Fun Stuff 2022

Jan 1 2022  Feast on the Beach.  BCC Feast on the Beach to celebrate the New Year.  Mulberry fork, Garden City to the Beach, level 2.5.  Air temp 79, water temps warm.   Despite rain predictions, it was a sunny warm day with puffy clouds.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.  Photos here: https://dangerjudy.smugmug.com/Other/PADDLING/Feast-on-the-Beach-2022/

Feasting on the Beach

Jan 8 2022  Mulberry.   With the BCC.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.   Water temps cold, air temps 60ish. Level 2 ft.  

Jan 9 2022  Mulberry.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.  With Jason L, Peggy R., Joel and Janice, Russell B.  Level 1.8.  Water temps cold, air temps in the 50's.  Foggy day, some rain.  

Sunday Jan 9 crew

I've been lax about updating this blog. Today is Wednesday the 26th and I have been on the Mulberry on the 15th, 16th, and 22nd and 23rd of January.  The 22nd was cold but sunny and icicles on the rocks. I used the Pyranha Machno Medium the past weekend and had the hooker thighbrace mods installed.  Saturday the hookers were at max and I couldn't get out of the boat without some serious contortions.  I adjusted them the next morning and they were fine.  But I think the plastic edges are too abrasive on my drysuit legs so I am going to add some duck tape padding to them.  The boat control they add is definitely real.   I still think Wave Sport has the best thighbrace design.  Though they add weight.   *this blog is for my failing memory and has little details just for me*

Jan 27 2022  I drove up to Maggie Valley NC, for a long weekend.  Jan 28th I met Dave MC at Cataloochee to ski for four hours.  The air temps were in the 30's and the snow conditions were good.   That afternoon Kathy K. drove over from Charlotte and it started to snow.  We had dinner at the BearWaters Brewery.   The next morning there was 2-3 inches of snow everywhere. 

Kathy K. standing next to her snowy car

We went to the Cherokee Museum to find it closed, but then went to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, which has the coolest gift shop I've ever been in - including a fantastic book collection for sale.  Unfortunately for me I have a moratorium on buying more books, because I wanted them all.  We were able to drive 3 miles up the road until we got to where it was closed due to snow and ice.  We were looking for elk or bear but didn't see either. 

My new scarf Donna F. made for me!

We went to Mini-Donut Place, a name I love, which we had heard the rangers talking about at the Visitor Center, and decided to check out.  yum.  

Mini-Donuts

Then Kathy drove east and I drove west.  I went by the Nantahala Cascades and took some video of people running the Cascades in the snow.   I arrived home Saturday evening. 
 

It occurred to me that I hadn't just hung out with a friend in a long time.   I hadn't seen Kathy since before the pandemic.  Of course it was just like I had seen her yesterday.   She showed me cat pictures, as it should be.  I am so grateful for my friends.  

Miraculously, I wasn't sore as hell from skiing, either.   I don't do too bad for someone who gets to go once a year.  I didn't get any pictures this time.

A lot happened in February. 
I had a birthday.
My good friend Carin Burford drowned on the West Fork of the Little River in Alabama, February 6th 2022. https://abc3340.com/news/local/birmingham-woman-drowns-at-desoto-state-park-jennifer-carin-burford-kayak-river-whitewater-raft-rafting-drowning
An aquaintance of mine, Megan Thompson, drowned on the Oconaluftee in the GSMNP, February 24 2022.  The Oconaluftee which is where I was a couple of weeks before, sight-seeing with my friend Kathy King.
https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/02/25/kayaker-drowns-oconaluftee-river-near-smokemont/?fbclid=IwAR1F_8RSYYpE97BVAkHjr7qw_TIAcjjAyqNOfiHp2Jds-eeTfXmWTJ0UBr4


I went to the B'ham Grotto Getaway on the weekend of Feb 18th, and we went on a ridgewalk where Dave found a qualifier he has named "Changing Times Cave", and Shane and Jeff found a highly decorated horizontal cave Shane has named "Hacksaw Cave".  
Dave, Jeff, myself, Lee, and Lin went back the last Sunday of February and qualified two leads I had found a couple of weeks prior, "Oui Oui Caverne" and "Box Turtle Pit".

