Fun Stuff 2023

Jan 1 2023 Feast on the Beach.  With the Birmingham Canoe Club.  Air temps 70F! Mulberry Fork at approx. 5" on the second bridge gauge, .10 on Streambeam gauge.  The lowest I believe I have ever done this run.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0 using a 197cm Werner Sherpa straight shaft because I didn't want to beat up my wooden paddle.  Video here: https://youtu.be/amiZb6rMKuA 

Photos by my friend Dave H. here: https://zookster.smugmug.com/Kayak/Kayaking-2023/Feast-on-the-Beach-01-Jan-2023/

Here I am, happily surprised 5-0 is surfable at 5" 

Jan 7 2023 Mulberry.  Level 1.5ish on the gauge but felt more like 2.0.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.  Using the RivrStyx Wildwater 7.5 wooden paddle, 40' feather. Air temps upper 60's but the water temps were cold.  Missed my pogies but I had one tattoo artist glove in my PFD that I wore on my right hand.  With BCC members including Vander H., Peggy R., Jason L., and new members Daniel, Daniel, Cason, and a young lady I don't recall the name of.  I had good surfs in Training Wheels and Lunchstop.  I didn't surf 5-0 but Jason reported 'It's back' to a prime river-wide wave.

Soul Surfing Lunchstop 01-07-23

Jan 14 2023 Upper and Lower Mulberry  Level 1.9ish estimated. In the medium Jackson Antix 2.0. Long day- we put on late, air temp 43F.  House Wave was wonderful.  Video here.    House Wave video here.  With Joe I., Halie, Peggy, Terra and Micah, Daniel and friend in their inflatable kayak with their dog Luna.

Jan 15 2023 Lower Mulberry  Level 1.5 estimated.  Online gauge reading lower than bridge gauges.  Air temp lower 50s.   In the medium Jackson Antix 2.0.  With Andy and Lynn, Halie and Jes, Peggy, Matthew and Allison.

Jan 16 2023 Ridgewalk.  MLK day, with Dave H. Air temps upper 50s, cloudy but pleasant.  Relocated two known caves on the ACS.

I am certain I paddled the Mulberry again the last two weeks in January, but I didn't take notes.

Return to Snowmass!  I love it!

Feb 4 2023 Snowmass.  With the Asheville Ski Club.  I shared a ski-in, ski-out condo with Patty and Eva.  Joan was supposed to be there as well but she got very sick Friday night with a fever and chills!   

Feb 5 Snowmass.  Eva and I were going to go with Patty up Village Express for a beginner run to start off, but Patty ended up with some other ladies from the ski club on a seat behind us. The guys we were on the lift with told us if we kept going past the intermediate chair there were some green at the top. This meant we got separated from the others because they took off at the intermediate chair.

There wasn't green at the top but it was managable blue and we went down Max Park to Monkshood back to the bottom of the lift. I fell twice. Eva and I then got on the gondola to Elk Camp.

We did Bull Run first which was great, and then we did Gunners View, a favorite of mine from other visits. It has some ice patches on it.

I then took a break and sent Eva up the lift. I told her I needed some time to myself, but I also felt bad that I was gassed so early and I didn't want her to miss out.  I have made a note to do some leg work a few weeks before any ski trip.  I've been paddling a lot, which means my arms are strong, but my legs not so much. 
Eva went from the top of Elk Camp lift all the way down the hill (miscommunication) so after waiting for her for some time at the Elk Camp lodge, I called her and we sorted things out.  I then went down Adam's Avenue and Funnel Bypass to the village, then up the skittles to the mall and took a shuttle to the condo.  Funnel Bypass is marked green but it was a narrow, icy, horrible cattrack lol.  Perhaps the hardest thing I ran all week.  
Feb 6 Snowmass.  Powdery day, which none of my crew was accustomed to. We went up Village Express to the intermediate and down Dawdler to the entrance to our condo so we knew where it was. Then we went to the top of Village Express, headed down Max Park and Trestle. Both were supposed to have been groomed but they didn't seem that way. Trestle was powder moguls and messy and I found it very hard and I fell twice. Our destination was supposed to be Elk Camp lift but we ended up at an intermediate stop on the gondola. This was nice because we didn't have to go to the village to get on the gondola.

