Yesterday's carnage, a FB conversation

Well, it all started when I was at the Ocoee putin and realized that I had forgotten my drytop. I had a shortie and a thick skin shirt, and shorts. But instead of sunny and mild it was cloudy and in the 50's. Seems like carnage seeks out the under-dressed in this sport.Then Ryland and Jenni decided to demo a Jackson Dynamic Duo, so I asked Jenni if I could borrow her brand new Dagger Mamba 7.6. I thought it would be a drier ride than my Project X. Now usually I get in the medium sized boats, and this was the small size, but I figured it would be cool.And for the most part, it was cool! But we tried to move the thighbraces to make it more comfortable for me, and they wouldn't budge. So the thighbraces were kinda weird. And the logical thing to do would be to roll the boat in flatwater but it was cold so I skipped that part.

/Barry writes... and then...?/

So I go thru Entrance etc. fine and I must say that is a really sweet boat. It is fast and nimble like a sports car. Then we got to Slice N Dice and I was going down the left-to-right chute at the bottom and went in a crease and flipped.

/Mary writes... Sad thing is we all have stories like that. Glad you are ok!/

So I thought, Roll, and set up and rolled halfway up but I pulled my head up. So I went back over and thought Roll Dammit and set up and rolled halfway up and pulled my head up. So I paused upside down and thought, slow down. Just then I bumped into a big rock that I think is river right. It busted my knuckle and my paddle was snatched out of my hands, I grabbed onto the rock and used it to roll up. How cool I thought I was, I was going to pull this off! B^) After I rolled upI tried to handpaddle thru the rest but the hole behind me sent out loving tentacles and pulled me back in. I flipped again and briefly pondered my missing hand roll that would have been so nice to have, and then I was in the shallow shit oof oof oof and then I yanked skirt and swam. Oh well.

/Barry writes... Bad luck with that rock hit.. sounds like/

The rest of the run was fun though, I will say. I went thru the big waves in Double Trouble and Tablesaw without a hitch. But I was cold. Teeth chattering cold! So we bombed down after my swim. Since they were in the Duo, it was easy for them to bomb down as that is a dang monsta boat. They had a blast in it. I think they should get one!Oh forgot the best part- of course, no nose plugs. I have now combat rolled so many times without nose plugs that I'm thinking, just give them up for good. But they have been my security blanket for years!

/Mary writes...That was one of the best stories I've heard. Thanks for the laugh. I can't even paddle flat water without my nose plug security blanket./

Sometimes you see the show, sometimes you be the show

/Shirley writes...every one is between swims!/

/Tera writes... I was freezing!/

Well the website says the 7.6 maxes out at 170 so it should be good to go for me. I really did like that boat. hmmmm. (ed. note - this is evidence that boat demoing is evil and that I am fully addicted to buying boats)

/Mary writes...I liked the Project X and the new creeker. I wonder how many boats is too many boats?/

It's 64 gallons.

/Rick writes...I want to thank you for swimming so I won't feel so awkward when I swim./

Anything for you Rick, ol'buddy

/Rick writes... (blush).../

/Lisa writes... I am liking that, 'carnage seeks the under dressed.' It's like, it KNOWS./

/Ryland writes...Did you see our pictures on ocoeephotos?/

/Christine writes... Oh dear.../

Ryland - number 165 rocks!!!

/Ryland writes... Its awesome. The duo was soo much fun on the ocoee. Cant wait to duo it again. Poor Jenni we hit the meat of double trouble and she got a wall of water in the face/