This month has been really hard on the paddling community and I don't really know how to express it right now.

March 5-6 Mulberry Fork Races.  Level 1.7ish, weather in the 75-80 degree range.  Perfect weather and water level for this event.   I was a spectator this year.

March 13 Mulberry.  Level 1.9 to close to 2 ft. (my estimates based on streambeam,the bridge gauges, and the surfing features).  In the Jackson Antix 2.0 medium.  With Tim R., Helen and Andy, Joe I.  Weather 50ish, water temps brisk, due to a cold couple of nights and a very cold Saturday with some snow.  I was surprised more people weren't on the river.  Training Wheels OK, Lunchstop was bouncy, 5-0 was too flat.   First time I've missed ALF weekend since the festival started in 2007. 

March 20 Calvert Prong and Upper Locust.  Level 4.32 on Locust gauge.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0 medium.  With Lynn and Andy, Norma, and Stacy W. on Calvert.  Stacy had to leave after Calvert Prong, and the rest of us did Upper Locust downriver race section to check for wood and to see how many wires are left on the slalom race course.  Air temps 60's, sunny, water temps chilly, wonderful day.  I did wear my drysuit and was glad for it.  Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziwz5K1kqKw

April 2-3 Locust Fork Races.  I was a spectator except for Sunday afternoon when I helped gate judge section 4.  Weather was brisk.  

April 9 Mulberry.  In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.5.  Level said 1.07 but it seemed lower.   We went at 1 pm to catch warmer weather.   Around 60f, very windy.  I wore my drysuit. I was with Dave Habanero, Dennis C., Greer M., and two canoeists - Bobby G. and Karl N.   Bobby was in a brand new Silverbirch Covert and Karl was in a Millbrook Defiant.  

April 15 - 22 London and Rye, England.   
April 22 - 28 Paris, Normandy, Monet's Gardens

April 28-May 1 Amsterdam

Photos here: https://dangerjudy.smugmug.com/TRAVELS/London-Paris-Amsterdam-2022

May 7 Mulberry.  In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.5.  With Helen Hays' beginner kayaking class.  Level maybe 5 inches, about as low as I've ever done it.  Might have been lower during a summer float with Justin C.  Everything went.  Colder than I expected and I was missing my drytop.

May 8 Locust.  In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.6.  With Helen Hays' beginner kayaking class. My feet were killing me.  Level 1.8, very very low but everything went except for a pin I got into above Swann bridge.  I had to exit my boat to get out of it.  No danger, just a PITA.  Warm wonderful sunny day! 

May 14  BCC trip to Joan Steed's farm. In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.6. With Dave H., Kathleen and Jason L., and others.  Beautiful day. 

May 22 my 3rd tandem Skydive. In Cullman at Skydive Alabama.   With Amy V. and Marthamaria M.  I am smitten with skydiving.   Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvfaom9QoME

May 28-29 Hello to the Hiwassee.  In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.5.  With members of the BCC.  Water levels a little high.  Fun times. 

May 30 - Ifly Atlanta.  With Peggy R.  My first trip over to get some tunnel time.  Videos here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5W_ZCNrK-_G_cUQfBcC0yuVA0VCbsN9M
It was really fun and hilariously awkward.  Anyone can do this, a good sense of humor about yourself helps!

Arch!

June 3-5 TVCC Paddle School.  In the Pyranha Machno M.  I support boated a class on the lower and upper Hiwassee.  I am retired from ACA certification to teach.  Nice weather, perhaps a smidge higher water than usual, good times.  

In the Machno, big beastie

June 11 Skydive ground school and tandem progression dive.  At Skydive Alabama, instructor for ground school was Fast Eddie and for the skydive it was Victor.  Objectives were circle of awareness,  3 touches, lock on at 7000, wave at 6500, pull at 6000.  Turns under canopy, flares, PLF.  

