“Pura Vida” is a staple to every Costa Rican’s lexicon.  Literally translating to “pure life,” it’s a phrase unique to their country and is proudly owned by all the locals and natives.  They use the phrase ubiquitously in situations where westerners would say “that was awesome!” as well as “so it goes, shit happens.”

It describes this country well though.  Pure life.  My first impressions of Costa Rica happened on the 2 hour drive in from San Jose to Turrialba.  Along the trecherous and windy roads (on which I later got car sick a puked up all my lunch) the surroudning mountains, valleys, and nearby roadside are covered in green life.  Foliage and floura like nothing I’ve seen before; probably because I’ve never been to a tropical jungle.

The leaves on many of the trees are enormous.  The radiating sun and and instant humidity remind me that if I was a leaf and had an endless supply of water and ATP producing energy, I too would make my leaves gigantic.

Every flower seems to display either a saturated or iridescent color from all across the spectrum.

A human’s life in Costa Rica feels pure as well.  The simplicity of our little bodega, and open air feel reminds me that there is no need to seperate ourselves from the fresh warm air outside.  The seemingly infinite supply of Vitamin D and oxygen draw me outside on a nearly uncontrolable level.

The first few days of kayaking here left me searching for adaquete words to explain what I was seeing.  Canopies of vines dangling overhead, lush green bangs flowing into mountains in the background, a few gorges with towering vertical granite walls, countless waterfalls rushing into the rivers from every height imaginable, crystal blue water is if it had been trapped in glaciers for millions of years free of contamination or even human touch.

The big water here gives me that sense of focus and flow, while the pools between rapids give me a release from any concern I’ve ever felt impeded by.

Even the colors of buildings and houses in the town of Turrialba constantly distract me from where I’m walking, as I try to quiet the sensory overload I’m always battling.  It’s an enjoyable distraction though, if I remember to slow down and observe.

They say here too that a town is defined by a church, a school, and a soccer field.  I’ve watched lots of boys play around on the fields in anything from barefeet to cleats, in dirt or crabgrass, with nets or just a metal frame.  I even saw a few guys kicking the ball around in the rain, each holding an umbrella overhead.

As we paddle down rivers, we’re always seeing families and children playing on the shore.  For me, that image of a child swimming epitomizes freedom, relaxation, and simplicity.  I hold on to that visual when old patterns of hurriedness, momentary stress, or frustration arise, and remind myself that this place, and my life here are truly amazing and a real gift.  PURA VIDA!

59 years old (and proud of it!). Grew up in Massachusetts in a small town on coast about twenty miles south of Boston. Middle of three children = older sister, Anne; younger brother, Rob. Growing up, horses and riding were my main sports activity though also did a lot of sailing and swimming. After high school it took me three colleges, 12 years and a life altering event to finish college at New York University. During one of the ‘between college periods’ I spent enough time working with horses at a combined training facility to realize I wasn’t good enough to make a decent living doing it.

In 1976 I became disabled with an incomplete spinal cord injury. Was in New York at the time and ended up moving back with my parents for a while before moving into my own apartment, finishing my undergraduate degree and getting a job. From the time of my injury I became very involved in the civil rights movement for the disabled. This was decades before the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility was horrible and discrimination rampant. It also helped me work through a lot of anger in a positive way as well as see some great role models for my revised life.

Also while still in NY I began playing and competing in wheelchair tennis. That was the first time I’d been able to really feel like I was back participating in any sort of athletics. It was a relatively new sport that grew explosively with the development of new wheelchair designs specifically for sports. BTW the first new radically designed chair that became a success was the brainchild of a woman (Marilyn Hamilton) and two friends with engineering & bike technology backgrounds. She built up a company that later was sold to Sunrise Medical. Anyway for me to practice, get coaching and compete it was necessary to drive outside of the city since I couldn’t afford to pay Manhattan prices for court time, etc.

In 1987 I made the decision to leave NY and started looking for somewhere to move. I was working for a large public accounting firm that had offices all over the country. Long story short I ended up moving to Richmond in the fall of 1987 and have been here ever since. I’m working as an internal auditor for Dominion Resources which is a large energy company which owns the local electric utility and generation plants as well as natural gas storage & pipelines. My job is great – I’m always working on new things and there’s constant learning as well as being paid to be nosy!

