Like most sentient beings I am glad that 2020 is about to be over. It has been one of the saddest years of my life with my sister Kathy dying. As it is, I know I have a lot to be grateful for and my circumstances weren't nearly as bad as they were/are for a lot of other people. I am not sure I could have made it through the past few years without the river, 2020 in particular. Once the pandemic hit, there was a small group of us in the spring who would go to the Cahaba and paddle around/practice rolls/socialize with appropriate distancing. We were dubbed the "Core-rona Paddling Group". Russell made a sticker for us but I don't have a photo of it handy. Anyway that started the sticker making (paddlers tend to love stickers, at least I do). During the summer the Cahaba Rolling sessions happened as well. I designed a logo/sticker for Cahaba Rolling. We were able to continue practicing rolling while being safe.
I was also able to do some socially distanced trips to the Hiwassee, Ocoee, and Nantahala. These river trips were what kept me together through a lot of unexpected stress. Most of the big events for the year were cancelled, well really all of them were but some of us went to "Not Week of Rivers" in July. Since we were each camping in our own tents, outdoors all of the time in our own spaces, and eating our own food, we made it work. It of course was nothing like the annual event, but we were grateful to be able to paddle at all. Caving convention in West Virginia was cancelled, TAG Fall Cave-In was cancelled, Gauley-Fest was cancelled, and GAF was cancelled though some of us went to the Nantahala anyway with the parameters described above for safety. SERA Cave Carnival happened on Halloween weekend, but I did not attend.
As we continued through the fall, the dam release runs out of state stopped for the season, and local water started running. I have been able to go to my favorite run, the Mulberry, many many times. The Mulberry is just class II, but it has some of the best surfing waves in the state if not the Southeast. Also when it is in flood it has epic huge waves for the big water enthusiast. However... My friends and I were going when it was really low, because we could, and we found a lot of fun to be had, including rock splats, spins, slides, and looking for a friend's lost camera (we haven't found it but I haven't given up!). We called ourselves the Low Water Beaters and I designed a sticker for us as well.
I design motion graphics, but I'm branching out to paddler stickers. I made this using a frame capture from a video I took of a friend, as the basis. I dig it.
I am hoping next year proves to be a good one and the vaccine(s) get us all back to a little more normal. I'm not sure if things will ever be the same.
I want to give a shout out to Jackson Kayak for their excellent warranty and customer service. I had a crack in my Antix 1.0, as second owner, and they warrantied my boat and enabled me to get the Antix 2.0. I'll write a review of it at some point but I feel like the Antix is like Festivus - the boat for the rest of us - who want to just surf until our arms fall off and find fun on both easy and more challenging runs. I might add more to this, probably won't but you never know. I like talking about boating, it keeps my mind off of my sadness. Whitewater is the best thing ever.
January 1st BCC Annual Feast on the Beach. Mulberry Fork. Level 2.5 on the old bridge. In the LL Stomper 80. Water temps chilly, air temps upper 50's-lower 60's. Photos here.
Another great start to the new year, paddling on the Mulberry Fork
January 4th Upper and Lower Mulberry. Level 4.5 on the bridge, 5.3 on Streambeam. With many friends. In the LL Stomper 80. Air temps lower 60's, water temps chilly, windy. Some of the others went for a second lap on the lower, and those of us remaining tried and failed to build a campfire at the takeout, even with our cars right there... I bought four bic lighters on the way home and stashed them in my ridgewalk pack, my drybag, and my car...
At the Upper Mulberry putin, 1-4-2020
Me making my challenge fire
January 5th Ridgewalk and Fire Building challenge. Confirmed a qualifier which I am proposing be named Tyr's Lair. Then some of us had a fire building challenge at the BCC beach property on the Mulberry. We were given 3 minutes to gather tinder, and we had to use just the items we would have had in our boats the previous day. I was allowed to use one of my new bic lighters lol, otherwise I would have had nothing. Then we tested other firestarters and tinder options. We also had brats/hot dogs, and smores, cooked over our main campfire.
