Sunday

Spent a quiet day mostly at home with the exception of heading to the Verm for an hours play. The fall speed of the water is keeping Donut fast and alot of fun. If you blunt and no one sees does it still count?? I think I got my first blunt today...it felt like it at least.
I threw Dakib in the dvd player tonight. I hadn't watched it since last winter. It was different watching it this time as I recognised or have ran some of the water on it now. Still a great video!

Fall Kettle Run

The Kettle river has always meant good times with great friends! Today was great! Bryan, Brian, Bill, Dennis, Jade and I ran the Kettle down to Sandstone. The level was at 1100cfs. Brian and Jade are Canoe U grads from this year and doing great! So great we threw them off of Wolf Creek Falls....they loved it! It was good to have them paddling with us. Afterwards we met up for dinner with the other half, Bobzilla, Dan, and John. They had stayed up top to play. Just a beautiful fall paddle! Check out Bryan's Blog for more photos and video. http://liquid-addiction.blogspot.com

John Law at Work

I went to the Verm today to get a before work paddle in. When I pulled in I noticed a woman sitting in a car. While dressing a squad car went by and she got out to watch it and I figured something was up. Shortly there after a van pulled up with a lady in camo and a man. The man came over to me and told me they had a fugitive down in the gorge and that it wouldn't be a good idea for me to go down there. I asked what the guy did and he said it was drug related. He also mentioned they had a tracking dog coming. I told him that I see all kinds of crime down there and his relpy was they don't have the manpower to cover that area. No wonder the criminal ran to the Verm! The ONLY place you won't find a cop in Hastings. Anyway my guess is the lady in the car was probally some teenagers mother and he was off on a drug binge. Never a dull moment at the Verm!

Sunday Verming

I probably should have stayed home and rested but with the lack of water this year I had to get to the Verm if only for a bit. Nate and I paddled today and the level was higher than it was on Friday even though the gauge says it's down. We mostly played donut and it was fast and dynamic with a tendancy to window shade you today...I got one...I think that's my first window shade on Donut. They're easier to get on RR. The lighting was gloomy but it made for some interesting shots.

Virgin run on the Knife.

This one is for you Karla...yes that's your husbands helmet!

Wow! What a fantastic day! I ran the Knife for my first time today with Alon, Anthony, Burgess, Dave, Lara, and Scott. I was set up to run it again with Bill, Bryan, Caleb, Dennis, and Graeme but missed connections. When they did get off the river we scouted the Amity and Lester on our way back south and they ran it from Almost Always to the park for one last time on the river today before dark. Everyone ran Fish Drop today. I'm glad I did...it was pretty fun! I'm really looking forward to running it again! Click on Bryan's Blog on the side for tales and photos from their run. This has been an incredible fall with rain, warm temps, and the leaves holding their color...doesn't get any better than this!

Mental Health Day

After yesterday at work I needed to get away and travel. I was up this morning at 4...reset the clock and was up at 5..reset once more and I was on the road at 6:15am headed north. I drove up to the North Shore hoping to find some good surf. I scouted the Knife river first and it was up. Looked at the Sucker, French, and Lester also. There's a group of us talking about running some intermediate creeks this Saturday. Dependant on wind, water and whim. I headed to Stoney knowing from the swells I saw while driving thru Duluth that there'd be something good there. I was right! Stayed for awhile but with no one there except for two deer it got kind of old. I did get some good rides though! Well I needed to head south again but I stopped to take a look at the lower Louis at 3900cfs...WOW! Well on my way home I timed it to catch Bill and Graeme at the Verm. It was rocking! This fall has been just incredible for paddling! Isn't it great! Definately a night to hug a pug, hot chocolate and vitamin I.