How did you get into kayaking?  I went to an adaptive paddling demo for canoeing. Canoeing didn’t have much appeal because of the issues with stability and general awkwardness but I began talking with the two instructors – Karen Abse & Jay Lewis. They asked if I’d be interested in trying kayaking because they’d like to help teach me if I was and I jumped at the chance.

How long have you been kayaking?  I began in 1994 or 1995 not sure which – a long time ago…

What is your favorite thing about it?  My favorite thing about kayaking is how empowering it is. I can go wherever and do whatever that’s within the bounds of my abilities. I can get out in the middle of natural areas and see things that are impossible (or at least very difficult) for me to get to from land.

What are your biggest challenges? Usually the biggest issues to overcome are getting between the parking lot and the riverbank.  Sometimes it takes some innovative thinking and cooperative acrobatics to get me and my boat together on the river. There have been other issues – without a hip snap it took me over a year to find a roll I could do. I also can’t do much scouting so I’ve had to learn to listen closely to descriptions and follow someone I trust.

What advice can you give to other women boaters about the sport?  Realize that women and men have differences in the way they think, learn and paddle. Paddling doesn’t have to be a ‘power’ sport – just learn to use the water and your body movements to take advantage.

What paddling programs/clubs are you involved in right now? Tell us more about getting stairs and a ramp on the James river. I’m a member of Coastal Canoeists which a Virginia paddling organization. It’s a great way to meet up and just about each week they have trips at all different levels. I’m also very involved in the James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC) – actually on the BOD and Treasurer. JROC’s mission is to provide improvements and support for the James River Park System (JRPS). The JRPS is a multi-area natural park and is part of the Richmond City Dept. of Parks & Rec. There are several river access points in the park as well as bike/walking trails, etc.  JROC has done everything from trail building, constructing a new put-in downtown at 14^th St., building changing rooms and kiosks, building steps at a climbing wall, general clean up & clearing, paying for gravel & port a potties some times when the budget was tight.  As for “The Project” – it has blossomed from just putting in a ramp to rebuilding the access have a ramp and steps wide enough to accommodate carrying a raft. Right before I left on the Idaho trip one of the people from Corporate Affairs asked if I knew of any projects in the parks or river area that might be good for a volunteer project. She knew I was involved with JROC. Just so happened I’d been having discussions on how nice it would be to put in an accessible ramp at the Reedy Creek access. Anyway Dominion took it on as an Environmental Day project which meant we could get three days of volunteers and use of an excavator. I volunteered to coordinate. The Dominion Foundation (charitable giving arm of the company) gave $5000, JROC matched the $5000 and the Parks Dept. allowed us use of Parks personnel to coordinate & help with the construction. We enlisted the assistance of the Storefront for Community Design (a non-profit group of architects, engineers & designers that assist local non-profits). They did the design for us and off we went. Construction started & we ran into all sorts of problems – huge amounts of rock that needed moving and some were the size of small houses (okay they just seemed that big). We had to do reengineering, went over budget, got another $2000 from Coastal and are currently waiting for the river to go down to finish pouring concrete for the ramp. Stairs have been put in and are already in use.  Got some great press – here are a couple of links  http://www.nbc12.com/story/15952136/one-of-a-kind-boat-ramp-gets-installed  http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/sport/2011/nov/04/disabled-paddlers-get-ramp-on-the-james-ar-1434063/  Sorry for going on so…

Do you have a favorite memory from one of your GAP trips?  Probably one of my favorite memories is from the Mexico trip. We were on the Actopan and I’d had two marvelous runs down the waterfall. I hadn’t believed I could do it until I was actually on my way down! The lagoon was so beautiful, the water an unbelievable blue, the vegetation and water running down the sides, such energy from everyone on the trip -  We were all feeling so positive and accomplished and energetic. Then to make it even more perfect I scattered some of Karen Abse’s ashes where the spring comes into the lagoon. I felt like Karen, as my dear friend who taught me to kayak, was able to share a new pinnacle of boating with me. Karen died in a kayaking accident almost six years ago here on the James. According to her wishes friends scattered her ashes on mountains & in rivers all over. That’s my emotional best memory.

What inspires you to keep getting out there? Every time I go out on a river (or lake or pond…) it’s almost spiritual. I’m out in Nature (with a capital N) and feel the beauty, majesty and power. It helps keep me in perspective and in awe. The feelings of freedom also help.

