[buster]

Hey all.
Some friends of mine were recently at the M wave checking it out when they saw these guys doing some awesome tricks and took a digital picture at which point an prominent member of team Dagger (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND SO DO WE!!!!!!!) starts yelling and screaming WHY don't you just get in you fucking *******!!!! This is completley UNacceptable as those guys work in a gear shop that sells dagger and promoted the new movie this foul mouthed kid was in. It is a horrible representation of what it is to be a pro kayaker that gets paid and sponsered to do what you love. I hope this kid reads this and feels like a supreme ass for mis representing the boating community. I have met this person before and thought he was a super nice guy but now am very disapointed.

 

[gapers]

I'da shoved my paddle up his ass lengthwise if he said that filth to me.

 

[howlie]

The boy you speak of is normally a nice guy, but he is very sensitive about the M wave. My guess... eventually the location and hype explode in the next few years and he and everyone else will lose access, or lines galore. This is his home turf, and you were in his backyard so he lost it. Every time I hear something bad about this kid, which is often, it is always because of the M wave. The man needs to try and show a little more respect in confrontations like this being the size he is....not to mention, he represents a company.

Sorry for what happened man, but I bet the little Dagger homie could care less because of his history with this.

 

[El Flaco]

"His Backyard"? Not sure how to take that, but I personally think there's no room for localism in kayaking - the only person that has the right to stake any claim to the M Wave is the landowner - not the boater in question. As a boater, it too bad that he has apparently accepted an attitude that has taken something away from surfing as an inclusionary activity. As a sponsored athlete representing a company, I'm very sure that it's not the way the folks at Watermark would like their company represented. As someone in Marketing that sponsors athletes in a different sport, I would suspect that they would not be pleased with this behavior at all.

Outdoor companies don't make their profits from elite-level, hair boaters and play specialists. They survive from introducing new paddlers to the sport and cultivating their relationship with the average weekend boater. The pro paddlers are paid to inspire others, not to chastise someone for not jumping into a scary, fast wave in a ditch in the middle of nowhere. He needs to grow up & realize how the outdoor industry works, or he won't continue to be paid by it. Might need to memorize this line: "You want fries with that?"

 

[steven]

access is sensitive and he does have permission from the landowner while few others do. landowner has said that when too many start too show up--it will be shut-down. i understand his feelings, and some ribbing is okay, but he shouldn't have called anyone a ******. pussy maybe. show up to surf [not hangout] and then leave. would like to have access to this spot for a long time, and it is worth educating [nicely] non-locals on how we can acheive this.

 

[buster]

my friends that were there came to surf and they did, but they were checking out the other groups awesome tricks. They got in a played not stood on the sidelines you are mistaken. :?

 

[Gary E]

PUNKS

Anybody spews that shit to me,they are gonna be eating apple sauce through a straw...I don't care if they are little,have glasses or in a wheel chair....What a bunch of punks!

Every time I hear shit like this,I'm glad I'm not part of the kayaking scene...I would have posted the punks name....

Gore was awesome this weekend,Nice work to the racers and folks running the event...To all you rafters,it would have been a little better if you folks through in a little more carnage...Just something to work on for next year....

Gary

 

[steven]

hey buster--i meant generally show up and surf, not directed at your group. and i was being funny about the pussy part. that thing scared the crap out of me when i 1st went. i have always shared alex's frustrations with this spot, but have not agreed with his actions. steven

 

[suigeneris]

trade

Tell me where the M wave is and I'll give up the goods on the T wave.

 

[Mike Harvey]

When I was at the M-Wave last week I started thinking about how there is this air of inevitability with that site. Everyone always says "it will get shut down eventually". That sucks. That f-ing wave is unreal. The best in the state really. Shipley and I spent an hour with surveying equipment just trying to understand how it works. And I doubt it could ever be replicated. So why not do something to preserve it? I understand Alex's frustration. But lets channel it. What if a group of paddlers (maybe led by someone who knows the landowner, although the sign says the landowner is the feds so we should confirm that) approached the powers that be and offer to work out a solution preemptively. I can think of a bunch of things right off the bat. Offer to buy an easement that could be maintained by some organization, CWWA or AW maybe. Or work out a "management plan" that has paddlers self policing and doing volunteer work to keep the area from being destroyed. There are most likely some liability issues that need to be dealt with but I would think that we could figure those out. In fact I would be more than willing to use the Ark River Trust's 501c3 to raise money or be a clearinghouse for a save the M-wave effort.

The reality is more and more people are getting into the sport and no one is going to be able to keep a spot secret in this dry ass state so either throw up your hands and say fuck it, or we could try to make it work long term. Any thoughts?....

 

[sj]

Nice post Mike. it is time to put up or shut up. I for my part will just stay away not even go look. But for you people that go ther and want to go there. it's time to be proactive. you just got an offer to work wiht a curent effective WW advocacy group. Put up orshut up both sides i say this matter a factly not with malace to either side. as far as yelling and name calling by sponsered athletes. Will I use it as a deciding factor when i demo next year probably not. Will I remember when it comes time to buy you bet. peace out all sj

 

[jeffro]

hey buster....how bout you not be a little whiny bastard??

