Let's go back to Gauley!

[KNeal (work)]

I hope I'm not too late in the season to ask this, but do we have anymore weekends to go boating on the Gauley? I am making plans to go the last release weekend of Oct. 16-17. Can anyone else make it that weekend?

I look forward to seeing how this past weekend trip went. My weekend was awesome and will share it with whoever wants to hear about it (warning, it's about being a Christian! ). It was a tough choice to not join y'all, but I had a clergyman who knows Gauley Fest and sympathized with my plight. That really helped .

Who has it in you for one more trip to the Gauley in Oct.? The weather should be VERY nice (cold in the evenings, possibly wet and cold throughout the day ). The crowds will have DEFINITELY thinned down a lot for both the Upper and Lower Gauley . And it is another opportunity to share our enjoyment for c-boating . Bernie? Eric? PAC (with "Rock-n'-Ron")? Mike W. (broken toe n' all )? Anyone else?

KNeal

[Sir Adam]

You could always fly up and join us for the Hudson Armada next weekend . You could even boat the Acrobat down the gorge . Seriously, Independence Air and Southwest have had some good deals lately...if anyone wants to fly in and borrow a boat let me know. I can even pick you up at the airport (Albany, NY-ALB).

Good luck getting to the Gauley
Adam

[Mike W.]

Sorry Kneal, I can't make it anymore this season . We had a ball last weekend though ...litterally. Somewhere in the Mashes I blew a thigh-strap anchor . PAC gave me a beach ball that I stuffed in the boat to try to keep me wedged in.
There were 3 C-1's PAC, Eric & myself, 2 OC-1's Kevin & Big Al, & a K-1 Ron in our group.

It was the 1st time that I've had the Viper stuck in a hole. I went out to surf 5 boat hole & got stuck. A bunch of rafts missed me front & back. Then a ducky came at me. You should have seen the look on the guy's face before he hit me. I hoped that he would knock me out of the hole but he didn't. He ran over my bow, flipped & swam. I stayed upright in the hole . Finally I got out & stayed out.

You can run over an OC-1 with a Viper . I was following Big Al when he went over a drop & disapeared . Al's a big guy in a Mohawk Shaman. Not often does that combo just disapear. As I go over the drop I see his boat upside down in the hole. It was too late for me to miss . Sorry Al. I noticed that he stayed behind me the rest of the day.

I was really wanting my Acrobat when we got to Twisted Sister. I watched the squirt boaters doing mysteries & still can't figure it out. Maybe one day I'll be good enough to paddle water like that in a squirt boat. Right now I'd get my rear end handed to me .

I saved bunches of $$ at the Fest. I did not buy a sparkly new boat, helmet, PFD, dry top, or Galasport paddle.

I'll post more photos after I finish the roll.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wh20crazy ... /my_photos

[alden b]

I might be interested in the Gauley for the 8th (friday). I've never run the Gauley, it would be nice to paddle with some cboaters from my new region.

Adam, I have a NY friend who is coming back from shoulder surgery and we had some tentative plans to run the Hudson over Thanksgiving when we're both back that way. I don't know if there is water then or what, but just something to file away.

I think that paddling on major holidays is pretty funny. Last year one of my rather fanatical creeking partners called on Christmas day trying to lure me out creeking. Yeah right.

We went that evening . . .
Alden

[willlyons]

Hey alden, you should come over to the Russell Fork, it's about 2.5 hours southeast of the Gauley probalby. It's an awesome run. Where are you living now?
will

[aldenb]

hey will,
cool, yeah id love to hit russell fork at some point. im currently in DC, hopefully see you on the river
AB