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The second event in the World Cup has come and gone.  I am about a week late for everything so in my time I am right on time. 

Augsburg and Prague were very different.  The course in Augsburg was made in the 70’s for the slalom Olympics, and they have it set up as a country club.  Lush green grass all over the place, restaurant, boathouse, a bunch of slalom boaters, and one BIG hole.

We got to the town at about eleven at night and spent two hours driving around looking for the place.  Luckily we found a sign with a picture of a kayak.   BINGO. . . we must be in the right place.  I don’t even remember setting the tent up.  I do remember waking up to the sun and moving the tent four times until we found a place we wanted to stay. 

Ruth Gordon was nice enough to let me borrow her boat for a couple days before she got there, so the first thing in the morning Stephen and I went kayaking.  The hole was fast, and there were a ton of face surfs, but Stephen, Jason Craig, and Jonathon Shales were able to loop their brains out.  Super fun to watch, plus the course was a lot of fun to run. 

Hmmm. . . I think trying to write this over a week out has fried my brains.  The only other things I remember were being yelled at while driving to the grocery store.  It was all in German, so I am not quite sure what I did wrong, but it gave us a good giggle.  Then there was the rain, and more slugs.  I think I found a dead one in the car that joined us on the trip from Prague.  Oh. . .  and I ate Weiner Art.  True German cuisine. 

Again. . .  you can find the official results someplace else.  I am still just touching on the living and kayaking scene. 

Let’s start this trip to the 2008 World Cup with a half an hour drive out of the Frankfurt airport in the wrong direction.  That was awesome.  There isn’t a better way of introducing yourself to a new country than with random wandering.  The airplane trip itself was effortless, but every day since has been an adventure. 

After a four hour drive from Frankfurt, Germany we finally found our way into Prague.  Definitely a cool city, and I made a point to print out directions to the whitewater course before we left.  It didn’t help much.  We traveled an hour around the city following signs to the zoo before we randomly came across some Great Britain paddlers who assured us we were going the right direction.  The right direction took us driving on what seemed like a bike path with cyclists and roller bladders jumping out of our way as we tore into the camp ground.  Oh yeah. . .our rented Ford Focus has the power of a Vespa. 

The campground was nice and we found a little spot out of the way next to Clay Wright and a bunch of Russians.  The first couple days were spent getting used to the new place.  We got crepes and coffee every morning, Stephen trained, and I explored within walking distance.  Lots of PSP and reading time.  Beware. . . I am becoming a beast at Luminase.  The kayaking scene is also interesting.  People from a gazillion different countries with a gazillion different languages, and a gazillion different forms of currency all hanging out in peaceful harmony.  (Well sort of. . .  some people definitely like their booze more than others.  This ended with boats in trees and tents overturned.)

The competition was great.  There were tons of McNasty’s, Phonix (or phoenix) Monkeys, loops, and cartwheels in a strange surgy, flushy hole.  They even played some heavy death rock from the Czech Republic.  (You can find the results on the Jackson website, so I thought I would touch more on the living scene.)  The hole kinda looked fun to play in, however after the entire US and Canadian team came down with a case of mud butt (aka. .  the runs, diarrhea, hershey squirts) for five days, I decided against Prague paddling.

One more fun thing about the trip thus far. . . RAIN.  We had two warm sunny days, and four of rain.  When it was sunny the wasps were out in full force.  Couldn’t drink your Sprite without inhaling a couple.  When it was raining we got snails and slugs.  I counted at least three on the tent one morning, and Clay was fortunate enough to get one in his shoe. 

The last day Stephen and I got to spend some time in the city of Prague with Clay and the Craigs.  We were blessed with eggs for breakfast and some amazing architecture.  A walk over the Charles Bridge and lots of people watching. 

Next stop. . . Augsburg, Germany.  (I actually got to paddle here).  That story will have to wait.  Need to go to the store. . .  Stephen needs more toilet paper. 

They started construction on the Sparks Whitewater Park on monday.   HURRAY. . . another park around the Reno area.  Should be super fun.

One problem. . .

What is it doing to the reno whitewater park?  Stephen and I went to the park last night only to find things have changed.  Hole 3 isn’t so retentive on the left any more and Hole 5 is a flushy wave.  (Do a trick and flush)

Our theory is that while they have downstream diverted for construction on the Sparks park, the water has backed up some and has changed that the features are like downtown.

Any other theories??

As mentioned before, the Reno Whitewater Park becomes a zoo full of kids this time of year.  School is out and they flock to the water like sheep or flies to poo.  Not sure which analogy is more appropriate.  Ants to a picnic??  Anyway, for the past couple years the Truckee River Foundation hosts a Kids Safety Day.  TRF gets donations from around the community and they buy PFD’s, helmets, and river shoes for any kids who signs up.  

This year started at nine in the morning.  We were lucky to have plenty of volunteers because we had a record of about 130 kids.  (Jim Litchfield knows the final numbers)   During the safety classes kids learn about river features, safety on the river, and how to appropriately dress when they are at the river.   Toby doesn’t exactly let me teach a class.  I get to help corrall kids where they are supposed to be and entertain with jokes and stuff.  I am particularly good at kicking small children.  :-)  

Also added to this years Safety Day were a little kids class, which Lynn Zong ran wonderfully, and a boogie boarding class, which Ruth Gordon and Jim Litchfield were awesome at.  It was great to see by the end of the day a bunch of kids running around with white helmets and red PFD’s on.   Easier to see and they float better.  

The question for the weekend. . . How many kids can I run over, under, and around at the park this weekend??  

School is out, and the whitewater park has been overrun by rug rats.  But, that doesn’t mean the park can’t be fun.  I had the opportunity to spend all weekend at the Reno Whitewater Park and had a GREAT time. Saturday was by myself, however Matt, Steph, Sage, Tim, and my Aunt Joy and Uncle Nick were able to join me on Sunday and made it 10 times more fun.  

Here are the keys to the Reno whitewater park in July.   First of all if you want a parking spot. . . show up early.  I usually arrive about 9am.  That gives me some time to grab the dogs and head over for a cup of coffee at Java Jungle before getting on the river.  Also, keep an eye open for the parking police.  With it being summer they are all over the place, and there is only 2 hour parking right on the river.  Second, the Truckee river is only at about 450cfs.  That doesn’t mean the park isn’t fun.  You just have to choose your play spots.  Hole #1 makes a great warm up.  No good surfing, but you can ferry your little butt off.  (Or big butt off if you live in my pants) Hole #2 is diagonal and I usually scrape my knuckles, so I don’t spend much time here.  But don’t let that dissuade you from spending time here.  Hole #3 is great for spinning.  You can get on the river left shoulder and spin right about a hundred times.  Or until you get so dizzy you no longer know which way is up and possibly vomit.  (It may be a little boring at this level if your name is Stephen.)   Hole #4. . . um.  Then there is Hole #5.  It is a fun little hole on river right.  You can cartwheel and flush (if you are me).  If you are anyone else you can loop and mcnasty and . . . ask stephen he knows more of that stuff.  

One last thing that is fun at the park (but don’t tell anyone). . . BOOGIE BOARDS.   Matt let us use his river board on sunday.  You can hop into Hole #3 and never leave.  It is awesome!!!  Sunday was my first time, and I am hooked.   

You probably want to be out of the water by about noonish when the entire planet of reno shows up.  But stick around and people watch.  You won’t regret it.  It is like Where’s Waldo on steroids.  Plus noon is a perfect time for a drink and lunch at Silver Peak.  And, if you sit outside, you can sneak the dogs next to the railing.  

Last best thing about the park. . . it is five minutes from my house, so saves gas money.   Come down and play!!!!

Ok. . .Ok. . . another back log.  Here is an excuse. . . I didn’t start blogging until May, so I need to play some catch up.  (Does that work)

Stephen and I show up in Downieville with the rumor that Pauley creek has enough water.  We don’t know where we are going, so we just start driving up some random road and come across the beacon of light called Kent.  (Or the beacon of, “we have a shuttle”)  We end up meeting up with a large crew from Reno for my first run down Pauley creek.

The river starts out with some fun class II ripples.  Then all of a sudden you see a large log crossing over the top of the river, and you know you have reached the first drop. . . Federal Falls.     Being one of my first “waterfalls”, I gave a baby boof, tucked, yelled “watch out below”, and somehow landed perfect at the bottom.  The rest of the run involves 4 or 5 good sized drops and slides with good company and conversation in between.   This run also involved some carnage with Kent landing on top and somehow under Kent after a 18-20 foot slide.  

I was lucky enough to have Stephen point and shoot us down most of the run.  He would scout, then point to where we needed to be.   Made the day almost perfect.  I was also lucky this year that the water was high enough for a good couple weeks, so I was able to get some good weekends and multiple runs down Pauley Creek.  Until next year. . . .  Enjoy the pics.