We had lunch at Elk camp. I had a piece of pepperoni pizza and a Coke. $16. Patty had Italian three bean soup that she said was delicious. Eva had a plate of Mac and cheese and brussel sprouts. She meant for a half plate of each but there was a language barrier so she ended up with a full plate of each, they were $10 a plate. I ate some of her brussel sprouts they were delicious but had a lot of oil. 
After lunch we went up to Gunner's View.  Powder and Joan would have been in heaven but I was nervous. I didn't fall but I felt exhausted by the end of it. We took Adams Avenue back across the mountain. I liked this but Peggy said never again. There were some flat spots.

My left leg fatigued and I am clearly not in shape. The sun was brilliant, bluebird day.

Feb 7 Snowmass  Groomed blue corduroy, I met up with Jackie's group and then broke off with Debbie and Harriet who were with Princeton Ski Club.  We did several runs on Max Park to Monkshood. Great day. Lunch at Sam's, I had cavateli with walnuts, mushrooms, and gorgonzola.   Harriet had beef tartare.  Debbie had a lamb burger.  
Feb 8 Buttermilk  We went to Buttermilk for the first time. It's a great mountain with hardly anyone on it!  There is a little green terrain park that was fun to explore.

Feb 9 Aspen town.  We took a day off.  Eva and I went into Aspen and shopped.  Made a note to get a 6 day lift ticket next time.  The weather was very cold but blue skies and skiing even half a day would have been fun. 
Feb 10 Snowmass.  Eva, Patty and I left the condo at 10am and went down Village Express Max Park and then got on the gondola up to Elk Camp. We went down Bull run and then headed towards two creeks lift via Creekside. Top of Creekside was a steep blue and I fell once.

We went back up to Creeks lift And then up Elk Camp lift and did two runs on Gunners View. That run returned to be my favorite on the whole mountain.

I took the gondola down by myself and took Village Express up to the top. I ran Max Park and used Lunch Time to get over to Dawdler. I went in the condo and had lunch. After lunch I went up Village Express to the top and took a couple runs down Max Park to Monkshood. Then I took repeated runs down from the middle of Village Express lift down Dawdler until about 3:00. I will miss sking until the next time!  

SNOWMASS pics HERE.

I purchased this photo of myself coming down Bull Run.  I love skiing!

Feb 12 Mulberry.  First Carin Burford Memorial Paddle.  Level was high, at least 4 feet.  I was exhausted from my ski trip, so I didn't paddle.  I ran shuttle for folks, and then started a campfire on the beach, much of which was under water.  It was a nice day.

Feb 17-19 Grotto Getaway.  The Birmingham Grotto getaway was back at Guntersville Park's lake cabins, and I had forgotten how nice it is there.  I started to go on the Saturday Ridgewalk, but I got perhaps 200 yards down the trail and had to stop, as my right knee was not happy at all.  I went to Unclaimed Baggage instead.

Feb 19 Mulberry.  In the Pyranha Scorch Medium.  Level maybe 2.5.  I had a nice day, but had to ask for a boat sherpa at the take-out because of my knee.
March 11 ALF.  Middle Tellico level 1.7.

March 12 ALF.  Clear Creek Jett to Lilly, low level.
March 18 Locust Fork to Swann, Pyranha Scorch Medium.  Level 3.6ish.

March 19 Ridgewalk. With Dave Caudle and Dave Howell.  Found a marginal qualifier.  Video here. 

March 25 Locust Fork race wire setup.

March 26 Mulberry.  Upper and lower.  In the Pyranha Scorch Medium, level 2.7.  With the seat adjusted to middle. 

