~kimbrr

*5pm.*
"wanna run the numbers" ask Pete and Tom.

"I don't know. Whats it like? Not sure if im ready for that yet..."

"Sure you are, we'll keep you safe." says the boy behind the counter. "Pick me up at 6."

"Well..."

"You'll be fine, you did great in the Canyon yesterday" Tom gives me a wink.

We strapped 7 boats to the car and went to eat some supper.

*6pm*
Pickin up the boy from shop, I was a little nervous. I went in, looked at teh guide book and saw that high water was 2200 CFS. class 4+, which is BIG Shit...especially for me who's used to the East coast whitewater scale. If you asked me, I could class it 5.
"whats the level?" I ask...
"2900"
thats 700 cfs over what the book even recognized.
We met up with Tom and Pete at the put in. Not sure what to expect, I stretched, did some breathing meditation, and tried to relax myself.

*6:30pm*
Im on the water.
ITS HUGE!
never had i seen such big breaking waves and giant holes to recirculate you and work you in every way. I didnt realize until then how much the altitude took my breath away. I flipped in a giant hole and quickly uprighted myself.
Now nervous and seeing what to expect, I must have looked somewhat like a ghost. I knew I was in for it. This was the next step in boating. I was doing it, living it, breathing it.
about an hour passed of nonstop whitewater. I wasnt even paddeling anymore, all i had to do was rudder and keep my boat straight through the waves and pump my paddle only when punching holes.

*8pm*
Ive made it down the majority of the big rapids. Im doin great, my confidence is up and spirits high. Right when i express this with my crew, I flip in a giant wave into a massive hole. I get worked, i relaxe. I set up my paddle to roll, but somethings not right. Im on my off side. I almost get up, a wave knocks me back over. I try again, just to get some air, i gasp, get nothing but water. Now waters in my airpipes. My body starrts to freak, so does my mind. I'm running out of oxygen. I scramble around until i find the pull cord to my skirt. I push out and hold onto the Pete's paddle that i borrowed. I was not gunna loose it. I tried to grab my boat. It must have been a hundred or so pounds with all the water weight. both me and the boat get surfed in a giant hole and i let it go. gasping for air, i cant get a full breath. wheezing like an asthma attack, i felt like i was only getting maybe 1/6th of a breath. not even.My lifejacket was so tight, the water was snowmelt cold, every breath was partially water, and the altitude robbed me of my breath.
i tried to scream to let the crew know i was swimming, but couldnt even do so.
"GRAB ON!" Tom hollers.
i finnally grab onto the loop of his boat. still unable to breath, we get tossed in holes and pushed over rocks.
I finally get to shore. I stand up and release the water from my drytop. I was speechless. terrified.
"you okay?" Tom asks.
I just shake my head unable to speak.
"just walk up the railroad tracks, they'll intesect the river shortly. We'll get your boat, no worries."

I get up the cliffside and see the beautiful purple mountains against a pinkish orange sky and fall to my knees crying. i hold my head. Trying to process what just happened, i cant even think. My head is blank. Im stripped of emmotion, but can't help but cry.
I stand up. Im in the desert like jungle of cactus and dead trees. my vision is blurry, and im stumbling around. I feel the water i just ingested and breathed. I walk down a long straight railroad pass and cant help but cry. On and off for 20 minutes, it was uncontrollable. I didnt even know why i was crying, but it felt so good. It was the only way to release my fear, my thankfullness to be alive, my love of the water.
I bend over and try to throw up, nothing comes out.
Minutes later i burped up air and water in my stomach. I then hear a faint cry.
"you find my boat?" i scream.
"YOOOOWHOOOO!!!"
I run towards the water, i see them about a quarter mile away. They found my boat!
*8:30pm*
I get back in my boat, back into the water which i felt almost took my life like the other seven people who have been swallowed and died this summer.
The sun is setting and its getting dark. Every rapid the visiblity was lower and lower. I need to eat more carrots, i thought to myself. Dodging huge holes and punching wave trains, i could see but ten feet in front of me. By the last half mile of the river, it was as dark as it was gunna get. No moon, just clouds above. The last rapid was huge as water poured over frog rock and created two huge holes on both sides of the river. Nipping the sides of each one, i paddled my heart away to get through that last obstical.
"Lets eddy here! I dont know the river from here on down."

