CdB Forum
CdB Whitewater Paddling Club Discussions => Paddling => Topic started by: Jeremy Poulin on February 20, 2013, 05:17:43 PM
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Hey All
I've got March break from 9Mar to 17 Mar, and was thinking of heading south to do some paddling. Can anyone suggest a company/group that charters somewhere hot, OR does anyone want to road trip to somewhere warm....like, Tennessee?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
jer
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I know Ryszard Kowalski and Martin are going south around then... They might be interested in Class II-III stuff though...
--C.
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Ecuador!!! Small World Adventures!! Class 4+ and even higher class trips!! Absolutely amazing!
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Looks good, Sandra, but apparently they aren't doing anything past Feb, same as Esprit.....looks like it might be a US trip...oh well, that'll be cheaper lol
jer
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Ain't Louie Fest (ALF) in Tennessee. 99.9% Open boating/C1 festival from March 10 - 17. Some details here : http://cboats.net/cforum3/viewtopic.php?t=7967099
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Martin & I are heading south on March 8. We will be in Philadelphia on the Friday & then going to Charlottesville VA for the rest of the week. We are staying with friends & will try to do some West VA & VA rivers for the rest of the week. I am not sure what rivers we will be doing yet, as we have to wait & see what is running. I am limiting us to rivers of class III or III+ unless we are able to walk any class IV rapids.
Our friends in Charlotttsville have a big house & have said that they would accommodate any paddler friends who come along, so if you want to take a break on your trip then you would be welcome.
Also there may be some good paddling around Allentown PA, or Lehigh PA this time of year, so if that is the case, we may stay around Philly for a few days.
Send us an email with your contact info & we will send you ours when I have a bunch of phone numbers & addresses of where we will be.
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I'm heading to Ain't louie fest in Tennessee. from march 8th to 17th.
but, it's realy an open boat thing.
i think it is sad that that segregation exists still.
I went 4 times in TN in the last year and it was to paddle with kayaks.
the 2 communities get along more than in the past, but that week is a open boating celebration.
although, they might tolerate kayaks.
Jer, I could lend you an open boat! what do you think?
in April, I know some kayakers that want to paddle north carolina/ tennessee, etc...
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Costa Rica , will be the best paddle place ,hands down, http://www.whitewater.ca/esprit_mexico_adventures.html
Ive been a few times , esprit runs trips ,http://www.whitewater.ca/esprit_mexico_adventures.html
Turriallba is the town to be in for paddlers.
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Costa Rica with esprit rafting was awesome. Can't wait to go back next year.
But... They left Costa Rica last week...
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Paddled both CR and Ecuador and nothing beats Ecuador :)
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I'm heading to Ain't louie fest in Tennessee. from march 8th to 17th.
Are you going alone? If you are, I might be interested to tag along and share the costs, if you have the room and you don't mind of course and IF my job permits. I'd be willing to camp, bring minimal stuff and a fairly small canoe (Esquif Taureau). Let me know as soon as possible though. Cheers.
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Martin & I are heading south on March 8. We will be in Philadelphia on the Friday & then going to Charlottesville VA for the rest of the week. We are staying with friends & will try to do some West VA & VA rivers for the rest of the week. I am not sure what rivers we will be doing yet, as we have to wait & see what is running. I am limiting us to rivers of class III or III+ unless we are able to walk any class IV rapids.
Our friends in Charlotttsville have a big house & have said that they would accommodate any paddler friends who come along, so if you want to take a break on your trip then you would be welcome.
Also there may be some good paddling around Allentown PA, or Lehigh PA this time of year, so if that is the case, we may stay around Philly for a few days.
Send us an email with your contact info & we will send you ours when I have a bunch of phone numbers & addresses of where we will be.
I know a couple Demshitz guys down in PA who could fill me in on class 3-4 runs and when they usually run.... Geez, I kind want to get a week off work now. ;)
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Hey Jer,
I have paddled in Costa Rica and taken three road trips to the South east. My last trip to the South was the best (paddling) and the worst (too much overall driving).
A package trip is like an "all inclusive." It has certainty. Somebody else worries about all the logistics. But it's not customized for your goals and desires. You are singing someone else's tune. Here is the itinerary and you follow the itinerary. In Costa Rica my feeling was that safety was first and foremost, which is fine. But it took a bit of the edge off. I only felt challenged on one river day in 6. If you want to do your own thing and call your own shots, you might feel constrained with a tour company. It's also more costly to pay airfare, plus package trip. On the other hand there aren't really words to express the emotions that can arise when you are approaching a rapid for the first time that has taken its share of boaters over the years and has become somewhat storied (Five Falls on the Chattooga). There is no guide. Just you and your crew. None of you have been on the river. No one is there to describe the line or help you if you get into trouble. You truly are "on your own." You figure it out as you go along.
I think I found the perfect combo last spring. Two days of advanced creeking with a pro, and the rest of the week free to explore where I wanted. So I knew where I was paddling for two days. The rest was to be decided as we went.
If you are driving to the S/E and you want to combine awesome river options with some awesome instruction, then you can't do better than meeting up with Leland Davis (he started the Green River Race, is a great paddler, guide book author and storyteller) who runs creeking clinics with his partner Andria on the Watauga (boulder garden, boofing heaven, plus Hydro and Stateline Falls to get your adrenaline really pumping) river in North Carolina. The clinic was like paddling with a buddy. He explains the rapid, he sets up safety as necessary on the Class IV+, but you make your own call about what you run. First day I ran Stateline. Second day I was exhausted and shouldered my boat. Each day was six solid hours on the river. After a long winter out of my boat, it was a great way to tune up and set us for the rest of our week of river exploration. Our confidence boat scouting our way down stuff went up a notch. If you can get on one, I highly recommend!
