Here is the Cole's Note's version.
I managed to get a couple more paddling trips down into the USA.
I had to send my camera back in Pentax for repair. I managed to get it back just before heading down for my next USA trip.
One trip was on the 22-Aug-2009 where I headed back down to Ohiopyle, PA for the over the falls race. Basicaly it boils down to a bunch of boaters being able to run this 18 foot water fall. It is only legal to run it one day a year and that was it. I spent some time shooting pics of some of my open boat and kayak friends. The motly crew managed to get a Lower Yough Loop run in before heading off to the BBQ place for dinner.
The rest of the the pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622038649605/
Most of met up on the sunday morning for breakfast at some restaurant in WV. We were going to run the Cheat River. It was kind of on the low side which made it fun and technical. I had a total blast paddling a new river for the first time.
The pics from the Cheat River are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622175502640/
Labour Day weekend was spent paddling up on the Ottawa River. I managed to get a run in on the thursday afternoon after work. I paddled with some of the KWP Crew on the Main Channel. I managed to have a very scary ride in Kahuna at Coliseum. My boat kept disappearing as the water line was up to my arm pits. I ended up hurting my shoulder and could not paddle for the rest of the weekend.
We ended up having our King of Clubs competition.
It was a series of on river and off river antics inlcuding:
relay race
cardboard boat race
boater cross
boat toss for distance
Z-drag tow a truck up a slight hill
how many boats and people you could get on/in a car (had to be the same amount of people/boats)
I could only take photos of part of the crap show as I could not paddle that day.
They had a how many boats / people can you get into / onto a regular car ... no trucks.
21 boats and 21 people (5 in the trunk) was the winner and you had to drive it at few feet with all the stuff in / on it.
We also had a cardboard boat race through the Lorne Rapids.
The rest of the pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622276981876/
My next adventure was our annual Gull River Open Canoe Slalom Race. The attendance was lower then previous years but that did not matter as it was great to see old friends. Some of these friends you only see once a year at the race.
Here is what your typical spectators look like
My pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622311345539/
My sisters pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622449199780/
My last paddling trip to the USA for this year was for Gauley Fest in Summersville, WV.
I spent the saturday paddling the Lower Gauley with Don and Jeff Beyer. I had a couple of out of boat experiences but nothing to worry about.
Pics from that day are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622431348594/
I spent the sunday paddling the Lower Yough with Don, Jo, and jeff Beyer plus the rest of the normal motly crew of US boater I have been with like Tony, Joe, Mick, Paul, and gang. It was another beautiful day on the river. I managed to take a few sketchy runs in order to bump up my paddling skills, had a few swims, great times.
Pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157622307995367/
