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Gauley Festival 2007

AW Gauley River Festival ~ September 21st - 23rd, 2007 ~ Summersville, WV

Welcome to Gauley Fest, the paddling world’s biggest party! Started in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted whitewater flows on the Gauley, Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest river festival in the world, posting attendance numbers of over 5,000 people in 2002.

The event focuses on bringing people to the area to enjoy a weekend of outdoor activities while showcasing whitewater paddlesports and raising funds and membership for American Whitewater. The festival is a three-day event, with the main activities taking place on Saturday night. Expect the festival site to be bustling throughout the weekend with food, vendors, and activities for paddlesport and non-paddlesport enthusiasts of all ages.

The festival will feature live entertainment, a whitewater marketplace, beer, and a silent auction where you can pick up some awesome outdoor gear. The Gauley River Festival is a critical fundraiser for American Whitewater and is our largest fundraising event.

All proceeds from the festival support American Whitewater’s conservation and access work throughout the Southeast. Come out and join us for a weekend of great paddling, exciting competitions, live entertainment, and the infamous silent auction.

More Info • Discuss in the Forum

'Cowboy' Still Enjoys 'Deliverance' Fame

by Adam Behsudi
Asheville Citizen-Times

CANTON — Life is a bit quieter these days for Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, once the Hollywood villain who terrorized hapless Atlanta businessmen in the big-screen thriller “Deliverance.”

Most Saturdays, the man known for his chilling role in the 1972 movie can be found autographing pictures at a roadside flea market in Canton.

“It sort of gives you something to do on the weekend,” said Coward, a soft-spoken Haywood County native who now spends time taking his ailing wife to Asheville for doctor’s appointments or playing with Sam Starsky, an orphaned squirrel he rescued 11 years ago.

The 69-year-old’s latest foray into show business came with this year’s release of “Ghost Town: The Movie,” based on the drama played out by gunfighters at the Maggie Valley theme park.

The movie is playing at the Eagle Nest Theater in Maggie Valley.

In “Deliverance,” he’s the mountain man who stood by as actor Bill McKinney delivered the infamous “Squeal like a pig” line.

In 2005, Maxim Magazine named Coward and McKinney as the all-time top movie villains.

Coward began working at the theme park during its heyday in the 1960s.

It was during his gunfighting days that he worked for two months with a young Burt Reynolds, who later invited him to portray one of the evil hillbillies in “Deliverance.”

Life returned to normal for Coward. He retired from BASF after 28 years at the Enka plant. He said he had no intention of becoming a career actor.

It was Dean Teaster, the son of his fellow Ghost Town actor Robert Doyle Teaster, who tracked Coward down for the current Ghost Town movie. Dean Teaster wrote and produced the film.

“Cowboy … man, he can portray a pretty rough character,” Teaster said.

Coward has an autographing corner he set up among the dishes and other knick-knacks he and his wife try to sell.

“That’s the only pleasure I get … talking to people,” he said.

A Whitewater Park Proposed for Nantahala

Charlotte Observer, April 2007, by JACK HORAN

Whitewater paddling in Western North Carolina would get a boost from a proposed run-of-the-river "whitewater park" on the Nantahala River with newly fashioned waves and rapids.

The nearly half-mile-long park would be built by Nantahala Outdoor Center and would be open to the public at no cost for playboating, training and competition. The project would rearrange a dangerous rapid filled with jagged rocks so it could be run safely.

President Sutton Bacon last week stressed the "whitewater park" wouldn't be of the same scale or purpose as the $35-million, U.S. National Whitewater Center just west of Charlotte, which opened last year.

The Charlotte park is the world's largest artificial re-circulating course with three-quarters of a mile of Class III-IV rapids that includes an Olympic-standard slalom-racing course. Rafters, canoeists and kayakers pay to paddle.

The Nantahala concept follows that of nearly 100 whitewater parks on rivers in the West and could cost about $5 million. NOC will seek economic development money. "We're at the beginning," said Bacon, who is also president of American Whitewater, a national advocacy group.

Two weeks ago, two area legislators asked the legislature to provide $50,000 for an environmental assessment "of the construction of a white-water paddle sports training and activity center."

Bacon said employee-owned NOC, which takes 130,000 customers annually in rafts down the Nantahala, has put in $25,000. The project would need an OK from the U.S. Forest Service, which regulates use of the river and which, along with NOC, owns land bordering the section.

Nantahala District ranger Mike Wilkins said the agency would require an environmental assessment that could lead to a special-use permit. "This project kind of fits what people do in the area," he said.

The dam-release river is the most popular whitewater river in the Southeast. At present, rafters and private boaters paddle a 7.5-mile stretch, finishing just below Nantahala Falls at the NOC complex.

Bob Hathcock, an NOC staffer who's managing the project, said new whitewater features for canoes and kayaks would begin just above NOC's footbridge with a designed wave. Boulders notched into place or held by grout would form the rapids.

Just below the footbridge would be a double-drop rapid with a wave, then a side channel with splash pools for wading and, in the river channel, a 4-5-foot-high wave for whitewater rodeos. In rodeos, kayakers perform cartwheels and spins, getting scored on their skills.

Farther downstream lies Wesser Falls, a Class IV rapid with jagged rocks left from a dynamiting decades ago. Hathcock said NOC would smooth out the cascade by removing the hazardous rocks and create a series of Class III, drop-and-pool rapids.

New footpaths would link the end of Wesser Falls to a new footbridge at Nantahala Falls so paddlers, carrying their kayaks, could make the run again.