Henderson North Carolina is a college town nearby the Watauga and has a great vibe and lots of places to stay/eat. Even if you are solo, you might be able to jump into a clinic he's already got on the go and looking to add one or two more paddlers.
Here is the link to contact Leland Davis: http://www.brushymountainpublishing.com/rivergypsies/index.html
The worst part of the trip was chasing rain and water levels. It meant way more hours in the car then I wanted on a paddling holiday. After the clinic was finished we were booked a cabin in Tennessee on the edge of the Smoky Mountain National Park. We only paddled one day on the Little in the Park - every other day was in the car driving a lot of hours. But that's weather.
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Thanks Rob, that sounds really great! I don't know that I'm a consistent 4+ paddler, though Ive definatly dabbled in them lol. My biggest concern (hence asking if anyone else was interested) is the solo thing. Obviously I'd never paddle solo (other than the ottawa in summer lol) so driving all the way down there, and maybe only paddling 2 days of clinic in a week, because there was no one to hook up with would suck! Truthfully I started looking at this way too late in the year lol, but thats the breaks. I will check out the site you gave me though, and we'll see whats up.
JN, c'mon, take a week, whats one little week in the year, there's 51 others :P
jer
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Ran out of holidays till april but if my boss is in a great mood she might let me take leave a month in advance :) i could always buy a creeker down there too :) also awaiting a big tax return in the next few days if all goes well ;) we shall see
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I'll cross my fingers for ya, when do you think you'll know by?
later
jer
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Jer,
A correction to my previous post. The town that I should have said was near to the Watauga is Boone North Carolina, not Henderson. I wouldn't suggest that you paddle solo. My suggestion is that if you can't find someone to go down with and you go down on your own, there will be paddlers down there who will temporarily adopt you, happy to show off there home river to the Canadian and trade stories and share in some camaraderie.
If you were to take the chance and go solo, I think you will find that locals are pretty welcoming and happy to have another boater in the group. This was my plan initially last year. When Adrian found out what I was doing he signed up later. I was sure I would meet up with other boaters. Think about it - spring, warm weather, consistent quality whitewater - boaters will be around. Worst case, if you have to look, after you finish on the Watauga, drive to the NOC and hang out at the river shop and you will meet paddlers guaranteed.
The local hospitality and welcome Adrian and I received from area boaters was always awesome. When we were on the New in WV, the Chattooga in SC and the Tallulah GA and chatted with boaters and said it was our first time on the river, without hesitation boaters offered to have us join their group.
When we got to the Tallulah for example, we just went straight to the put-in. We didn't have shuttle. We didn't even know where the take out was. We just decided to "wing it" and figure it out when we got there, hitch a ride up or whatever.
On the river we chatted with locals while scouting and some regulars decided to keep an eye on us as we paddled down. Then, at the take out, local boater from Atlanta in a kayaking club down there, took us, our boats and our gear all back to the put-in.
If you don't have fixed expectations and leave yourself open to the possibilities as they present, it can all be part of the adventure. It's a bit counter to how we live our highly programmed habitual daily lives (which is refreshing and unsettling). Just don't let a week like that go by without making the most of it.
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Jeremy,
I am trying to figure out what Martin & I will be doing on our trip & it looks like we will be on the "New River" from Saturday the 9 th or Sunday the 10 th to Tuesday the 12 th, so if you are on your way down to NC or whatever you are welcome to join us.
We will be camping, I am not sure where, but am seeing sites like www.canoeingthenew.com which are open in March.
If anyone has any suggestions for good camping places, or has any comments or tips about the New River then please let us know.
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Oh No!
The Wyszard of O is going south! Don't end up in Kansas, everything is in black-and-white there! And Dorothy's getting old too...
I should go back to work...
--C.
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cute ...............
better than lyszard
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Jeremy Poulin , Im in for the creeking trip whit you, I can do class 4+ / and easy class 5 ... If you are doing the creeking course whit the PRO , I Want it too
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OK, check your FB
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Hey Jer
I have done both types of trips and I think they both have their advantages...
Small world adventures in Ecuador made me push my limits and also offered 2types of trips on some days so you could paddle at your level plus you could hike out if need be. I don't know if all co. Have those options. I loved that they organized all the logistics and I just had to show up and paddle...hey but maybe you aren't a princess...
Have fun!!
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Jeremy,
I am trying to figure out what Martin & I will be doing on our trip & it looks like we will be on the "New River" from Saturday the 9 th or Sunday the 10 th to Tuesday the 12 th, so if you are on your way down to NC or whatever you are welcome to join us.
We will be camping, I am not sure where, but am seeing sites like www.canoeingthenew.com which are open in March.
If anyone has any suggestions for good camping places, or has any comments or tips about the New River then please let us know.
The New is a nice river. Not sure on the timing / levels / releases but the Yough (Youghiogheny River) would be worth checking out on the way down, as would the Middle / Lower Gauley.
Make sure your car's breaks are in good condition, the New River Gorge is steep and long. The shuttle is also very long.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwuwnaZvZ9s
NEW RIVER DRIES <3 <3 <3 Dreammmmyyyyyyy ::) ;D
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Thanks Rob!
That was a much needed push in the right direction! I've booked a clinic with Leland for myself and Bastian. If anyone wants in, it will be on Mon and Tues on the Watuaga. I need to know basically right this minute lol
later
jer
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Awesome!!! Bet you are pumped now. It's off-season rates for accommodation. You should be able to find a place that includes breakfast and has hot tub for soaking in once you get back from the river for around $50 each per night. Nice thing with the breakfast bars at those hotels is you grab some stuff for your dry bags for lunch too. Check rates on Expedia then call the hotel directly and ask them for their best rate.
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Hotels in Boone? I haven't checked, but it seemed small to me, I don't know why lol
jer