 

[steven]

my guess would be if we get proactive and try to help manage the site, we will be shut down very fast. i would definately be into helping whatever effort gets going, but it is in a government ditch and is very dangerous. i think the higher profile it gets, the faster it goes.

 

[cosurfgod]

I love the M-wave. What a cool place and an awsome wave. I was there all day Sat and didn't see a sole. I would be open to doing anything that would help preserve it. The only thing I have done to help is I have never take anyone there. I thought it was Government land, is that incorrect?




PS- SSSHHH

 

[jeffro]

I believe that it is private land. The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Associaton owns the ditch and has an easment on the property. UVWUA is not government.

 

[gh]

This needs to be done cause the word is leaking out. I had heard the wave mentioned here several times but no one was leaking info. While in California this spring some paddlers gave me the lowdown. The two reasons I have avoided it are that it is a long way from my house and I dont really want to deal with the whole 'its my wave' crap. My point is that I am about as far removed from being on the inside as anyone so if I know then lots of people do.

 

[Mike Harvey]

I think the short answer is always no when you are dealing with something like this. But if it is owned by the water district then the approach would be to have someone who knows the right guy (somebody with influence who is not scared of their own shawdow) and approach them one on one at first. The reality is that they have to know the paddling is going on and are not dealing with it because they don't see it as a problem yet. Maybe there is a creative partnership that allows paddlers to use it under suitable conditions and they get some good press, tax breaks, money...I am just brainstorming someone who knows what is going on over there should speak up, I am just talking out of my skinny white ass...

Maybe no one wants to do anything I just think it would suck to have that thing get shutdown or worse...Pete Akitson was telling me last week how the boys over in GJ used to have sweet spots in ditches all over the place until they got too popular and the ditch owners went in the winter and demo'ed all of them.

Oh and if anyone is wondering if this spot is blown...I was in Montreal last week surfing Lachine and the French Canadian kid that worked at the local boat shop knew about two places in Colorado the Grand Canyon (he did not get the difference between Colorado River and Colorado) and the M-wave.

 

[Jahve]

Mike’s plan of attack is the best for keeping this spot open and it is becoming obvious that this wave will not stay like it is for long - too bad.

As far as buster grow up and have the respect to approach a person face to face and talk out your issues – to post this way on the net is plain chicken sh**t – and so are you – to single out and attack any individual in this way it out and out wrong – handle your business with that person and let it end – buster you should change your name to “rat” or “narc” - that is what you are – grow some tougher skin and quit crying that you and all your poor, poor, friends were called a name (gasp) – or get in and throw down to the best of your abilities – that is how to earn respect – I for one will give none to anyone like you who singles out one local in a very complex issue for controversy -

One thing to think about is that if this spot gets shut down you and I loose a day or two or four a season – the locals loose their home spot – respect this and show respect for the locals they are the ones with the most to loose – I imagine that buster et al. showed a severe lack of respect so the true “keepers” of the spot did what they had to do – I have been fortunate enough to session many times when locals were there and beside them throwing down on my head they were very respectful – anytime that I ran into the person you talk of has always been a great host. Also remember that Pro kayakers have to train to keep up their skills and if this pro local looses his spot then he looses his ability to train or will have to move away from his home to train - when someone’s lively hood or home spot is at stake I for one can see why this person acted like they did and right or wrong I respect him for it.

 

[Ken C]

Don't forget the history. We, all users of this forum, were called out by this individual a number of years ago on this site. (In similar fasion) Don and a few others politely told him to shut up as he was at the time looking for sponsorship. He promptly put up a post which was alot less confrontational and made the point that has been rehashed here so many times since. In summary "Awesome wave, it is at risk, be respectful and keep it quiet." I have family in Montrose and want access to make my visits more fun. I'm on board for any efforts to help in that regard. To the boater in question, grow up!! It's your job when your in your gear to "be cool". I'm a hot head my nature. My mouth has gotten me into many confrontations in life. But never once have I gotten into it with someone on the river. If you want to call people out and have an attitude, do it at the Sonic with the other highschoolers. Not on the river. We all have too much to fight for to waste our time fighting each other.

If anyone needs some legal resources to help with efforts preserving access, I would be willing to offer time.

Peace,
Ken

 

[thecraw]

Great offer Ken...

I too am willing to help out in any way that I can. To be honest, I have never been there, but that is primarily because I don't playboat that well and I do just fine on a # of playspots on the front range.

I do however feel a need to comment on Rdnck's post. ...

Rdnck, your point is very much true and I for one respect that position on how delicate it is. Especially in a place as dry as Montrose, any play spot near there needs to be respected/protected as much as it can. That means litter, noise, bad parking, the whole kit and kaboodle (sp?).

BUT, please don't tell me that it is even slightly OK to call people *******. "Them there is fight'n words"... And especially to other boaters???This guy has had immature fits of passion regarding mwave on BUZZ in the past that the whole world was witness too. Although I was not there, it is very easily believable that he was far out of line again and bottom line... it does nothing but rial every one up as we are experiencing again here now.

As a person who cares very much for the boating world and especially our community, I probably would have called Dagger myself to inform them of what their team is out there promoting and left it at that, but posting on BUZZ is still OK with me. Not everyone likes to go and get in a fight when they are enjoying the water...

Go ahead and flame away...