Saturday, August 4th 2007 was the day I chose to run the Upper Yough for my first time. All I had ever heard was that you really gotta be ready when you finally hit the UY. I decided last Saturday when I was running the New River Gorge that I was ready. The NRG was easy to me and I was ready for my next step. I asked Bion, Jim, Scott, Lucius, and Jake to be there with me but only Jake was going up for the release on the 4th. So Jake got to lead me down my first time. The crew ended up being Jake, me, Calvin, Patrick, Tyler, Koji, and Koji's friend. I honestly could not have asked for a better crew. They were all a blast to run the river with as well as amazing guides.

After setting shuttle, we geared up and headed for the river. I was wearing my dry top - even in 90 degree weather because the water was pretty cold. Next time I'll wear a little less! The river was flat water for the first mile and then really fun boogy water for the next mile. Jake told me to just read and run. There weren't any crazy spots I had to miss. That was so much fun dodging holes, catching eddies, and reading on the run. Then we finally got to where the rapids kick in. Jake put his elbow pads on and I knew it was go time. I put mine on in the beginning (thanks Bion for letting me borrow yours). First up was Gap Falls - it was a fun ride down and I nailed it. I was excited. I don't really remember Bastard - mainly cause I asked Jake to not tell me what rapid we were at but I don't recall anything noteworthy to tell! Must have gone good. We broke Charlie's Choice down and caught a couple of eddies. I was feeling good and felt like I had my A game with me. At Triple Drop, I followed Jake through the narrow slot which was tons of fun...had to bring the paddle parallel to my boat over my head to be able to get in there. At the second drop I caught the bottom hole and had a nice side surf. I laid hard on my brace and it slowly drove me to the river left side of the hole and let me go! Next was National Falls...I'd heard about National and the Boof - I knew I wasn't gonna do the boof. The river left line had it's own quirks with an F-U hole but thankfully it didn't F with me. I landed upright and straight into the river left eddy. We hung out in the eddy for a quick break. This was where a couple of guys were jumping into the foamy, swirly water and getting spit out 30 feet downstream. It was fun to watch. I ate a powerbar, took a picture of Patrick and Tyler and then it was soon time to head on down the river.

Up next was Tommy's Hole. Jake gave another excellent description and example of what I should do. I went for it and thought I was gonna stay upright but the hole got me. I quickly rolled up and started paddling to the river left eddy. From rolling up I got water in my left contact and couldn't see all that great. I was trying to get into the eddy behind the big rock but I wasn't gonna make it so I was gonna catch the next one below it. My contact was still acting up and I could only halfway see. I missed that eddy and I had no idea what was behind me. I figured I better turn around so I can deal with any obstacles coming my way.

Yeah, as soon as I got turned facing downstream things were not looking good. I saw a 7-inch diameter tree lying across two rocks with enough space for a boat to go under the tree but not for a boat and a person. To the right there was no way a boat could fit through several smaller rocks. The water was pushing me towards the tree. AGGGGHHHHH - strainers are not good. This is running through my head as well as the thought that this could be really, really bad - deadly bad. I was scared for sure but when you literally have split seconds to react it's tough to think clearly. I knew I was heading straight for the tree. Thankfully it didn't have branches and leaves and crap hanging off it. Come to find out that was Little Niagara and it was a strainer that had just appeared two or three days ago. So the water pushed me left between these two rocks and under the tree with a decent amount of speed. I thought I would go under the strainer and that the tree would take some of my face with it. My bow went under and I thought - here it comes - hang on. Thwat - I was stopped dead in my tracks. The strainer would not let me pass under and it was completely across my chest. It was pinning me back on my stern and I was unable to sit up or move in any direction. I was in a permanent limbo position. I don't remember dropping my paddle but instinct told me to do so. That allowed me to grab the tree in case I could push up on it so I could go under. That didn't happen either. Next I hear a whistle and I know Patrick and the others see what's going on. Within about 30 seconds I hear Patrick and Jake behind me, coming from upstream. They are talking to me telling me everything is gonna be ok. They were calm and reassuring which was definitely what I needed. I see Tyler in the eddy just below where I was stuck. I smiled and waved at him. I was breathing and upright so I was able to stay calm. I wasn't sure how this was gonna be fixed but it didn't take long. I didn't think the tree would budge but it soon was lifted off my chest and then I slid easily down a little chute and Tyler brought me into the eddy. Calvin was in an eddy below Tyler and he was able to get my paddle. Oh MAN! I was so glad to be out of that spot. It was stinkin scary and I hope to never, ever, ever be in that position again. I hope that is the only strainer I ever encounter in my lifetime. Staying calm was definitely key as well as having an awesome team around me. They went into action immediately. They seriously saved my life and I am forever grateful to my dream team.

