Ain'tLouiefest Update

[boatbuster]

The week is off to a great started. Paddled Clear Creek Saturday with a group of about 20 at a low flow, others went to sub-minimal Tellico. Banquet hall, beer, old Louie videos and Chris Kelly's Chili on Saturday night. Sunday a group went back to the Tellico while a dozen of us went to Big South Fork, one of the most beautiful days I have experienced on the river in a while and an excellent trip. If you are going to Ain'tLouiefest I highly recommend the paddle from confluence down to O&W. 900+ cfs is a great BSF level.

Today and Tuesday some of the group will be at the Nolichucky Retreat campground near Erwin Tenn running the Noli both days; it should remain a decent level, and there is talk of a Chattooga Section IV trip midweek if we don't get more rain, then Cheoah Saturday. Louie thinks it is also running Friday but I don't think so, no schedule that I have seen. Thanks Louie and wife for your hospitality, and bringing together canoe paddlers from all over the East!

[Atucky]

Thanks Louie for the warm southern hospitality. It was very generous of you to let us crash at the banquet hall. Thanks for putting this together so a bunch of half shafters can get together and boat. I just may have to come back next weekend!


AdamT

[econpaddler]

I'm Steve in the purple ZOOM (or the WOOZ, depending on when you were looking). Just wanted to say how much I appreciated paddling with you folks (Clear Creek on Saturday, Tellico on Sunday). I haven't had so much fun on the river in a long time. Folks at work today are looking at me kinda funny, wondering why I'm smiling so much.

Rain in the forecast for Thursday, I'm planning on sneaking away and paddling again on Friday. Hope to see you on a river somewhere.

Can't wait to see those pictures.

[Atomman]

I want to thank Louie and his family, friends, and neighbors for their hospitality. I haven't had tamales that good since I left Tucson over 20 years ago. I also want to thank Louie for telling me about La Lupinda (?), the huevos chorizo breakfast was awesome. The banquet hall is a perfect place to meet, plenty of room for boats, videos, sleeping, and ales. Our club needs one.

I can't begin to remember the names of everyone I met, but I hope to boat with all of them in the future. Anyone who tells you that the Tellico was low this weekend did not see Tim Miller and Kelly Glasser run it in a tandem 15' Mohawk XL! What a show. Since I couldn't boat I photographed the Saturday Tellico run. I am uploading pictures to the web now but it will take a while to upload almost 500 pictures. I got little crazy but also got some incredible pictures. I haven't had time to separate the wheat from the chaff. I will post the link when it is done. I will email the the specific photos to you if you asked this weekend. Add comments if you know the boaters names (I don't recognize some people in their helmets and boats).

Sunday we (Tim, Kelly, Dan. John, Adam) ran the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. We did the canyon section as we were time limited. It's only two miles and avoids the longer shuttle but also does skips the BIG 3 (double drop, washing machine, and the El) rapids on that river. It was an amazing mid 60's sunny day and a great time on the river. John (I cannot remember your last name) got his first combat roll in his phantom and made it look easy.

I hope to attend this coming weekend if I can get away.
Bill

[Atomman]

Here's the link to all the photos. They are about 3Mb each so I wouldn't download them on dialup Please give me credit if you use them. Bill Pierskalla
http://picasaweb.google.com/linuxmon

EDIT> - I lied about the size. I didn't realize Picasa does thumbnails so if you want a full size photo let me know. /EDIT
BIll

[ChrisKelly]

will run it today. Then back to Lenoir City.
Maybe this rain will show for the remainder of the week.

Very good time thus far; 2 days on clear Creek, one on Tellico and yesterday and today on the Noli.

See ya on the water.

Chris Kelly

[sbroam]

Here's the link to all the photos. They are about 3Mb each so I wouldn't download them on dialup Please give me credit if you use them. Bill Pierskalla
http://picasaweb.google.com/linuxmon
BIll

Great pictures! Can't wait to get up there. Hope the Tellico is running when we get there...

[bald1]

I would like to thank every one, and espescially Louie for a great time. I will admit that the youngster dance thing did trip me out a little.

If you ran clear creek with me on saturday I was in the Rodeo. I had a few out of boat experiences, and loved every second of it. Plus 18 c-boats on the river at one time...awsome. There were so many names I won't even try, but a few things stick out.

