November Paddling

Wow. November is gone and December is deep upon us! It has been pretty crazy around my house. I have had friends split up, old friends fizzle out and new friends taking over for the old. Boating has remained pretty constant. I have been able to get on the water one day every weekend. I have made a first descent of the Five falls on Chattooga section 4. I have paddled the French Broad section 9 a few times as well. All have been good trips. My boating is getting way more controlled and I am happy with where I am. I have made it to the point where all class III water I am comfortable and class IV water I am able to read and make educated decisions on what I want to run and what I want to walk around. I have a lot of runs that have opened up to me and I am just waiting on water and guides. The southeast is just starting to get our winter precipitation. Soon all of the runs will begin to creep up!! I have decided that winter spring 2011 is my time to really start creeking. I am so amped up about stepping up!


I have been going through some shit in my head this fall and early winter. It all boils down to the following things.

Nomad: I have been moving for as long as I can remember, and now everything is in place and I have been so happy here. I am currently at the longest job I have ever had. I have lived here the 2nd longest of anywhere in my life. So I have been ready to see something new for a little while.

30 years old: I made my 30th birthday alive! I have had a recurring dream since the time I was 16. I just knew that I would never see 30. For the months before my birthday, I was paranoid every time I got in the car or went boating. Once my birthday passed, I have been wanting to run!!

Hiking: I have been talking about getting in to hiking for over a year. I have read books about hiking, and they were good. I have done several short ones. A couple of miles in and back, just to go see some waterfall or some other highlight. Over the past 2 years, I have been buying gear for boating and when I purchase something I have been making sure it is light enough to carry in a backpack. I don't even own a backpack. Yet, every time I went to the store to buy something, I was asking myself if I could fit it in a bag and carry it long distances.

A random hike in the woods is not what I am searching for. I joined a gym and have been losing weight all year. I am now down to 203. I have been preparing myself for some kind of a change. So two weeks ago it hit me!! I want to go for a walk. Not just in the woods, like normal Appalachian hikers, but through towns. I want to hitch-hike and jump a train. I want to go to Asheville, catch a train and see where I end up. I want to wake up and not know where I am and be at peace in that moment!! I asked Ashley for a few weeks to do this. She was not so happy about the idea. She is not really happy with me at all anymore. I am less active at home and I have been drinking more. I am very restless. Ashley gave me two weeks. I have not set a date yet to leave, but I am waiting on spring. I want it warm!! But I am going to see a different life than the one I have chosen to lead!!

I will keep you posted on how all of this turns out!!
~RF