First off I would like to thank Clay and crew for showing me down the Narrows. Not sure there are too many people who could make a newbie's first trip down the Narrows as safe and fun as it was. I did have one close call at Frankenstein. I ended up at the bottom in a under cut. I did make it out just not in my boat. At that point I knew I was in for one Hell of a ride. The next few rapids I was a little bit "white knuckled". Then we started to reach the most difficult section of the run which I so happily shouldered my boat. Then my most favorite part of the river right below Gorilla started with a seal launch in below Gorilla. Scream Machine, Nies Pieces, Power Slide and Rapid Transit all consecutive slides. Cannot wait to go back and do those. After that walked some rapids then Groove Tube which is a cool little drop with a curler on top that swallows you up. After that came Sunshine which I walked and then we set on a big rock below to talk about what we had done and as Clay suggessted I check my shorts (clean thank God)! We put back on and finished the river. All in all I am very glad that I took Clay up on the offer. Looking foreward to going back after I work on rock boofs and power strokes. The Green is beautiful and gets your adrenaline pumping. On the ride back to Brent's place all I could do was think about what I had done and what I need to do to get better. Once again thanks to Clay and crew for the most exciting day on the river I ever had.
Mark Dossett

Mark Dossett

Mark, you were all smiles on Saturday night!!! I loved seeing it. Congrats on your first Green Narrows experience!

Can't wait to hear about future runs.

Kick ass!
bethany

I concur......what a fantastic weekend on el Rio Verde! Mark you did great buddy.....your eagerness to advance your skills is obvious and your enthusiasm contagious! We had a great crew consisting of the Morgantown Militia: Doc Brian Menzies, his gf Lila Thomas, and "Big" Ben Ledowitz, the Louis-villain: Brian "BiggB" Mattingly, the Cardinal Convert: Sara Mello, Mark, and myself.

I would first like to publically congratulate Sara on a feat that not many female paddlers can say they have accomplished....as she successfully (and gracefully I might add) ran Go Left, the Gorilla sequence, and Sunshine...what we refer to as triple crowning the Green. To run all the rapids in there gives you a feeling that words will never describe. I have watched Sara progress from her paddling infancy to where she is now, from the Nantahala to the Ocoee, Clear Creek to Johnnies Creek, the Gauley to the Russell Fork to the Lochsa, and I have to say that watching one of your "bros" (or in this case "sista's") style it can be just as rewarding as doin it yourself. It wasn't luck either, she proceeded to triple crown the Green again on Sunday. Way to go girl....you ROCK! Go ahead and get you a Green Boat....I'm tire of seein Robin Betz at the top of the podium at the Russell Fork Race

It was Lila's first time down the Green as well, and thus we took our time scouting, talking, and setting safety where needed. I would like to mention, the "undercut" that got Mark was not one of life threatening severity....it was more like Braille Rock in the outflow of "the Box move" in Climax on the Russell Fork. Basically a flat rock upturned and slanted toward the outflow current....but angled downstream enough that if caught there, you and your boat will flush out unscathed....maybe just a few knuckle dingers and a slight loss of pride. Mark, I hafta say, after your knuckles got their color back, you had pretty decent lines. I have no doubt that your next time down will find you with cleaner, more confident lines....and a definite clean-up at Frank. Lila ran everything 'cept the big 3 and styled it as I knew she would. That girl can paddle! At the end, we all got out and did the jump into the meat at Hammer Factor....after paddlin out west for two weeks, gotta love the warm waters of the southeast! Hard to beat....I'm still smilin!

Mark, can you post any of your footy on here? (you can leave out the segment I took...ha ha)

Clay

Sure thing Clay, it will take me a day or two...

Mark Dossett

Wow Sarah! That is awesome! I am so proud of you. Geez, I too remember her as a beginning boater, actually, an open boater doing tandem stuff and then gravitating to a kayak. Always the bomb, now she is BIG LEAGUE for sure. I love that you are ripping Sarah.

I knew Mark would have a great day out there. Good conservative plan allowed you to see it and digest it and think about some of the classic creek moves that abound on the Green. I agree about the Undercut at Frankenstein being fairly benign and akin to the Box - a good description of it. But, it still is intimidating to be boofing in front of it. Just remember, the rocks are your friends, so use them in your boof.

Man, Clay, you are a helluva a trip leader too bro! I wanna get back on the Green - but with you and the clan sometime this summer.

Skobotin!

Brent

I love reading about Sarah and Lila kickin' some arse on the Green!

This makes me very hopeful. Very hopeful indeed!

Congrats to you Sarah!

bethany

Very impressive indeed. Congrats Sarah!

The fine ladies of the BWA are stepping it up. For example, there was an awesome group of gals in Bubba’s class at the clinic this year who styled the Nolichucky gorge, including my awesome wife! I’m totally stoked for yall!

Congrats to you as well Mark. Thanks for posting your trip report. I’m sure Clay and company are fine Green guides. I’d like to be in your position some day where I’m stepping it up more and taking it to the next level.

As my 19 month old likes to say, CHEERS!!!

Ledgeman

Ledgeman

Way to go Sara! You got it all going on - beauty, brains and badd ass boating all in the same package.

Thanks for the TR Clay and for that Michael Jackson song you were playing which woke me up on Saturday morning at Brent's and that I couldn't get it out of my head the rest of the day:-) Thriller on the River!

Oooops! I hope you and C6 weren't too My excitement sometimes over-rides better judgement.....I think I'm gonna change.....I'm star-ting with the Man in the Mirror.... (I stopped and bought all the MJ cd's Wal-Mart had in stock on my way down.....kind of a theme for the weekend )

No worries Clay. C6 didn't hear a thing and I liked the MJ song - it set the tune for the river - I was surfing to the beat all day long:-)