland and Rundell at Go Forth.
July 5-10 WEEK OF RIVERS. Carolina Canoe Club annual event at Smoky Mtn. Meadows.
July 6 - Nantahala playboating clinic with Jon Clark instructing, with Joan.
July 7 - Upper and Lower Pigeon, normal release, maybe a bit extra water.
July 8 - Nantahala with Brian on SUP and Susan to Ferebee, and Joan, Julie on SOT, Joy, to takeout.
July 9 - Tuckaseegee 500 release with Joan, Julie in Piedra, Joy, Boyd open boater, Beth, and Grey. Saw the Meadows on SOTs.
July 10 - Surfers to Slow Joe Wave, with Joan.
WOR photos HERE.
June 17 Ocoee. In the Project X 56. Day trip with Ry and Jenni.
June 23-31 Middle Fork of the Salmon. In Bonnie's EZ. With Gordo and Bonnie, Chris K and Chris B, Don K, OC1-Kanubi, many others. Best trip of my life. Pics HERE. Great trip report from Kanubi HERE. Some advice I gave a friend who is leaving for the Middle Fork this Thursday Aug. 4 - "I got blisters/sores on the tops of my feet from wearing wet, sandy Chacos; the straps and sand cut into the skin. So a better plan is to put on dry socks and camp shoes when you are in camp. I ended up putting bandaids and gorilla tape over the bandaids on my feet to try to stop the sores from getting worse.
I don't know what levels you will have but at 2.8ish I'd rate Powerhouse a sweet long class III boogie, Velvet Falls a III-, (easy line on the left by the rock). Pistol creek a IV, Tappan Falls and Tappan three a IV-, Weber a IV-, Rubber a IV, Haystack a III+, Cramer Creek a III+ (just go for the tongue down the middle, hootenanny, plenty of deep water to roll below). Lower Gauley feel to the wave trains. Lots of big holes to dodge. You might have some hardboaters with you that know the lines. That would really help! We boat scouted most of it except Pistol and Tappan Three. Wish I had scouted Rubber. Don't go down the right side at Weber. Do go down the right side at Tappan Falls. Hope this helps. BTW there is a book with all the rapids and camps etc. but really not helpful to hardboats for the lines. I didn't read it until after I got off the river and bought a copy in Salmon."Aug. 7 Mtn. Biking and Rolling Practice at Joan's. Julie, Joan and I road mtn. bikes on her family farm and then had rolling practice at their pool. I conked my head while playing in the pool with some of the nephews.
Aug 13-14 BCC Summer Slam. Sat: Nantahala, in the WS Project X56, with Debbie, Chris, Haywood and Scott. Sun: Upper and Middle Ocoee with Andy, Lynn, and Jim.Aug 21 - Hiwassee. In the WS Project X56, with Jenni, Ryland, and Rundell. My paddle and two helmets were in my car in the shop, so I used my old paddle and black Pro-tec helmet. It was fun putting the grass in my helmet holes like the old days.
Aug 27 - Middle Ocoee. In the WS ProjectX56, from the top. With Andy, Lynn, and Ben.
Aug 28 - Upper Ocoee. In the Riot Magnum. With Andy, Lynn, David, and Mark C. who borrowed my WS Project X56. One crazy line at the bottom of the Olympic section and one roll in Roach Motel made my adrenaline fix, so I went home rather than paddle the middle.
Sept 2 - MCBS Open Jam, Ranelli's Deli Soul Pit. I played bass. Quick visit since I had to get up at 6 and drive to the Ocoee... things I do for fun... ;^)
Sept 3 - Upper and Middle Ocoee. In the Riot Magnum. With Andy and Lynn. First time for me running Mikey's Ledge. Wheeeeeee
Sept 4 - Upper and Middle Ocoee. In the Riot Magnum. With Andy, Lynn, Bill, and Helen.
Helen's first run of the Upper! Also with Fred in his raft with his son and his son's girlfriend. Andy and Fred ran the raft over Alien Boof.