First time wearing an altimeter

June 12 Cahaba Lovick section.  Moon River launch to Grant's Mill. In the Jackson Mixmaster 7.5.  Level 1.30 ft. /161 cfs. With Carl and Nick from work and Nick's wife Jessica, Greer, Helen and Andy.  Luke somebody maybe?  This is I would say minimum flow for this section, the last large shoals before the takeout was a portage/boat abuse fest.  Nice warm sunny day.  I found a leech on my boat after I put it on the car.

June 25 Bear Creek.  With the Huntsville Canoe Club.  Put in at Hwy 13, took out at Hwy 172.  Great day.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0, which turned out to be a good choice for this run; there is a lot of flatwater.  Pics here: https://dangerjudy.smugmug.com/Other/PADDLING/Bear-Creek-06-24-22/

Approaching Mill Falls aka Upper Factory Falls on Bear Creek

Auto-boof at Mill Falls aka Upper Factory Falls

 

Melanie catching a ride with Brittany

July 6-10 Week of Rivers 2022.  After getting over my first ever Covid 19, which was pretty much asymptomatic, I went up to WOR to find that the Omicron variant is everywhere, not just Alabama but North Carolina too. I'm double vaxxed and boosted, and will get a second booster too.

July 7 Tuckaseegee Gorge.  In the Jackson Antix 2.0.   I had brought my Wave Sport EZG-50 as well but my back was giving me grief so I decided to use the more comfortable boat for this and the rest of the week. 
July 8 Tuck from Ela-Ingles.  Nice scenic float.

July 9 Tuckaseegee Gorge.  With Halie and Jes, others.  I love the Tuck and rarely get to paddle it except during WOR.

July 23 Coosa.  In the red Wave Sport EZG-50. 8000 release.  With Emily L., Amanda M., Stacy W., others.  Got in Maytag and had some 360's, surfed Baby Gap a bunch (we stayed there around an hour!).  Storms were brewing with lightning so I blew through Moccasin Gap and paddled to the dirt farm with Stacy W.  Towards the end it started raining, magical rain.

July 31 Coosa.  In the red Wave Sport EZG-50.  6000 release.  With Emily L., Amanda M., Peggy R. and Tammy P., others.   Maytag wasn't really in, the rest was low as well but I did get on Baby Gap a few times.

August 6 Bear Creek.  With the BCC, in the Antix 2.0.  Another nice float, the Antix really is the best boat for this run because I can do the Upper Factory Falls laps and still have glide on the flatwater.  I did the runout to the portage of Lower Factory Falls and had a backender to pirouette... to combat roll.  Jeremy A. and two friends were on SUPs, made the rest of us want our own SUPs but I have enough hobbies I keep telling myself...

...my unintendo at the runout of Lower Factory Falls.  I did roll up second attempt I promise! ;-)

Upper Factory Falls

Happy in the Antix 2.0

See the SUPs behind me? 

August 7 Coosa.  In the red Wave Sport EZG-50, 8000 release which is really the best.  I got in Maytag a few times, no 360s but I got stuck in the hole, also had a combat roll.  Baby Gap I didn't seem to surf as well this time, maybe I was exhausted?  Yes I was.  I had two surfs on Moccasin Gap, that is heaven at 8000.  Two days of flatwater in a row, whew.

August 12-13 Visited Mary, Tuck float, and SMM.   In the EZG-50.  With Andrea and Keith.  So much fun on the Tuck.  I found out that Flonase is not sufficient to keep me from having allergy symptoms to Mary's dogs.  

August 20-21 HOT weekend with the HCC.  On the Hiwassee, in the EZG-50 or Antix 2 I forget which.  Stayed at Gee Creek Campground.  Really nice time.  It was predicted to rain the entire weekend but hardly rained at all.  The Lawrences stayed at a campground nearby that is really nice, and I want to check it out next time. 