The Tandem Canadians...I love that, to me that is a serious challenge, to paddle in the same boat and stay married...wow!

Chris K., that is one sweet new ride you got there, I would be scared to have a boat of that caliber, as it's life with me would be very short.

The purple "WOOZ". now that boat looks even more sketchy to paddle than mine, but you surley could not tell with a superb boater at the helm.

Dan, that is the best paddling vehicle that I have ever witnessed.

And to sum up Saturday, let me say, I really hope to still be paddling when I am 68(Jim, I think?). Although I doubt I will ever paddle as well as what I saw this day.

Then on Sunday I had the pleasure of running the Noli with Tom and Katie. It was a beautiful day, and I feel like I held my own.

Of course the water could have been a little higher, but we still had plenty. I took a swim in quarter mile, for the first time ever, but it was part of the experience.

Katie and Tom ran superb lines despite my sad descriptions of the rapids. I now know that I need to go to the Ottowa.

All in all...I got a little better in my boat. I learned that the Rodeo is really not a stable boat, and I learned that I will be spending much more time in my oc-1.

Wishing I was there now,
Bryan

[awelch]

Those were great pictures! I am shopping for a boat right now and those pictures were worth a thousand words. Does any one know of any other galleries similar to that? Thanks for taking the time to do that and I hope to boat as well as the paddlers in pictures someday! I wish I was set up to go right now. I can't wait, maybe next year I will be up there.....

[oc1paddlr]

Louie I want to thank you for putting such a cool event together and the use of the taureau fri.(fun boat) Also thanks to ChrisKelly organizing that large group sat. and the chili.(your new rival is the cat's) Also thanx to - Oci-one-kanubi for ride(was that 7 boats on your van?) , Steve for leading us down with style and a smile. i'm wishing ida done the upper with you but my boat is still thanking me (I'll be back) , Phil and adam for the ride and cold one (looking good in the Zephyr) , and Mr. Deadlegs for saying 'lets go!' Nice meeting you Heidi, bald1,Keventheflyingsquirrel, Robert and everyone else that I can't recall your name. A friendly bunch of likeminded boaters! If there is a trip to the ocoee I would like to join. I'm in the red dagger ocoee.... steve

[yarnellboat]

Great pics! Wish I was there. I also confess that I was really drawn to to the photos of the tandem. The orange Tareaus make a good subject too.

awelch, not c-galleries of that calibre, but here are photos from a festival on Vancouver Island:
http://www.waynebarson.com/photos/prfest06/index.html
http://www.waynebarson.com/photos/puntfest/index.html

PY.

[oc1paddlr]

I forgot to mention meeting Falk (taniwha isn't it?) our rep from Germany. Played him some Snake Oil Medicine Show on the way back from the tellico. I think/hope you liked it... Hope you inspire more to join the 'fest! steve

[noobopenboater]

Great time on Clr Creek Sat. thanks Richard for the ride up, and the tandem Canadians for the ride back. I was in the impulse (the one that did alot of swimming) thanks for everyone that helped, and showed me how its done.Mike.

[Mr.DeadLegs]

Mike I have a good photo of you on Clear Creek. Send me your email and I will get it to you.

To chime in with the rest Louie you are a hades of a host. My house is open to you anytime( may regret that lol). Thanks for getting me and my big boat down the Tellico. It began to feel good near the end. The three tennants of LOUIE helped tremendously. I have some work to do before I can style the river like you guys did.

Steve WOOZ great meeting you, had a blast both saturday and sunday. You may regret giving your number out. You will now be getting called/pestered whenever there is water. Even if not.

Chris Kelly- great paddler, food critic, chef, trip leader extrodinaire.
I will be coming through in april will give you a shout. I will know it if you block all 770 and 678 area codes.

Oci it was an honor

Phil I feel like I owe you about 30 bucks for the scratches on the new boat. Great meeting you and Adam. lets paddle.

To the rest my best see you on the water

Trey
Red Encore

[oc1dude]

I plan on attending this weekend but want to know if you can camp at the banquit hall. or if I need to find another place to stay. also is there a place that I can stay with 2 dogs at b-hall or camp ground