Fall Colors Kayak Trip 2013

  Last weekend, Oct. 11 to 13th, fifteen RSCK'ers traveled to Ohiopyle, PA for James Blackburn's Fall Color paddle on the Lower Youghiogheny river.  The group consisted of James and Dawn, Paul and Karen, Linda and Casey, Nelson Mercer and Cindy, Greg Weddle, Andrew Wise, Jeanne, Oren, Tim Kenny, Josh (first descent) and Nathan Patel.  The weather was favorable for October.  Off and on misty rain, mostly sunshine, high 50's in the a.m. warming to low 70's by mid day.

 

 Friday:  Paul, Karen, James and Dawn met Greg in Ohiopyle to paddle the Loop.  The level was 1.82.  Karen demoed a Daggar Axiom 8.0 and Greg demoed a Wave Sport Recon 95.  Karen found the Axiom to be very speedy and super easy to roll.  She had fun zipping around the Loop.  It also surfed well but did not spin as easy as her Fluid.  Greg had mixed feelings about the Recon.  Karen thought the Recon looked like a large enormous barge with a teeny-tiny Greg inside (and believe us, making Greg look small takes some doing!).   

    After a fun 2 1/2 hours on the Loop, we all enjoyed dinner and beverages at the Falls City Pub.  After dinner,  we checked into the Melody Motor Lodge where we met Andrew, Linda, Casey and Jeanne.  Paul, James and Casey decided to have a men's night on the town.  They all went shopping at the Wal-mart!
 

 Saturday: After a fine breakfast at Ed's Diner behind the Melody, the hoteler's met the campers (Tim, Josh, Nathan, Oren, Cindy and Nelson) at the Lower Yough put-in.  Today the level had risen to 2.11.  Two other very large groups were at the put-in, one from John Hopkins and the Keelhaulers.  We got on the river at10:30 and were off at 4:30. Andrew, James, Linda and Jeanne took out at the Loop.  James went to play with Dawn and Linda's knee was acting up. Andrew and Jeanne went to demo boats and run the Loop a second time.  Jeanne demoed a Pyranha Burn, Andrew a Shiva.  Jeanne liked the Burn, Andrew did not like the Shiva.

   The big groups spaced out well.  Swimmer's had a very small to no line, serving up good side surfs and good front surfs off the second wave. Bottle of Wine served up some good boofs,  Karen had a particularly good one. Most everyone made the scary ferry at Double Hydraulic.  Paul took Tim and Josh "creeking" on the right side of River's End.

   Due to the warm, sunny, October weather, four paddlers took advantage and went for swims, making the rest of us a bit jealous.  One person took their swim at Camel-Walrus, one at Rail Road, another at the squirt spot above StairStep and the last one at Double Hydraulic.  The swimmer at Double Hydraulic wanted to be sure Josh, Tim and Nathan knew which sticky ledge hole to avoid and was nice enough to do a demo.  Casey, a bit warm himself, repeated the sticky Double Hydraulic ledge hole demo, but was unable to swim, his RPM righting itself after a nice upside down move in the sticky ledge. 

  After a fun day on the river, all the really old people stayed up late, enjoying dinner and wine at the Italian Oven. The really young folks (Tim, Nathan, Josh) fell asleep at camp at 5:30 and slept through dinner!

 

Sunday:  Today the level was 2.11 again and the weather sunny and warm.  We all put on the Loop at 10 a.m. and were off by 12:15.  No crowds today.  Jeanne had an awesome  boof at Cucumber.  Andrew demoed a Pyranha Burn today and took it home with him ( a nice green Burn).  James got a great extended surf on the Sugarloaf wave in Entrance rapid.  Greg was happy to finally "clean" the Upper Yough slot move at Rail Road on the bottom left.  

   After a fun time on the Loop, Jeanne decided to go get the orange-yellow Burn and take it home. To make the weekend even better, the Lions beat Cleveland as we were driving home.

Hopefully, the weather will hold for one more weekend!
SYOTR or in the pool,