I'm reasonably sure I paddled the Locust to Swann the weekend of April 1 or 2. 

April 6 - 15 Visit to Guatemala.  With Mary M, Andrea P, Lola C., Carli B., and Jen S. Amazing trip!  Photos here.  Video here.  

April 6 fly to GUA then shuttle ride to Antigua. Our Air BNB was awesome, with rooms surrounding a courtyard garden with an rooftop patio.  The views from the rooftop were of Agua and Fuego volcanoes.  We watched Fuego erupt day and night. 

Our Air BNB courtyard garden

Volcan Fuego erupting at night, view from our rooftop patio.

April 7 Free day to explore Antigua.

Me and Andrea in Antigua sign.

April 8 Chocolate Workshop Bean-to-Bar.  Dinner at Montagu, a wonderful closed door restaurant in Antigua. 
April 9 Macadamia nut farm visit.  Volcano hike / Easter Sunday

Hike up Pacaya volcano to a lava field, a very intense other-worldly experience.

April 10 Travel to San Pedro de la Laguna.  Stop to visit Iximche mayan ruins on the way.
April 11 Birding tour to see quetzal birds.  Amazing!  We also saw Azure Rumped Tanagers and other birds.

Quetzal bird taken with my phone through a scope.

April 12 Dressed as mayan women and watched a fire creremony.  Then went to San Juan to a women's weaving collectiva to watch a demonstration of backband weaving, then shopped for scarves and bags. We then went up the Mirador.  Afterwards we made tamales at Clarita's sister Maria's house, so fun and delicious!

I think I could pass for a native.  I felt like my Sicilian
great-grandmothers were kissing the top of my head.

Weaving demonstration

View of us at the Mirador in San Juan de la Laguna

Andrea trying on a banana leaf

Busy in Maria's kitchen! Everything prepared from scratch.

Mashed potatoes, vegetables, raisins, plums and homemade sauce.

April 13 Chichicastenago markets visit.  Famous busy market, we had so much fun shopping. 

Street markets in Chichicastenago

April 14 Visit to pottery makers in San Antonio.  We also got to dress up again.  So fun! Great last day in Guatemala.

Andrea, Mary, and Jen in a pottery shop

Andrea and I dressed up. 

  

Mary getting her hair wrap. She looked so medieval English!

 

Me, Jen, Andrea, and Mary dressed up fancy!

April 16 Locust Fork to 160.  My friends said sure you just got back 10pm the night before from a whirlwind trip to Guatemala, but there's local water, so join us!  In the Aire Spud.  Level 2.8.  lowish level but fun.
April 22 Locust Fork to 160. In the Dagger Nova.  Level low, perhaps 2.2.  I would say this is a minimum to go to 160. I went over the side of a rock below Swann and braced with my legs and pulled a muscle in my right hip.  ouch that's new.  With Stacy W., Vander, Russell B., Greer M. 
MAY  I have been lax in updating my blog.  But - we went to the Locust a couple weekends in a row at about 2.7-2.3, then May 20 I went down the Mulberry at half a foot, the grasses have made that lower than usual and I was in the Nova, so I wasn't able to surf Lunchstop or 5-0.  Training Wheels was still good.  
I swapped boats with Kevin S. at Ender Hole, and for some strange reason decided to try surfing his boat there.  It was a medium Antix like mine, only his seat didn't have any padding and I couldn't get my knees past his bees knees setup, also barely touched the bulkhead.  Why decide to try anything then?  I don't really know.  But I did.  I flipped and tried to roll twice, then swam.  And it was awesome.  Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D17_9L51AMU

May 21 Cahaba Lillies.  Bridge-to-bridge.  In the Dagger Axis 10.5.  Level low 900s, this was enough to see the lillies and have current without having to get out and drag boats, also the paddle below the shoals to the takeout was pleasant.  It took us 3 hours.   Jes and Halie had new boats, there was also Russel and Stephanie B., Jeff and Leigh Ann H.  Lisa Buck kindly loaned us a boat and helped shuttle us so we had no vehicles at the boat ramp putin. photos here. 