Zinger and Heinzerling were tons of fun and we had great lines. Again, Jake did a wonderful job of showing me where to go. Heinzerling was a wild ride and tons of fun. I am excited to run that again. I ran it clean and didn't flip at all. It was a blast. The next incident happened at Meat Cleaver. I was fine through the whole thing. I really worried my crew because I basically disappeared for about five minutes. Everyone ran the boof and on down through the rest of the rapid. I was the last one to go and was feeling good. I lined up, ran the boof, landed below and then I somehow got pulled into the eddy to the left of the boof. There's a small pool there but it's really swirly water right in front of a huge two-story boulder with a sketchy lookin chute to the left. The chute didn't look inviting at all. I knew I didn't want to go there. I tried two or three times to break out of the eddy but I just wasn't strong enough. Every time I tried I thought I was there but it would start to push me towards that big rock and close to that left chute that I didn't want to go down. I stayed in the eddy trying to figure out my next move. I knew I was worrying my boys cause this was several minutes. I was gonna have to get out of my boat. Soon I see Koji and his buddy. They give me the OK sign and I give it back to them. They are definitely relieved to see me smiling and in the eddy rather than pinned, upside down, out of my boat, or nowhere to be seen. They relayed the sign back to everyone else but the others still couldn't see me. I finally got out of my boat and skipped across the rocks where Koji and his buddy sent my boat downstream. I got back in my boat and paddled to where the guys were. They were happy to see me. I think they were thinking all kinds of bad things were going on. So, I was fine the whole time. I never got worked, pinned, or scared. Just stuck!

Powerful Popper was good. Then came Tombstone. I ran the top part fine and then flipped in the middle of it. As soon as I rolled up I hear all the guys yelling for me to paddle, paddle, paddle. I straighten my boat up, get two or three strokes in just in time to blast through F-Up Falls. I saw the hole but I had no idea that was the hole that had given so many people trouble and where swims often occur. The guys were all cheering for me. They were glad I got straight and through it without incident. I was happy, too! Everything else was just read and run and was a great way to end the UY Maiden Voyage.

All in all it was a fantastic trip. I am excited to get back up there and improve some of my lines. As well as memorizing what is what. Seriously, though, my Dream Team couldn't have been any better. They kept me laughing the whole way down. I didn't want to get so worked up about the river that I didn't have a good time. But I knew I had to be on my game. I was and besides the strainer I was extemely happy with my first voyage. The Dream Team made the day as well as saving my life. I am forever grateful to them and glad to be alive. I'm ready to get back out there again.

The ride home was quite interesting in my car. I wasn't sure if I had enough gas to get from Friendsville to Pucini's just past Cumberland which was about 40 miles or so. Jake and Calvin both thought I did so we decided to try to make it all the way there. We made it! When we got there the needle was definitely on the very last line of the gage - on empty. After dinner (Patrick bought mine which was super nice! Thanks Patrick) we went in search of a gas station. Pucini's is at exit 45 (or thereabouts) and we thought the next exit had a gas station. We get on the Interstate and drive a mile or so and discover that there is not a gas station. So we can only keep going. Tyler, Blady, and Hector had all left before us so if we ran out of gas we'd have to call one of them to turn around and help us out. Yikes! So we keep going. The next two exits are at about mile 55 and 60. Neither one have gas stations. I'm really getting worried. We go another ten miles and still no gas station. In my mind I'm practicing my sweet Southern drawl to see who I could use it on to come help us out. Somewhere around mile 72 there is finally an Exxon station sign. Jake jokes about hoping its closed so we can really push to see how far we can go. I wasn't laughing cause I knew we had very little time. We get off on a really dark exit and don't see the Exxon. We go down the hill and look to our left - yeah, all the lights at the Exxon station are off. No lie!!!! OMG - we seriously are gonna need a tow truck. The station is closed and we gotta keep going. The next station about two miles down has a gas station with lights on that I can see from the interstate. The exit ramp was uphill. As soon as I got to the top of the ramp my car started sputtering. Oh no...Aggghhhh - are we gonna make it? I'm trying not to brake and just roll through the stop sign. We gotta cross two roads to get there and I'm coasting into the station. I'm sputtering the whole way into the station. The car is jerking and we just may have to get out and push it to the pump. Thankfully I made it to the pump and then my car dies. It was seriously in the nick of time! Geez, that was nerve wracking. The most I have ever seen my gas tank fill up was 15.6 gallons. HA - it was 16.556...Jake said that .056 was the gas that fills the tube going into the tank. We completely used it all...it's funny now but I was extremely nervous. Even if the car had died we could have stayed at the gas station for a while cause there was a live band playing...for real! And lots of bikers. Too funny. We filled up and made it home safe. That was truly an adventurous day. It was a ton of fun and I hope to repeat it soon (except for the strainer and gas parts!). Whew, I'm tired of typing and you're probably tired of reading so I'll stop now!!! Woooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo