Sunday, September 03, 2006

Beaver

After a good run on the Taylorville section I was expecting a pretty exciting day on the Moshier and Eagle. Margaret joined us this time and we had a sizeable group. The weather was cold and dreary though and I just wasn't all that pumped up to paddle. Plus we had spent the previous afternoon wandering around Watertown in the rain and an equally miserable evening of camping.

We got a late start and arrived at the Moshier put in to find a huge crowd ahead of us. I was totally disappointed by the nature of the run. I had expected it to be far more continuous but instead found another pool drop run. The first two rapids were pretty cool but the huge crowd just took away most of the fun. I hiked up and ran the slide twice and then walked up again and ran the waterfall on the left. We scouted the second rapid for a bit, another waterfall followed by a small drop. That one was pretty fun. The rest though were pretty disappointing until Moshier Falls. The lack of boogie water made the run pretty dull. Quick rush for each drop and then nothing. It was really frustrating. I hated waiting in a long line of boaters to run each lame little drop and was getting pretty sick of the whole thing. By the time we got to Moshier Falls I just wanted to be done. Another huge crowd was of course gathered there. Half of us ended up walking it. I looked at it and I knew I could run it. But eddy space looked sparse and I was not liking the idea of having someone run me over in there. Mainly I was just not having any fun at all and knew that I wouldn't enjoy it. I watched while Mark, Jeff and Scott ran it and put in below to run the last drop before the takeout. It is certainly a beautiful run and that last rapid definitely looks like a lot of fun. I'm really disappointed in myself and mad for not having run it. I wish I could have gotten my head together but it just wasn't going to happen. It is really too bad that that section only releases once a year!

As soon as we all finished our runs of the Moshier section we headed off to the Eagle. I was having a pretty bad day and really wished we weren't doing this. When we got to the put in I left my boat with the truck and decided to just go watch the guys run it (Margaret had decided to just watch as well). My plan was to go look at it. Maybe get to relax a little, and then go get my boat when they were ready for their second run. I didn't want to go down and decide not to do it and have to carry my boat back out. So I went down and watched. But not having my boat with me just made me feel even worse. I hated that I wasn't running it but just felt too crappy. I was so frustrated. It was raining and cold and I couldn't believe how bad the day was going. I watched the guys put in and run the first slide and then walked down to check out the rest. They spent some time scouting and I kept wishing they'd hurry up so we could get out of there. I was still debating if I could go get my boat and run it. I looked at it and really wanted to. The rapids were pretty intimidating but I knew that I had the ability. But I wasn't in any mental state to paddle. I really regret not having done it and as much as I hated the crowds I realize that I'm going to have to go back next year and redeem myself. Hopefully by then I'll be ready for the Raquette as well.

So I sat there and waited as everyone finally put on. I was hating being there at this point and just wished there was some way we could go home. A minute later I got my wish.

I watched as Mark came down the first slide. He ran it nicely and eddied out above the second. I took video as he ran the second drop. He looked great. Bounced right over the hole at the top that seemed to be slowing stopping a lot of people. He went down the slide beautifully and the run looked great. I watched him hit the hole at the bottom and flip. It didn't seem like a big deal but I knew he'd be annoyed (he's such a perfectionist after all!). But something wasn't right. He wasn't rolling up. He wasn't even trying. I knew what had happened before he even pulled his skirt...

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