May 27-29 Memorial Day Weekend.  With the Birmingham Canoe Club.  In the Jackson Antix 2 M.  Saturday - Hello to the Hiwassee!  Great trip with 24 paddlers participating. My annual tradition to say Hello to the Hiwassee on it's first official release day of the season continues.  
Sunday - Ocoee lite.  First time on the Ocoee in over a year for various reasons.  It was like hugging an old friend.  With bestie Mary Mills, Debbie M., Stacy W., and Emily L.  

Monday - IFly indoor skydiving.  I returned to use a voucher I had bought a year before - and the second I went into the tunnel I felt that free-fall flight that made me wish to skydive again.  Maybe this year I'll get my first AFF flight...  

June 3-4 TVCC Paddle School.   Hiwassee river, I support boated a class. In the Jackson Antix 2 M.  

June 9-11 Visit Friends in NC.  I went to visit Mary and we stayed over at Otter Creek, went to the Endless River Adventures 30 year anniversary party, played 5 Crowns, and paddled the Tuckaseegee.  

June 17 Bear Creek in NW Alabama. With the BCC.  In the Jackson Antix 2 medium.  Beautiful day.  

June 18 Visit the new Montgomery Whitewater park.  I didn't paddle; just did a walking tour and watched friends run the Adventure channel.   I also purchased a season pass which is good through Thanksgiving weekend.

The month of June - SSI Open Water Diver course.  With Helen and Andy.  Instructor Bethany from Scuba Ventures in Vestavia Alabama taught us at the Blue Water Park in Pelham.  We got our certification done on July 1st-2nd.  Stoked to have some SCUBA adventures in the near future! 

Me in the airplane at the quarry.  Peace and Love! 

Graduating SSI Open Water Diver class

I missed the cue for fish lips

July 5-9 Week of Rivers 2023.  With the Carolina Canoe Club.  Great fun, did Town Tuck/Island Park on Thursday, Nantahala Ferebee thru the falls on Friday in the SPUD, and Tuckaseegee Gorge on Saturday.   The only hardshell boat I took was the Jackson Kayak Antix 2.0 medium, such a great all-arounder for whatever comes up.
Sunday a bunch of us paddling gals did the Andrews Valley Rail Tour, a very cool experience.  Check out their website here: https://www.andrewsvalleyrailtours.com/
I made a video of our rail tour here: https://youtu.be/V1gDrtHnD50

July 15-16 Nantahala and Ocoee.  In the Pyranha Scorch M.  Personal first descents of the Nanty for Matthew C. and Dave H.  Sunday I did Ocoee Rails to Goforth with Eva and her crew.  Stayed at Mary's house with Andrea and Keith, what fun!

Double Trouble in the Scorch!  Photo by Dee at Ocoee Photos.

                                                    Double Suck boof in the Scorch! 

July 22 Blue Water Quarry.  With Helen, Andy, and Scott B.  Our first dives after being certified.  Entry to the park and rental gear was $99.  Hot day, warm and cool water, great friends.  

underwater peace and love

Bream guarding bed in the quarry!

July 23 Montgomery Whitewater Center.  My PFD.

My thoughts on Montgomery Whitewater Center.  Well, wow.  I did three laps on the milder channel, aka the Adventure Channel, and it is continous and swirly and pushy.  This means having to have good posture and taking good strokes, not being lazy.  And every drop has a hole that must be punched.  Lots of energy burned and attention focused.  This place is going to make those who visit regularly much better boaters!  

Water is warm and clean, facilities are terrific.  

Difficult?  Hell yes at first but I could see memorizing the features and lines starting by that third lap.  I took the SPUD inflatable kayak down the first two laps and swam once each time.  jeez didn't expect that!  So Hayward was kind enough to lend me his Machno and skirt and I ran a clean lap.  And was worn out after! 

