Packrafting!

It's the best-- tubing with a paddle. I got my introduction this past weekend and I'm hooked.


After passing undaunted through an early morning thunderstorm and bear tracks the size of a skillet, we put in on the North Fork of the Buffalo in the Absarokas. One pissed mama moose and her young calf lay in wait for us around the first bend. Then, into a canyon of Class III rapids that focused our attention. A confluence brought us up to 2600 CFS and yielded wave train after glorious wave train. Evan dumped as we were taking out in order to boost my confidence. What a gentleman.

On the way home, we stopped on a whim (read: without any beta) to attempt a first packraft descent of Blackrock Creek. Putting in by Togwotee Pass, we bumped along down a shallow, rocky section before chillaxing in the oxbows of a meadow. Evan rounded a bend, taking a shortcut, and encountered a beaver dam. I rounded the same bend, taking the long way around, and encountered a Class V waterfall choked with nasty conglomerate boulders. Needless to say, I prayed and swam. Sum total damages: a jammed pointer finger.

Seriously.

How lucky is that? Evan preformed a straight-up miracle and fished Scott's gorgeous (read: expensive) paddle (that I had dropped like a chump) straight out of the river. What?! How does that even happen?? The Mysterious Powers of the Universe-- that's how. Here's some views of the rapid:

My Dad Is Handy With A Map

This is one of the many reasons why I love him.

Summer In A Bowl

Watermelon Gazpacho

3 cups watermelon, pureed
1 cup watermelon, diced small
1 cup tomato, diced small
1 cup peeled cucumber, diced small
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 small handful of cilantro
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 small jalapeno, minced
1 green onion, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper

I do not traditionally like watermelon. This gazpacho, however, is amazingly refreshing. And zingy.

I have not gotten a tattoo to celebrate the advent of summer. This one, however, caught my eye with its loveliness.

The above facts are in no way related. That, however, has not stopped me from posting them together. Forever.

Such is the freedom of the season.

It's Monday...

...who WOULDN'T want to go to the fair?

Check out these two atmospheric shots from an art challenge on Flickr:


(click on either pic for music)


The Zipper is my ride of choice. We were first introduced at a fair in the wine country of California. High school, so my companion in the whirligig of death was tripping on acid. He puked. Didn't dull the fun.


Halcyon days.

Force of Nature

I went into the mountains on May 20th and came out June 9th. During that time, I visited the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie where it runs through Three Forks Park three times.

The first time, the entire meadow was covered in multiple feet of snow and we had our choice of solid snow bridges to cross when heading up into Stough Creek Basin.

A week later, the snow bridges had collapsed and the river was up approximately two feet, leaving a wake of dangerous ice shelves. We still were camped on snow in the meadow, but we crossed at the tributary from Pinto Park just above the upstream confluence and couldn't feel our feet after being in the water for more than a couple of minutes.

The third time, we couldn't enter the meadow because it was under water. Completely underwater. From Three Forks Park south into town, the Popo Agie was a powerful torrent of whitewater that carried large boulders and trees bobbing in its current.

We went into the mountains in winter and came out in spring.

Lander hasn't seen the river like this since 1963 when Worthen Reservoir broke under the pressure of full capacity.

The National Guard is on scene, but more impressive is the sense of neighborliness and awe that has saturated this community along with the high water.

The town is now fining gawkers in City Park an egregious sum in an effort to keep folks out of danger along the river bank. But the river's magnetism in this state is hard to deny.

In an ironic move, Brewfest was relocated from City Park to the local high school (which is also serving as a shelter for those who have vacated their homes due to the flood waters).

So far seven bridges are out in the area (no more Mortimer Lane bridge means no more Tomato Loop runs), but Main Street bridge is still there.

Awaiting the future with sandbags and baited breath.

Ummm, Iceland Anyone?

Get ready.

These are some

of the best

commercials

of all time.

Expanses

(click on pic for music)

I love all waste and solitary places where we taste the pleasure of believing what we see is boundless as we wish our souls to be.

- P. B. Shelley

World Cup 2010

I'm back from the wind and rotten snow of the field just in time...

A) to start posting again (general consensus reached critical mass when my mom weighed in to say she was sick of being greeted by her own face on this blog day in and day out)

B) for the World Cup!

It all begins tomorrow with Mexico vs. South Africa.

The question is do I bike out to Melissa Gray's house at an ungodly morning hour in search of ESPN, braving flood waters and the sandbag walls keeping them at bay, all in order to avoid my brother's wrath and enjoy the game?

Do I??

With this kind of inspiration, ANYTHING is possible!

But why this sudden inexplicable urge to drink Coke?