January 12. Ridgewalking. More ridgewalking in an area not far from B'ham, with the Howells. We didn't find any qualifiers. January 19 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. Air temps around 40-45f, sunny bright day, low wind, water temps cold. With Janice and Joel, Peggy, Vander, Fergus, others. The level on Streambeam was just under 2 ft, and on the bridge was 2.5 feet, but the level didn't match my observations on the water. The first wave river left above Glen Clark, that we always warm up on, was blasting my stern and wasn't all that wide or friendly. Training Wheels was not there at all, and Eddyhop seemed high with fewer eddies. wtf Afterwards we had another picnic on the beach with campfire roasted hot dogs on skewers, s'mores, and hot chocolate. We also practiced more firemaking skills. January 23 Rolling at the YMCA. January 25 Ridgewalking. At a place in Jackson County Al. with Dave Howell. We had an amazing day, a stout hike, and are checking our many finds to see if they are on the ACS or not. January 26 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. With Janice, Joel, and Peggy. Air temps started out lower 40's and cloudy/cold, after we got off the river we socialized over a campfire and the sun came out, air temps felt mild. Level on Streambeam 2.8 feet, the bridge was at 2.5 feet, not my favorite level but we had fun. February 2 - 9 Ski Copper Mountain Colorado. With Joan S, Amanda S, Patty C, and members of the Nashville Ski Club. We started the week very cold temps and little fresh snow, then got dumped on with about 3 feet of snow! I hadn't done the math but realized when I got home that it was the first 'real' skiing I had done in 3 years, since I went to Breck. It was challenging for me to get my ski legs back but I did OK, I fell twice the whole trip so that's something. I spent all of my time off of American Flyer, Timberline, and Woodward Express lifts. February 15 Survival Workshop/Campout. At Wolfpen campground in the Bankhead. We worked on shelter building, fire making, map reading/compass use. February 22 Ridgewalking. Dave and I returned to the area in Jackson County we visited previously and found a blowing lead with water high in elevation. We walked/climbed down a streambed then routed back via a trail.
February 23 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. With Andy and Lynn, Fergus, Michael C., Kevin who I really enjoyed discussing the Picard series with, and Joe I. Level slightly under 3 ft, air temps started mild ended up chilly, water temps cold, cloudy and a few unforecasted raindrops when we put in. February 28 - 29 B'ham Grotto Getaway. At the NSS Headquarters in Huntsville. Saturday we went on the ridgewalk and found some nice leads. Auction that night was fun. March 1 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. With Andy and Lynn, Fergus, Michael C., Rebecca R. Level 2 feet, air temps mild, water temps very cold. Rebecca in the EZ was queen of Lunchstop wave! March 7 Mulberry Fork Race. I was actually supposed to go hike Bear Creek in LRC, but the trip leader cancelled due to water levels. I brought some sides from a local restaurant to the race but didn't stay long. March 14 ALF 2020. Greenbriar. In the LL Stomper 80. 1.4 when we put on, 1.3 when we left. Mild air and water temps, fun day, but this is a minimum flow for this run. Photos here. March 15 ALF 2020. Clear Creek, Lilly to Nemo, 432 CFS. In the LL Stomper 80. Nice level, great day, despite the water and air temps being chilly due to a cold wind. This is a long run, several class III rapids and the scenery is beautiful. Photos here.
March 21. Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. Water warm, air temps warm; but still drysuit conditions.Level on streambeam 3.65, old bridge was right at 3 ft, new bridge was slightly under 3 feet. A small, discreet group of friends met and practiced social distancing. Boof rock at Glen Clark was covered; Training Wheels was not in, Eddy Hop rock was still there but not many eddies to hop. Lunchstop was big and flushy. Five-O needed a long boat. Weird level today. Still grateful for being able to paddle one more time. Hoping for many more. March 28. Mulberry. In the Wave Sport EZG-50. Water warm, air warm, I wore my Kokatat Knappster goretex shorty and IR shorts. With Joan S., Peggy R., Kenny and Lori C, Michael C. Double shuttles using pickup trucks, extreme social distancing, and an understanding that self-rescues were required.Streambeam reported 2.5, bridges showed 2.0, but it seemed like the streambeam gauge was more accurate, not just to me but to Peggy. Glen Clark rock was covered, Training Wheels was a wonderful green wave for short boats, Lunchstop flushy, Five-O a green wave as well. Video of the trip by Michael C.:
April 5 Mulberry. In the Wave Sport EZG-50. Level a perfect 1.7 on Streambeam. Walked the shuttle. Appropriate social distancing. Surfs for days. Amazing day. April 9 Mulberry. In the Wave Sport EZG-50. Level 1.2 on Streambeam. Walked the shuttle. Appropriate social distancing. Training Wheels wave was heaven, I had a hard time getting on Lunchstop, and 5-0 wasn't in. Warm, sunny day.