So stoked to return there and see how I do in my Antix.  I do wish traffic down I-65 was better.  It took me an hour and 20 minutes to get there, but with afternoon traffic it took me 2 hours to get home.  Once I am more familiar with the drive it will seem shorter.  It is weird to be able to do a day trip to a great place like that!

Thank you Hayward for loaning me your Machno and skirt! And for this photo!

July 29 Adult Canoe School.  Hiwassee, in the Pyranha Scorch M. With The Lost Tribe.

July 30 Ocoee.  In the Pyranha Scorch M.  With Mary M, Tom and Carli B,  Stacy W., Helen and Andy, Ed and others from Huntsville and Birmingham Canoe Clubs.  Nice day from the top. 99 eddies had a tree in the bottom "Squeeze Play" so I took the big boof on the right. Tablesaw had wood in it as well so I portaged it.   Awesome day.

August 6 Blue Water Quarry.  With Helen and Andy.  Did two dives. Hot sunny day.
August 12 Blue Water Quarry. With Helen and Andy.  Bethany taught us two SSI specialties, Nitrox and Perfect Buoyancy.  We also got in 5 dives. (Helen and Andy did 6, I had to go to dinner that evening so I got out at 4.)
August 13 Locust Fork.  One of those magical, rare, summer Locust runs.  Level was 2.7 and temps in the 90's.  With Peggy, Andy L., Halie and Jes, Chad D., Ryan S.
September 1-4 Labor Day weekend at Smoky Mtn. Meadows.  Drove up Friday.  Had dinner at 4 Queens in Bryson City (awesome Mexican food). 

September 2  - Pigeon. I was in the Wave Sport EZG-50.  Level was a little low.  My first time back on the Dirty Bird in years. It's not so dirty anymore! Wendy Arthur was in the Aire Tater and gave us excellent lines.  Halie was in her brand new Jackson Flow medium.  Peggy was in her small Pyranha Scorch. With Wendy, Halie, and Peggy.
September 2 - Off Road Adventure.  Halie drove Peggy and I to the river, so afterwards I mentioned that we could drive up and check out Big Creek.  After that wee ended seeing a sign that said to Cataloochee on a nice paved road... Cataloochee is where I want to get people to ski this winter so we said, hey let's check out this route.  The road changed after a bit to a gravel forest road, no worries right?  Then it changed into a dirt road, then a rough ATV road with a creek crossing.  We turned around soon after.  Halie's Chevy Trail Boss was just that, a total boss with us and three kayaks in it.  I was scared, the other two ladies were having fun.  What a crazy day.

Pigeon Crew, Saturday 09-02-23

September 3 - Nantahala.  In the Aire Spud.  Kathy King joined us in Halie and Jes' SPUD. Jes was in her Tater, Peggy, in her Scorch, and we had the Brayleys and Andy Lee with us along with Wendy and her friend Jay.  A flotilla.  Fun day.  I took the creeky sneak at Nanty Falls in the Spud and it did fine (as expected). 

September 4 - Ocoee.  In the Pyranha Scorch M.  I did the Entrance ramp to Go Forth.  I had not slept well and was pretty tired.  The Scorch loves me though, so it took good care of me.  With Mary, Andrea and Keith, Andy Lee, the Kirks, and the many friends we saw on the river.  

September 9 - Bear Creek run.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.  With Peggy, Angie, other members of the BCC and HCC.  Nice easy float.

September 10 Remembering Ed Reynolds.  Memorial event at Workplay.  Video here.

September 16 - 17 SSI Deep Water specialty.  I did not pass on Sunday.  Will return soon.

September 22 - 24 GAF 2023.  With Trey C., Kathy K., Terrell A., Mary M., others.   I drove up Friday to Smoky Mtn. Meadows campground.  Went by the NOC for the GAF festival.  Jammed around a campfire with Trey C. and visited with Halie, Jes, Peggy, and others from the BCC.  Saturday did a hike in the GSMP with Mary and Kathy and Debbie W.  We saw bear scat and bear fur on the trail to Cabin Flats.  Then Kathy and I drove up to Newfound Gap and going back down the Blue Ridge Parkway we saw Elk near the Oconluftee Visitor Center.  Video here.  Jammed again with Trey at a campfire on the Lawrences' site by their camper, and Terrell and his boys stopped by along with Dave H. and others from the BCC.