I woke up last Wednesday morning with a strange feeling in my gut. We had gotten lots of rain here in the Southeast, and almost every river imaginable was filled with a healthy flow. I got a phone call from a friend going to one of my favorite rivers, an opportunity I would normally drop everything for. As I thought about getting on the river, I wasn’t filled with the same motivation I usually am. My body didn’t rush with adrenaline at the thought of paddling a beautiful class IV/V river. It took me awhile to pinpoint what was going on, and when I finally admitted it to myself, the answer was that I just didn’t want to go kayaking.

Since I started paddling just over four years ago, I had never experienced this emotion. Not wanting to go kayaking…what was wrong with me? Who was I? Did I make the wrong choice setting up my life to paddle everyday, and now I didn’t want to go? I quickly spiraled into an existential identity crisis, but luckily had Anna and Mary Frances to help pull me out.

When I started thinking rationally again, I realized and accepted that it was OK that I didn’t want to get on the river that day. It doesn’t mean I’m not a kayaker, and it certainly doesn’t mean I’m a different person. I just needed a break. I’ve been paddling constantly since last May, and my body and mind were getting tired.

I’ve accepted this break, and come to embrace it as a time for rejuvination. It’s a time to gain perspective on the bigger pictures in my life, and put some much needed time into other personal endeavors I’d been neglecting. I’ve always heard people talking about this, but I’m now a believe that breaks are a crucial part of anyone’s life who is committed to any time consuming activity. Breaks not only let our bodies rest and rebuild, but they re-inspire our minds and remind us why we love what we do.

Everyday of my break so far, I’ve thought about paddling, checked river levels, and watched my usual daily dose of paddling movies online. I’ve resisted indulging in actual boat time however, because I know that everyday I don’t go, my internal motivation jar refills a little more. I know my skills won’t leave my body, and when I get back in my boat, I’ll start up just where I left off.

The time I’ve spent recently nourishing other pieces of myself has also been invaluable. I’ve journaled and meditated more this past week than I have in months. I remind myself daily to explore other activities, other areas, other passions in my life. Soon I will be yearning to get back on the water with more inspiration than ever. Don’t be afraid, especially in the winter months, to take a break!

Girls at Play will be hosting Ladies on the Ledges this October! We will meet at the Ledges Park on the French Broad River Tuesday evenings after work (5:30-6:00) and paddle ’til dark. Bring your boats and attain up the rapids for killer cardio work out, technique tips & tricks and stroke refinement. And if ladies are up for it, we’ll grab dinner at Earth Fare after.

Meet other paddling ladies, get a great work out and learn some new skills!!

Are you looking to hone in on your skills and technique so you can get out there and attain even better? Join us for one of our Weekend Whitewater Clinics in Asheville.

By Em Shanblatt

Every woman who paddled with the Girls at Play summer tour, whether the adventure took place out east with Anna or out west with Mary Frances and I, had her name entered into a raffle to win some sweet gear!  REMEMBER?!

Now that the Girls at Play team is finally reunited after a long summer of adventure and travel, we’ve drawn the winners!  Here they are!

[DRUMROLL]

 Kimberly Riggle!!!

by Mary Frances Hansford

We had an incredible six day, five night journey down the Main Salmon River just last month. Eight vibrant women joined us for the trip, bouncing down the water in kayaks, duckies, rafts and an open boat. This trip is like no other with its full days of whitewater, camping under the stars and remote venue. It is a challenge to share in words all of the wonder that this trip entails so I’m just going to hit on a few of the highlights. You’ll have to come for yourself to really know what it is like to spend a week on the Main Salmon.

THE RIVER- The Main Salmon River, also known as “The River of No Return”  is magnificent. It is big and gentle water which makes for a fun and bouncy wave train adventure. It is also the second deepest canyon in North America, just after Hell’s Canyon on the Snake River (Nope, its deeper than the Grand Canyon) which makes for deep sloping walls of rocky ridges and historic rock formations. It is rich in history and beauty.

One of the most interesting and unique experiences about doing a multiday river trip is that you never leave the river. We are on it and in it, each day. And once we have reached our campsite, just on the shore, we sit and sleep by it, listening and watching as it continues its path, carving through the canyon. The sound and vision of the river are completely soothing. The river is like the breath in yoga, it calms and clears the head of that mindless chatter. It is almost impossible to not find yourself lost in the moment, and forgetting the little worries you had back home. Each curve reveals a new stretch of river, a new experience for you to embrace.