August 28 Coosa 8000.  In the EZG-50.  We joked that we are starting the '8000 club' since that is the best release level for us.  I carped 2 rolls and had t-rescues at Maytag.  I got one surf at the Gap but Heather had swam and the crew was downstream, so I went downstream and joined them.  I figured since everyone was downstream if I swam during my Gap surf my rescue would be convenient!  But I didn't flip.

September 2-5 Labor Day weekend at SMM.  In the Wavesport EZG-50 and the Aire Spud.  I did the Tuck on Saturday the 3rd in the EZG-50 and the Nantahala Sunday the 4th in the Aire Spud.  Big cookout Saturday night, Wendy A. and I played our Klos guitars.  Fun times with Christine and Tim Canoes, Mary Ann, Halie and Jes, Lorraine, Jaime, Jay, and others. 
We had mentioned the Tuck trip to the BCC because they were camping near the Chattooga and concerned that there wouldn't be enough water for a class II run for those so inclined.  I thought we would get maybe 2-3 people coming to the Tuck with us, but torrential rain fell on Friday and the entire BCC crew joined us, so we had something like 30 people! 

September 17-18 Hiwassee with the HCC.  Gee Creek campground, J-Bug was with us along with Kenny and Lori.  Fun weekend!

Much of September is kind of a blur.  Standard medical tests people in their 50's get, and my niece Sabrina getting married at a fun and romantic wedding at her parents' house. 

September 25 Lesson on the Coosa.   In the Dagger Nova. 4000 release.  I took a lesson from Carmello.  My roll is wonky again.  He helped me get the closest to a bow stall I have ever managed yet.  He also helped me move the seat forwards.

October 8 Coosa Campout.  6000 and 8000 releases.  In the Dagger Nova.   The seat forwards was causing me to ender out of surfs.  Carmello was at Baby Gap and helped me move the seat back to middle.  I had a great surf of Moccasin Gap Sunday that ended in a swim.  Really frustrated with my roll issues!  We camped on the bluff at the Dirt Farm and had a great campfire and food - pork tenderloin and roasted vegetables.  I bought firewood from a truck off Liberty Park exit and it was excellent, much better than the bundles I've bought in stores and at campgrounds.

October 14-16 visit Mary Mills.   I stayed at Mary's house and we had dinner at Tom and Lola's Friday night.  Saturday I demoed Halie's medium Scorch on the Nantahala.  Sunday I went on a hike to Panther Top fire tower, and stopped by Downhill Kayaking in Mentone on the way home and traded my Machno for a Scorch!  BTW if you need whitewater kayaking gear, including Pyranha kayaks, used boats from different brands, Astral PFDs, Immersion Research drywear and spray skirts, and more, contact Adam at Downhill Kayaking.  He is super helpful and knowledgable.  He outfit both of my Pyranha boats, something I am not good at and he is great at for sure!

Video from our hike to Panther Top:  



October 21-23 Nantahala, Peggy's Birthday, End of Season Party at SMM.  In the Medium Scorch.  I have the seat all the way forwards.  I started out with two pads under the seat cushion but took them out at Ferebee.  Friday took forever to get to the campground because of traffic in Chattanooga, so I paddled Saturday but drove home Sunday instead of paddling again.  Video from Saturday: 
 

Me trying on Peggy's new warm hat

Splashing it up at Nantahala Falls in the Medium Pyranha Scorch

October 29-30 BCC Farewell to the Hiwassee.  In the Medium Pyranha Scorch.  Hey, the Scorch was on the roof racks, so that's what I paddled.   I said farewell to the Hiwassee for the end of scheduled recreational releases for this season.  While I know it does release off-season at times, it is 3.5 hours away from B'ham so we stay local.  With Helen and Andy, Jason and Kathleen, Peggy, Stacy, Ed, Joy, new paddler Brian, and his wife and daughter.  We stayed at Fireside Outpost by Gee Creek.   I was going to paddle the Ocoee Sunday, but had a stomach upset all night from a very mediocre dinner at a restaurant in Etowah, so I decided needing a bathroom while in drysuit on the river would be a bad idea.  Instead Kathleen and Peggy went with me to take pictures/observe at Broken Nose and Hell Hole while the group went by.  Jason had a chundering in Double Suck that we didn't see but I am glad he is fine. 