I look serious in this photo but I like it, too. Mulberry.
April 11 Locust Fork. In the Wave Sport EZG-50. Level 2.3 ish, low. With Peggy R. and Chris C. Warm air, warm water. I went all the way to 160 which is not my typical habit these days.
April 22 Cahaba Lovick section. In the Jackson Antix M. With Barry and Kao. Level 2.5 ft. Cloudy. Lots of great surf waves, lots of flatwater too. Trip took 2.5 hours at a leisurely pace. April 24 Cahaba Lovick section. In the Jackson Antix M. With Andy and Helen. Level 3 feet. Sunny. 1.5 hours, perfect level for surfing!
May 2 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. Level 1.2. With Janice, Joel, and Peggy. The takeout is officially open again. Surfing forever. Water and air temps warm. May 3 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix M. Level just under a foot. With the same crew as Saturday + Fergus. More surfing forever. Water and air temps warm, said farewell to the Mulberry at the takeout as it may not run again this season.
May 9 Coosa. In the Jackson Antix M. With Fergus T., Michael C., Rebecca R., Carin B., Justin S. We went to the Coosa for an 8000 cfs release. Baby Gap was in and it was a great day. I wore a drytop and grumbled about it, but though the water temp and air temp were mild, there was some wind and clouds/overcast. Video here.
May 16 Upper Little Cahaba. In the Jackson Antix M. Michael C. had been telling us about this spot for rolling down 280. I decided to join him for a weekday visit to what I discovered is a great swimming hole. It is on the Little Cahaba that releases from Lake Purdy dam. We walked/paddled our boats upstream to the Crybaby hole that Bennett S. discovered a few years ago. Video here.
May 23-25 Memorial Day weekend.
...May 23 Hello to the Hiwassee. In the Jackson Antix M. With members of the Birmingham Canoe Club. We stayed Saturday night at Reliance Fly n Tackle.
May 24 Roll practice with Mary Mills. In the Jackson Antix M.Really just a visit with Mary, we met at the Ocoee takeout and paddled up Big Creek to find a pool full of fish. Going to have to take my snorkel back up there.
May 25 Ocoee lite. In the Jackson Antix M. I met up with Mary Mills, Andrea and Keith, Tom B. They put in at the top and I put in below Slice n' Dice and took out at Go Forth. I have had a lot of anxiety in my life from my sister being in hospice and these guys are the most relaxed, awesome crew to be with for my first Ocoee taste of the year!
June 21 Hiwassee. In the Jackson Antix M. With Fergus T. I was supposed to take a lesson the following day with Joe but I had an ear infection that kept me up all night.
June 26-July 5. Unofficial Week of Rivers. In the Jackson Antix M. The official WOR was cancelled, but some of us went to camp at SMM and paddle practicing social distancing. Rivers: Tuckaseegee, Nantahala, more of both. Thursday July 2 most of my camping friends went home, while I went to stay with Mary M. in Andrews. Visited Tom and Lola's farm, paddled the Tuck with the Andrea and Keith crew, paddled Mary's Dagger Rewind on the Nantahala, back-endered the race line at the falls, tried three rolls, swam. (sighs). Visited Fontana Dam and had dinner at Tapoco Lodge, at a picnic table by the Cheoah. I love that part of North Carolina and didn't want to leave.
RBF, but I am actually happy, Pizza Wave on the Nantahala. This is really funny, after I surfed this little wave these people on the deck of Pizza By The River applauded!
July 12 Coosa. In the Jackson Antix M. Fergus, Michael C. and Carin B. Level 12000. Baby gap was not in, and Moccasin gap was not friendly, but a wave at what I think is Pipeline was wonderful.
I didn't keep a blog from July 12 - Sept 29. This is the longest I've ever gone without updating since I started this blog. Too much going on.
I had three lessons with Mary and Juliet on the Ocoee.
I had one super low water trip on the Mulberry, less than six inches on the streambeam gauge, but everything went; we never had to get out of our boats. I started playing pickleball, because my Crossfit box closed, not due to the pandemic but due to other things... I am awful at pickleball but it is fun. A couple of regular Nantahala runs, one during not-GAF weekend.
A hike at Otter Creek farm and taco soup in the horse patio with good friends. That was 09/25/20.
A run on the Ocoee from Entrance to Go Forth, trying to get familiar with my Stomper 80 after months of being in the Antix 1.0. Nice boof pic at Double Suck...
