Coastals

O.C.T. – 09/13/08 – Upper and Lower James

Well, I was going to cancel this one because of no interest but I see a post from someone who wants to paddle the James (I am in the middle of remodeling a kitchen). So we will meet at 14th St at 9:30 am Saturday morning. Plan is to determine who wants to run only the upper, upper and lower, and lower only. Organize the shuttles for the upper only paddlers then head off to Pony Pasture to run the upper and for those who feel ready the lower James.

If interest in this trip E-mail or call me by 8:00 pm Thursday night. I need six (6) minimum to run the trip so do contact me if you are interest. If no six (6) paddlers then I will cancel the trip and work on my kitchen.

Schedule:
1. 9:30 am meet at 14th St
2. 10:30 am arrive at Pony (if no races are going on)
3. 11:00 am put on at Pony Pasture
4. 12:30 pm arrive at Reedy Creek to drop off for the Upper and pick up for the lower
5. 2:00 pm arrive at 14th St Takeout

Directions
http://coastals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1151

James Level
http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrog ... ,1,1,1,1,1

Weather
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/U ... undeclared

Count me in. I'd like to do both the Upper and Lower sections, assuming sufficient interest. I might not be interested in just the Upper section.

I won't have a vehicle to transport anyone else with a boat but would be glad to ride and share gas expenses with anyone else from the Charlottesville area who's going.

Ron Wiley, Jr.
RangeRon[seventy-eight] [at] embarqmail [dot] com

I'm interested Richard, upper and lower.

Scott Wiggins

Hey YOAD--

My friend and I would like to run the upper. He's done an intro course on flatwater, but this would be his first river trip and he has a rec boat. I've been ww kayaking for a few years and can watch after him. Depending on the shuttle situation I might stay on for the lower. What do you think of having us along?

-- Brian

My friend and I are also interested in this trip. We are both fast-learners with access to our own gear and would like to learn how to run the James River from more experienced kayakers. Feel free to PM if you'd like any other info. Thanks for the consideration!

Paul

Looks like six with half wanting to run the upper only. Did I mention that this is a low water run with lots of rocks showing. Anyway, those that Posted and E-mailed please send the name of the person you are bringing and the boat they will be using.

Richard

I'll be in my inflatable kayak (SeaEagle 340). I'll need to inflate it at Pony Pasture, but I pride myself on being able to be on the water as quickly as hard boaters.

I haven't had any takers on my request to carpool so I'll be driving myself in our red Honda Fit. I can throw my boat and gear in the back of someone else's vehicle and leave my car at the takeout or transport two or three other people with gear (but without their boats) in any way that helps with the shuttle on either end of the run.

I really appreciate YeOldeAndDecrepite's willingness to lead a small group, considering his kitchen remodeling project. I hope everyone who's expressed interest is considerate of his time and actually shows up. Our local forecast in Charlottesville calls for possible rain tomorrow evening and Saturday, so maybe there'll be a little more water in the river by Saturday.

I'll be leaving Charlottesville Saturday by about 8:00 and probably won't check my computer that morning, so please call if plans change for any reason after about 10:00 p.m. Friday.

Ron Wiley, Jr.
RangeRon78 [at] embarqmail [dot] com
434-979-6457 (h) 960-6665 (m)

Hey I hope its not too late to sign up for this trip. I just now joined this club, literally 3 min ago, and saw this trip for Saturday. I have all of the gear I need and can drive myself and some other people but can only put my boat ontop of my car. I would be interested in running both the upper and lower. I went down the upper a few weeks ago when it was running around 3 ft, way way too low, so we never got a chance to run the lower. Please let me know if its not too late or I will try and contact you. Thanks

Tyler Bannister

949 296 5264
tbann6[at]yahoo[dot]com

voodoochild wrote:Hey I hope its not too late to sign up for this trip. I just now joined this club, literally 3 min ago, and saw this trip for Saturday. I have all of the gear I need and can drive myself and some other people but can only put my boat ontop of my car. I would be interested in running both the upper and lower. I went down the upper a few weeks ago when it was running around 3 ft, way way too low, so we never got a chance to run the lower. Please let me know if its not too late or I will try and contact you. Thanks

Tyler Bannister

949 296 5264
tbann6[at]yahoo[dot]com

If you have not run the Lower before then 3.5' is a technical run although not pushy. We will check your eddy, peel out and ferrying ability at Cho-Cho rapid on the upper. If a good run then possible to run Hollywood with a swim mixed in. If too many novice then we will set up safety at all the typical spots on the lower. Think of the Lower as a creek run.

YOAD

Unfortunately, my friend and I need to back out of the trip. We've been put on-call to support the hurricane relief in Texas. Hope to catch up with you guys in the near future.

Paul

i'd like to run just the upper. done it a couple times with no problems. what time do we meet and where?

riversedge73 wrote:i'd like to run just the upper. done it a couple times with no problems. what time do we meet and where?

See the first post above.

Thanks to Richard Walters for leading a great low water trip down the James Saturday. I especially enjoyed picking our way down from Choo-Choo in the center of the river rather than dealing with the pipes and lowhead dams on river right. That center route was new to me.

Is there a name for the nasty rock in the middle of Hollywood where I teetered briefly? I was so obsessed with not getting up on Washing Machine that I didn't notice it until "Damn, where did that come from?" (Or is the one in the middle of Hollywood called Washing Machine and the big one below it just my personal demon from my first paddle-breaking run two summers ago?) The IK baled me out again by letting me just drop off the back of the rock and stay upright. Anyway, I hope I didn't look quite as foolish as I felt atop the rock in the middle of the rapids.

Everything else was terrific. I enjoyed paddling with Richard, Peter, Scott, Brian, Tyler, and Alex and look forward to being on the river with them again. It was inspiring to be with at least a couple of paddlers a little older than me who obviously still enjoy challenging runs. I hope Peter's OK after getting banged up a little above Hollywood. His advice and river rapids information was really appreciated, too.

Now, back to the kitchen renovation YOAD!

Ron Wiley, Jr.
RangeRon[seventy-eight] [at] embarqmail [dot] com
Charlottesville, Va.

RangeRon78 wrote:... I hope Peter's OK after getting banged up a little above Hollywood ...

What's this? Was Pete swimming? Corner or Flipper / Stripper? I must know more...

I shall not participate in any ridicule of someone who was good enough to come out and help me and others learn the river better! Let him who is without swim cast the first river rock.

Seriously, I was too busy trying to make sure my IK didn't land on top of anyone in tight eddy quarters to see what actually happened but I did get the impression more than ego may have been bruised. I won't give details 'cuz I ain't got none!

Ron Wiley, Jr.