Friends at Farewell to the Hiwassee weekend!

We were able to give Andrea and my kayak sensei Juliet a ride to the Ocoee Putin
Peggy and Waylon puppy riding in the back with them

Kathleen driving with a sports bra on the mirror.  I have no explanation.

Me Scorching it up on the Hiwassee.  End of my 23rd season paddling the H

November 11 I got a new truck.  It is a 2022 Tacoma 4x4 with manual transmission. I told the dealer that it is like the Starship Enterprise compared to my old Subaru.  Back up camera, lane assist, touch screen info center, integration with Android Auto.  I did go princess and have heated seats installed, which my Subaru has too, and I will always have in my vehicles from now on.  I did not sell my car, it needs work for oil leaks and a possible differential issue, but it will be my scoot around town car.  Until I get a Miata or something lol. 

My new truck!  Can't wait to get it to the river!

November 12 Horton Mill Hike.  With Friends of the Locust Fork.  The Howells were supposed to join us but had to cancel to go the memorial of a friend.  I met Moe at her new house in Oneonta and drove us to the bridge in my new truck.  It was misty and drizzling rain. We went part of the way down the trail then decided to turn back instead of going all the way to the mill site with the group.  Moe has a bad knee and we wanted to take it easy.  We took our time going back to the truck, then went back via country roads to her house.  We drove up on a flock of guinea hens, one had a lizard and was proudly leading a group of others in a parade.  I love them.  

November 19 Ridgewalk.  First one of the Fall 2022 season.  Air temps brisk, beautiful sun, low wind. With Dave and Lin.  We went back to the find I had from a couple years ago and decided a rock just inside the entrance makes it dangerous to enter.  I have decided to regard it as a karst feature, but I will mention it's location to a friend who may want to check it out.  We found another karst feature, and a possible, marginal qualifier.  Video here.

December 4 Tumbling Rock Cave.  With Dave H., Valerie H., and various paddler friends.  To the Christmas tree and back.  Nice day.

December 10 Mulberry.  Warm sunny day, high 69F, level 1.5ish is our guess, the gauge read 1.1 but it felt higher.  In the medium Jackson Antix 2.0.  With Andy and Lynn, Peggy, Halie, Jes, Ginny with a G, Shaun W.

December 11 Upper Mulberry.  Warm, cloudy rainy day in the lower 60F's, in the medium Jackson Antix 2.0.   Level was 4.35 when we put on and 4.75 when we took off 1.5 hours later.  Big wave trains, wood floating with us in the water, House Wave was crashing, I declined to try it and Andy didn't get a surf in after several times.  Noted.  With Andy and Lynn, Dennis C.

December 18 Upper Mulberry.  Cold, high of 45 and I would guess around 40 during our float. Clear blue skies, low wind. In the medium Jackson Antix 2.0.  With Jie C., Matthew C., Luke W. Stacy W., Jeff H. 

The streambeam gauge was not working so I did a guestimate of 2 ft. by looking at the 'two foot rock' as I passed over the Garden City Bridge.

After our run I paddled down to the old bridge and looked at it and at the streambeam visual gauge, and determined the level was really 1.7 ft.

The upper run was low, perhaps as low as I'd ever do that section, but there were still some rapids and House Wave was wonderful.

Carrot cake recipe

 This is my sister-in-law Rene's carrot cake recipe.  It is delicious!  She says not to use pre-cut carrots, they will not have enough moisture and the cake will be too dry.

Before I Die

How to get out of a drysuit with a back zip, with no help!

It's drysuit season in Alabama again! 

