Vacation vs. Expedition musings, Douglas Creek Revisited, and what’s at stake in the race for BC Hydro development.

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Leland and I headed out for our usual Northwest US and Southwest BC summer kayaking trip last July.  As usual, our kayaking trips involve adventure, inspiration, lessons, and new friendships. Enjoy part one of our report:

River Gypsies

Click on “River Gypsies Summer 2009 Trip Report #2″

setting up

going over

landing it

into 2 ends

I am not usually much of a playboater–there just aren’t any play rivers where I live. The Recoil has had me on a fast track this summer to doing more tricks and having more fun playboating!

Check out our full update at RiverGypsies.com

Recoiling the big one on the Goodyear’s Bar play run.

So, we started with the Upper Gauley. It was running about 2400 out of the dam and about 800 out of the Meadow. Great play level! I had a wonderful time in the small Recoil. I have enjoyed the shorter playboats of the past couple of years because they are so easy to turn when surfing and fun for looping, but I must say I always missed the loss of speed and having a stern and bow to initiate on eddy lines, do stern squirts, splat wheels, and my favorite trick–the rocket move stern pirouette. I just love twirling through a wave train on my stern…So, the Recoil brought all that back to me. It has speed and stability in the rapids and there is plenty of stern and bow to initiate into the river. This aspect for me means more play. Before I was limited to waves and holes, but this design made it possible to play on more features again. There seems to be just enough length too, because the Recoil surfed waves and holes with the same ease of turning as the shorter boats. It was actually better because there was more speed which gave me more thrilling and dynamic rides. Leland said he has never seen me surf so well before. He said it was incredible to watch how the boat allowed my playboating to progress so quickly throughout the course of the day. I noticed too. By the end of the day, I was playing every feature and actually surfing instead of washing off or flipping. It was heaven. And the best part is that I could play better and I was still very stable through the rapids. The boat was very easy to handle and I had good lines everywhere–some of my best ever on the Upper G. The boat was also easy to roll–I really apprecieate that in a boat, so I was very glad!

surfing it up on the Insignificant wave

Surpised at the amount of control I was having and that I was actually still on the wave!

I must say, though we were really bummed by the long lines on the Gauley that day. Just kidding! We were the only people on the river and it was sunny and 75 degrees on a Saturday. Where was everyone? This was the place to be!

Next stop was Northern West Virginia. Wow, everything was stompin high up there! We got to do a really cool run on the LIttle Sandy. I ended up taking my creek boat because that is what the others were doing and I didn’t know the run, There were so many surf waves on that run, it was unbelievable, and I found myself wishing I was in the Recoil. This is another feature that I find cool about the Recoil–its not a park and play boat–its a river play boat that performs as well as a park and play boat. I have never been one to want to take a park and play boat down most rivers, but I always found them superior in their play ability to the point that I would take it anyway. But with the Recoil, its the best of both worlds–really. Little Sandy is definitely a run to check out if you are ever in that area–its one of my favorite class III+/IV- rivers.

After that we headed over to the Cheat to surf a park and play wave called Bill’s Hole on the Cheat Narrows. I think the river was running about 10,000 cfs–a perfect level for this hole. The hole looked small and manageable from the road, but when I got in it, it gave me a wild ride!

Notice the rocker in the bow. I believe this rocker is what makes the boat so easy to handle in the rapids and while surfing. There is enough length in the boat for speed, and the rocker keeps the bow from pearling.

Getting a really fun and bouncy blast.

I am still learning to playboat, so I was not able to throw any crazy aerial tricks, but I can only imagine that this boat would do them. It front surfs incredibly well and it has alot of bounce that could turn into aerial blunts and loops. Those are my goals for the year–to learn some crazy aerial tricks. With the Recoil, I believe its gonna happen–and I will have some good lines down the river too!

Part 3 of the trip report contains fun river running and playboating action in the Recoil and Ammo.

Part 4 has some remote wilderness boating back in our Burns.

Click the link to read the full trip report: www.RiverGypsies.com

Mexican raft guide Vincente enjoying surfing the Recoil.

Big grins surfin the Ammo on the Actopan.

Leland wilderness boating on the Tatempa section of the Rio Bobos.
]]> http://www.teampyranha.com/2007/03/06/last-mexico-trip-reports-from-jan-07/feed/ 0 http://www.teampyranha.com/2006/11/15/small-ammo-review/ http://www.teampyranha.com/2006/11/15/small-ammo-review/#comments Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:47:16 +0000 andria http://www.teampyranha.com/paddler-lifestyle-articles/andria/small-ammo-review/ I have been out on several rivers testing Pyranha’s new small Ammo this fall. Basically, I think the boat is HOT! Its the perfect boat for those class III and IV creeks and rivers with boofs and playspots. Its a fun little sports car that small folks are gonna dig.

I wrote up a full review on our website. Check it out at: www.rivergypsies.com.

]]> http://www.teampyranha.com/2006/11/15/small-ammo-review/feed/ 0 http://www.teampyranha.com/2006/11/06/pyranha-team-members-and-friends-at-the-green-race-2006-with-pictures/ http://www.teampyranha.com/2006/11/06/pyranha-team-members-and-friends-at-the-green-race-2006-with-pictures/#comments Mon, 06 Nov 2006 21:15:17 +0000 andria http://www.teampyranha.com/creeking-articles/andria/pyranha-team-members-and-friends-at-the-green-race-2006-with-pictures/

I was stoked to see so many Pyranha team members out there racing and see so many Burns tearing it up! The Green Race was a huge success this year with a record breaking 126 racers!
We are very lucky to have such a perfect river to have an event—classic class V rapids, no portages, reliable water, and access for those who want to watch the action.

Racing the Green is an awesome experience. Those of us who run this river know that anything can happen, and at one time or another, it inevitably does. Sometimes that day is race day! There were 16 swimmers (the number of people who raced the first year)! On race day, you have to put all of your past experiences behind you and focus on having good lines and going fast–not an easy feat! Congratulations to all those who tried!

Team member Jared Seiler raced awesome and kicked my butt by a minute! He finished 9th in the short boat class (in a Burn)! Way to go Jared!

Team member Jay Moffatt was the first short boat to race(Burn) behind the girls and he came screamin into the finish line just as we were getting out of our boats!

Buffy Bailey-Burge (Green Queen 2003), who just had a baby 7 months ago racing in a large Burn!

Pyranha Team member Austin Rathmann (aka “rodeo king”) raced the Greenman—long boat first and then short boat(large Burn)!! That kind of stamina is amazing!

Dixie-Marree Prickett didn’t race because she was the finish line timer—but she came screamin down stylin the Green in a small Burn. Thanks DMP for being there for us at the finish line and organizing the race!

This is my favorite picture because I am smiling—I was so relieved to be done with the Flying Squirrel into the Notch, off the pad, and punch the Speed Trap sequence of the infamous Gorilla (which I had run backwards on my training run the day before)!! I am in a small Burn.

Pyranha’s behind the scenes get-it-done guy, Dinver, layin low in the Camo Burn.

For more photos, visit www.downstreamphoto.com.

For race results you can download a pdf by CLICKING HERE!.