Sept 10 Mulberry. In the Project X 56. With Joan. Missed Team V, they put-on earlier. Ran into ol' high school buddy Suzanne, she had followed me off of the interstate to the put-in when she spotted my car. She was kind enough to be our shuttle bunny. Great time, level 1 foot, 702 cfs.
Sept 11 Bike Riding. With Joan at their farm. Another great time! The weather is beautiful right now.
Sept 18 Ocoee. Middle Ocoee in the Project X 56. With Mikeyboats.
Sept 25 Choccolocco Creek. With Joan and Linda. My knee is hurting from sprints so I sat in front of a 2 seater Sit-On-Top with Linda driving. Then went by to visit Blue Eye Springs near Lincoln. Pics here.
Oct 1 Ocoee. Middle Ocoee in the Project X 56. With Christine Blumberg and friends. Dynamic Duo footage here.
Oct 1 Ocoee. Middle Ocoee in the Project X 56. With Christine Blumberg and friends. Dynamic Duo footage here.
Oct 2 Nanty. In the Project X 56. With Jenni and Ryland, Denise, her friend forget his name, Joan.
Oct 6-9 Tag Fall Cave-In. Pics HERE.
Oct 15 TVCC Ocoee Race. In the Riot Magnum 72. (a very few) Pics HERE.
Oct 16 Bham Grotto Vertical Practice. At Palisades Park. Pics HERE.
Oct 22 Coosa River. 4000 CFS. High around 7o degrees. In drytop and shorts, didn't get too warm or too cold. At this level the Ender spot at the ledges is in. We did not check on Baby Gap but figured it wasn't in. In the WS Project X 56. With Glen, Joan, Julie, Heyward, Debbie, Caren, and a couple more folks whose names I can't recall. Pics HERE.
Oct 23 Ridgewalking in The Big Coon. With Dave H, Reed and Forrest. Returning to a lead Dave and Reed had started to dig open, and a lead Forrest found and they had dug open. We found a name and number in the low 20's scratched on the wall of the second lead. We are not the only ridgewalkers... also found some interesting nerd holes, indication a good elevation to check next visit. Pics HERE.
Oct 29 Bikram Yoga.
Oct 30 Coosa. 8000 cfs. High around 68 degrees. In the Project X 56. With a big group.
Nov. 24th. JCC Turkey Day 10k. My time was 1:14:29
Dec. 3rd. LRC Chairlift Section In the Riot Magnum. Level around 650-700cfs, temps upper 60's. With the TVCC. Pics HERE Best level I've ever run it at, padded out some of the bony stuff downstream.
Dec 4th. Locust Fork. In the Riot Magnum. Level around 700cfs. Air temps upper 60's. With Rundell, Daniel and his girlfriend, Fred, folks from Huntsville.
Dec 9th. BCC Christmas party At Debbie S. house. Nice.
Dec 10th. Locust Fork. In the Riot Magnum. Level around 1500cfs. Padded out nicely. Left side slide of (right of island) Powell Falls was a smooth ride. Air temps upper 40's. With Paul E, Rundell, Team V. Sunny but I still felt effing cold. Head heater helped when I remembered I had brought it.
Dec 14-18th. Solitude Utah Skiing. With Ron, Jocelyn, Joan, and Holly. Awesome trip. Pics HERE
Dec 23. White's Creek in Tn. In the Riot Magnum. With Bob B III, Christine B and friends. Level around 1.5 ft on the take-out bridge. Pics HERE. Video HERE and HERE.
Dec 26th. Upper Town creek. Level I don't remember... High upper 40's, windy, cloudy. With Brian and Jen. Pics HERE.
Dec 27th. Upper Mulberry. Level 10 ft. High upper 40's, windy, cloudy. With Damien. In the Riot Magnum. Then I took pictures of a karst area on cty. rd. 9. Pics HERE.
Dec 28th. Gurley Creek. Locust Fork. Locust level 5.67 ft. Weather sunny and mid-50's. With Nathan C. and Brett K. In the Riot Magnum. Brett and I also went over to Graves Creek and I took some pics at the falls. Photos HERE
Dec 31 Daddy's Creek. Level 1.5/6 ish. With Dave L, Christine B., Dave Mc, and others.
