This is a split form the Nobel Prize thread. Don't want to spoil that one with more of this, but this is too good to blow by, so here goes:

Gail R's husband Stew was on the Moose River in the Adirondacks this past weekend. He was in pretty good company.

Paul Mason, Mark Scriver (co-authors of "The Thrill of the Paddle", Eli Helbert (three time WW open-boat rodeo/freestyle world champion) and Alan Greve were his fellow paddlers as he challenged some pretty scary Class IV-V drops in high water conditions. Thanks to a heads up from Al on the CCR site I was able to show up with camera and camcorder to catch a bit of this action for myself.

I found Al at Agers Falls and he introduced me to the group. I then proceeded to annoy them on their way down the river. I spoke briefly to them at the take out below Lyons Falls (Mark, Eli and Paul actually ran the falls, Paul by first climbing up the face of the falls with his boat in tow!) and got a bit of advice from "Team Esquif" on an appropriate beginner's solo boat for me. So I'll be looking at a fully outfitted Vertige when they come into "Mountaiman" In Old Forge this winter...and for waters a wee bit less hairy than the Moose. Here's a post from the other thread from Gail R.:




Gail,

I caught Al Greve at Agers as he was packing it in. He seemed like a real helpful sort and told me how to get to the best spots for photo ops. Then he went off to look for a rifle to shoot the flotation out of a boat that was trapped in Fowlerville Falls.

Too bad I got confused and couldn't find "Crystal". The local kayakers would have loved to see the open boaters there...I guess it's pretty technical and pushy, especially at 5 feet on the gauge. Stewart looked fine when he went through those Class III-IV drops at "High Tension" and if he snuck Crystal...well, you did get him home in one piece, so I think he made a wise choice. They were just finishing at Agers when I got there which is too bad because it presented my best chance for closeups. Next time I'll rent a good telephoto for the day. I did get one real nice shot of Stew at High Tension that you can have. I'll post it here if you want.

Paul said to contact him at his site. It'd be great if one of my shots make it into Rapid!

I no nothing about the St. Regis, but I'm willing to learn. I'd like to see more Canadian caoneists come down and enjoy our waters, both WW and still. New York is making some real strides in getting lots of private land (read here "most remote") open for paddling and it is now possible to make multi-day trips into areas closed to powerboats.

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“We can have great disparities of wealth or we can have democracy. But we cannot have both.” - Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

Its to bad we were to meet such late in the day, given the level of paddlers that were on this outting. We often come together about three times a year through the year long paddling season. Its starts during March Break down in Tennessee, this will normally bring most of use together, warm weather, warm water, and class III/V mountain rivers & creeks will tend to do that. Then its off to Mont Tremblant just north of Montreal in April to run as many rivers or steep creeks as we can do in a week of the spring melt. What can I say.... cold, fast, steep class III/IVplus and V water!!!! For the most part either tripping or instruction keeps us all very busy through the summer, although I often get out for a paddle with either Paul, Mark or Steward, when ever the chance. Then there is Up State NY with rivers like the Moose or Grass and creeks like the Otter or Indepence. How prefect can life get? But whats better we all have paddling families, and seeing these young, bold and very skilled canoeist explore new creeks, rivers or northern lakes makes one very proud!

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Al Greve http://www.canoewateradventuring.ca South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist

Yah... I definatley need to step up my game!

I am going to do my best to make it to Tennessee this spring....

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I like canoes

Tennesse? I wonder? That sure would be cool. I'd be scared though, very scared. Maybe Mexico in the winter to keep tuned up too? I'm dreamin'.

Here's a new video of the kind of paddling I imagine this crew likes, it's not what I do! Did I mention I'd be scared?

Sometimes I do wish we had some small, warm waterfalls etc. to try out here though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJkY_IHPKW8&NR=1

PY.

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Learning to paddle is like learning a language:
It's easy to learn the basics, but will you be understood in a strong wind?

Dooley the open boater in Pats Youtube video was one of those Southern boaters from Tennessee who joined us this past weekend in NY State, as you can see he's no slouch with a single blade. Its pretty cool when you can gather together such paddlers, there was 15 of us but we did have two to kayakers with us ( very good ones), but we won't count them! On the Sunday, four paddlers including Andrew Westwood did the Lower Moose which is up above Fowlers Falls and the Bottom Moose, a little longer trip but without some of the class V rapids. I've ran Fowlers Falls a number of times in the past which is a 45' class V sloping water fall, but at 5 on the gauge it was a little past my comfort zone. that day, so some of us found a sneak. We did have a boat that found it way into a very nasty hole at the bottom of Fowlers, one that I didn't want any part of!!!! We waiting sometime for the boat to come out, but given the floatation it just stayed on top and was not coming out. Given this hole was in the center of the falls we could not reach the boat. So at the end of the day..... ( I was already on my way home ) they managed to find someone with a gun...... given we were in the US that wasn't hard to find! They shot the boat so as to let the air out so the boat would get drawn down by the hydraulics and come out....it worked!!!!

