I'm not real good at writing interesting stories, so I'll just include some captions with a few pics of my annual fall trip to raft the Upper Gauley river during fall release. 35 rapids, with more than a handful of Vs and V+s. Add in some great mountain biking and some climbing, rapelling, and hanging out and you get a great trip. Some of you will recall that I ended up in the ICU last year during this trip. Happily, this year was uneventful.
RAFTING
Yeah,we're smiling in anticipation of our first V+ this year, but our guide is telling us to get serious!
Taking a hit, we're still smiling!
Trickle Falls.
It was a great day, as indicated by my smile.
BIKING
My friend Andy and I taking a break along the singletrack
Andy at the top of the river gorge; we found this overlook. Check out the clouds below.
At the bottom of the gorge, we found a small tributary and a cool old bridge. I'm enjoying a well earned rest here.
Here's the dedication stone on this close to century old bridge.
Another shot looking down towards the tributary. That's my brother-in-law and I.
One of the routes ran along an an old abandoned railorad tressel, which was along a newer one. We found this old engine stopped along the side of the trail.
I couldn't resist posing along with the engineer....
...and my friends couldn't resist climbing on this logging car a half mile back - well out of sight of the engineer.
RAPELLING/CLIMBING
Got to rapel off of this cliff - about 70 feet.
I'm ready to go, but our climbing guide (yes, she was a babe), is double checking my 'biners.
Sorry, no good shots after we changed into our climbing shoes.
Thanks guys. I'd recommend the Fall Upper Gauley to anyone who likes to raft. The cool thing is that the dam release draws out the best guides from across the country to work it - last year our guide was from Colorado. Good guide = fun ride.
JP?? Sounds like capuccino would go next season. I bet Joe would go. We just need you for a fourth! [peer pressure!]
PS: Notice the two guys in the back (not the guide) who are NOT smiling. They were 'Gauley virgins' and a bit daunted.
Count me in! Kaiser, sounds like you go several times a year?
Yeah, I do see the concerned look on the two in the back. Did you all stay in the boat? It's all good if you're only swimming when you choose to [img]smile.gif[/img]
We had a really good guide, so we were taking pretty safe lines. Plus we always raft the first or the second day in the season of the dam release so not even the guides are sure of how it will play out. so they end up being a bit cautious. But the Gauley has some big hits and you always lose a few along the way.
One of the two in the back bit it in some smaller rapids and swam back pretty fast for a really big guy. It took two of us to pull him in just before we hit a class V. This year we didn't feel like going in so those of us who were experienced begged the guide not to dump us at the traditional dump point on 'Fuzzy Box of Kittens' - a class II - they do it mostly for the videographer. So, like your trip, we stayed in 'mother rubber', except for the voluntary swimming excursions.
The fun part of the virgins is watching their faces during the bus ride to the put-in point. The guide is talking about safety features and impending death and the experienced guys sit in the front and look towards the newbies in the back with their faces. It looks like they are going to a funeral! [img]smile.gif[/img] On the way back, it's all beers and songs and a good time, but I enjoy the fear in their faces on the way out.
No, I go once a year to the Gauley dam release in Sept. It's the only real rapids I've done since most of the stuff in the midwest is only Class II or III if you're lucky.
Hey, if you can convince JP to go next September, I'm sure we could get a fourth in Sarah (who said she'd love to go) or Joe (Outdoorboy) adn I'd be willing to organize. I'll have to see if the outfitter I've used has any cabins. They usually go pretty quickly - about a year in advance. JP, you readin' this?? [img]smile.gif[/img] LOL.
It sounds great K. Of course my wife is insane and wouldn't want me to go without taking her. She went for the first time on the Ocoee last summer.
Sarah, Lisa (my wife) and I just finished the Raid the Rock Adventure Race last night. No pictures yet but I'll get a race report up soon. It was a tough race of 60 miles in 14 hours and included land navigation in the dark, Canoeing a little stream that was almost nothing but strainers, Swimming in some really cold water while fully clothed with packs and then what we called a death march on very steep, muddy terrain for a couple of hours. Finally a 30 mile bike ride that included some tough single track and then a break in the middle for a climb up 5 stories on cargo net and rappel back down. Then to the finish line and free beer!
Keep in touch on the rafting trip sounds like a great time!
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Today's mighty oak was once just some nut who held his ground!
Congrats on the RTR Joe! Sounds great and I look forward to your comprehensive race reports.
I've sent you and JP an e-mail that you can forward to cappucino, outlining what the fall Gauley is about and details. JP seemed reticent, and I'll only organize if he's going. Check your e-mails and let me know since I need to move fast on lodging if we really want to do it next fall.
[peer pressure!]
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