WESTFEST 2012

[Smurfwarrior]

Please 'sticky'

TKW: Duly Stuck

Lets move out conversation to this thread to that people can find it

[Smurfwarrior]

Here are some of my posts moved from the "interest in canoeing growing?" thread


Quite honestly, I can't imagine it being a commercial rep attending/scheduled training type of event initially. People will want to boat, and there is a ton of runs to hit and people will have traveled long distances. I can't imagine any noobs showing up needing basic canoe instruction either. To me, it should be a casual (but well planned) event during the first year or two. How embarrassing would it be to ask a rep to show with a demo fleet and have 5 guys there to talk too? If we can get a good group together we could use that info to lure others. I forgot what weekend Jeremy said he would be up there, but there's someone right there who could teach a viable 'playboating' course at the playpark in Cascade. And... he might just have demos with him. Soooo..... thats an idea.

As for reservations and such, they are required for group campsites at the National Forest campgrounds that we use. I'll have a very large area reserved on the 19th-22nd of July. Enough room for anyone who shows, and there will be plenty of individuals there to lead multiple trips in one day. You just have to not mind a mixed boat type crew. My club has done this every year for about 7 years and its worked out well with the flow levels at that time of year. The water's fluctuated from being on the low and high side of medium levels. Everything will be doable. The North Fork will still be raging probably around the 2k level.

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As for event registration, there is really no easier way to do it than creating a Facebook Event. If you're not on Facebook I guess you could force yourself to join so that you could interact with the event and register as an attendee. It keeps a running tally of everyone who says they are attending/maybe attending/not attending and we can send messages to the group if needed, while posting info on the Event's wall for general consumption.

We need to confirm a date, if you wanted to have just a Cboat event or if you want to combine this first event with my clubs event. I think that would be ideal as we'd have tons of safety and lots of options. If we do it all alone, we would most likely be stuck paddling as a single group or two. Which, isnt a bad thing at all and (to me) would be the most rewarding since I'd be there to paddle with other open boaters and get to know all of you better.

Thoughts on the date? I can't find a date on the USA Freestyle Kayaking site for when they will be holding their event in Cascade. Any clue when that would be published?

So, questions for those interested.
1. Facebook event?
2. Dates available?
3. Join my club on the 19-22nd July or do separate event? (I will be there most weekends in July, so you're not breaking my heart with whatever you guys choose.)

_________________





Kelly's playpark in Cascade is super canoe friendly. It has five features that range from big and chundery to small and tame. The 'medium' wave is my favorite as its super wide and retentive enough to throw whatever you want.

Here are some vids of the park- medium feature
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 6873&saved
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 8322&saved

Here's a mess of clips thrown together of some payettes stuff-
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 2896&saved

[Smurfwarrior]

Here's how the Facebook Event page would look-

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=2 ... ext=create

[Shep]

Aren't canoe fests commonly called Ain't *insert fest name here*? So would it be AWF?

</troublemaking>
Shep

[philcanoe]

Tons of camping at the Payettes and tons of different runs with a variety of difficulties.

Main Payette 3
Staircase 4
Swirly Canyon 3+
The Canyon 4
Grandjean 3+
North Fork, lower/middle/upper 5 miles 5
Cabarton 3+

from:http://cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7965456

Bunches of canoe friendly...

Personally can attest to Main Payette (great surfing waves), couple diff parts of South Fork (nice hot springs), including Canyon section (one w/portage ?), lots to do on Lochsa (many sections), a low water Fish Creek run, a really nice section of The Snake, Grey's in Wy. Plus permitted trips on Middle Fork and (2) Selway's. And a shuttle run, but no go on Boise. If you guys can plan it out, you will not be disappointed. There's some great open boat water after the b-i-g melt down! As you can see there's plenty of stuff both eastward and westward to your (speculative) gathering spot, so that's a big plus for attendees.

[truckeeboater]

First off: BIG props to Smurfwarrior for taking the lead (?) on a bunch of the initial organization of this potential event! It takes a lot of time and energy to put something like this together, even informally. So....

THANK YOU!!

That said, I feel IMHO that until this thing really begins to take shape (if it even does) we should probably refrain from inviting reps and demo guys (unless of course they're in the area and just want to come and paddle!), because I've definitely been that guy who drives a long way with a truck full of demo gear only to arrive at the spot where three people have shown up! So if we get a good showing the first or even second year and folks are still pumped and interest is growing, then we can make the leap to being a full-fledged "Event". Keeping it informal at the start is probably the best bet. I've never been to ALF, but isn't that how that all got started? Totally grassroots?

As far as timing of the weekend, I'm down for whatever. I too am unsure of the date of the Freestyle event that Rodeo is talking about, but if he's around in the area then I feel that we should be too! If it works out that a bunch of us tag along with Smurf's clube weekend and they're all ok with that, then I feel like "the more the merrier". That's just more people to laugh and point at me when I swim eveything!

