cherry = popped

So after starting this past spring with kayaking and having a pool roll down automatic I finally got to get in some real water this weekend. Unfortunately no pictures were taken of the hilarity that is me "running" class threes and a four.

We ran the Race Course in Pilar NM which is a few miles below the lower taos box. Its all threes but we also ran Sunshine rapid which is the last rapid in the lower box, right next to where we camped.

I was so stoked to be there and the three biggest things I learned were:

1. Helmets = good (or mandatory) - I hit my head more times on rocks than I have combined in my entire life. Including one game over hit that if I wouldn't have had a helmet on I would have easily been knocked out and sucked in a hole. Which leads to number two...

2. Calm down and wait for it - I ran a particularly nasty rapid three times upside down. I seemed to pick the same wrong line three times in a row (insanity is trying the same thing over and over again expecting different results eh?). The first time was also the first time I flipped and I ended up swimming, not fun. The second time I got tucked and waited ... and waited ... and waited, then rolled perfectly. Third time was the same except the hole kept me and I rolled in it then paddled out. It ended up that was the only time I swam, I learned to calm down and made every roll after that.

3. Paddle - paddling is like bracing except you do it all the time. Who knew? Running rapids with your hands in the air is begging for disaster.

Anyways I am sorry there is not footage of this as I'm sure it was amusing, but I had a blast and I want more. This is an awesome sport.

Right on!
Staying calm is HUGE! It's funny how much of a difference just relaxing makes.

Paddling; more to it than wailing away once you get your hands down eh? I was working on (and getting worked) eddying in to a wave; watching more experienced boaters just kinda ferry up and in to the wave I figured I had a good line. I gave 'er for the wave, paddling like a fiend and getting rejected over and over again. Turns out my 'aggressive' paddling was more like slapping the water rather than effective paddling. A little advice later... blade in the water past my hip and a quarter of the energy expended I had a smooth ferry into the wave (followed by getting worked - helmets are good).

I'll wait for the bootie beer police to chime in ;)