Quick Pyranha Scorch Medium Review

Quick Pyranha Scorch Medium review: why did I buy one:  It's simple.  It's just more fun for me to paddle than the Machno was.  The Scorch surfs really well and the edges made eddy catching fun and crisp.  Another big factor was the comfort.  The knee position and thigh brace position fit me much better than the Machno.  I didn't boof the Scorch I demoed on the Nanty because it was my friend's boat, but I can promise I will boof the @#$ out of my new Scorch.   It made the classic Nantahala fun moves a joy.   I was able to surf Rope Wave, Surfers, 3 Hump Rock, and so many smaller waves really well.  Caught things on the fly, did Walk the Dog and Skin the Cat though I missed the ferries all the way across, but I am sure I'll get them.   A full-on creeker like the Machno would not have been nearly as dynamic and responsive.   I did the Racer's Line at the Falls and it was fine.  

Cons?   A few times it would lock into a line, and I would find myself doing several sweep strokes to unlock it.  Tom B. said rocking my weight weight forwards or backwards would help with that.  We shall see.  Leland says to move the seat to center to prevent this, and I may... I wish the seat was easier to move.  Also, as some of my friends reported, it does have a tendency to splash the paddler in the face.  I used little boof strokes when in wave trains, and/or angling the bow when going through waves or holes to prevent this.  
It's also comparable in weight to other modern creekers, that being heavy, and it is a long boat.  But it doesn't paddle like one.  I would forget that I was in such a long hull.  

I have the seat all the way forwards, thigh braces in the middle position.   The Scorch rolls easy; not sure anything could roll as easy as the Machno.

I have been in full-slice playboats for months now, so maybe that's why the edges felt great, but they did.   Carving into eddys is so sweet.  In bigger, pushier water like the Ocoee etc. the stern edges will probably come into play, and I will be anticipating that.  No idea how it will do on easy creeks like Sauty or Greenbriar, but I'm hoping to find out this winter.  

Compared to the Jackson Nirvana M: The Scorch has good primary stability, but not too much. The Nirvana M I had felt like it had way too much primary stability.  As a result I didn't trust the way the Nirvana felt so stable. And the Nirvana would go from supreme primary stability to power-flipping me when the stern caught. There seemed to be no secondary there. It was a light switch, on or off- upright or flipped. I know some people love the Nirvana and I am only speaking for myself.
The Scorch has good primary stability but also feels good in the secondaries. I was doing some goofy things in it just to see, like not paddling at all through Whirlpool and the swirly water after, and leaning way back at the same time, lol. It was fine and I am sure I looked ridiculous but that's kind of my thing.

The Stomper 80, which I still have fond memories of, had poor tracking and was slow. So as a river runner it was not that fun honestly. But on a creek it was really fun. It turned and boofed so easily. It is why I thought I would dig the Machno more than I did, because they are both displacement hull creekers. But - I was working really hard to keep the Stomper straight and didn't realize how much until I tried the Newmad. I was going to buy a Newmad, long story, but it didn't work out so I bought a Machno which is very similar to a Newmad in some crucial ways. I still think there is a market out there for shorter creekboats like the Stomper 80, especially for women. I had the Machno for a year and a half but rarely paddled it.  The Machno would feel like a bobby cork at times.  It was just a big thing to put on the roof racks and the thigh hooks were in a weird position I could never make right.  I have several friends who love their Machnos, it's just personal preference, but I would end up taking the Jackson Antix 2 M instead.  The Scorch is something I look forwards to paddling because I know I can carve and surf in it.  

Why buy a Machno instead of a Scorch? Confidence builder, no surprises, makes things simple when rapids get complicated, if looking to step up to creeking will take care of you, tracks well, busts through holes, easy to roll.

Why a Scorch instead of a Machno? It may fit your body type better like it does mine, sportier ride, rocker profile goes up and over things, carves well and has good speed.

That's my quick review, from a middle-aged woman who doesn't paddle anything particularly difficult and has a weird hobby of squeezing into slicey playboats. 

 

Forever a River

 

I Want to Be There