I didn't run the Upper Nantahala this year. I haven't since my bad pin there last year. I have a lot of cobwebs in my head. 2020 has been awful in so many ways. 2019 wasn't pleasant either. Losing my sisters has been really hard on me. It chisels my confidence and claws the joy away on the river if I'm on a challenging run. However, I will not give up. Good friends help immensely. And the river will never disappear.
Oct 3 Ocoee. In the Dagger Nomad M. With Fergus T., Mike C., Margaret W.
Carin B. was kind enough to let me demo the Dagger Nomad M (Newmad). Towards the end of the river I started to realize I was going to have to give the boat back, oh no! I loved it. Review here.
Oct 17 Ocoee. In the Dagger Nomad M. With Mike C., Steve I, Spence I. Carin let me demo the Nomad another time. Wonderful day. *except* for the bad hit to the head Mike took after colliding with Spence in Hell Hole. Spence didn't flip, but Mike did and while trying to roll took a really hard hit from a rock river right, that stunned him even through his WRSI helmet. (He has retired the helmet.) I believe from his symptoms for a couple days that he had a mild concussion. Scary but he is OK.
We did a lot of boofs including a big one that was new to me, near the "Jedi ferry" to the right of the top of Squeeze Play. The Nomad was easy to boof.
Oct 24 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, Mike C., Riley C., Peggy, others. Level .8 on Streambeam, air and water temps mild. I wore my Kokatat Session semi-dry top and shorts. We had five people surfing on Hawaii 5-0 at the same time!
Oct 30 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, Mike C., Joseph W., Dennis C., others. Level 2 feet. I wore my Kokatat Icon drysuit for the first time this fall. Air and water temps mild, so I was a bit overdressed. Which was good because we had carnage at the takeout. Joe swam, I ran over him, got stuck in the hole river right above 5-0, Dennis ran into me and slammed me over, I carped a roll, swam. Cue yakety-sax music.
Oct 31 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, MikeC., Peggy, Joan, Lori, others. Level 1.5 feet. Sunny, air and water temps mild, but I wore the drysuit again as that was what I had in the car. Lovely day. Afterwards we had a campfire and sausages, halloween candy, and smores, it was still a bit hot for that but was wonderful prelude of many more to come.
Nov 1 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, Fergus, Peggy, Lori. Level 1 foot. Sunny, air and water temps mild but still in the drysuit. How awesome to get 3 days of local water paddling in a row! Nov 8 Mulberry. In the Necky Chronic. With Mike C. and Jeremy B. Level .33 on the Streambeam gauge, the lowest I have ever run the Mulberry. Air and water temps warm, I wore my Kokatat Session semi-dry top and shorts. Video here.
Didn't blog several weekends of trips.
Nov 27 Drove to visit my Nantahala friends. Stayed at Mary's. We did a short hike at NOC.
Nov 28 Hike to Silar Bald With Mary, Tom, and Lola, and their dogs. Then we drove up to see nearby Wayah Bald. GORGEOUS.
Dec 6 Locust to Swann. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, Peggy. I don't remember the level, maybe 2.3? Then a fire at the Mulberry beach.
Dec 10 Locust to Swann. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Mike C. and Kevin ?. Level 1.9, mild air temps, cold water temps.
Dec 13 Locust to Swann. In the Jackson Antix 1.0. With Joel and Janice, Peggy, Mike, Vander, Joan, and Heather. Level 2 ft. Mild air temps, cold water temps. Blue skies, great day even at low water. Then a fire at the Mulberry beach.
Got my new Jackson Antix 2.0. Jackson Kayak warrantied my cracked 1.0. They are an awesome company.
Dec 19 Ridgewalk. With Dave H. No new qualifiers, but a stout hike to start the season.
Dec 20 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 2.0. With Joel and Janice, Peggy, others. I forget the level. 2ish?
Dec 23 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 2.0. With Helen H.
Dec 26 Ridgewalk. With Dave and Valerie H. We found one qualifier. Beautiful day.
Dec 27,28,29,30 Mulberry. In the Jackson Antix 2.0. With Joel and Janice, Peggy, others. Level the 27th was 2.3 ish, the next three days held at 1.5. Duck River releasing.
Some of us did the absolute lowest water Mulberry trip I have ever been on. We had to be creative at times to find the fun, but it was there. Awesome day. The little tidbit of "Sail" soundtrack at the beginning is a joke. That song is the most over-used soundtrack of all time in kayaking videos.
“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it's true I'm here, and I'm just as strange as you.”
