newby0616; steamboat springs

jpk1080 · 08-06-2005

newby, i was just curious what part of the southeast you were from. also, since this is a co forum, i was wondering if anyone knew the homier's out of steamboat springs. they're pretty avid kayakers so i thought someone here might know them. thanks.

Fatboy · 08-06-2005

Yo, I know the Homiers, wait a sec, I am a Homier.
What's up?

Cheers,
Phil

jpk1080 · 08-06-2005

haha, what's up phil. this is john, david's brother. i've just kind of been trying to maybe get into kayaking, and came across this forum. Seems like a pretty tight knit c.o. group. I knew you and your dad were into it, so i thought since many people knew one another, i'd see if anyone knew you guys. You'll have to give me your setup sometime. Peace.

newby0616 · 08-08-2005

JPK:
I'm in SE Tennessee.... we're a little short on the river selection you guys have, but it'll do for now, y'know? Working full-time & going to school pretty much means I'm stuck for the next couple of years at least, so I'm trying to make the most of it by getting OUT of here every weekend.

Where are you exactly?
And yah, I know-- I'm totally crashing the party on the CO forum, but we don't have anything comparable. I figure the least I can do is get in a couple of trips every year and live vicariously! Seriously, though: I think our boating community is a little different than what goes on out west, and everyone is spread few and far between where our homes & geographic location is concerned.

Any particular reason for asking? (not to be confrontational or bitchy, just curious and all

)

jpk1080 · 08-08-2005

i'm actually in the southeast too. grew up in the asheville area. there are actually some pretty good runs through out western nc, eastern, tenn., and nw ga. i'm sure you've been up to the nantahala area, bryson city, etc? as far as comparable runs to most rivers in co, i would agree, we probably don't have the volume of water, nor the vfm.

newby0616 · 08-08-2005

Oh no kidding???
I'm en route to Asheville on Aug 24 or 25th, depending on when I can get out of here... meeting up with some friends for a whitewater trip, actually. One guy wants to run the Nantahala, the gal who lives in Asheville just wants to do some rafting, etc, so I'm not certain how the details of this one will work out just yet??

You wouldn't still happen to be around Asheville/ Bryson City/ Franklin by chance?

I'm thinking we'll just split our time between the French Broad and Nantahala Rivers.... unless you have better suggestions???

And as far as out runs go, for our location, we do have some decent ones-- I've only really been on the better-known runs at this point, and am just starting to branch out into smaller runs with a little harder water. Word is when you learn on the creeks in the SE, you're ready for just about anything the west can throw at you (okay, I know I'm setting myself up here: flame away, guys!

). I feel like the main difference between us and the CO boaters is that many folks who do it here are so clique-y and unwelcoming.... I swear to God, the Ocoee put in is like the high school cafeteria all over again! Throw in the fact I'm a chick, and we don't exactly have a large number of female paddlers in the area (comparatively), and it just makes for a bit of an odd-man-out feeling when it comes to community.

What the hell though, right??? I paddle with the boys and try to hang and have a good time, and it still makes for a nice day nonetheless.

jpk1080 · 08-09-2005

you're right, a lot of the guys are dicks out this way. i'm no longer in that immediate area. i went to school at western carolina univ., just outside of bryson basically. i live in greenville, sc now, about an hour southeast of asheville so the drive wouldnt' be a big deal. the only problem is, i've only kayaked once about 6 years ago with some friends. trying to get into it, but not sure i'd be able to run the nantahala or french broad in a kayak yet (maybe a sit-on-top). as far as the rafting though, that would kick ass assuming the flows are up. you might also consider te chatooga (sp). still not too far, and if i'm not mistaken, a little more aggressive.

p.s. there is a great like play area on the french broad just outside of asheville as well as a section that takes you right through biltmore estate.

newby0616 · 08-11-2005

You know, I *tried* to post this reply Tues nite, and either the forum or my f*(%^$in' computer ate the damned thing!!

ahhh, technology.... <*sigh*>

What I was gonna say then, though, is your skill level isn't problematic or of concern at all. I'm still fairly new to things myself, having only started paddling a plastic boat last fall, then I didn't paddle our winter season here at ALL. I mean, I've got almost 20 years of on-and-off rafting experience and have done numerous trips in the 1man inflatables the past couple of years, but as far as solo whitewater kayaking goes, I'm only clocking in at about 4-6 months of contiunuous paddling (late spring/ early summer of '05) myself.

If you had any desire or ability to make it out one afternoon or whatever that weekend, I think you'd prob. be pretty comfortable, for whatever that's worth? My only concern (well, aside from the fact I only "know" you from this forum and you very well could be some sort of sickopervertrapistaxemurderer

) is your age: while I think you'd be very at home with the personalities and overall skill level of folks on this trip, I'm not sure how close we are in age to you? The other two folks who'll be with me in NC are both very down to earth, welcoming, great individuals: the guy is 35 and has some whitewater experience, but he's fairly out of practice (by a few years), the chick is 31 or 32 (can't remember which... what a great friend I am, right??

), has essentially no river background to speak of, but is about the most free-sprited, fun, bohemian girl you'd ever want to meet. I'm not certain if significant others or other friends are tagging along, but out of the three of us, I'm the youngest at 26.

I do know that NOC does regular rentals of the solo inflatables/ duckies on the rivers they run, and I've done the Nantahala in those myself several times over. They're very rugged and stable, and I don't think you'd have any problems... and, it'd be just enough to let you start getting comfy with a paddle again while still giving you a good taste of the river. NOC runs numerous guided trips, and because the gorge is nice year-round, there are always a number of (more experienced) people on the river, especially on the weekends. In all honesty, that's the thing I'm most concerned about on this trip-- being the person there with the most "experience" (I'm only clocking in at about a solid II+/III boater right now), when I'm used to being the one relying on the folks I regularly paddle with.... all leagues better boaters (III+/IV+) than I am!

(my usual paddle buddy/ main teacher is a guy who's off running V+ creeks when he's not baby-sitting my newby ass!)

Just give it some thought and keep in touch, and if you decide you might be interested, feel free to touch base with me here. I probably won't have all the kinks worked out until our girlfriend gets back from her summer clinic (around Aug 14, I believe?), but do feel free to PM or post anytime between then and now, 'kay?