Bardstown Boaters Win Honorable Mention

Congratulations! You and your organization have won Honorable Mention in the National River Cleanup Week photo contest and will receive one pfd from Old Town Canoe, and a rod holder from Thule. Thank you for participating in National River Cleanup Week and submitting your photos to the contest. With your help American Rivers will now be able to display some of the great success the Cleanup has had around the country!

We support the outstanding job you've done keeping your river healthy, and providing people in your community the opportunity to educate themselves about the consequences oflitter and illegal dumping. We look forward to seeing you next year.

Have a great summer! American Rivers

Hiawassee/Ocoee Trip Report

• Pictures

We made our annual club trip this year to the Hiawasse and the Ocoee. Everyone loved it. And why wouldn't we. Warm weather, refeshing mountain whitewater and a great representation of the club.

Most folks drove down on Friday to setup camp at River Rats. The Mathews group came down on Thursday night and ran the Ocoee on Friday. On Saturday we all went to the Hiawassee to get warmed up. Driving there Jay preceeded to make a sharp right into a field at the 1.3 mile mark of 314.

Jay is quite the literal direction taker. Maybe now he'll stop staying I am bad with directions. Joe got his first taste of the whitewater experiance running a sit on top down the river. Sara and Jennifer used the club duck and styled it. Johnny went old schoool in the Mohawk with Scooter. Amber ducked like a champ it and the rest of us kayaked, Jay, Toby, Josh, Michael and myself.

The run was pretty mellow as to be expected. Some nice ledges kept it interesting enough though. The heat tried to wear us down, but we pressed on to the Ocoee afterwards.

Michael guided the raft hitting every line with accuracy and precision... I mean every rock with accuracy and precision. Jay and Toby ran the 2 man duck and hit every hole with accuracy and precision

and it sure looked fun. Josh and I kayaked and styled the shit out of it. I took my creek boat down the Ocoee for the first time. The Creek boat made the rapids much easier I thought.

You know what followed, sitting around the campfire talking about the action of the day, looking over the pictures from the trip, bragging about how hard we eaqch paddled then hitting the sleeping bag hard. Then on Sunday rolling out of town, thinking about the next trip.

LVM - Louisville Premiere

This Thursday in Louisville check out the premiere of the newest LVM DVD. The Viking Canoe Club are hosting the showing at the Nachbar. Visit the forum at the Viking Canoe Club for more information.

A big thanks to DJ Biddle and James Gunnoe for their help in making this possible. LVM #23 has not been released yet to the general public. In addition, we will be showing another great film following this LVM Premiere. This is short notice so please help us get the word out. See you there, Chris

Club Trip: Ocoee/Hiawassee This Weekend

When: August 10-12
Where: Benton, TN
Rivers: Ocoee & Hiwassee
Forum: Link

The Bardstown Boaters are making their club outting this year to Tennessee, the Ocoee and Hiawassee rivers.

The trip will be on August 10th-12th.

We will will be doing some class II canoeing & kayaking on the Hiawassee river. This is an excellent river for family outtings, canoeing, rafting and beginning whitewater instruction. We'll also be taking the club whitewater raft down the class III+ Ocoee river. Michael Mathews will guide us down. Some of us will be kayaking the Ocoee as well.

Camping will probably be at the River Rats whitewater outfitters and campground.

If you want to get out one time this year, this is the trip to go on. It promises to be a very fun weekend. Let us know if you will be attending by checking in on the forum.

Adventure Race: New Sponsors and Events

We've had a lot of great news this week relating to the Bourbon City Challenge Adventure Race.

• Kentucky Youth Sports Scene, a Central Kentucky-based publication launching into Jefferson County Schools in August, has agreed to preview the race and advertise for the event. On race day, they'll be there with a giant RV they use in promotion of their publication and to add to the fun with freebies and stuff!
• Bulleit Bourbon confirmed as title sponsor for the event.
• Red Bull rep Jennifer O'Connell visited the race site Monday and confirmed her company's sponsorship of the event. Red Bull will be providing buoys for the lake paddle leg of the race for paddlers to navigate around the course.
• The CW Louisville came on board as a television sponsor donating air time for a TV spot.
• Given's Aviation agreed to provide two passenger planes and pilots for plane rides over the race course on race day.
• Rocksport agreed to sponsor the event and bring out a portable rock climbing wall for spectators and racers to enjoy on race day.
• One band and an acoustic musician has agreed to provide some tunes Sat. night, for the campout, and for Sunday, during the race.
• Kentucky Mountain Bike Association is planning on setting up a booth and providing some chotchkeys for the gift bags, according to their treasurer.
• Keene's Depot donated some barrels for aesthetics (and coolers for water)
• Louisville Water Company donated 600 bottles of water for the event.
• Red River Gorgeous donated a three night stay in their largest cabin, White Pines, as a prize award.
• Handy Food Mart donated energy bars for racers.
• Jim Beam pledged a cash contribution as a sponsor.
• Representative David Floyd and Senator Dan Kelly also contributed to the event as have many others including Town and Country Bank, GBA Printing, Marengo Cave.

Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services owner Mike Hammons has taken over as facilities manager for the event. Mike will be in charge and have final say over the locations of booths, parking, camping areas and oversight of the airport property as a whole. Mike's other business, Central Kentucky Canoe and Kayak is also contributing to the event. This is a substantial devotion of time and energy. It is greatly appreciated.

I can't name all the good that's happened this week. It's been a good week. And it's going to be a great race!

-Bob White

Visit www.kyrace.com for all the event details and registration. We'll see you in Bardstown, KY on September 8th & 9th!