PEOPLE & FRIENDSHIPS- We had a incredible group of women on the trip- eight completely unique and enthusiastic women. The women ranged in age 30 to 55 and were mostly from the Southeast, with one exception, Karen from Oregon. We floated the river in mostly kayaks, but also a couple of duckies, one solid open boat and of course the three rafts. We cheered for each other during every rapid and helped eachother with rolls, surfing, yoyoing, hula hooping, hand rolling, yogaing, laughing and listening. Each woman had a special reason for being on the trip that ranged from fun to self-discovery to stress relief. We all left with a new breath, a new bright light inside that came from our new experience and our new friendships bonded by the river.

CANYONS RIVER GUIDES- Our four river guides were superb! Lisa Whisnant (Whizzy), Laura Bechdel, Tessa Greer, and Erica Laidlaw all worked together to make the trip seamless and fun. They prepared each and every meal with care, paddled those big ore rigs with all of our gear and picked the finest campsites for each night. Besides working hard to take care of every detail, they also provided us with laughter and fascinating stories about the river and its history. Whizzy has been guiding on the Main Salmon for nearly 30 years and describes rafting it as “coming home”, so needless to say, her love and respect for the river is contagious. Laura, Erica and Tessa have all grown up on the river, taking trips with their families with Canyons since they were little fish. So, each of them shares the passion and connection with the river in a special way. They all added a unique personality to the adventure. I could go on forever….

FOOD- The food the guides prepare is exceptional! Each meal is prepared with care with the finest ingredients available. Canyons makes a point to use local and organic foods whenever possible, so that means fresh Salmon, homemade jams and locally roasted coffee. The recipes are all family recipes passed down from the Canyons family over the years. Some of the menu included- grilled Salmon, crab cakes (Mom’s recipe flown in from Maryland), homemade lasagna, fresh salads, steak, mashed potatoes, cheesy corn bread, pancakes, eggs to order (every morning!), sausage, biscuits, brownies, and sooooo much more. I could go on forever here too ….

YOGA- Each morning Anna woke up the guests with a gentle dinging of the Tingsha Bells for yoga. Once everyone made it to the yoga space and laid down on the mat in that breathtaking setting, Anna would start the class with gentle breathing and stretches to open the hips and shoulders: all those muscles that tighten when we sit in our boats for a long time. By the end of yoga, the sun would be peaking over the ridges and warming our bodies. My favorite morning of yoga, we did sun salutations to each direction, and Anna shared all of the meanings and animals of the directions, which made it so fun.

MOON- The moon played a pretty significant role in our trip down the Main this year. We put on the river Friday and Saturday night it was full. So, needless to say it was like a bright spotlight beaming on us each night. When you are that far removed from artificial light, the moon is nearly as bright as the sun. Saturday night a few of us couldn’t resist, and went for a moonlit skinny dip! I think we started with just the few of us who hadn’t yet trickled off to bed but we were so loud with our laughing that within a few moments most of the other women come out to join us for a frolick!

THE RAPIDS We had a few wild rides and dynamic swims in the canyon! However, after each rapid, everyone emerged smiling and laughing! To name a few- Elk Horn, Black Creek, Vinegar, Chittam and Bailey.

THE STORIES & STOPS Just about everyday we would learn about a new person, Indian tribe or historical event that happened on the river. We stopped at several homesteads along the river where people still live and farm. We also stopped at a warm Hot Spring called Barth Hot Springs where we bathed in clear blue naturally heated pools. We viewed pictographs along the way as well, drawings Native Americans left on the walls long ago. It was amazing to see how clear they remain, exposed to the elements like that. They allude to the fact that many people for many years have inhabited the canyon. The river has nurtured many people through the years. Fortunately in 1980 the Salmon was designated as a wild and scenic river, preserving it under law.

The trip is definitely an experience like no other. I’m so grateful I could be a part of it and experience such an amazing trip with so many amazing women! Hope you can join us next year! Dates are set, so get ready September 5-10 2012!

Check out our line of instructional DVDs, if you are looking for a tool to progress your paddling during the winter months. Or join us for a tropical whitewater paradise getaway in Mexico!

Ladies on the Lower G will be taking over the river again this year to raise money for American Whitewater (AW). Last year we were a group of almost 30 women! Let’s make it a big year again!

It only costs $40 and all proceeds go to AW so that they can continue to work for the river access and conservation that we whitewater paddlers have the privilege of enjoying. Please bring a lunch to eat on the river. We will be doing our own shuttle this year so there will be less driving. This means more money for American Whitewater!

IMPORTANT! You must register ahead of time! You can register by calling Girls at Play (916.580.9352) and paying via credit card.  We can’t take any money on park service land so everyone has to book ahead of time by credit card.

Please call or email us with questions.
916.580.9352
anna@watergirlsatplay
maryfrances@watergirlsatplay.com

Date: Friday, September 16, 2011
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Where: Swiss- take out to the Lower Gauley
Cost: $40
Please Pre-register, call: 916.580.9352

Stop by our booth for Cupcakes, and our line of instructional DVDs, if you are looking for a tool to progress your paddling during the winter months.

All good things must come to an end.  The GAP Colorado Summer Tour is no exception.  Mary Frances and I had our last few days of kayaking, and are wrapping up things here in the beautiful and burly state of Colorado.  We spent our last days of kayaking on the Upper Eagle (@ high water 3950 cfs) and the Lower Fryingpan.  Super fun, constant, and big water!

We celebrated our time together with a nice sushi dinner in Glenwood Springs, followed by a campfire with lots of reminiscing and wine!

Here are a few stats we’ve collected in order to recap our amazing Colorado Tour for y’all!

Total number of days on tour – 26

Total number of days we went kayaking – 23

Total mileage driven – 4,200

Favorite city – Em: Crested Butte       Mary Frances: Buena Vista

Total number rivers we paddled – 16 (Elkhorn, Lower Animas, Piedra, Cascade Creek, Upper Animas, Salida Wave on the Arkansas, Browns Canyon, the Numbers, the Fractions, Bighorn Canyon, Upper Taylor, Oh Be Joyful, Upper Snake, Upper Colorado, Upper Eagle, Lower Fryingpan)

Total Swims – 3

Clinics we taught – 5

Total number of women who participated in our clinics – 36

Nights spent at people’s houses – 8

Nights spent in the tent -17

Favorite Campsite – Horse Pasture Campground in Gunnison National Forest (on Kebler Pass)

Worst Campsite – A Cul-De-Sac in a neighborhood in Vail

Nights we payed for lodging – 1

Number of times we showered – 7

Best shower – Em: Jessa Davis in Louisville, KY (it was like showering under a waterfall, and they had great exfoliating soap!)   MF: Heather Woodward’s in Crested Butte, CO (lots of good smelling soaps, and she was REAL smelly)

Favorite Piece of Gear -  Mary Frances: Kokotat Meridian Gore-Tex Drysuit           Em: Zero Degree AT Eddy paddle

Favorite Meal -Pizza at the Secret Stash in Crested Butte

Least Favorite meal -Instant Oatmeal breakfast (which we had over 12 times)

Favorite River Snack – Baby Luna Bars & Snickers

Favorite Bar – Crazy Mountain Brewery (Edwards, CO)

Favorite Colorado Beer – Colorado Native Lager by AC Brewing Company (Golden, CO)

Most Beautiful Drive -Kebler Pass (Crested Butte to Marble)

Our biggest followers – Cara Stirts & Betsy Dragoo (statistically, they “like” stuff we put on facebook more than anyone else)

Most Played Album – Pink Friday by Nikki Manaj

Favorite Pump Up Songs – 1) Superbass – Nikki Manaj    2) I’m the Best – Nikki Manaj   3) All the Lights – Kanye West   4) I Follow Rivers – Lykke Li   5) My Life Be Like – Grits

Most Unexpected Fun – Everything about Omaha (Happy Hour through Kayak Polo on the Lake) & the Animas River Parade

Best Non-Kayaking Adventure – Tie between Mesa Verde National Park & March Fourth Marching Band concert at FIBArk

Most Commonly Used Phrases – “They’re not going anywhere” (referring to the boats) & “We need more protein”

Number of times we waved at cars with kayaks, and they gave us the Brown Claw: Way too Many

Total minutes Mary Frances and Em spent apart – Under 10

Overall, it’s been an incredible journey.  Mary Frances and I are both so grateful to have had this opportunity to enjoy Colorado in such an intense and fulfilling way.  We’ve paddled more whitewater than we could have ever imagined, and met countless wonderful people who participated in our clinics, took us kayaking, put us up in their houses, or were super friendly and made us feel like Colorado was our home.  To everyone we’ve encountered, thank you for making this an experience to remember!

I am headed back to the Southeast now, but Mary Frances is continuing with the tour out west!  She’ll be teaching in Hood River, OR on July 16-17, and in Boise, ID on July 23-24.  If you’re in the area, check it out!

Keep your eyes out for our short film we’re making about the Colorado Tour as well!  It’ll be up soon!

If you would like to join us for one of our other awesome on water adventures, please check out our weekend clinics, Mexico trips and Main Salmon, Idaho trip.

The Girls at Play summer tour in Colorado has officially found the most beautiful place yet.  As Mary Frances and I rolled into the town of Crested Butte over Monarch Pass, we were blown away and speechless at the immensity and grandeur of the mountains and scenery that lay before us.

We met up with some friends of Girls at Play, Heather and Chris Woodward (Heather came to Mexico with GAP in 2011) who graciously took us paddling, showed us the town, and put us up for a couple of nights.   Our first paddling destination was the Upper Taylor, the Woodward’s home run located about 20 minutes from their doorstep!  It’s a fun class III+ boulder garden run with lots of cool eddies to catch, waves to surf, and rocks to boof!

Mary Frances, Heather, and Em on the Upper Taylor

We also checked out the Secret Stash, which is my new favorite pizza joint of all time.  If you’ve ever in Crested Butte, it’s a must make stop!

Tuesday we woke up decided to check out the famous creek, Oh Be Joyful!  This run has been on my list since I first heard about it 3 years ago.  Seeing it in person was like meeting your celebrity crush.  My jaw dropped when I got my first sight, and I instantly knew I wanted it…bad.

We scouted the run, and I met up with some folks who were going to run it the next morning.  We set a time…I was committed.  MF and I headed back to town to run the Upper Taylor with the Woodwards again…so fun, can’t get enough!

I shot out of bed in the morning, knowing it was game time.  MF, Chris and I drove the short 30 minute drive to the OBJ campground where I met my crew and started hiking!  It was a long, hot, and tiring approach.  Just over a mile, uphill.

hiking up

My new friend Nathan showing me some lines

Mary Frances took some BEAUTIFUL scenic shots during the approach hike

Although there weren’t many people at OBJ this morning, there’s only one put in site.   You peel out and have about 10 feet till the first drop – a clean 18 foot autoboof.  Because only one person can go at a time though, I ended up waiting in anticipation for my turn, getting more and more nervous/excited every minute.

waiting to put on

Finally my turn came, and I peeled out onto Oh Be Joyful.  Such a surreal moment.

at the lip of the 18 footer

We boogied down what’s known as the “waterfall section” pretty quickly, since the run is so continuous and steep.  The eddies were small and hard to fit multiple boats in, so we just kept moving!

Another woman on OBJ!  Here’s Samantha Ruppelt after the first slide

steep creek boogie

The crux of this top section is the 25 foot waterfall…Oh Be Joyful falls.  The entrance is fast, but the line is clear and clean.  I hit my line dead on!  Didn’t take the greatest boof stroke, and ended up going pretty deep.  Still, the largest drop I’ve ever run!

Me feeling small on the 25 footer.  MF took this beautiful money shot!

After the waterfall section, the water was continuing to rise  as the day got hotter, and the holes in the slide section were looking pretty burly.  I had gotten my thrill, and decided to hike out.  I’ll be back next year for part 2 for sure!

This was such an incredible and fulfilling run!  MF and I had to keep moving though, so we packed up and headed through Kebler Pass to find a campsite to stay.  We came across the jackpot.

In the morning, as the sun came up, the lighting was so perfect we couldn’t help but take a little photo shoot.  We’re also sporting our Eddie Bauer First Ascent gear (Em in the fleece and MF in the down vest).  We love this stuff and wear it ALL. THE. TIME.

more fun up Kebler Pass!

Between the hospitality of the Woodwards, the beautiful scenery, and the great whitewater of the Taylor and OBJ, Mary Frances and I had a absolute blast in Crested Butte.

We’re now headed off to Vail & Glenwood Springs for our final weekend of clinics in Colorado!  See ya there!

If you would like to join us for one of our other on water adventures check out our weekend clinics and wintertime Mexico adventures!

Early this week we rolled into Salida, Colorado, home of the famous FIBArk festival (First in Boating on the Arkansas).  The Festival has  been going on for 63 years, and this small town has really come alive!  It’s the oldest paddling festival IN THE WORLD!

Mary Frances and I spent our first day in the area paddling Brown’s Canyon of the Arkansas (near Buena Vista).  It was running about 2800 cfs, making it an awesome class III-IV run through some big, classic  Arkansas River whitewater.

After enough goldfish crackers, frosted mini wheats, and string cheese to feel re-fueled,  we met up with Joel McBride (founder of Wave Sport) and headed to the Numbers section of the Ark.  I ran the river with Joel, and was glad to have a local boater who knows the run so well.  With the flow around 3000 cfs…and it was HUGE!  Despite the intimidation of this big, pushy class IV run, I paddled as hard as I could and styled the run!  Scary but satisfying.

We decided to camp near the Numbers, because the next morning was the infamous BoaterX race.

We slept outside under the full moon, with an gorgeous morning view of the Sawatch Mountains!

Traditionally this race is held on Pine Creek, but since the bus-eating hole on Pine Creek rapid is even bigger than normal due to the high water, they decided to move the race to Rapid Number 4 on the Numbers!  I was psyched about this change, and decided to get some guts up and race!

Rapid Number 4 is short, but fast and really big.  There were a couple of crux moves, and a difficult eddy to catch for the finish.  To make it even more interesting, everyone had to race in a PLAYBOAT!  Unfortunately, MF and I didn’t bring any Dagger playboats with us, so I had to borrow one.  Luckily the Demshitz crew was at the race and I was able to use Dave Fusilli’s Molan…thanks Dave!

Outside TV was there shooting a short film.  Here are some cool shots I took from their footage…

Taking the first stroke…

entering the crux

coming into the finishing eddy

women’s finals in action

There were 5 female competitors, which is more than expected!  Way to represent!  Some really awesome boaters like Nicole Mansfield came out.  It was cool to be competing with such accomplished paddlers!  I didn’t make the podium, but I had great lines nonetheless and tons of fun duking it out on the big water.

In the evening, we danced our little hearts out at the FIBArk festivities to one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen – March Fourth Marching Band.  They were like a traveling circus with stilt walks, fire blowers, and amazing percussion and horns!

Check ‘em out!          http://marchfourthmarchingband.com/

We spent the next couple of day paddling the Fractions (a super fun section below the Numbers), Brown’s Canyon, watching the some playboaters throw down in the freestyle competitions, and absorbing the beauty of Salida/Buena Vista and fun of FIBArk.

My Dad said there weren’t enough action shots on the blog, so here are a some more action shots from the Fractions and Browns Canyon…Happy Father’s Day!

Mary Frances at House Rock on the Fractions of the Arkansas

Em framing Mary Frances

scouting

big wave splash!

relaxing after Browns

To cap off an awesome day of kayaking, Saturday night we danced to Hell’s Bells…an all female ACDC cover band!  We think that since GAP and Hell’s Bells are both representing the female niche within traditionally male dominated scenes (kayaking and heavy metal) we should join forces and do something together.  If you have any ideas, let us know.

Sunday Mary Frances and I competed in one of the nations oldest whitewater races…the 26 mile downriver race from Salida to Cotopaxi.

preppin for the big race

The race took most people between 2 and 3 hours.  I finished first in the female non-wildwater boat catagory in 2:37, and was the second fastest female overall.  Mary Frances got 3rd in our catagory with a time of 2:42!  The race was long and tiring, but luckily the flow was high so there weren’t many still sections.  The river also kept us on our toes with a handful of class III/IV rapids we raced through blind.  We both had a blast, and made sure to do lots of yoga afterwards to help our sore and exhausted muscles.  Did I mentioned we paddled the race in our Dagger creek boats!?! (Em in the Mamba, MF in the Nomad)

GAP REPRESENTING!  Taking 1st and 3rd in the women’s 26 mile downriver race (plastic boat division)

Thanks for an awesome weekend FIBArk!

Salida and Buena Vista are truly paddling hotspots with so much access to miles and miles of Arkansas River whitewater.  This area has everything from awesome playboating waves, cruiser class III stretches, big water, and technical creeking!  We’ve had a blast here, and will DEFINITELY be back next year to enjoy the river and FIBArk, the coolest paddling festival around!

Off to our next destination, CRESTED BUTTE!

If you would like to join us for one of our other on water adventures check out our weekend clinics and wintertime Mexico adventures!