Today I paddled with Kevin Sisson, Kelly Harbec, Janet and Tim.   Scott, whose group was a no-show, joined us too.    The release today was from 7AM to Noon.   We had a bit of a late start, so we put on around 10:30AM.    The water was warm, no dry top, no shorty, and it was a beautiful Saturday in the mountains.   For the first half mile we warmed up on the rapids before Bayless.   As we rounded the bend you could then make out the river wide horizon line - we were at Bayless Boof

Boofin’ at Bayless

We all eddied out on the left to scout the rapid.   This was the first time down Bayless for Janet, Tim and Kelly. Kevin, Scott and I pointed out the various lines, good and not so good!   Kevin and Scott styled the river left line.   They nicely made it far to the left, slid down the rock, and glided off the ramp.   Way to go!   Janet, Tim, and Kelly were next.  They both opted for the river right line.   All three ran it well!   Janet was a little too far left on her line and ended in the hole where she then went a seemingly endless ender.   It was impressive!

Then it was the Chuckstr’s turn.   I wasn’t as far left as the guys,  but I did not paddle into the hole.   I too went sailing into the air.   Scott, Kevin, Janet and Tim all decided to go for a second run.   They walked up the rock to the far left eddy to run the left line.  They all had great runs!  Tim did land sideways on his run, but had a super roll!   We then worked down to Wanda’s Hole, where Kevin “forgot the line.”  :-)   Everyone stayed out of the hole banging down the rocks on the far left.

It was after Noon and you could already see a drop in the level.   Kevin and Scott, at the front of the group, paddled at a deliberate pace.  Being sweep, at this point, the trip took on some aspects of a race.  The group did gather up at some of the rapids, where we took turns leading the group down.

Pinball

Soon we were at the bridge with little more than a mile to go.  Kevin was ready to lead us down Pinball, but we were only at “Little Pinball.”   In just a few hundred yards we were at the calm water above Pinball.  Kevin described the class line.  Starting center and work to the left.   Both Kevin and Scott headed out first.   I then followed.  I had a good line, but was a little more right than I wanted to be, but still missed the rock shelf on the right.  Janet was even further right, and banged up her elbow on the shelf (she is okay).   Tim had a really sweet line; he was even further right and glided over the rock shelf.  Way to go!  Kelly had the best line of all us;  she went to the left and rode the huge wave and busted the hole!    At the ledge drop rapid below, we all took the far right line.  From there it was indeed a race to the surfing wave. 

Shred City

Kevin and Scott were the first at the wave.   They were already tearing the place up.   Tim and Janet headed down to catch the wave, with Kelly and I in the river left eddy above.   We both made the hairy ferry to river right  and caught the river right eddy without moving a surfer off the wave.   Kelly headed down with Tim to the wave below, where they surfed.   Scott headed down to take out, leaving Kevin, Janet and me.   Kevin had some tips on catching the wave, and they paid off.  Thanks, Kevin.   I had several sweet surfs on the wave;  it was certainly the biggest wave I had shredded in the big green boat!   Photos of our shredding:  http://chucks.smugmug.com/gallery/5407251_5cgBK
It was a fun trip indeed!

Shredding epilogue - back to the Green wave

Kevin had to head back; on the way back to my car at the put-in Janet, Kelly, Tim and I stopped at the Starbucks on Upward Church Road.   Janet and Tim headed to Charlotte, and Kelly and I drove down to the Lower Green for some park and play at the “Green Wave.”   We surfed for about an hour on the wave, dodging tubes :-)   Kelly had some wicked side surfs at the holes on river right.   They look tiny, but pack a punch.   We both had to really work to get out.   A fun way to end the day.

Today was the first day of the CCC Week of Rivers. I paddled with a mixed TVCC CCC group, with Debbie Dargis, Kelly Harbec, Chris (aka Krunchy from the TVCC), Derrick, Robert W., Gretchen, Jill and others.

The weather was beautiful; a warm day with partly cloudy skies. We gathered together in the pool above the main flow and then worked down the right side of Powerhouse. All of us had clean runs, save for one. Near the end of the rapid I ventured into a reactionary wave and went for the fish count (just trying to make certain the ecology of the river has improved). I rolled but did not come up; my second roll was a solid sweep, but landed on a canoe (or next to canoe). Back over again I set up for a third roll, but did not come up. I was out and soon in an eddy on the right; thanks Derrick for rescuing my boat!

At the Big Rock, most of us paddled to the right; some to the left. After catching the big eddy below the rock, we all worked to river left for some quality play time at the wave and hole in Razor Rock. At Veggematic we all had clean runs through the standing waves. Soon we were paddling below the bridge in the calm water, before the river banks to the right. As we worked our way down to Snapdragon, we were passed by the Sisson’s, Kevin, Darcy, Cole, and Quinn, in a raft guided by Darcy. Good to see you on the river! At Snapdragon we all boofed the shallow ledge, and then caught eddies to the left and right of the big wave. Several in the group made valiant attempts to catch the wave for a surf. The river then worked to the right for the big waves of Rollercoaster (more Class III fun). This long rapid has some of the largest and best waves to punch through on the entire river.

Lost Guide

As the river started to bank again to the left we were near the top of Lost Guide. In the calm water above the rapid Derrick and Robert talked about two lines; one to the left of the hole, the other to the right. Robert offered to take a group down to the left, which involved a ferry above both the hole and a ledge. In his tow where Gretchen, Debbie and Kelly. I was in the sweep position and probably a tad too far too the right. I was still able to make the ferry as I glanced the left side of the ledge, missing the hole. Thanks, Robert. Some in our group took the right line, bouncing down a series of rocks on the bank. Everyone had a clean run. We all eddied out and took a lunch break and watched the non-stop carnage.

After lunch we paddled down to Roostertail and its long series of standing waves. Several in the group eddied out to the right to work up the long eddy to the surf wave. It still had play, but Jill and Robert lamented how it had changed after the floods in the late 90’s. Soon we were at the staging eddy for Double Reactionary. Rather than thread the two standing waves, Robert suggested that we either bust the right wave in the middle or sneak both, catching the far right eddy. Robert demonstrated the sneak, which involved following the same line as though you were going to bust the right wave. At the wave, instead to turning to the left, continue straight ahead into the eddy Debbie and Jill sytled the move. Chuck started a little too far left, so I had a chance to first bust the big hole and then curve to the right. Gretchen went big demonstrated how to bust the right wave. Way to go!

Accelerator

The line on this six-foot river-wide ledge involves catching a right to left tongue to avoid a sizable hole near the top. I was a little too far right and sliced into the hole. I was over in a heartbeat but had a solid Class 4 roll! Everyone else had clean runs as we busted big waves for the rest of the rapid. Soon we were at the lake along the concrete wall near the interstate. Most of the group took out at the bridge, but we paddled on down to the NOC (where our car was!)

NOC Wave fun

One of the highlights of my day, and Kelly and Debbie’s too!, was the new wave at the NOC outpost. The three of us spent nearly an hour playing in the big glassy wave. Check out photos of us shredding: http://chucks.smugmug.com/gallery/531444…

As Kelly said, it was good friends and good fun on the river!