Ramblin' On...

Close out September at the Green and Open October at the Green

The weekend started with a Friday afterwork Green run. The first two shots are of Johnny Calhoun from Friday evening. Saturday morning we met up with Layla, Billy Murphy and Chris Roberts for an awesome first run. Layla, Johnny and I did an equally awesome second run. The air was cool but the water still felt warm. It was a wonderful early fall day. If you looked up you would see leaves falling through the air, if you looked down you would see leaves falling thru the water.

Friday evening Mike Toth, Mike Nail and group were also getting in an afterwork run. Toth caught up to us at Sunshine and told us Nail had broken his kayak in half getting a big air seal launch below Gorilla and was hiking out. He was going to retrieve his kayak later. Tough break.
Saturday:

Johnny Calhoun

Crankee

Murphy

Layla

Billy in the Groove Tube

On our second run we caught up to a group where a few of the guys were running Gorilla. One had a high brace at the Notch that resulted in a dislocated shoulder. It was a sad reminder of a bad day for me. His buddies managed to get his shoulder back in place so hopefully his hike out was not too painful.
For me it was a reminder that the Green is a lot more than just another paddle down a beautiful gorge. A mistake or poor judgement can have some very serious repercussions in the Narrows.

Amos' Epics

Monday Vacation and onto Wilson Creek for a solo and jog. Loving this early fall weather!

I made it to the creek by 9:45 and the water line was right on 0". It was a good level and I wished I had taken my play boat but I didn't even think about it when getting my stuff together. Since I only planned to do one solo run and jog the shuttle, I took it slow, surfed a little and did some exploring. I found a very cool little cave. The pictures do not do it justice, there was some room in there, no I did not climb inside but it could easily be done.

The cave

A beautiful rainy autumn day.

Later I took Noel to her Kayak mentor session at the Linville access at Lake James.

Amos' Epics

9/25 High Water Sunday. First a hike in solo run on Upper Creek then Wilson Creek at a healthy 10"

I woke up early and checked some rain gages. I was happily surprised at how much it had rained in all the right places. I got packed up and was at the Wilson Creek gage by 8:40. The Watagua was over 5,000 cfs. Wilson Creek was over 2'. I headed to Upper Creek.

At Upper Creek I used the bridge as a gage as shown in the picture below; there was water.

Roadside attraction has really changed.

The trail gets tight in a few spots. This is one run you have to pay to play. Since I was solo and had plenty of time, I carried as far up as I could before the trail moves steeply away from the creek. I had only run it from this high up the creek 2 or 3 times before. This is a sweet section that moves away from the creek but you can actually see some of the rapids through the woods from the trail. It adds about 3 or 4 very nice drops from where I used to put in and at least a half mile more of river. One day I would like to start from Greentown, hiking around the big gorge.

Scary looking rapid. It went from a class 4 to a 5+ with sieves. Click on the pics to enlarge...

One of the nice drops on the Upper, a fun boof

One very beautiful little gorge

Another very fun drop on the Upper.

Wilson Creek gage at 3:15. I went back at around 6:00 and got a run at about 9" or 10".

Amos' Epics

Paddling days, 3 runs at +7" to +5" on Wilson Creek on Tuesday and then the Green later in the week

There has finally been some rain and I even got to run Wilson Creek this month. I managed a Tuesday afterwork outing the day after Labor Day. It was +7" first run and I estimate +5" on the third run. We finished in the dark and the lower hike out was tough but the wave was sweet in the moonlight. Unfortunately no pics that evening.

I did bring the camera for this Green run on 9/24. We had a little extra flow, it was about 7.5". Christine fired up Gorilla in the Green Boat. She had a good run at Go Left too.

Unfortunately I was told on Monday that Christine dislocated her shoulder and broke her arm while running Gorilla on her second run. I hope her a speedy recovery. She is super tough and I am sure she will be back soon.

Johnny Calhoun getting the boof on

Amos' Epics

9/17/11 Saturday Afternoon Shuttle Bike Ride

Table Rock in the coulds

Obie, Dixie Marie and Amy came over from Asheville to ride. We did Raspberry, Ripshin and Little Fork right down to God's Country. The temperature was perfect. Not too hot and not cold.

On my drive back down the mountain I stopped at the Brown Mtn overlook.

I had been getting in some afterwork Kitsuma rides but this was my first Wilson Creek ride in a few weeks.

9/10 & 9/11 at Gauley River WV, 1st scheduled release weekend of the year: Always a BLAST! One of my favorite runs. A special place for so many reasons

I paddled the Amp.

I paddled with Johnny Calhoun, Stritty, Patric, and some new friends from Asheville.

We even got over to check out the cliffs at the Wildlife Rd / Summersville Lake. Incredible place.

I drove up Friday and camped the first nite in the New River Gorge at a spot off of Fayette Station Rd, Fayetteville side under the New River Gorge bridge. I had it all to myself and it was a beautiful nite. Saturday nite I pitched my bivey at the dam. It was crowded but OK but probably not so much for the guy that got the ticket. I think I'll find somewhere else to stay next time.