http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/ East Tennessee Whitewater Club Forum en Post by mdkeough, 11.05.2008, 18:12:

Looking to borrow/buy this or one like it. We have a son that we would like to get on the river but don't think he would be able to paddle himself - yet.

Thanks
Mark]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1127 Sun, 11 May 2008 18:12:34 GMT Post by HabitatMapper, 09.05.2008, 20:33:

Word on the streets is its raining pretty solid right now in Townsend. I heard the Little should be running all day tomorrow - would love to get back over to the sinks. Post here or give me a call anytime (865)556-2450 if you're interested.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1126 Fri, 09 May 2008 20:33:12 GMT Reply from HabitatMapper, 09.05.2008, 18:46:

It's always nice to meet new people to paddle with. We caught the second Pigeon release Wednesday and saw about 12 people on the river including rafters. Got in a lot of surfing and some good roll practice. Water was considerably colder than the Ocoee though.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1125 Fri, 09 May 2008 18:46:41 GMT Reply from defox, 09.05.2008, 14:37:

It's just a case of,. you came home on a busy weekend{ that has been planed for about four months} We will be at Nemo doing SWRT. OR planting a garden. If you can, stop by Nemo to say; HI ! syotr, Dave]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1124 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:37:34 GMT Reply from trackstar15mike, 09.05.2008, 12:06:

» I'm looking for a group to go down the Big South Fork Confluence on
» Saturday. I have never been on that run and I have plenty of river
» experience having been on the Nolichucky several times and the upper and
» lower Ocoee. I only get to come home every so often. I'm also available
» any day this week after wednesday. I'm in visiting my parents from
» college. Someone please take me down!
» Mike
» Feel free to call me at 423 628 2246 or my cell and leave a message on my
» cell 423 215 1374 or leave a message on here.

I'm gonna have to give up on this board....:( I have tried 3 different times and noone ever posts me back... So much for makin new friends ... :(]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1123 Fri, 09 May 2008 12:06:47 GMT Reply from dlluinstra, 08.05.2008, 14:42:

Now that I knew what the situation was it was time to call Nanci, my wife.
That call went like you might expect. She wanted to know everything and I
didn't want to talk any more than absolutely necessary because of the pain.
We successfully communicated and she made plans to fly to Morgantown on
Friday to help get me back to Atlanta.

I was greeted early Friday morning around 6:30 AM by Dr. Michael Hurst and
learned to my surprise that they were ready to fix me up right then. I was
whisked off to the OR where they installed a titanium plate and wired my jaw
shut. Surgery went great and I was back in my room by about 10:30. I had to
spend to the night in the hospital Friday night and was discharged early
Saturday morning. Nanci drove me back to Atlanta arriving Saturday evening.
Thank goodness for pain meds.

Interestingly enough Charlie and I had sat at Big Splat and debated the
merits of helmets with face protection just 45 minutes prior to the
accident. As we watched some hot shot young boaters run Big Splat (while we
portaged), Charlie exclaimed that he would never paddle a river where he
needed a face mask like they were wearing. I told Charlie I thought they
were a good idea and was considering getting one. Had I had a face mask I
probably wouldn't be writing this email right now and would be eating a
really nice dinner tonight for my birthday instead of sucking something
unappealing through a straw. I think I want a new helmet for my birthday!

I want to thank Brent, Charlie, Sandy (Charlie's wife) and Scott again for
all their help. I want to especially thank Nanci for coming up there and
getting me and putting up with my whitewater addiction. A broken jaw can
make one somewhat grumpy and she is an angel.

I visited a doctor here in Atlanta yesterday for a post operative evaluation
and follow up. He says things look great and I can expect my jaw to be
unwired in about 4 weeks. While the discomfort remains, the pain is pretty
much gone.

As I write this note, it is just a about one hour short of one week since
the accident. I have already lost 9 lbs. It is harder than you think to get
2000 calories a day through a straw!