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Al Greve http://www.canoewateradventuring.ca South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist

Dan don't sat that....... I have a slalom course set up down here 5min. from home. Aliesha has been working very hard as she's know paddling C1. she's paddling 4 or 5 days a week! Not bad for a 13 year old?

For fun I thought I would race Aliesha today by the clock, her in her Lizard and me in a Taureau, SHE BEAT ME BY 10 SECONDS!!!!!!! and she was clean, I won't tell you how many touches I had!!!!

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Al Greve http://www.canoewateradventuring.ca South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist

Dan don't say that....... we have a slalom course set up down here 5min. from home. Aliesha has been working very hard as she's know paddling C1. she's paddling 4 or 5 days a week! Not bad for a 13 year old?

For fun I thought I would race Aliesha today by the clock, her in her Lizard and me in a Taureau, SHE BEAT ME BY 10 SECONDS!!!!!!! and she was clean, I won't tell you how many touches I had!!!!

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Al Greve http://www.canoewateradventuring.ca South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist

Sounds like an act of "canoethanasia" to me.

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“We can have great disparities of wealth or we can have democracy. But we cannot have both.” - Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

Hiya BK....yes, please I would like a copy
I hope to get to some of the more tame creeks in NY next spring. It sure is a beautiful state. St Regis is apparently a continuous class 3-4 run..........
I'd be interested in new flatwater trips as well.


Now big P....... they had a German bloke over last spring.....lots of boats to borrow....just hop on a plane I am hoping to get down with the girls; I've been told Stew is going

Al, whenever you get an idea give us a holler, probably after Christmas is a good target for planning

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http://campfireblues.wetpaint.com/
home of the opinionated old farts!

Don't say what?


That I need to step up my game or that I am gonna go to tennesse this spring?

As for beating you in a slalom race..... well........

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I like canoes

BK, Post photos!!

_________________
Learning to paddle is like learning a language:
It's easy to learn the basics, but will you be understood in a strong wind?

OK, you've all been patient enough...


Agers Falls





I first pick up the group late in the day as they gather below Agers Falls.





Alan Greve gives me the lowdown on how to get to the best spots.





Mark Scriver takes out above the falls at High Tension to scout.





The first paddlers over the falls give the go ahead to the rest of the group.





Mark gets ready to take another plunge at High Tension.





Gail R.'s hubby Steward poises above the same drop.





Paul Mason sets up.





Eli Helbert makes it look easy.





Eli braces in the froth.





Paul drops into the next hole while Stew waits above.





Stew shows fine form as he follows Paul.





Another shot of Stew.





Mark Scriver descends Lyons Falls in a hurry.





Paul Mason scales Lyons Falls with his boat in order to go down a 15' vertical drop.





Paul starts his descent.





It's almost over before I can get off another shot.





Eli runs Lyons falls. He's so relaxed he almost looks bored.

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“We can have great disparities of wealth or we can have democracy. But we cannot have both.” - Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

BK....nice shots....if I were to guess, I'd say the shot of Paul scaling the clif and Eli dropping through the second part of Lyon's are the best bets...but they are all decent shots.

So Siren, that's my Captain......Taurus, he had a helmet to match one time, but I left it on a portage.....
hey I got my own boat to captain this fall,(apparently Aries, it's all about me so I'll just go with it ) my first mate ain't too sure, she's one of these sceptical She's a Tiger, earth , virgo.....I'm a Monkey, fire, Aries.....
any trouble it our boat in the future.......? I can hear Siren now.....what do I look like Honey....a booth with tarrots?

evil grin....trashing up Mr. Science BK's thread........... you didn't think I'd leave "since it's my thread " lie.........

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http://campfireblues.wetpaint.com/
home of the opinionated old farts!

those aren't canoeists-
they're Rock Hoppers!

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We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.
Goethe

If anyone noticed the hat that I'm wearing.....its a Canadian Canoe Museum cap, I don't leave home without it!!! And only take it for for one reason???

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Al Greve http://www.canoewateradventuring.ca South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist