Monthly(?) update

How do REAL bloggers do it? Particularly those with REAL jobs? It seems like the rare occasion when I can really sit down and find a couple of minutes to write up a blog entry. This one is pretty much going to be a shopping list of the last 40 or so days since my last post. Since June 19, I've taught seven "Quickstart your Kayak" classes, 2 rolling sessions, one River course, and also did a demo-day for Paddle Creek.

July 4 week, of course the biggest week of my year, was Week-of-Rivers. We once again only had dam release stuff and very little natural flow, but I had an enormously large time, as always. I got to paddle the Pigeon (twice), Ocoee (first time Super Watauga move!!WOOHOO!), Nantahala, Tuckaseegee, and as an amazingly fun new run, (5)- count 'em, (5) low-water runs down the Cheoah from above Bear Creek Falls to the lake. The latter will surely become a WOR staple. A few pix are up and there'll be a video sampler of the week sometime in the future.

July 18-20 was an ACA Board meeting in Fredericksburg, VA including a hot-hot-hot day paddling the Rappahannock. Taking advantage of already being 4.5 hours north of Raleigh, I headed northeast to join several other friends for an "Old Farts on the Yough" trip in Ohiopyle, VA. I was able to get two runs on "the Loop" on Monday before most arrived Monday evening and then we had a full run of the lower Yough on Tues. Torrential rains EVERY night swelled local rivers to the point that the remainder of the group was uncomfortable paddling the LY on Wed. that was still rising past 3.1'(It eventually climbed to about 4.2') So, we drove a little way and did a first-run on the Casselman River near Confluence, PA. It was a really fun II-III run at about 1,000 CFS (~2.9'). I also managed to drown yet another digital camera on this trip, so it looks like it's back to shopping for me.

Once again, using my geographic potential energy, I sadly bid adieu to the Old Farts (including Joe G., who hadn't been in a boat in three years (and it was GREAT to see him on the water again)) and headed to Lewisburg, WV to see Virginia and Ginny. I hadn't been there in...damn...a long time. I had promised them and myself that once I got a vehicle I could stand the gas mileage in, I'd be there...so I went. (The Old Farts subsequently informed me, gleefully, that I had missed a rare run on Little Sandy to Big Sandy and it was schweet.)

So much to do, so little time. More fun planned. Stay tuned.