Monday, June 13, 2005
Old Man River
For the first part of the Nantahala River saga: Here is what you seek
So after lunch and the nasty beer, Bud Select, it was back into the river. As we were hopping into our boat, a bunch of kids, roughly 40 or so, in blue boats from another rafting company were floating by. Luckily we were only next to them for a little bit. I believe they were no more than 10th graders, so that puts them right smack dab in the middle of stupid.
Got by those freaks and it was a nice trip the rest of the way. But the best was yet to come. The last rapid of the Nantahala River is a Class III-V rapid with a nice hole or hydraulic at the bottom. And there is a take-out right before it so you can hop outta your boat and go check it out, see what line you're gonna take, or just flake out and walk the rest of the way and tell them to go pick your boat up over there (Pansies).
So our boat stopped and hopped out. There were a bunch of kids, 8-12 yrs. old, kayaking with their dad or guardian and they were snacking on some juicy looking watermelon. But I was impressed that kids that young can safely and successfully paddle a kayak. These days I'm impressed when kids that young go outside and play, but back to the story. They offered us some watermelon as we were leaving, it had fallen on the ground, I'm no sucker. But as we were standing at the overlook, we had the opportunity to see a few other boats take the last rapid.
Now with a raft as big as ours were, larger than a kayak or canoe, it's fairly difficult to get into trouble. So the last rapid is a much more serious endeavor for kayakers, who could actually get sucked into that hole at the bottom. But for the big rafts, it's relatively safe. But there is still some danger associated with it.
The first raft took it gracefully and with no major foul-ups. The next raft however did not. They were all over the place coming into the last rapid and actually got stuck on a rock several meters upstream from the hole. Once they finally unstuck themselves they dove into the rapids. Generally there is a guide that sits on the back of the raft who steers and barks orders. The "guide" on this boat was apparently not prepared for the last drop. As his boat went down, his feet went up in the air and he toppled head over heels out the back of the boat. He did have a life jacket on but no helmet. He popped up downstream and his boat picked him up before the take out. Phew, no body bags on this field trip.
So we went back down to our boat, took the rapid just right, and finished the day on an excellent rapid. Then I tried to be sneaky and keep the boat to the left so that it would be closer to the take-out. Doh. Lots of rocks and we got stuck a few times and finally made it down to the take out which they had lined with rocks to form a nice pocket of tranquil water. Unfortunately, we hit these rocks and spun out into the river. I had the foresight to yell Backwards! and we made it out safely but a real guide with a throw rope was there just in case. Apparently there is a waterfall or some sort of Class VI aka Assured Death rapid just past the take-out so it is imperative that all us newbies get out of the water there.
Then we changed clothes, saw our pictures on the last rapid, just like at [insert local amusement park name here] on the roller coaster or log ride.
Then we stopped at a local BBQ place once we got "into town". Franklin, NC, bustling metropolis, but they did have a large room that could seat 60, so that's were we ate. And the best part, well 2nd best part, was they don't split up checks for parties of 20 or more, so one chaperone got stuck with the bill and another went around to all of us and collected money. I don't even want to know how off we were, but the total bill was around $600. I paid $9 for 6 ribs. Damn tasty but not $1.50/rib tasty.
The best part was that they don't serve alcohol and a Russian faculty member wanted to relax after a hard day, so we went over to Ingles, grocery store, and bought a sixer of Highland Glen Oatmeal Porter, microbrew out of Asheville, NC great beer, and another of Smirnoff Apple for the girls who didn't drink beer. Then we proceeded to crack them open on the bench out front of the BBQ joint. It took about 15 people walking by for someone to finally say "Isn't that illegal?" to which I said "Probably." Then to our group I said, it isn't illegal if there are no cops around, which is the attitude one needs to take when you live on the ragged edge of the law like me. Hahahaha! But I of course was keeping an eye out for the man the entire time we were outside because while it was a strip mall and private property, I sure didn't want to test that flimsy theory, but alas no Franklin PD showed up and we got away with it scott free.
I was feeling a little sleepy on the way home so I made the poor choice of getting a Brand X energy drink. I generally stick with Sugar Free Red Bull
because it has 10 calories and tastes EXACTLY like Sugar Filled Red Bull. But the Ruskie paid for it along with the beer at Ingles, and they didn't have Red Bull, so I bought Sobe's big energy drink. No Fear
Well I'm afraid now. I literally couldn't close my eyes. But I was in no fear of falling asleep so maybe that's the fear they're referring to.
Yeesh, but we made it home safe and sound. And we're planning a trip on the Chattooga River this summer, which is a much more serious river especially when the river is high. But you are all welcome to come. It's about an hour from here, it's near the GA/SC/NC border.