[2opnboat1]

what dates are being tossed around. sooner dates are set the more likely I can come

[Larry Horne]

shep's right. "ain't west fest" would be a more fitting name for it.

[dafriend]

shep's right. "ain't west fest" would be a more fitting name for it.

But, but, but... It is West.

Maybe should be Ain't East Fest. But that makes for a sucky acronym.
Maybe Ain't Shep Fest but you can't "voice" that acronym either.

I know, I know... Ain't Really a Fest (ARF)

I think ARF might be the only other three letter word (besides ALF) you can make that starts with A and ends with F.

Dave

[Shep]

Maybe Ain't Shep Fest but you can't "voice" that acronym either.

I officially withdraw my objections! WestFest sounds fantastic!

[truckeeboater]

Maybe Ain't Shep Fest but you can't "voice" that acronym either.

I officially withdraw my objections! WestFest sounds fantastic!

Regardless of what we end up calling it, still hope you can make it Shep!

[Pierre LaPaddelle]

Here are some of my posts moved from the "interest in canoeing growing?" thread

Quite honestly, I can't imagine it being a commercial rep attending/scheduled training type of event initially. How embarrassing would it be to ask a rep to show with a demo fleet and have 5 guys there to talk too?

People will want to boat, and there is a ton of runs to hit and people will have traveled long distances.

I can't imagine any noobs showing up needing basic canoe instruction either. As for reservations and such, they are required for group campsites at the National Forest campgrounds that we use. I'll have a very large area reserved on the 19th-22nd of July, and there will be plenty of individuals there to lead multiple trips in one day.

As for event registration, there is really no easier way to do it than creating a Facebook Event.

We need to confirm a date, Thoughts on the date?

So, questions for those interested.
1. Facebook event?
2. Dates available?
3. Join my club on the 19-22nd July or do separate event? (I will be there most weekends in July, so you're not breaking my heart with whatever you guys choose.)

Thanks for jumping in Smurf. (I kinda hoped you might!) Great start!

Some comments:

The very first post which started this whole thread had to do with accessing instruction, ESPECIALLY in the area of Playboating. Glad to hear the topic's still on the burner, and that we have access to play parks. Wonderful!

No Noobies? Our sport needs noobies! Don't be quick to write them off -- Sure, they won't attend if the event is just for established hot-shots, but we might get them out if there were some instructional events for them, and some easy runs scheduled (Class II - III) as well as big stuff for the experts. This event will be whatever we wish to make it. Why not something that will ATTRACT noobies to the sport. (Hey -- there's a theme for the 1st Annual WestFest Poster: "Noobie Friendly!" Maybe a T-shirt which says "I'm a Noobie, and I got wet at WestFest!")

Registration -- FB sounds good to me. IF enough preregister, it may solve the issue of Sponsors / Demos showing up without cause. Show them the numbers, and they will come. (Much like bringing beer).

I'm happy leaving the date to you. And if you think that piggybacking with another event will work -- Go for it!

Great work! Keep talking!

Rick

[yarnellboat]

Whatever ya call it, I think you'll get who you get - it has as much to do with who's willing to travel as who wants what activities, and that may be keen beginners or it may be hardcore paddlers, depends who & where it catches momentum with.

Best plan is to plan to accomodate anyone who's willing to show, and just try to get some canoes on some rivers. If certain types of instructors or reps happen to commit, that may influence who shows as discussion continues, but it's probably best not to be too picky/focussed. I do admit that instruction would be a big incentive for me, but still, probably best to cast a net to whoever might make the trip, instead of targetting specific sub-audiences.

Coordinating with the club trip is probably a good idea, because if turnout is uncertain, there's no skin off anyone's nose. Although, it would be a good enough start if even a small group agreed to show up and paddle together. Actually, isn't this where Einar and other BCers went last year and paddled with some cboatsters - hey, maybe this will already be the 2nd annual?!

Pat.

[Smurfwarrior]

Marc Evans and I met up there two years ago, doesn't make this little ditty a 'third annual'

I'm sure people from all abilities would show, and there will be runs available for everyone, so no worries about that. Think we should focus on having a good time with whoever shows up. If you are coming, check out that link and register. You can change your status if something comes up, but holding out and not registering keeps the event from catching fire, getting people's attention and making them put it on their calender.

Piggybacking onto my club's trip isn't an issue. There will be room for all at our group campsite, which is really cheap. A hotsprings is right at the campsite and The run called the Canyon (class 4) leads in to Swirly Canyon (3+) which ends at the campsite. Pretty cool.

[truckeeboater]

I definitely agree with the notion of keeping it open to a broader audience: noobies, creekers, freestyle, etc. I myself am not yet a class IV open boater, but would enjoy a bit of time and instruction on mellower stuff in order to build skills and confidence. Plus, just to hang out with other boaters and run different rivers than I'm used to will for sure be loads of fun; regardless of how much I swim!
T-shirts are also a cool idea!