After a Gauley Season of too much work, and not enough boating, I was stoked to get back to one of my favorite, and one of the most beautiful rivers anywhere...the Russell Fork. I love this run, and the scene is one of the best on the whitewater circuit....super friendly locals, and lots of familiar faces.
While I usually race my longboat for the race, my WS Momentum was stolen out of my yard this summer, so I decided to try and beat Tyler Fox's short boat record (in a Bliss-Stick MAC) in my trusty Mystic. I'm stoked that I succeeded in beating it by 2 seconds, but ended up second in the unoffical short boat category as my buddy Adam Johnson laid down a blistering time to set the new record in under 12 mins. Well done AJ!!
After a practice and race runs on Sat, I shredded with my girlfriend Eileen, and did a session on the take out wave in the afternoon. Here's a few pics..
Next up: lots of playboating on the New and Gauley and creek season begins!!! 'Till next time.
Hey this is Stephen Forster checking in. I am currently getting ready for my 5-month trip to Chile. The past few weeks I lead a trip down the Moose River in New York, and Fall Creek in Massachusetts. Both easy class 4+ creeks with some really fun lines. During November and December the Airborn Athletics team will be heading down to Chile to run some big drops and take footage for a new and upcoming video. This movie, so far, has two sections planned out, a spring Canada section and a Chile section. Hopefully there will be some Colorado footage in there to. Here are some pictures from the Moose River and Fall Creek.
We are pleased to let Bliss-Stick paddlers know that we have replaced the old style cast metal buckles that we used on our backbands, to a new specificly designed Stainless Slider buckle, that will now make our backband buckle adjustment solid and secure enough to handle the extremes of modern whitewater kayaking.
I don't think that the Moose Festival is what it use to be, but nonetheless it is still a good time. We met lots of great people, exposed people to Bliss-Stick kayaks, sold a few demos and hopefully made some lifelong friends. Really, what else could you ask for?
The whitewater and friends is what will keep you coming back. And for me, I will have to trek up there again to redeem myself. I managed to get the flu somewhere beween NC and NY. Even with the flu, it is a good time. There are enough adult beverages there to kill any kind of virus and they were to be had at Slickers!
For the others however, the weather cooperated and provided two days of sunshine, which I heard was a rarity during this festival. Here are a some pictures and video of the weekend. Good times had by all!
Serenading the sun... Chuck Gardner
Chuck Gardner, Alex Barham, Dan Burke, Jason LaSelva, Michael Briere, Pete May
Just past the crux on Fowlersville Falls...
Dan Burke
Jason LaSelva
Ager Falls...
Jason, Chuck, Dan
Alex
Pete
Dan
Pete and Alex
Jason
Run out below Ager Falls...
Center line @ Magilla
Stuck in cave at bottom of center line @ Magilla... She kept composure managed to fight her way out.
We had a great turnout for the demo in Watertown last Friday. We had planned for it to be at the Rte. 3 Wave, but due to water levels, we moved it downstream to Hole Brothers. Either way, it was successful!
We had about 12 participants show up to demo our boats, including team members Jason LaSelva and Dan Burke. As well, the local newspaper and television crew came out to support the cause and show awareness to this great resource that they have right there in town.
Here are a few pictures that we snapped while enjoying the river and the abundant sunshine.
Ahh the Toxaway. I suppose best described by many as the California of the East Coast, but really it can just be described as epic. Its chocked full of huge slides, a few mighty big portages, and with all the recent rain, a touch of new wood and boulders (that’s right, boulders)
Anywho, Fergus Coffey and myself arrived to the guage early in the morn to find the river on the high side of good, but luckily the rest of our crew wouldn’t arrive until later that day so the river had plenty of time to drop down a little bit more. So in order to get ourselves really fired up to run the eluslivly flowing Toxaway we went to a coffee shop and waited.
So, finally, the rest of the crew made it over from Asheville. Fergus and I were accompined by Daniel Stewart, Chris Gragtmans, and Geoff Calhoun. The river had dropped in to a hefty and more acceptable 0 inches and we headed on to the put-in for a late put in.
The put-in is even sweet. You walk right up a hill and drop into the first big slide of the day. SICK. Goeff and I were in there for our first time so we were quite excited and didn’t really know what we were in for, but pretty much just a nervous feeling and slight look of , well, nervousness above the bigger drops and then at the bottom you are stuck with a ridiculous wide green of sheer euphoria. The river is great. We encountered new rock/tree jam in Minigizer and walked it, but apparently a few folks seal launched in off it the next day and were just running the last part of the drop. We also were greeted to a new landslide at the bottom of land bridge, which would appear to be runnable at lower flows as long as you make the eddy with out running into said landslide.
Then after quite a big mission of stout rapids and two fairly big portages we finally made it to the take out just as the day was drawing to a close and we began our hike out. Armed with a few head lamps and much talk about the infamous “turn” we started off. We finished off the hike in the dark and no one missed the turn as it has been done before and resulted in an unexpected night out in the woods. I wisely hiked with Daniel Stewart knowing he wouldn’t make that mistake again. I’d just like to say a big thanks to Chris Gratmans for showing us Toxaway n00bs down. What a great day!