Sunday I did an Ocoee run in the Pyranha Scorch M. with Mary and Stacy S., met newer paddler Justin and older paddlers Dave and Greer.  I ran the rails to Go Forth.  

September 30 Montgomery Whitewater.  In the Wave Sport EZG-50.  With the Select Wild fiberglass whitewater paddle, length 197cm, 30 degree feather.  Great day, one combat roll, nice weather.

October 1 Blue Water Park.  I completed my SSI Deep Water Diver specialty!  And did another fun dive after.  One more dive and one more specialty and I'll have SSI Advanced Open Water.

October 8 Coosa fall colors. In the Wave Sport EZG-50.  With members of the BCC.  Gorgeous day, cool wind and warm water.  Tried a roll in Dennis C's new Jackson Flow Medium.  Nice boat!

October 14 Farewell to the Hiwassee for the season.  In the Wave Sport EZG-50.  With members of the BCC.  Warm, beautiful day indlucing warm water.  We camped at Adventures Unlimited and they had the Ocoee Race party including a great band at the Bus Bar.  Rainy night with cold and wind the next morning helped me decide to go home instead of saying farewell to the Ocoee for the season Sunday.  I went by Moe's house and visited with her which was awesome as always.

October 20 - 22  GSMP Catahoochee elk and fall colors hike; Andrews Rail Car tour. 

For once, I did not go to North Carolina to paddle!  I drove up to Smoky Mountain Meadows to camp with friends.  Saturday October 21 Kathy King and I went to Cataloochee to hike. We saw lots of elk, beautiful fall colors, and some cool old houses.

Sunday we joined Mary Mills and crew for a return to the Andrews Valley Rail Tour.  The leaves were perfect and the weather was too.

October 28 SSI Night Dive Specialty and Halloween in the Blue Water Quarry.

With Helen and Andy.  We got our Night Dive Specialty and SSI Advanced Open Water certification.  One of the coolest trippiest things I have ever done.  

Light sabers in the dark...

That's me with my green blinky light

Turtles! 

Instructor Bethany,  Andy with devil ears, me, and Helen with kitty cat ears.

October 29 Coosa Halloween weekend float.  In the Wave Sport EZG-50.  8000 cfs, warm water and warm day.  Costumes! I had some good surfs at Baby Gap and Moccasin Gap and a good combat roll in the runout of Moccasin Gap.  I know this sounds crazy but I roll better with my Select Wild paddle.  With Ryan S., Stacy W., Emily L, Andy L. and legendary Lonnie with others from the Coosa River Paddling Club.  Farewell to the Coosa recreational releases for the season.  I wish it ran 8000 in November!

DRY SEASON in Alabama, in drought!  

ROATAN Dive Trip Nov 19-26.   I did 3 dives on Monday, 2 dives on Tues.-Saturday.  Wednesday one of the dives was a night dive.  So many details I am not going to write, simply going to say this was an awesome adventure.  With Andrea and Keith, Elizabeth and Clayton, and Jen.  Pics HERE.  Videos HERE.

Andrea in the ocean.  Ca-Caw!

December 10 Tumbling Rock Cave.  Annual visit to TR Cave with friends, some of whom had never gone caving before.  

December 27 Adventure day with my grand-nephews. I promised my grand nephews Tony and Davey and adventure day for their Christmas present. We went to H Cave and then visited Mardis Mill falls. Their mom Katie went too! Thank you to Gregory for help with access and Dave Forest and Katie for joining us. Yes this was a trip with two Katies and two Dave's!

Pics HERE

The adventure day crew in H_ Cave.