We pulled out and got ashore.

At this point there were only three of us left on the river. The other two were lost and somewhere upriver, walking the road.

Just as we were about to get into our car to find them, we saw them pull up with another pair of kayakers.

"KIM! Where you at? Get over here!"

I ran up to see what the deal was.

"Heard you had a rough swim. Good run girl. Glad to see you got back in your boat. Have a beer."

"aw, this aint right...i gotta drink the beer booty. Tom, thanks for saving me and my boat."

I chugged that beer booty like it was my first. Ive never deserved one like i did last night.

Part of kayaking traditions is to drink a beer out of your saviors river booty when you get off the river.

I woke up this morning soar and still in subtle shock.
My knees are brused and knocked up, but getting a good beating is a huge part of kayaking. It must happen at least once. It puts you in your place, shows you who's boss.If it wanted to kill me, it easily could.

I love my life.
I love the river.
Together we will flow.

I picked up and left for the mountains.

i feel comfortable with mother mountain. She brings such abundance of energy, life, and love into my life. Alone I traveled here, and have now met a family of friends. I have photographed a great deal of my travels and experiences with such wonderful spirits.



Wherever you live,
Live Cheerfully.

exams are done with, whew that feels good.
I've got all A's and B's this semester and am feeling well accomplished.
Not only grades have given me this sensation, so has kayaking. I paddled the Top Yough yesterday and perfected what us kayakers call the "BOOF!" move...
its named after the sound your boat makes when its launched off a waterfall and hits the water. SHWEEEET!
This was the biggest water ive ever paddeled and theres no way I can say I wasnt scuured, cause I was. I had two very trusty friends that lead the way and played safety. Thats one thing about adventure sports that is very present, the bond that forms between you and fellow adventurers is an unbreakable trust.
Oh, what a way to start the summer...
In the next couple weeks, ill be out of the house, and into the wild.
Peter Sibrin, a fellow deviant, Chelovek, check him out if you havnt, is moving to Deep Creek to be a raft guide with me this summer. We're planning to live out of a tree house that we'll soon begin to build. I hope this doesnt hault his art in any way. A tree house isnt the best place to store artwork..
anyways, pray for rain...bring them rivers on up!

The secretary at my school sent me this. I thought it was hilarious.
The year is 2222 and Mike and Maureen land on Mars (after they have
accumulated enough frequent flier miles). Here, they meet a Martian
couple and are talking about all sorts of things.

Mike asks if Mars has a stock market, laptop computers, how do they
make money, etc. Finally, Maureen brings up the subject of sex.

"Just how do you two do it?" asks Maureen.

"Pretty much the way you do." the Martian responds.

A discussion ensues and finally the couples decide
to swap for thenight and experience one another's styles!

Maureen and the male Martian go off to a bedroom where the male
strips. He's got only a teeny, weenie...about half an inch long and a
quarter inch think.

"I don't think this is going to work," says Maureen!

"Why?" he asks, "What's the matter?"

"Well," she replies, "It's just not long enough to
reach me!"

"No problem," he says, and proceeds to slap his forehead
with his palm.

With each slap of his forehead, his unit grows until it's quite impressively long.

"Well," she says, "that's quite impressive, but it
is still narrow."

"No problem," he says, and starts pulling his ears. With
each pull, his unit grows wider and wider
until the entire measurement is extremely exciting to the woman!

"Wow!" she exclaims, as they fell into bed and made very
mad, passionate love.

The next day the couples rejoin their normal partners and go on their
separate ways. As they walk along, Mike asks, "Well, was it any
good?"

"I hate to say it," says Maureen, "but it was pretty
wonderful! How about you?"

"It was horrible," he replies, "all I got was a
headache...she kept slapping my forehead and pulling my ears!"

Go Green
o

heMp