Creekin in the Smokeys after Christmas
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:14 pm
We took our converted LL Hoss and Dagger GTX to the Little River yesterday. It was running a little low @ 2.4, but you have to take the opportunity when you can. It is actually more challangeing at these levels because the "river trolls" and invisible rocks are more plentiful. Joseph make everything look easy, but I have to work a little harder at it. 
We put in below the Sinks and took out at the Elbow. I went over a ledge at Bottoms Up, upside down and pulled. I flip at the worst places. I am upside down and the paddle is getting caught on everything. Joseph had a nice run through Eddy Out while I set a rope. C-1's have habit of pinning there if you get caught in the slot.
More rapids and fun per square inch than any river I paddle. Got to swim again on another ledge, but I had an audiance of folks from out of town. Since the road runs along side of the river it allows everyone to watch the action. So I did not want to disappoint. They were concerned if I was OK, I gave them the thumbs up. A little boy asked if I were cold.
Next rapid is a nice boof opportunity. Joseph said I got some good air. That's nice because I have been implementing the suggestions mentioned in the recent article about paddling from the bow all day. Great article if you haven't read it yet.
Ok, we are going around the last bend in the river before the Elbow. This rapid I named Greg's Folly after a buddy of mine pinned a prestine Blue Hole Sunburst there 18 years ago. It's rocky and once you get into the rapid your path is constantly being diverted by invisable rocks.
I had told myself that what I needed was a good roll today to boost my confidence. The next set of rapids are the entry to the Elbow. Everthing was going great and then a River Troll pushed my bow into a big rock that turned me completily around and now I am going throught this narron passage backwards. I am staying low but getting pushed in to the wall on river right. Joesph said that I hit is so hard that it snaped my head back, but I didn't feel a thing. Anyway, I got what I had hoped for, I got flipped and did the hip snap that I have been preaching and I was up.
Great run and time with Joseph on the Little the day after Christmas
We put in below the Sinks and took out at the Elbow. I went over a ledge at Bottoms Up, upside down and pulled. I flip at the worst places. I am upside down and the paddle is getting caught on everything. Joseph had a nice run through Eddy Out while I set a rope. C-1's have habit of pinning there if you get caught in the slot.
More rapids and fun per square inch than any river I paddle. Got to swim again on another ledge, but I had an audiance of folks from out of town. Since the road runs along side of the river it allows everyone to watch the action. So I did not want to disappoint. They were concerned if I was OK, I gave them the thumbs up. A little boy asked if I were cold.
Next rapid is a nice boof opportunity. Joseph said I got some good air. That's nice because I have been implementing the suggestions mentioned in the recent article about paddling from the bow all day. Great article if you haven't read it yet.
Ok, we are going around the last bend in the river before the Elbow. This rapid I named Greg's Folly after a buddy of mine pinned a prestine Blue Hole Sunburst there 18 years ago. It's rocky and once you get into the rapid your path is constantly being diverted by invisable rocks.
I had told myself that what I needed was a good roll today to boost my confidence. The next set of rapids are the entry to the Elbow. Everthing was going great and then a River Troll pushed my bow into a big rock that turned me completily around and now I am going throught this narron passage backwards. I am staying low but getting pushed in to the wall on river right. Joesph said that I hit is so hard that it snaped my head back, but I didn't feel a thing. Anyway, I got what I had hoped for, I got flipped and did the hip snap that I have been preaching and I was up.
Great run and time with Joseph on the Little the day after Christmas