There were three highlights from this weekend. The first was paddling PAC's converted, and squashed
, ZWO down Slippery Rock Creek 
. This means that I'm taking a small, strange boat down a small, strange creek. The result? Mostly, the other boaters heard me saying stuff like, "Hmmm, my stern is sunk underwater again!" and "Why does water keep leaking in the boat everytime I go upside down?" 
I should have known what the trip down Slippery Rock was going to be like when Paul recommends that I do an otter launch down an 80 degree embankment with a strainer immediately downstream and his comforting reassurance that the sprayskirt I was using was going to stay on just fine--after it really gets wet . So, I launch down the steep embankment and proceed to get the skirt really wet, as well as the inside of the boat 
! The trip was really great. The water level was about ideal and the playspots were very nice, especially if you were clued in on how to play. The other boaters mostly heard me mutter something about water getting in the boat everytime I rolled back upright 
. Paul also had some excellent remarks to spectators hanging around the mill dam about the boats we were paddling, my experience on the creek, and who was still in training (hint: it had something to do with the number of blades attached to the shaft) .The second highlight came right after dinner the same day on the Lower Yough when Paul and I squeezed into Ellen's and my slalom c-2 and paddled the Loop with a newbie kyacker in tow for his first trip down the river. Talk about a recipe for disaster!
If you want to see something really funny, put two competent solo c-boaters in a c-2 and send them down the river. They both can paddle well, but with two heads thinking about HOW to get down the river can result in really confusing boat maneuvers, a whole lot of paddling flailing and splashing, and LOTS of discussions on how to negotiate the rapid as you approach it, how the rapid should be negotiated as you are running it, and how the rapid should have been negotiated after you get to the bottom. All the while there is a newbie kyacker in tow experiencing his first whitewater adventure on this river all the while watching and listening to two single bladers do a whole lot of talking and miraculously make it down each rapid without flipping once ! That dude was REALLY stoked by the time we got to the Loop takeout. Paul and I never clobbered each other, but he sure did put up with a LOT of pounding on his back as I was trying to get him to LISTEN TO ME! I want everyone to know that it had nothing to do with control issues or me being a control freak. I just knew what we were supposed to be doing (which automatically precludes Paul's extensive and in-depth knowledge of the rapids 
).The third highlight came from paddling the Lower Yough with Paul and Rock on Sunday, starting with an EARLY wakeup and narrowly missing the early putin cut-off without having to pay (as in the ranger was standing behind me waiting for me to put down the pencil so he could take the clipboard inside
). It was an awesome day, and if we had any energy to spend, we would have had an even better time. However, this energy issue certainly gave our group something nice to remember about me, Double Hydraulic, and how dynamic an ender my Atom can get! I'll let PAC post his observations about this event from his perspective, then I'll fill y'all in about what I can recall. Swimmers was awesome, as always. There was a large group of kyackers sittting on the side when Paul jumped in the hole and proceeded to rule the wave. He invited me to join him, so I did. I should have known better because all I can remember of that short amount of time was Paul beating me with his boat, paddle, and elbows as I was trying to hold onto my front surf, all the while Paul was yelling, "Stay there! I'm gonna cross over your stern!" I know Paul knew what he was doing, but I was NOT having fun, so I bailed. After Paul and I ripped the hole for a while, some of the kyackers got in their boats and joined us. Eric Gehres showed up a few minutes later and REALLY put on a he!! of a good show. While Eric was working his a$$ off and pulling off some awesome moves, Paul and I were next to the hole yelling at him to, "Smile!", over and over again.That's about it for now, until Paul posts a rebuttal on some of my accounts from the weekend
.KNeal
) – missing moves and generally getting spanked in places I shouldn’t have. I even nailed some poor K in the facial area as I bow squirted at Railroad and lost my paddle (he came into the seam without realizing I was already there. However, k’s do come in handy when you’re paddle-less (they are easy to grab and roll up on). 
I personally think he was just showing off for the gentleman on the overlook rock.