This Friday, October 16th, Bliss-Stick USA will be hosting a demo of all our models at Rt 3 wave on the Black River in Watertown, New York (Level Pending).
Team members Dan Burke and Jason LaSelva will also be at the demo. Dan in his C-1 Smoothy and Jason in his K-1 Smoothy. Come out and see these two demonstrate their skills and help answer any questions that you may have.
Locals describe the Rt 3 Wave as a spot wave lovers may never want leave. The wave is a fast and friendly feature with glassy shoulders. The versatile Rt 3 wave is a place that athletes and beginners alike can practice and play while they master their skills.
If the levels do not cooperate for Rte 3 wave, we will have it at one of the other features that the Black River offers in Watertown. We will keep you updated on the demo site.
After the demo in Watertown, we will pack up and be attending the Moose River Festival the rest of the weekend, October 16-18, 2009. The festival is held in the Adirondack community of Old Forge, New York.
The Moose River Festival is an opportunity for paddlers of all skill levels to get together and paddle some of New York's premiere whitewater. It also involves vendors, boating companies, music, food and beer!!!
If you don't make it to the Bliss-Stick demo, make sure to stop by our booth, check out our boats and introduce yourself to team members Jason LaSelva and Dan Burke. Our local New York agent, Jake Gosnell, will be there as well to answer any questions you may have.
This past weekend, October 3, 2009, marked the 4th Annual Whitewater Festival at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C. This event turned out to be festive, fun and a good time had by all that attended. With a U.S. Open Slalom race and a Dagger head to head race in the competition channel and a World Kayak Home Town Throw Down, organized by WK Ambassador's Samantha and Jason Miller, in the opposite channel, the park was full of whitewater activities.
All events were well attended with athletes, participants, volunteers, and onlookers. Lots of big names came to throw down with other accomplished play boaters during the K1/C1 Men's competition at the highlight play wave, M-Wave. Brian Kirk (Wave Sport), and Corey Volt (Dagger) were throwing big moves with our very own U.S. Team member, Sam Fullbright (Bliss-Stick Designs). However, Fergus Coffey and Will Rudisill were throwing moves that even the pro's would be envious of!! With Justin Benton sounding off commentary with sideline support from Dagger/Teva Team member, Pat Keller, it was action packed fun.
Later in the day, K1B Men and Women's competition was held at second drop in the instructional channel. Another extremely fun, non-competitive competition with representation from USNWC instructors, regular park attendees and park guest. Some great prizes were available and names drawn out of a helmet for all that participated in the World Kayak event. Prizes included several pieces of Nookie technical gear and cottonmouth nose plugs from the featured sponsor, WakaWai. Results for all competitions can be found here.
The Bliss-Stick Smoothy, Super Rad 180 and the Specialist were represented remarkably well. Plus, paddlers of all kind were taking every opportunity to demo the fleet of Bliss-Stick Design kayaks offered by Bliss-stick US/WakaWai. If all of that wasn't enough to keep you entertained, there were also STRIDE stand up paddle boards to demo, music, food and beer!!
Thanks to all of the folks that worked hard and volunteered there time to make this event possible and successful! We look forward to seeing you again at another USNWC or World Kayak event. If you didn't make it this time, then make sure you find yourself at the next one!
The Super RAD 180 is by far the most fun playboat i have paddled. It felt right, from the moment I sat down in one. Once I finally got it on a wave and a hole it did not let me down. The edges are super clean due to the excellent volume distribution, loose and fast. Whether I was cart-wheeling, looping or throwing aerial tricks, it responded exactly the way I wanted it to. It is hard to find a boat that is fast, loose and still super stable but the Super RAD 180 is all of that and more. I have paddled many playboats that are easy to control but very slow or super fast but very edgy and hard to control. The Super RAD 180 is a perfect blend of speed, control, looseness and...well, awesomeness.
I am 6 feet tall and weigh 185 and it can be difficult sometimes to find a boat with the right specs to fit me (tall but thin). They are either a little too small and stern heavy ( b/c i have to move the seat back so my feet don't fall off) or way to big making it hard to throw ends. The Super RAD 180 fits like a glove and I was actually able to teach a 1.5 hour lesson with out being uncomfortable for minute.
One of my favorite features on the Super RAD 180 are the thigh braces. They hook around your thigh rather than just sitting on top of your legs. This makes the boat more responsive when edging your boat for tricks and keeps them from getting tired b/c you dont' have to lift your legs so high to get them to respond.
All in all, the Bliss-Stick Super RAD 180 is my favorite playboat. I have paddled many playboats, new and old and everytime I get in one, I compare it to the Super RAD...and it never compares. Plain and simple...I LOVE THIS BOAT!
We just got the fourth container on the water in New Zealand and is headed to Asheville as we speak. It will arrive in port around the 26th of October and should be here in Asheville a day or two later. The container is full of Mystic's, Smoothy's, RAD's, Mini Mystic's and SCUD's. Some pretty sweet colors to choose from as well!
This lifestyle is about the search. Waking up every morning with eager anticipation of what the next day, the next river will bring. Realizing where motivations can take you, its about the people you meet, the places you go and in every sense yearning for what the next horizon line brings.
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