The water is getting lower here in Reno, and there are so many darn kids at the whitewater park,  I find myself reminiscing about some trips I took this year.  The first one was to Skook in BC, Canadia sometime in November.  

Neither Stephen or myself had ever been there, so after an hour long ferry ride, a two hour drive to the middle of nowhere, and a great night sleep in a treehouse cabin, we woke up in the dark to head down to the wave.   Imagine this, kayaking in the dark, on the ocean, fog all around, freezing cold, and not knowing when we might hit a huge rapid.    All of  sudden I see Stephen paddle his little BUTT OFF to the right side of the channel, I am not as fast, and still smack dab in the middle.  I look up just in time power right into TubeSteak, a huge wave in this tidal rapid, try my best to eddy out, however get stuck in the whirlpools of death.  Now I am tired.  

Now unfortunately, after this first day I came down with the cold of the century.  I felt like the walking dead for five days straight.  I tried drugs, juice, and even chocolate.  Nothing could cure the nastiness.  However, I got a couple surfs in, but also got some great pictures of Stephen, Ruth, and Judd.  

Skook is an amazingly beautiful place. Even when you aren’t surfing you can play with the sea lions and starfish.   There is also a two mile hike in through some of the most beautiful woods and rainforest.  The dogs were in heaven.    Plus the wave is always changing as the tide changes so even that is fun to watch.  I am not sure how busy it gets during the summer, but I would recommend this little patch of heaven to anyone!!!

I got a couple super awesome pictures of the dogs in colorado.  Can’t forget those.

I know. . . I know. . .  I get a little carried away with the dogs.  But at least they aren’t kids. 

Where did I leave off??  Oh yeah. . .  van is fixed and we are on our way to Salida for FIBark and Freestyle Nationals.  Vail was fun, but it took all my money.   Salida was better because we had the big red van.  I drank a lot of coffee at Bongo Billy’s and spent some time in the Salida hole, which has turned into a bit of a wave with all the water the Arkansas had.    I also had some time to get addicted to the PSP and crochet a couple of hats.  

The kayaking events were also fun.  They were short scribes for Pro Men and Women, so I got my first experience in scribing.  Not bad, it was something to do and I learned alot.  They sure do take those tricks seriously.   Stephen came out on top in prelims with a couple blunt mcnasty’s.  Then during finals he started out with a bang.  No one was able to beat he first score.  Therefore, for the 3rd year in a row he won Nationals!!!  YEAH BUDDY!!!!

Lastly. . . Don’t forget the Hooligans!!!

My trip to Colorado started with a text from Stephen. . . “Van died.  I am on it.”   Now what is that supposed to mean less than 12 hours before I am supposed to get on plane to live in the big red van for a week.  Well. . . what it meant was that the van stopped working thursday on Stephen’s way to the Homestake Creek Race.  Now being that this was thursday and no one seems to work on the weekend (can’t blame them, I don’t), the fuel filter that the van needed wasn’t going to get there until monday.  Which ended up being the fuel regulator, and we didn’t get out of Vail and the van wasn’t fixed until Wed.   So, we spent the first five days in Vail, CO sneaking Black Dog and Sera up the stairs in a hotel room.  Welcome to Colorado.

Now the kayaking part.   The Teva Mountain Games were super fun.  Saturday was spent watching the pro freestyle finals, making sure the dogs behaved, and taking lots of pictures.  Stephen came into finals first, however a stomach bug which included dry heaving and a case of the sharts, dropped all energy from him and he ended up fourth.  No worries, he was still the sexiest one out there.  Did I mention my hobbit loops bigger that your boyfriend?  Hee hee.   If you want the official results, I am sure if you search hard enough you can find them.

Sunday was the the 8 ball, and I have never seen anything like this before.  It was hilarious.  It is basically a boatercross with 4-8 large men in kayaks (8 balls) trying to prevent you from winning and trying to drown and kill you in the process.  The more blood the better.  It was awesome, Clay made the hole in Vail super sticky so there were several group surfs and people getting hit in the face all over the place.  Stephen and I were lucky enough to be the finish line judges so we had a front row seat for all the action.  I don’t remember who won.  I think it was the person with the biggest hospital bill. :-)

This isn’t the end of the story.  We got the van back from some really nice people on Wed, and headed out to Salida for FIBark and National Freestyle Championships.  More pics and stories to come.

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