Deerfield River in MA

PincheLocoGringo · Post by **PincheLocoGringo** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:16 am

I got to run the section below Fife/Brook today. Yes, I know, the Tuck is probably listed as harder. But...

There I was, disgruntled because the other boaters I was meeting have not shown up. sugar cookie-chatting with the peoples and waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

I was just getting fed up enough to put the boat back on the car when this music started to play and the gates of Heaven (could have been the local campus bar) opened up and onward they came.

Who? you ask.

The scantily-clad, bikini-wearing, drunken girls from apparently the nearby campus. They came in droves bearing vodka and that rock and roll music. They came in bikinis in shades of blue, red, yellow, and blacks. They came with dingies, tubes, pool floats, and airmattresses. They came with coolers and coozies and Dixie cups. It is the best pregame to a run I have ever attended. So, when the temps hit the 90s on a Saturday, head on over to the Deerfield for the scenary. Oh, there is a river there too.

jroneil · Post by **jroneil** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:30 am

Know what is also fun watching them go through the zoar gap!

mattm · Post by **mattm** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:14 pm

went twice. It's wet, got that going for it. Got some pix/video, I think some tuber nuttiness in here
http://good-times.webshots.com/slidesho ... 1007xyGcbI

Main memory was some tubers sacrificing themselves to save their beer in the Gap.

ezwater · Post by **ezwater** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:36 pm

Strange--- On my only run of that section, a warm summer afternoon, saw no tubers and no underclad teenyboppers whatsoever. Ran Zoar Gap dry. Were you guys on hallucinogens?

PincheLocoGringo · Post by **PincheLocoGringo** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:27 am

Was not duck hunting, by the end, though, I was feeling pretty loose.

jroneil · Post by **jroneil** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:09 am

It was the 2nd time I was there I was thinking of running the gap and was nervous about it. I watches 2 tubers go through in bathing suits no life jackets. When the surfaced they were a little out of it I think they banged there head but they seem fine. So I said I have a boat a life jacket and a helmet. They can do it so can I. Well I tried and did not make it but I had no problem my outrage x did an ender going over the whole the person behind me never saw a canoe do that before he said. But it was fun and gave me more confidence

craig · Post by **craig** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:48 pm

Try the Dryway up the road a bit, about 4 miles. More excitement, but not of which you speak

PincheLocoGringo · Post by **PincheLocoGringo** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:02 am

I heard, but can't seem to find anyone to take me down it.

gumpy · Post by **gumpy** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:31 am

fred, i'll be up to run the dryway soon. i'll let you know as soon as i figure out when.

Kelly-Rand · Post by **Kelly-Rand** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:31 am

You don't find someone. You go and be ready. People will take you down but you survive on your own.

The first time I ran it I just showed up at the take out got ready and asked some kayakers I saw if they would lead the way.

If you are a good class III paddler you should have no trouble till Dragons Tooth. There you have to study it for yourself. There, what side you paddle on and your confidence are going to be the deciding factors. Oh, and portaging is harder than swimming it.

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:43 am

I had no trouble in Dragon's Tooth or Labyrinth, but had multiple nasty swims around Split Hair up top. I think for people moving from Class III to Class IV, the key is to scout well, and not to try to play the rapids the first couple of times. The first time I swam on both first and second runs, it was due to missing a ferry and running through some waves sideways. There was no reason I needed to get the ferry, I was just messing around.

Have fun, Be safe!
Shep

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Deerfield River in MA

Deerfield River in MA

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