Single Blade Symposium / Palmerfest trip report

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:35 pm

I learned a few things:
1) Palmer Rapids is not near here
2) Canadian Drivers "obey" the speed limit in their home country...just as much as they do in upstate NY....
3) Instruction is a GREAT thing...and the folks at Rapid lined up some great instructors. I'd urge EVERYONE, regardless of their skill level, to take a clinic or two somewhere.
4) The folks up north a great laid back folks...who also really know how to party (Ok, I only HEARD about that. I was asleep. Really!)

The river was beautiful and truely a great place to learn...though I appreciated this more AFTER I had run each set of rapids once.

It was also great to put the faces to so many folks on the board...some I had met before, some for the first time. Ryan, Gary, mmarsh (thanks again for the instruction!), Collin, Doug, Dave, Scott C, Scott M., MSims, dan., Al Greve, PrincessLeah, Martin, Andy Convery, PMP, and Beth K (who I'm most grateful for the technique tips...I wish I'd taken that clinic earlier in the weekend when I had a bit more energy!)(though it was nice to have most of my energy at Hass Hole), and likely a few more that I'm unfortunately not recalling.

Overall a great time, and a very reasonable price considering what was provided.

cmnypny · Post by **cmnypny** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:26 am

hmmmm ... driving long distances to go paddling ... thats the story of my life.

For those that have never been here are some of the pics I took at Palmerfest.

Most of them are from Hass Hole.

Get a coffee there are lots of them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/se ... 150456465/

except for the ones I sent off to Rapid Mag.

Anybody know this guy

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Wed May 21, 2008 11:59 am

I'm impressed by your photography skills!

<you have an image of me right-side up

>

Hass Hole was indeed what I hoped it would be - a place I could push my own limits of comfort in relative safety.

Billy Harris was a great instructor too, even if he prefers two blades.

Blast · Post by **Blast** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:28 pm

Driving Long Distances...to paddle...my life story.

Doug and I really enjoyed the Palmerfest. Thanks to all the Canadians who made us feel welcomed. Thanks to Martin, Mke and company for including us in their paddling group.

David Swingley

msims · Post by **msims** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:04 pm

Good to meet you'se too!

Hope to get down to the US some day to have the experience returned (hopefully with less flatwater paddling!

________
B-KING

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:38 pm

Blast wrote:Driving Long Distances...to paddle...my life story.

Doug and I really enjoyed the Palmerfest. Thanks to all the Canadians who made us feel welcomed. Thanks to Martin, Mke and company for including us in their paddling group.

David Swingley

David, glad to hear that you guy's had a good time!

One of the highlights was definitely seeing Doug, after loosing the angle on the 1st wave at Hass hole and flushing off heading straight for Billy Harris, who was playing in the 2nd wave at the time. Doug stayed upright, Billy flipped...

... 1-0 open boaters vs. freestyle pro's...

...!!!

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

Al Greve · Post by **Al Greve** » Sun May 25, 2008 12:18 pm

I'm glad we got to meet, although I sorry we didn't get out to paddle together......stuck in that booth, I did manage to get out for a few hours on Sunday afternoon.

Is not near here...... yep....the things we do to paddle!

Well I'm out here on the Kananaskis in Alberta at Canoe Meadows as the girls are training in their C1's for the Canadian National Junior Team Trials for next weekend. With the snow melt and all the rain the Kan is up and running with a lot of silt, its not its normal blue/green colour.

Time will tell how well they do?