C-Forum

Hey folks,
Another great end of season run on the Tohickon. What great weather, I found Saturday to be somewhat chilly, but Sunday, oh man, fabulous. The number of boaters turned out was nice, no crowding, couple of lines for surfing, but nothing crazy. Speaking of crazy though, I saw a couple things on Sat. that still has my head shaking. First, there was a guy doing one of those strider things. I've seen pictures, like going over Ohiopyle falls, but in person, whoa. Next though, takes the cake; I still don't know what to think. A couple guys in big canoes, not an airbag to speak of, no helmets, totally clue-less. A buddy of mine tried to give the guys some pointers, how to sit in the boat right at least. Those guys just laughed. I encountered the quote/unquote boaters early in the run, didn't see them on Sunday, there were surely problems. Does anyone have any personal accounts, sightings or footage of what was surely carnage in the making.

joe

I wasn't at the Tohickon, but can comment on striding. There is a guy who used to squirt boat (might still), lived and paddled locally. He moved off and I hadn't seen him in a while til last summer - he was striding. He could make that boat flat out fly and he could *roll* it . From that standing position! I tried it out and found that it made my tippiest C-1 seem like a lounge chair, though it wold certainly be easier for someone used to "board sports" (skate, snow, surf). The hardest thing for him to pack was that dang paddle (8'?10'?), since his boat packed up to the size of a big duffle... And folks think C-boaters are crazy?!

And to top that off, I heard there was a guy "striding" a canoe (XL-13?) at the Nantahala on GAF weekend...

While I don't necessarly approve of everything they did - they were very solid boaters. Probably better then most of the open boaters there. They knew what they were doing and didn't need someone to tell them how to sit in a canoe. Plus, I enjoy see a canoe surfing with the bow 5 feet off the water!!

it seems like striding might be actually catching on a bit. every time im at the yough it seems like that jeff snyder guy has a new posse of people (guys and girls) striding. on the UPPER YOUGH, no less. i even saw some woman on the kennebec striding, (deb okeefe i think?) getting ready for the upper yough.

as far as not wearing safety gear, some day we're going to get to the point where people have run out of new and harder drops to run, so it's going to be boasts like, "Dude, I ran the Upper Blackwater at flood . . . with no lifejacket OR helmet!"

haha, yeah right

is that a term related to a specific kind of boat involving a double blade? Yeah, I saw that guy standing in a ducky; he and the guy poling an open boat demonstrated grace in balance doing those ledges. My first time poling I ran some nice class ll drops, exhilerating and easier than it looks with a stable platform beneath you. One of these days I hope to see Harry Rock poling UP a class lll.

With all those boats out there it was a nice unexpected surprise to wind up in an eddy with Adam in his shiney new Wheelboy. Good to see you Adam, hey how about a Spring Armada in March at the next Tohickon release?

Saw Kaz stylin' the drops in his Spark. Kaz sure does make some nice boats saw a few of them out there. I've paddled his Ignitor, Spark and had a spin in a Rumba, liked them all. Hope to check out some C1's next season.

It was great to see so many friends and make some new ones. Good times on and off the river.

I too saw those guys. It makes me angry that they flaunted safety conventions, putting not only themselves in danger, but any potential rescuers as well. There is a picture of someone in a similar boat on the AW site's galleries, search the Deerfield. Anyone know if its the same guys?

Here's one for ya'll
Saturday on the tohickon there was a guy in a squirt boat. I think it was director M. Night Shamalan, I saw the guy a couple times and he sure looked familiar. Anyone else see that guy, or know his true identity.

Dan

bump for good times at the Tohickon