~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~
Week 12 came deep into June and the rains just kept falling. I am a big believer in river karma, and I truly believe Mother Nature gave the gift just to keep my front yard running. (It is also funny as hell that Colorado was having its worst water year in 20 years). I kept the kayaking bug going strong and paddled all week, taking advantage of river levels that fluctuated between six and a half and nine feet. I was paddling stronger than ever, working everyday at the marina and on a small renovation crew, and meeting new and interesting people on a daily basis.........all this because I realized the world was a big place with tons of people and interesting ideas, places, experiences, and ways to live. So it was in Week 12 that I finally did what I had been trying to do for so long............to truly say "FUCK IT!" I am a homeless man living on an island. Everything I make my ex-wife takes, every time I try and advance my life independently, she tries to stop me. Because of that, I truly am free to do whatever the hell I want, and that is exactly what I plan to do from now on. So lets begin with the simple week.........
6/19/13~Journal Entry~Day 79
"Yesterday was amazing. I watched a large storm front move into RVA. It happened very slowly and the sky truly exhibited every color imaginable during a twenty minute show of sun, lightening, clouds, and rain. I sat on War Cry Rock watching the swirls of grey, green, and blue as they approached from the west. Two storms moved toward the island, but then they each split different ways. When they did, fingers of lightening crawled across the sky from one storm cloud to the other. The show went on for longer than I anticipated, and I soaked in some more Island Magic.
I love thunderstorms. I always have. When I was a kid I used to watch them approach from my driveway while I played basketball, and now as a grown man (although I am still a boy in spirit.......and maturity) I watch them approach as I kayak. I love the weather because it is simple. It does what it wants, and we have no ability to stop it from happening. It reminds us how small we really are.
Due to yesterdays rains the river bumped quick today and reached almost nine feet. I worked throughout the day, and as always, walked to the coffee shop after work and happened to check river levels. It was 3:30pm and a nine foot peak had just happened, which meant I had all evening to kayak my front yard at great flows. I took complete advantage, running through the entire "Middle Lines Workout Program" that I unknowingly created. It is simple...........
1. Start at The Island
2. Ferry from The Island to Pipeline and run Pipeline down to below third drop
3. Attain back up the river right side of Pipeline (this can be done by only walking once at Third Drop)
(four). Run the two drops at the top right of Pipeline. Walk back up.
(five). Run Rattlesnake. Walk back up the river left side of Rattlesnake
6. Run The Poop Shoot. Walk back up. (This walk up is difficult. Just find the right eddies.)
7. Run Conception, then run five boofs at the ledge drop. (The walk back up is easy and takes thirty seconds)
8. Walk to the top of Conception Island. Run the top left boof of Deception then run Rumble in the Jungle. Walk back up river left of Rumble in the Jungle.
9. Run the lower drop of Deception, paddle to the island, then walk the trail back up.
10. Run the top right boof of Deception, then the bottom drop of Deception again. Paddle to The Island and walk the trail back up.
11. Run LuLu. Paddle to the island and walk back up the trail.
12. Run Triple Drop. Walk back up the trail. Run the Triple Drop boof five times and then go to camp and collapse.
The entire routine takes about an hour to an hour and a half and the combo of paddling and carrying is a hell of a good workout, especially with a Burn (the heaviest boat ever made). It may be exhausting, but you end up running 10 different lines and have 19 boofs to make throughout the whole cycle. In 112 days on the island I have completed some variation of the cycle 81 times. I have only been able to accomplish this thanks to Mother Nature and the 73 days of runnable Middle Lines whitewater I have had while living in the James. It has been amazing and I am so thankful for making the decision I have made."
The remainder of the week was spent doing pretty much the same thing. I worked everyday and then paddled every evening. I paddled at dawn a few times as well, and ended up probably getting in about 100 different lines throughout the week.
On Saturday I planned to travel to the Eastern Shore with my friends Matt and Liz, but an un-for-seen Rental Truck problem kept us in RVA for the day. We decided to take advantage and make a Rivah Day of it. We had a blast rafting at great levels, just beating the 11 foot bump the river took overnight. As always, the island was more than impressive to them and they loved the idea so much they swore to come back with their daughter, who is six. I can only dream about the day Marlow and Quint can step onto the island, but believe me, one day it will happen. That is a promise that will be kept..........Now stop reading about paddling and get out there and paddle!!!! See ya on the rivah! PEACE
~Chinese Philosopher~
