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I hate packing for trips.  I never know if I have everything, and I spend two days before I leave checking and rechecking my lists just to find out when I get to my destination that I forgot my toothbrush.  And usually deodorant.  But I guess when the plan is to live in a big red van for more than 10 days with nothing more than  a river bath here and there. . . who cares if I stink.   Stephen??  Naw. . . he doesn’t care.  I think the last time he showered was before he left my house.  (Was that too much information?)

Ok, what was I talking about.  Oh yeah, the trip.  I am almost packed.  And, what is the plan?  I arrive in Denver on friday.  Then I will bundle up in all my winter clothing for three days in Vail.  (Did I remember a hat and gloves?)  No worries, I am remembering my bull horn for cheering.  Then i am hoping for a couple days of testing out out the swollen rivers around Vail before heading to Salida and Buena Vista.  (I wonder if I have room for a hammock?)  A couple of runs on The Numbers, and it is a long drive back to Reno.  (Don’t forget the book on tape. . . van doesn’t have a CD player).

The best thing about planning for the trip and packing. . . knowing that in less than two days I get to be with Stephen and Sera and Black Dog and the Big Red Van.    YAY!!!!  

More to come. . . with pictures!!! (Promises. . . promises)

I thought while I was looking though my photos I would post some pics from Surfest last year.  It was a fun weekend of good friends, good food, and good drink.  And after we had already left. . . good costumes.  From what I know if it, this little get together happens every Nevada Day weekend on the coast for some ocean surfing.  (Oh yeah, in Nevada we have a day off to celebrate ourselves. Don’t be jealous.)  

Enjoy the pics!!!

After a rainy and cold weekend of laying around the house and hammock, I decided I needed to take the last day of memorial day weekend and make the most of it.  I called up the cousins, they had recently found out about a release on the Moklumne.  I was game.  Only a 2 and half hour drive.  And, I was fortunate enough to be graced with Toby’s presence so I had some great conversation on the way there and back.  (As well as on the river).

I was a little nervous on the way out there when we passed Kirkwood and discovered 3-4 inches of fresh snow over the pass.  Kayak or snowboard??   After a quick snowball fight we continued over the mountain and through the woods. . .  to the river.  

The river turned out to be super fun.  My first time.  The first three miles were continuous Class III fun.  The first run was myself, Toby, and Matt. We took our time and still only took us about an hour and a half.  We would come to a horizon line, guess which was the best line, and drop in.  Everything turned out great with a boat scout.  The fun really started with the last two rapids.  Two super fun class IV drops.   On the second run of the day, (myself, Toby, and Steph) we discovered that the last drop can be ran just about anywhere.  Steph went left, Toby right, and I somehow ended up backwards, yet upright, right in the middle.   The second run we bombed in just about 45 minutes.

Unfortunately I don’t have pictures from that weekend.  Toby took some snow pictures, but you will have to ask him for those.   I was too lazy and didn’t have Stephen around who always has a camera somewhere. It was also a great reminder to myself that I need to keep with americanwhitewater.org.  We have to thank them for helping to arrange the release.  Keep it up!!!  Don’t forget there are about three more Mok releases. . . then comes the Pit!!!

I thought it would be appropriate for my first post to be introducing the world to my dog.  Her name is Sera.  She sheds a lot, drools when she sees food, and sometimes comes when I call her.   What can I say. . . she is wonderful.  

Honestly, I am probably writing this because I just shipped Sera off to Colorado.  She hitched a ride in my cousins van and got dropped off in Lyons to spend the next week hanging out with Stephen and Black Dog in the big red van. I will be joining them in a week, but it is kinda quite around here without her breath all up in my face.  

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