So after lunch and the nasty beer, Bud Select, it was back into the river. As we were hopping into our boat, a bunch of kids, roughly 40 or so, in blue boats from another rafting company were floating by. Luckily we were only next to them for a little bit. I believe they were no more than 10th graders, so that puts them right smack dab in the middle of stupid.
Got by those freaks and it was a nice trip the rest of the way. But the best was yet to come. The last rapid of the Nantahala River is a Class III-V rapid with a nice hole or hydraulic at the bottom. And there is a take-out right before it so you can hop outta your boat and go check it out, see what line you're gonna take, or just flake out and walk the rest of the way and tell them to go pick your boat up over there (Pansies).
So our boat stopped and hopped out. There were a bunch of kids, 8-12 yrs. old, kayaking with their dad or guardian and they were snacking on some juicy looking watermelon. But I was impressed that kids that young can safely and successfully paddle a kayak. These days I'm impressed when kids that young go outside and play, but back to the story. They offered us some watermelon as we were leaving, it had fallen on the ground, I'm no sucker. But as we were standing at the overlook, we had the opportunity to see a few other boats take the last rapid.
Now with a raft as big as ours were, larger than a kayak or canoe, it's fairly difficult to get into trouble. So the last rapid is a much more serious endeavor for kayakers, who could actually get sucked into that hole at the bottom. But for the big rafts, it's relatively safe. But there is still some danger associated with it.
The first raft took it gracefully and with no major foul-ups. The next raft however did not. They were all over the place coming into the last rapid and actually got stuck on a rock several meters upstream from the hole. Once they finally unstuck themselves they dove into the rapids. Generally there is a guide that sits on the back of the raft who steers and barks orders. The "guide" on this boat was apparently not prepared for the last drop. As his boat went down, his feet went up in the air and he toppled head over heels out the back of the boat. He did have a life jacket on but no helmet. He popped up downstream and his boat picked him up before the take out. Phew, no body bags on this field trip.
So we went back down to our boat, took the rapid just right, and finished the day on an excellent rapid. Then I tried to be sneaky and keep the boat to the left so that it would be closer to the take-out. Doh. Lots of rocks and we got stuck a few times and finally made it down to the take out which they had lined with rocks to form a nice pocket of tranquil water. Unfortunately, we hit these rocks and spun out into the river. I had the foresight to yell Backwards! and we made it out safely but a real guide with a throw rope was there just in case. Apparently there is a waterfall or some sort of Class VI aka Assured Death rapid just past the take-out so it is imperative that all us newbies get out of the water there.
Then we changed clothes, saw our pictures on the last rapid, just like at [insert local amusement park name here] on the roller coaster or log ride.
Then we stopped at a local BBQ place once we got "into town". Franklin, NC, bustling metropolis, but they did have a large room that could seat 60, so that's were we ate. And the best part, well 2nd best part, was they don't split up checks for parties of 20 or more, so one chaperone got stuck with the bill and another went around to all of us and collected money. I don't even want to know how off we were, but the total bill was around $600. I paid $9 for 6 ribs. Damn tasty but not $1.50/rib tasty.
The best part was that they don't serve alcohol and a Russian faculty member wanted to relax after a hard day, so we went over to Ingles, grocery store, and bought a sixer of Highland Glen Oatmeal Porter, microbrew out of Asheville, NC great beer, and another of Smirnoff Apple for the girls who didn't drink beer. Then we proceeded to crack them open on the bench out front of the BBQ joint. It took about 15 people walking by for someone to finally say "Isn't that illegal?" to which I said "Probably." Then to our group I said, it isn't illegal if there are no cops around, which is the attitude one needs to take when you live on the ragged edge of the law like me. Hahahaha! But I of course was keeping an eye out for the man the entire time we were outside because while it was a strip mall and private property, I sure didn't want to test that flimsy theory, but alas no Franklin PD showed up and we got away with it scott free.
I was feeling a little sleepy on the way home so I made the poor choice of getting a Brand X energy drink. I generally stick with Sugar Free Red Bull
because it has 10 calories and tastes EXACTLY like Sugar Filled Red Bull. But the Ruskie paid for it along with the beer at Ingles, and they didn't have Red Bull, so I bought Sobe's big energy drink. No Fear
Well I'm afraid now. I literally couldn't close my eyes. But I was in no fear of falling asleep so maybe that's the fear they're referring to.
Yeesh, but we made it home safe and sound. And we're planning a trip on the Chattooga River this summer, which is a much more serious river especially when the river is high. But you are all welcome to come. It's about an hour from here, it's near the GA/SC/NC border.
# posted by Seth @ 6:24 AM 
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