My piano teacher and I worked this out today as my lesson. It's a much more complicated song than we realized. John was so brilliant. Enjoy this early take on one of my favorite songs.
I demoed a friend's Medium Dagger Nomad on the Ocoee on 10/3/20. My stats: 54, 5'5", 170, 21 years paddling, class III/IV paddler.
I loved paddling this boat. Kicking myself that I waited so long to try one. The new design came out in 2016 and I only managed to try it yesterday.
Me in the M Nomad, with, Mike C, Margaret W. below Tablesaw on the Ocoee. Photo by Fergus T.
I put the seat in the middle position, and right from the beginning at Entrance the boat just made sense to me. This is a far different experience than I had in the Jackson Nirvana which always felt... unique, and never quite right. The Nomad was familiar feeling and predictable, yet felt fun at the same time. It was easy to change direction when I wanted, yet it tracked well. The larger stern kept me from any whiff of back-endering and I was able to put the boat where I wanted. I didn't feel like I was driving a big boat, and didn't have to muscle it around. It felt surprisingly sporty. And it crushed through any waves or holes I pointed it at. Very confidence inspiring. I much prefer the taller Nomad knee position to the flatter Nirvana position. The thigh hooks would need to be adjusted to a different spot if it were my boat and not a borrowed boat. As it is they served their purpose and I felt I had good boat control. No edges to catch. I am familiar with paddling a displacement hull creeker, and it sometimes felt like I was cheating. Rock smears and spins would be great in this boat. As it was a borrowed boat I behaved myself.
A few times I did some gliding ferries just because I could. Examples, coming left to right down into Staging Eddy, and also a right/left ferry from the eddy on top right at Flipper to the eddy on river left below. The only named boof I did was Double Suck boof, which went fine, but I cannot say whether it would boof as easily as my Stomper. Could anything? Plastic is bomber and it's clearly built to bash down creeks. It is 86 gallons. A friend commented that it looked like I was in a big boat, but it didn't feel that way. It rolls very easily as well. I am surprised I enjoyed the Nomad so much, as I am that rare person who does not like the Dagger river runner called the Mamba. I padded a medium (newer version) Mamba for several days on the Rogue in Oregon at higher water than we had anticipated, and even though it is supposed to excel in big water, I never grew to like the design. The Mamba has edges, maybe that's why. I describe paddling a Mamba as feeling like I'm in a little riding cart on top of an elephant that is ignoring my wishes and doing whatever it wants, mushing over stuff in its path.
The Nomad never felt that way - I found some interesting nooks and crannies to pop into and boom I was where I chose to be. Nice to be able to correct or change my line at will but still keep a line without having to do correction strokes. I guess it's official: I'm a displacement hull fan in creekboats. What I would change - biggest annoyance is the lack of divots to keep water from pooling in the back behind the cockpit rim. Has anyone found a way to make this not happen, like gluing some foam there or something? In the winter it will be annoying when really cold water pools there. I would also have less webbing and fastex buckles for everything. There are a zillion webbing and fastex buckle connections for the hip pads, the water bottle holder, etc. Not that they are bad per se but there are a lot of them, and little things add up in weight. It is not a light boat, but it did not feel heavier than my Stomper. They're both beasts. But manageable to carry... not that I enjoy carrying 50 lb. boats but I can do it. I did find myself missing the lightness of my Jackson Antix 1.0 when I was putting it on the car racks or carrying it up steps. If I return to Town Creek this year, I will likely take the Antix just for the logistics. For those who do not know, Town Creek in Alabama has at least 18 class II and III rapids, and would be the most popular intermediate run in the state, if it wasn't for the goat trail putin, the class V that has a long, PITA portage, the lake paddle, and the trail uphill to the take-out parking. For these reasons I have only run Town Creek twice in 21 years. A new Dagger Nomad will likely join my quiver soon. Dagger whitewater boats are back-ordered right now. Rumor has it they were using the molding ovens to make recreational kayaks, as that became a booming industry during the pandemic. It makes sense - recreational kayaking is a way to enjoy the outdoors while social distancing. I am happy for the kayak manufacturers as it is a niche industry and whitewater sales numbers will never be high enough to sustain a company. But hoping to get my paws on some new plastic soon.
Mary Leatherbury Mills and I on the Ocoee, with a lesson from our instructor Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff from Endless River Adventures. 09/13/20. Photo by Juliet.
