troublemaker circa 1990

This is my 5th confession
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,7649.0.html
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,10001.0.html
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6389.0.html
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,15941.0.html
my first since my return to this forum

Im close to positive it was 1990.
The big outfitters had made the transition from the bucket boats to the self bailers and the used buckets were being sold cheap. A friend of mine that used to guide on the upper kings had the chance at one of these boats and nabbed it.
I had been paddling for a few years and had moved out of the Ann Dwyer K boats to the Dagger "response".
My skills were still raw and FAR from bombproof so when we decided to leave the comfort of our home waters and head up to the AR, I was more than happy to leave the plastic on the jeep and join the others in the "safer" ride.
 The crew was made up of my guide friend, his GF, the wife of one of my kayak sensei, a friend from v-ball, and myself. It was our second day on the AR and after smooth ops on day 1, we were feeling confident.
"Troublemaker" had all of the signs of a good time. #1 was the camera crews lined up and then the occasional cheers from onlookers rising above the roar of the rapid.
We watched the commercial folks picking a line that swung out river left, then dropping down in front of the big hydraulic and then down stream. Being our first trip thru TM it didnt make sense. "They are going around the rapid!" "What a bunch of Nancys!" and so on.
This picture is the moment after we decided to take TM head on.
As you can see, guide and "sensei wife" got caught in the sling shot effect and immediately signed up for swimming lessons.
Thats me at right front (green hat), clearly in the panic zone, a split second before I got sucked down into the hydraulic for one of my first real WW swims. Johnny followed soon after, but not the guides GF.
She wasnt that lucky. TM held the old bucket boat and brutally bounced the poor girl around the boat for a solid 20+ seconds. Ive no doubt it seemed longer for her, until finally the boat flipped and it was her turn to experience a class III swim. The raft was supposed to be "safer". lesson learned
Anyway, its a cold rainy day and seemed like a good time for a old tale around the fire.
 

Great shot Terry this will be a good year for the Tunnel Chute

 I thought of you when I saw this looks fun.

Rock climb then kayak what a rush of a weekend Where's BigJim lets go

M
thanks for sharing that slide vid. Ive watched it multiple times and it still brings a smile.   super skills for some super fun right there.

this will be a good year for the Tunnel Chute

That same 2009 group has already been talking about a 2 day, multiple boat, tunnel chute adventure. Unfortunately its not only inspired by the water but one of our crew lost his 19yr old son last month. Its time for that kind of trip and that kind of brotherhood.
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,18262.msg181274.html#msg181274
hoping for the same great documentation and no swimming lessons.

Damn looks more like snowboarding than kayaking! Big brass ball territory right there!

-Eliot

Terry,

That's a great shot, you were so lucky to have someone taking pictures right in that spot! It's hard to tell, but is that Jay going in and Brian trying to grab him or the other way around?

I looked through some of the old posts and I still cringe when I see the jeep. I saw you in the hospital and you were totally screwed up. Then I saw the jeep in person and saw the hill it rolled down and I couldn't believe you weren't dead. You know you used up most of your luck on that day!

The sap incident..............., all I can say is that you owe Shirk "forever" for that one.

Thanks for sharing the war stories on this rainy day.

Terry....big boulders and fast moving water don't mix  (IMO at least) 

Good read  and pics Hydrospider. Troublemaker kicked my butt everytime. It did however teach me how to properly secure an  icechest in my canoe.

you were so lucky to have someone taking pictures right in that spot!

a tactical position by one of the photo op companies on the AR, but I have been pretty fortunate to have some fairly good shots from some past calamities.
I think you were the one who took the shots of my knucklehead wrap above our old surf wave.

saw you in the hospital and you were totally screwed up.

My head the size of volleyball, CSF and blood coming out of my ears, half of my face non functional, multiple fractures, and nobody took any pictures.
that would have been great for my thread.

Troublemaker kicked my butt everytime. It did however teach me how to properly secure an  icechest in my canoe.

Troublemaker  C-style with an ice chest. WOW
thats a tough draw Jack
still a long respected honor to be trusted with the beer barge.
Here is a shot of one of my rafting buddies from a fishing trip down the stanislaus river. I cant recall what year this was taken.
He is still wet from a recent swim. He had made it thru russian rapid but then swam at the switchback down stream.

Im loving the storms and all of the rain but Im ready for some sunshine and more good times on the water