Elkhorn Winter III

Paddled with Bubba. Getting ready for New Zealand.

Elkhorn WInter II

Colder paddle with Justin.

Elkhorn Winter I

One of those 50 degree paddles on the Elkhorn with Bubba.

Upper Russell Fork

Ran this for the first time with Bubba, Kerkhoff and Bubba's friend who used to live over on Big Eddy. I learned to always eat before I go out and to not get dehydrated. I got dehydrated and got a killer headache at the end. I had a blast though.

The Epic One, The Rockcastle

This was the turning point. The was the trip made me fall in love with paddling. This trip had it all for me at the time. Better rapids, trip planning, a new place undiscovered by us.

It was Justin, John, Jay, Brian and myself. We camped at Bee Rock and ran the short section on Saturday, camping Saturday night and leaving Sunday. We had 10 inch grins on our faces the whole time. This was also Jay's first river trip.

Sick Day on the Elkhorn

Called in sick this day and ran the Elkhorn with John.

Gauley River

The infamous Gauley River rafting trip. We had a large crowd. Todd Arms, Michael Sloane, Smitty, Kerkhoff, his brother and dad, Smitty's dad, the whole Mathews crew and David Etheridge, Eric and Jacque Salsman too. A big group. We ran the Lower Gualey and the Upper Gualey on Sunday.

There is video of the carnage.

Elkhorn 600cfs

Went with Justin.

Ocoee Trip

Can't remember the details of this one yet.

Elkhorn with Justin

Looks like Justin and I ran the Elkhorn after work on this day.

Russell Forkin'

Low Water 150-200cfs

Back then John and I didn't give a shit that the water was low at the Russell Fork. We just wanted to go boatin'. To go exploring an see what was out there. So we loaded up early in the morning and hit the road for a 4 hour drive to the lower Russell Fork. Even at low water Meat Grinder made me swim. There wasn't a whole lot to the rest of the run. But we enjoyed it. We looked at the gorge from the Breaks Park and hitch hiked back to our car. We should haven't gotten a run in on the the upper while we were there, but hind sight is 20/20.

found from an email:
John and I went down the Russell Fork today. These are pictures of the middle section, the Russell Fork Gorge (class IV-V+) taken from the Breaks National Park. I never knew it before researching this river, but the middle section is crazier than the upper Gauley. We did the lower section which was only II+, but pretty technical in the low water. It was a great stretch of river. When more water is running we want to go back and do the upper section, and one day when we feel like kings of the water, the middle section.

We talked to a local guy who was swimming with his dog and had black teeth. He was at the take out. He says he runs the middle section all the time. He didn't seem like he knew shit about shit, but he does run that river all the time and he doesn't even blink about it.

They also have a festival down here: The Russell Fork Rendezvous, which is a bluegrass, roots music and boating festival. 1st weekend in October I believe. They also have damn releases all through October here.

Elkhorn Run

This is some early run on the Elkhorn that I have logged in my calendar. I believe it was a night when I met Bubba and his crew for a high water run at the Elkhorn after some heavy rains after work. Eric Abell was there too.

I had a swim at one of the rapids. It was a weak swim too. I just didn't have a roll back then.

Nantahala - 4th of July

Ryan, John, Bubba & Megan, Stewart and I went to the Nantahala for rafting and kayaking. This was my first kayak trip off of the Elkhorn. I ran the Elkhorn from our campground to the falls 3 times in the kayak and once in the raft. We stopped for pizza in the raft and listened to a bluegrass band, ate pizza and drank keg beer. It was a fantastic trip.

Elkhorn

I think I ran the Elkhorn this day, not sure who with though.

Elkhorn - Early Days

All I know is that I ran the Elkhorn this day at 3' 5"

Most likely I was in my Dagger RPM and probably ran it with John or Eric Able. But I can't be sure.

The First Time on the Elkhorn

I believe this is the day that I took my Blue Hole Canoe down the Elkhorn for my very first time. It was a high water day and Matt Kerkhoff was our guide.

I met up with him Eric Abell, Stuart Mouser and some other friends of his. We also hooked up with one of the Koch brothers at the Elkhorn. We had a couple of kayaks, me in my canoe with no floatation and Stuart and another guy in a Wal-Mart raft. It could have been a bad day, but it turned out to be a great day.

I had no problems guiding my canoe down. I remember buying that yellow Lotus PFD at Galions then driving my Mazda with the canoe on top. The Exhaust almost burned up my NRS straps.

My First Boat Trip!

Beech Fork
High Water

This was my first boating trip. Was would transcend into all of this. The club, the whitewater trips, the enthusiasm for paddling and the outdoors. I recently ran across the date for this trip in my old calendar so I thought I would recall the trip the best I could.

I remember this trip very well because it was my first. It was raining and cold. But Eric, Hart and I had a boat trip planned so we went. It was about 45 degrees on the water. We ran the Beech Fork at a high level.

Eric in Smitty's Dagger RPM and Hart and I in the Blue Hole. We had trouble keeping a straight line down the river and towards the end it got cold, but we enjoyed it and made it through the day. Eric and Hart ran the rapid in the canoe and I walked it. I did not want to chance getting wet and cold. I was weak back then.

There were some raft trips and canoes trips that came before this one. But it was this canoe trip that I knew would be the start of an obsession.

Here is an email I wrote from around the time of this trip:

I would like to get in on some kayaking.  The next time you guys go to the Elkhorn let me know.  It is vital to my mental state that I get on the water as much as possible. Eric, Hart and I went down the Beechfork in the freezing cold, but we discovered a really great class III+ rapid at the end of it.  So if you ever need some whitewater to practice on, just know it’s there right in the backyard of Bardstown. My plan is to get a kayak into a pool and practice rolls.  Then onto the river to learn how to maneuver.  Then I want to go down the Ocoee and wherever else there is whitewater. I’ll bring the camera, we’ll get something made for the film festival.