Remembering you Jeff West, champion of the Ocoee. You inspired and continue to inspire us. I wish I had taken the opportunity to take more lessons from you.
I think the word 'amazing' can have negative connotations, don't you?
I've had to work from home, which at first was kind of cool but has become isolating on a level that even I, a consummate lover of solitude, am finding depressing.
I've lost my sister. Now both are gone.
I've had major car repairs, and a broken washing machine. I fixed the washing machine (I replaced the pump, youtube shows how, is easy) but shall see if it has no other issues pop up. It is an ancient artifact.
I've had to take my piano lessons via Zoom. We make it work, but it's not the same.
Every event I had planned for the year after early March was cancelled, including a trip to Yellowstone. I'm also not going to WV for the New and for the Gauley releases.
I've missed months of Crossfit, and now my crossfit box is closing, not due to the virus, but still. I feel like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man.
After years of no cavities, I had to get a filling in a molar.
There are some positives too.
I've practiced kayak rolling more in the past 6 months than in the past 6 years.
I've put purple highlights in my hair, it looks awesome.
I learned to walk in birkenstock flip-flops. Usually flip-flops annoy the piss outta me.
I've hit the river every chance I could get. We walk shuttles and/or wear masks.
I first learned about what it means to be non-neurotypical.
My fretboard geometry practice has paid off and I am playing very well. I've started taking guitar lessons.
I made a successful sticker design for the cahaba rolling group, my first ever after years of designing for television.
I am learning how to play pickleball.
My paddling crew has expanded.
Beginners in my rolling group are now getting off-side, back-deck, and hand rolls. Interested? Check out the link above.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” Frida Kahlo.
Loki was a feral kitten. I trapped him, had him fixed, took him home, and won his trust. The moment he decided I was his friend is one of the best moments in my life. He is the sweetest cat I have ever met, though he hides from anyone else.
Old school drill - toss the paddle;I am shaking my head at the last one because he has the power sides of the blades up, but he rolled just fine. We also did passing the paddle over the hull from hand to hand, then setup and roll.
Many thanks to my friends and family for their support, both during my sister's long illness, and now at her passing. This photo shows the beautiful box decorated by Wendy and Linda Bishop for her ashes, as it was presented here at her funeral Mass. Kathy's obituary is here:
"From the men's journal green article. "Cutting-edge whitewater was exactly what Fearless, Rapid, and Hair were after. Other early descents held far less expectation. In 1976, a group of five — Steve Holmes, Scott Pendergrast, Michael Rainey, Andrew Stults, and Peter Zurflieheigh — entered the Narrows almost on a whim. As kayaker Andrew Stults relates, “I was blissfully unaware. I wasn’t even nervous about the run.” Stults was riding the enthusiasm of open-boater Michael Rainey, whose mother-in-law lived near the Narrows. Rainey had hiked the canyon, and was eager to return with a boat." -BradRoberts
Bill Mckinley: Using the Oakdale gauge 1000 is low but doable. For me 3000 is plenty a lot of the Clear Creek rapids start washing out. I've done it at 5000 but not in a long while.
Steve Isbell: Lilly gauge, 200 is pretty low. If it gets over 1200 you will be running something else.
Judy Ranelli: 430 on the Lilly gauge is nice class III.
I have been under a lot of stress with my sister being in hospice now for almost a year. I have been trying to find paddling ways to deal with the stress. One has been rolling a lot lately, solo. I have found that I do better practice if I am not socializing. I warm up with flatwater forward stroke practice for about 30 minutes. It is good to be on the river. I see fish in pools, there are great blue heron, woodpeckers, a barred owl. Rolling there is comforting and peaceful. I still have anxiety pop up on whitewater. I don't know a way to get past it except to be in my boat as much as I can, so that is what I am doing. I did a practice roll Sunday with the crew around, in flatwater below slice n dice, and my hand slipped off the paddle, so I had to set up again and do it right. This little thing, I knew, was a significant step to getting my zen back. If you paddle this might make sense to you. There is a joy in paddling whitewater, it is intense and feels like electrified life. The seeking of that joy is one of the best things I have ever experienced, and the threat of losing that joy is terrible. This sport, the arena of the river, draws out emotions that one might not even realize they have. I have had this happen and have seen it in others. I had a flip on the Greenbriar in March, and for the first time ever I felt fear of entrapment in my boat. I swam in 2 ft. of water and everyone was surprised. I was frustrated and angry when it happened, but then I realized that the flip was a gift. That flip, in an inconsequential spot, showed me that I still had lingering fears from being in a heads down upstream pin on the Upper Nanty last fall. Even though it was easy for me to get out of the boat in last fall's incident, the fear of being trapped with my head underwater was planted there.