Cheers,
Don

urday.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1122 Thu, 08 May 2008 14:42:11 GMT Post by dlluinstra, 08.05.2008, 14:40:

-Original Message
From: Joe G


In an odd twist on the paddling without a helmet thread, this arrived in my
mailbox today. Don is the driving force behind AW's Chattooga project and
current AW vice-president. Brent Austin was the founder of the Russell Fork
Festival, and if you don't know who Charlie Walbrdge is, just ask some one
else in the boating community.

The rapid in question is kind of unassuming looking but the rock that Don
talks about is pretty good sized (about 1/2 Volkswagen beetle sized) and the
current pushes very strongly up on it. It is very hard to miss. It takes an
excellently timed against-the-water move. When I paddled it with Charlie
years ago, he walked it both times.

-Original Message
From: Don Kinser
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 3:33 PM
Subject: Jawbone update


Hello Friends & Family,

As some of you already know I had a freak accident on lower Big Sandy Creek
(http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River_detail_id_2331_) last
Thursday afternoon, May 1. Brent Austin, Brent's friend Scott, Charlie
Walbridge and I were enjoying a magnificent day on the river, the level was
a sweet 6.15 feet, the river was running green and clear, the weather was
warm and sunny, a perfect spring day on a great river in northern West
Virginia.

We were all boating well and enjoying the day until we got down to First
Island rapid. Unfortunately that is where the fun stopped at about 4:15 PM.
After navigating the first and second part of the drop cleanly I went over
the bottom drop on line and was pushed left toward the rock on the bottom
left. The rock was pillowed at this level and I thought I would ride off the
pillow and around the rock. Instead I was quickly and violently flipped over
the top of the rock and struck my chin hard, just left of the centerline of
my jaw, on the down river side of the rock. Instantly I knew something was
very, very wrong.

Fortunately I remained conscious throughout the entire episode although
quite dazed. After missing an attempted roll I exited and quickly got to the
shore. My buddies gathered my gear and we began to assess the situation. I
was sure at the time that I had knocked out some teeth or at least cracked
them up pretty good. As it turns out this was not the case. The teeth were
still solidly in the jawbone, but the bone was displaced. The blow had
cleaved my jaw cleanly in two and pushed the left side of my jaw back into
my mouth, tearing the tissue on the inside of my mouth. To say the situation
was bloody is an understatement. Interestingly however there was no external
laceration. Attached is a picture of the break (you can see the
displacement in the images on the second page). In addition to the clear
break in the front of my jaw was a less serious, non displaced fracture on
the left rear of my jaw.

Charlie has some rolls of gauze in his first aid kit that I stuffed in my
mouth to stem the bleeding. As we debated our options it became quite clear
to me that the quickest way to the hospital was to get back in my boat and
paddle the remaining 2 miles or so to the confluence with the Cheat and our
vehicle. So we got was back in our boats and headed for the take out. I
managed pretty well but did swim once before the takeout. I am sure in
hindsight this was the best decision and probably saved several hours
getting to the hospital.

Once got to the car we made our way to Charlie's house and then Charlie
drove me to Ruby Hospital at WVU in Morgantown. Charlie, Brent and Scott
were all you could ever ask for in a river buddy and did their best to help
me both on the river and afterwards getting me to the hospital, breaking
down my campsite at the Cheat Festival,shuttling my car around, picking
Nanci up at the airport, etc. I want to thank each of them for all their
help.

Charlie and I arrived at the WVU hospital about 7:30 or so and I was
impressed with how quickly I was processed into the ER, given treatment and
diagnosed. By about 9:30 I had been x-rayed, cat scanned and seen by several
doctors. However at that point things almost took a bizarre turn. They
wanted to give me a prescription for pain, discharge me and let me go home
and see my own doctor, telling me that I had up to ten days to have the
surgery. I was dumbfounded and couldn't imagine spending another 48 - 72
hours with the left side of my jaw shoved back into my mouth. Besides I was
700 miles from home and by myself. This fact seemed to change the equation
and finally I was admitted to the hospital and put on the surgical "add on"
list (i.e. standby list). They told me not to expect surgery before late
Friday afternoon or even Saturday.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1121 Thu, 08 May 2008 14:40:47 GMT Reply from LStewart, 08.05.2008, 08:26:

Thanks for letting us paddle with you guys! We really enjoyed everyone's company and we also had a blast on the river. And, yes Dru, the Pollo Tropicano was very good!

