Tuesday, May 18, 2010

California of the Southeast

So we have been blessed here in the Southeast of the United States of America by all of the rain that we have gotten this spring. I was lucky enough to catch the elusive Toxaway river again this year. The crew hiking up to run the Put-In rapid.
Photo By Leland Davis
Adam and I at the Put-In slide doing an awesome headcam video that you can watch. This is literally the best put in rapid that I have ever run in my life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hZ8UPOdpmc
Check out the video that Adam posted!
Photo by Leland Davis

Photo By Leland Davis
Myself, Evan Garcia, and Leland Davis. If you havn't checked out Leland and Adreas new book, it is definitely worth the money. It has the best runs in the country and around the continent!
Photo By Adam Bixby
A few months ago there was a deluge of rain and it caused a few massive landslides. Some on the roads (I-40 and the Ocoee road) and some were on the rivers. The Toxaway had a huge rock fall into a rapid called Pungee Stick, we have now renamed the rapid to Mini-Landbridge. This huge rock fell in perfectly flat to make seal launching ideal. Now its like a Magic Carpet Ride. Hey, some people do say that the Toxaway is Disney on crack....
Photo by Leland Davis
Going down!!! With the brown claw out.
Photo By Leland Davis
Energizer Rapid. From the top this rapid looks so good to go, then you look at it from the bottom. Photo by Adam BixbyEvan Garcia BRAPPING Energizer. This rapid is so massive.
Photo by Leland DavisOne of the last rapids of the day, Wintergreen. A sick off vertical 20 footer into a 60 foot fanned out slide.
Photo by Adam Bixby

All in all the whole crew was stoked on the day that we had. This is by far one of my favorite rivers in the southeast, even with the four mile hike out and the multiple portages.

See you on the water!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Liquidlogic Remix Xp Field Test-Rogue River


Hi everyone! I've been out of the blogging world lately due to attending nursing school in Portland,Oregon....BUT before I know it, I'll be on to spring semester. WOO HOO!

Over this summer's break, I snagged a Remix XP 9 for a self-support trip down the Rogue River with Josh Mckeown. He was in the Remix XP 10 and between the two of us, we are proud to say, "We love the Remix XP's!". At first I was skeptical when I got it fully loaded- loaded meaning about 95 pounds for me and 120 for Josh. I wasn't sure how it would do, fully loaded down. BUT if Woody could take it down the Grand, I would be fine! PS for those of you that are shocked at the weight we had in the boats...let me just say that we had everything with us...including the luxuries. I know, I know but when you go down the Rogue, you HAVE to splurge. Take for example our crazy creek chairs and the S'mores. :)
The Remix Xp9 and 10 both have a ridiculously comfortable seating system that allows for maximum modification. If you need lots of hip foam, no problem (I had 7 foam slivers on each side ). If you need a booster pad, no problem. When it comes to loading gear, there are easy to open hatches. There is a LOT of room for food, gear...whatever you need. My boat turned in to the pantry/refrigerator. We put a cooler pack in the back of my boat for the refrigerated goods and loaded dry goods in Josh's boat. I had the tent, sleeping pad and bag at my feet. Stove and cooking goods were stashed right behind my seat. Thank goodness we didn't have anything to portage. It would have broken my back!

Let me just say that we had some wonderful beverages on board....

Coming up on Blossum Bar...
I went on a hike with my orange juice after Mule Creek Canyon...
This is what we did at night...he he he
Glow Poi! :)
Campsites are everywhere!

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Raven Fork Goods (cont)

So we got Raven Fork twice in a row a few weeks ago and Liquid Logic team members girlfriend was awesome enough to hike in for day two and shoot some SICK photos. All photos by Candace Sanders, paddler: Me!
Above- Two years ago I ran this rapid, Big Boy, and successfully broke my nose which then lead to a surgery and a week recovery. This year I came back with vengeance and I was ready for the hit at the bottom. Hes a soft landing though.
The best sequence of photos that I have seen in a long time. Candace rocked these photos, mad props to her! This is the drop at the top of Mike Tysons, dropping into the ring with a rowdy boxer. So sick.

We got Toxaway a few short days later and I will have photos up of that shortly. Check out the video that Gareth Tate made of this marvelous day on the Raven Fork. Make sure to watch it all the way through so you can hear Gabriels beautiful singing. :-)


See you on the water!