Keeping It Local, Bru!

This past weekend was Thanksgiving weekend in the states. A time to give thanks and spend with family and friends. What a great way to start the weekend off with a night of rain. After a long season of driving long hours to rivers it's nice to be home and paddle the local creeks and connect with local crews.

I met up with Kurt Smithgal for a session on Rock Run. The gauge (above) looked great and I was in high hopes of looking at the upper sections of the river, when we arrived to see the levels those hopes where swept away.  A medium low level was still good enough.

Here are a few shots from Rock Run.

Kurt Walking to Yellow Dog Trail Put In, Rock Run

Kurt passing the "put in bridge"

Love it when I get to do another lap on Rock Run. 

Shuttle for the second lap

One of the many fun little slides on Rock Run

The following day Phil Fisher, Rope, Geren Brink and myself decided to paddle the Shrader River, no has been able to get to the put in since Hurrican Lee flooded the area. Knowing we would have a few strainers to navigate we decided to get on and see what the flood did to the river bed. The Shrader is a class 1-3 run.  The damage from the flood is evident with major scars in the river bed, lots of trees have fallen across the river.

Phil Fisher paddling down a new channel

Rope getting back into his boat after a portage

Ahh, the Shrader.

Lunch Break

Rope running a great line on Lamoka Rapid

 We finished the run and hung out for a bit discussing the new river features. I got a dose of motivation and climbed back into my wet gear to run Lamoka Rapid, four times. Knowing that the snow will arrive and kayking will end for me for a few months I couldn;t not get back on the water when the sun was setting. Geren offered to take photo's, Thanks!

Heading up.

Sublime!

Paddling down Lamoka

"You see that under there?"

The following day I headed to the Loyalsock for some park and play, the water now low, it was great to get out, work on some basic skills and enjoy the sun and warm weather. No photo's from that session.