Larry]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1120 Thu, 08 May 2008 08:26:05 GMT Reply from Olden_One, 06.05.2008, 10:40:

There are two more indoor sessions. May 9, and May 16. Starting May 23 the club members and guests meet at the Oak Ridge, Clark Park boat ramp area after work on Fridays. People usually begin arriving around 5:30pm.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1119 Tue, 06 May 2008 10:40:16 GMT Reply from StallGear, 06.05.2008, 08:04:

I bet wepaddle had a hand in that... Don't ask me how I know, but I know, maybe...]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1118 Tue, 06 May 2008 08:04:36 GMT Reply from StallGear, 06.05.2008, 08:02:

What a weekend! I wanted to thank everyone that met up with us this weekend for some great paddling.

Saturday we headed to the Cheoah for a good full release and man was that kicking. I had sort of forgotten what it was like since the last run I made on it was at low flow. This river is truly a great paddle and a test of your skills. I felt like the noob all day with everyone hitting great lines around me and me just getting through. But we had a great time and the weather turned in our favor.

Saturday night we camped at Tsali on lake Fontana and man was that cool. Great sites and a wonderful drive in. Dru and Kaylan camped with us and treated us to steaks at camp. Hands down some of the best steaks I have ever had and that is not stretch. Hand made marinade and grilled to perfection!

Sunday we woke and made the drive over to the Ocoee. Of course stopping along the way at the NOC store. Julie picked up a new skirt made for women by Snap Dragon. Great skirt and looks like it will be long lasting.

At the Ocoee we ran into Larry and Leslie. We suckered them into paddling with us then Steve and Damon joined in. We had a great group and a ball getting down the river. The rafts were scarce and the water and weather were perfect. Great time. Followed that up with some Mexican food and boy was it a weekend to remember.

Thank you all for running the streams with us this weekend. We really have enjoyed the people and the water here in the East! Looking ahead, end of May heading to the New River in WV by God...

Randy]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1117 Tue, 06 May 2008 08:02:38 GMT Post by wepaddle, 06.05.2008, 05:02:

How many more indoor roll practices are there? Does the outdoor practice start immediately after indoor is done?]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1116 Tue, 06 May 2008 05:02:45 GMT Post by trackstar15mike, 05.05.2008, 08:17:

I'm looking for a group to go down the Big South Fork Confluence on Saturday. I have never been on that run and I have plenty of river experience having been on the Nolichucky several times and the upper and lower Ocoee. I only get to come home every so often. I'm also available any day this week after wednesday. I'm in visiting my parents from college. Someone please take me down!
Mike
Feel free to call me at 423 628 2246 or my cell and leave a message on my cell 423 215 1374 or leave a message on here.]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1115 Mon, 05 May 2008 08:17:14 GMT Post by teledave, 03.05.2008, 06:08:





And I love how apparently whoever had the orange boat got his gear and said screw you all I'm going boating somewhere in between the first and second pics.

Video here. http://www.ktvb.com/video/index.html?nvid=241407

]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1114 Sat, 03 May 2008 06:08:57 GMT Reply from HabitatMapper, 02.05.2008, 19:57:

Randy,

I'll be at the Ocoee with Damon on Sunday, if you make it over the give me a shout or post. We can meet there any time. Thanks,

Steve
(865)556-2450]]> http://www.etwcweb.com/forum/forum_entry.php?id=1113 Fri, 02 May 2008 19:57:25 GMT