Every time I have had a serious whitewater accident my mind has just locked into focusing on the task at hand, just doing what I needed to do to get to safety. But later, perhaps that night when trying to sleep, ruminations on what could have happened, what did actually happen, and how effing scary it was, slam into my mind. I wish I could be one of the knuckleheads who shrug dangerous carnage off and never ponder the ramifications, but I'm not. Maybe it's why I'm still here though. I'm not going to write about my sister because A. it is too personal and B. it is her privacy, too. But suffice it to say this has been a really, really, really hard year. And I have been in sorrow that I really didn't know I could ever feel. We were around the campfire Sunday night, and everyone kept expressing how amazing it was and how we missed the river life and how it felt so good to be back. And I was with my tribe, the Whitewater tribe. If I could I would prefer to just stay there than be anywhere else in the world.
I am so grateful to be able to continue my tradition of saying Hello to the Hiwassee the first official release day of the year, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. This year I was joined by many members of the Birmingham Canoe Club. My friend Michael made a nice video of our day, shared below:
Subtract 600-650 cfs from the gauge and that’s what’s in the Upper Nantahala. The powerhouse can only contribute 600-650 cfs, the rest is runoff upstream of the gauge. At 1000 cfs, you’ve got about 350 cfs of runoff. That reflects White Oak Creek, the tributaries and what’s being released from the dam. Nantahala Lake is above target level (as of 05-07-20), so any significant rain will cause them to release some.
Short version...if the gauge is 1000 cfs or above, you’re pretty good to go. One of my favorite levels is 2000 on the gauge, about 1600 in the Upper. It’s a mini Cheoah. 3 miles of Class III boogie water. Have fun! Link to gauge: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?03505550
The gauge reflects runoff also below the cascades, so not as predictable as a rec release where it all comes from the dam. As with all nonscheduled releases, scout it, watch the radar for rain. Duke will occasionally boost the flow if there’s been significant rain. They bumped it to 3000 on the gauge once. The duke guy saw us on the lot and warned us. We got 2.5 laps before we got off. 3000 cfs on the gauge really doesn’t have safe head clearance at the Troll Hole bridge. - Steve
I want to give a shout-out to Kokatat for this excellent shorty top, the Knappster. I bought it on sale at the NOC GAF last fall. It's Goretex and the fit and quality of construction are top notch. GORE-TEX® Paclite® technology shorty paddling jacket. A shorty top like this one is what kayakers wear to keep water from going down our backs, through the tunnel of our skirts into the boat. That can happen when we roll but also if we go through splashy water in rapids. A shorty also does provide some warmth for summer days on cold water like the nantahala or hiwassee. This one is the nicest I have ever owned, and I've had a bunch over 20 years! The way it works, is the top has two layers over the midsection, like a drytop does. The skirt tunnel is sandwiched between the two layers when we dress in our gear. The arm cuffs and neck cuff are neoprene with a layer of sticky rubber/latex so they keep water out pretty well, not as well as latex gaskets like a drytop but they aren't uncomfortable like latex gaskets either. The neck has an adjustment to tighten it up, and the inner layer on the midsection has an adjustment to tighten it up, too. The Goretex material is breathable and lightweight, and has a lifetime warranty. https://store.noc.com/kokatat-knappster-semi-dry-top.html?id=30874937
I decided to call it the virus adventure, a title that has some irony baked in it, as I am having to work from home and spend all of my time here minus a little outdoors hour here and there. I enjoy being at home but there is something changed in the experience when staying home is required rather than chosen freely. I've been going to a spot on the local river and paddling some. Flatwater. A couple friends in the vicinity but practicing more than required social distance. We know we must self-rescue. I did so the other day - took out a playboat and carped 2 roll attempts and wet exited. That translates to: I swam. I started walking my boat to a rock and my legs sunk knee deep into mud. I worried I would lose my shoes! I decided to float/swim instead of walk. More incentive to roll. It's the EZG-50, a boat I would describe as extremely easy to roll, so I have no idea what is going on. Maybe it's the edge? Maybe it's my brain chewing on other worries, extended worries? I dunno. Some of us went down the Mulberry Saturday. We used pickup trucks and did a double shuttle, what this means is the pickup trucks drove us in the back, two people per truckbed, sitting catty-corner so we never touched the same surface or each other. Again, self-rescue required but nobody swam. It will probably be the last trip I do on that run for a long time, because the logistics were tough to arrange and execute. The level was 2 ft on the bridges and 2.5 online; Training wheels wave was in as a glassy green wave for short boats; I surfed it over and over and didn't want to stop. Some friends are doing a bicycle shuttle on the Mulberry so they can run solo. I have pondered this but I doubt I will do it. With the Cahaba nearby I can just attain flatwater for a fix. At home, resigned to my fate, I dyed my hair purple. I used Overtone. I don't know if it will fade quickly or not. I last dyed my hair about 20 years ago. A friend from the fountain days commented on FB. Was a fun topic, a diversion needed.
What else to do? I can practice piano. I can practice guitar. I have a piano lesson via Zoom but I haven't set up the scenario to pull it off. I can get in arguments on facebook. What I can't do is see my sister. We have cut off all visitation to her except her caregivers and the hospice nurses. I drop off supplies at the doorstep. She is unaware any of this virus pandemic is happening, and we intend to keep it that way. In her condition I am not sure she would understand what it meant, but still. And all of this virus adventure happened right as my friend Eric and I discovered, and discussed, something we had both long suspected; our non-neurotypical natures. On the spectrum. As well as my finding a way to memorize the fretboard that, after over 30 years of playing guitar, appears to be working. So there are magical, amazing things happening, and after I make this giant leap in proficiency on my favorite instrument, combined with the relief of knowing I am not from another planet, the global pandemic will kill off the audience. that was sarcasm Meanwhile, many of my friends are fascinated by the "Tiger King" documentary on Netflix. I tried to watch it but I cannot stand to see animals treated like that. The show opens with a scene that includes a snow or clouded leopard in a cage, in a van. I knew then that I couldn't deal. Questions remain. What regrets would I have if this is near the end of civilization as we knew it? Should I buy a dirt bike... if I did, would I wear all of that armor to go putter about on a trail? Should I go to Poland and get a tattoo by my favorite tattoo artist in the whole world? I don't have any tattoos btw. Should I buy the electronic drum set? Should I buy another boat? That last one is easy to answer.
"When you line up your pens and think oh aren't I a little bit autistic, or when you have a routine that you like to stick to and you don't like to change it, that's not really the same thing as a lifetime of rejection and feeling like you don't fit in. Not even a little bit."
I've been working on a script for a roll visualization audio recording. Here is my roll:
"Rolling visualization, C2C, right hand roll. I have flipped upside down. I tuck forwards and put both of my arms on the left side of the boat. I lift my hands, holding my paddle, out of the water, enough out of the water that I feel air on my wrists; the side of the boat is rough plastic and I feel that contact on my skin; the air on my wrists and the texture of the plastic are sensory markers for me. My wrists are cocked so that my forward blade is flat against the surface of the water. This is the set-up position. Once I am in proper set-up position, I know I am safe and oriented, and any rocks or turbulent water I may encounter are distractions to be ignored. I remain calm and focus on the task at hand. I swing my head, torso, and forward (right) hand out to the side of the boat, in one motion together, while arching my back. My goal is to be 90 degrees to the boat. My head leads this unfurling as I leave my tucked position. My right hand is forward of my head and stays on top of the water. My left hand is anchored to the hull of the boat and acts as a placekeeper; it is another sensory marker for me. My paddle is out of the surface of the water, so it is free to move to 90 degrees to the boat, without resistance from the water. My forward blade is flat so it doesn’t dive into the water or catch water as I swing around. Arching my back loads tension in my left side which is curled around the side of the boat in a C; that tension, when released, will drive the hip snap. This is the sweep. When I feel myself 90 degrees to the boat I am in the position to hip snap. I pull up into the thigh brace on my right knee, and relax my left knee, while maintaining the arch in my back and drop my ear to my right shoulder. The boat rolls underneath me. The first thing to come upright is the boat, followed by my body, and last my head. As I surface my torso goes to an upright position; I pull my paddle to center over the boat; my left elbow goes in close to my torso as my left hand comes back to my shoulder as though I am holding a bar bell; my right elbow is in and down close to my torso and my right wrist is cocked back with knuckles in line with the back of the paddle blade. My back continues to hold the arch; my ear remains dropped to my right shoulder; this is the finish position. I am centered over the boat and I take a paddle stroke to continue on my way."
