Sunday at the River.

What a day! Sunshine, friends, beer and fun!

I've Had a Complaint About my Blog...

I was told nice photos but where are the ones of you? Here ya go. Thanks to Aaron for taking such great shots!

In Loving Memory of Boo

I see the reflection of the mountain in the lake... I look up, and it's not there. I see the reflection of you in my memory...I look up, and you're not here...so it is...



Thirteen years ago on a dark and stormy night Boo was born. Molly had trouble with the delivery and I had to rush her to the vet thru a terrible thunderstorm. Molly took a spite to her only puppy and wouldn't have anything to do with her. I became her mother...coming home from work at noon to bottle feed her and so Boo came into my life. There was no question about keeping her, I called her my sweet little Baboo. Time when on and as she grew it became apparent that she was NOT my sweet little Baboo and her name evolved to fit her personality...PsychoBoo. As she matured it was easy to say she was an alpha female on crack. The terror of her mother and father! I had hellacious three way pug fights. That was it! Everyone got spaded or nutered and things settled down to one on one fights. Shane and Boo had a very special relationship...almost a sibling rivalry. All it took from Shane was a little teasing and she would chase him around and around the house...and if she caught him she would bite him. Halloween was her holiday...everyone celebrated Boo. They even had her name in their windows. She loved all the kids coming to the house! Boo had an incredible life! I would like to say her personality mellowed with age but she was still her sassy lovable self up to the end. The last year had been hard. A back problem came to a crux last May but thru PT and meds it was resolved but it left her unable to walk for long periods of time. But being an old dog her favorite pastime now was sleeping on my lap. Boo passed away March 20th, Seven days after her golden birthday. The day before we had taken our walk around the block. Like her father just before his death Boo didn't want to be separated from me her last two days...even if I just went into another room. She died at home in the same room she was born in. There have been times in my life when God speaks to me so unmistakabley loudly there is no doubt. I took Boo to be cremated the next morning. It was so very hard... Driving home I stopped at a stoplight. A car pulled up next to me and I looked over and saw an older lady with her beagle snuggled up next to her. The beagle took one look at me and crossed the seat and pushed his nose down against the window and looked up at me. He put his paw up on the window and the whole contenance of his message was "Everything is Ok....she's fine" I immediatley felt a peace come to me. I knew then my little girl is OK. The house is empty now. The years of raising my son and a house full of pugs is done. It's the begining of a new season in my life...a blank slate...I'm very thankful for the love and joy my pugs have brought to me and my family and friends over the years. I still find myself saying "Bye Boo" when I leave home.

Photos are from Christmas 08

First Flip!

After 4 days of paddling the Vermillion River in my creek boat Aaron had still yet to be flipped over in the rapids. We put him thru waves, eddys, gnarly holes and even threw him off a cliff...repeatedly...still no flips. This is unheard of with a beginner! The next plan was to move him from my 8 foot stable creek boat to a squirrely 6 foot playboat. We warmed up below the falls and eddy hopped down to the BIG DROP...Triple Drop. I went down to the bottom of the drop first to wait for the expected carnage. This was the first time he would run it alone without someone leading. Please brace yourself...this is his first flip on a river.

We made it down to Donut without any other mishaps. I have added the video of his first ride in a playboat and one about 3 rides later. One hour later he had only flipped once in the soup coming out of Donut. He had spins, left and right. Multiple spins. Front blasts, back surfs, side surfs and a variety of other interesting things going on. What a great morning! I wonder what his girlfriend is going to think when I send him back to Oregon a fully addicted kayaker? I hope it's "Cool! That looks fun!"

1000 Words...1000 Pictures

What a fun time on the Verm. I opted for the 1000 pictures to tell the tail.

Beautiful Day for a Wedding!

Blue skies and sunshine! Neoprene to black silk stockings. What a georgous day for a wedding! Today my paddling partner Dennis married the woman of his dreams, Lisa. Together with Karthik they make a family. Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Fox! When God decides to smile on someone it's good...very good! I don't think there could have been a sweeter day for them!

Vermillion Today

Cold and rain...it was good. The level had come down a bit but Donut is still rocking strong. Alon, Aaron and I spent another great evening on the Verm. Aaron for his second time on moving water did incredible! He watched Alon and I play the heck out of Donut and then before we left we had him try to surf it in my creek boat. Whoa! He did great...even getting a 360 spin..in a creek boat on Donut! Aaron played the heck out of it and not a single flip! Amazing evening on the Verm!