With my other addiction of tattoo's, which I got more done on Saturday, I opted for a casual day of boating. Well, that and I lost one of my river shoes out of my boat Saturday prior to my tattoo appt. while draining my playboat at Joe Bob's. That put a damper on the plan of Upper Opal, Opal and Opal Gorge run that we'd planned on. A mandatory portage in the Gorge without trusting soles above a bad sieve. Hmm, bad idea.
So, instead I called up some friends to find not alot of people getting out. Though, Kris Litz, a good HR freind was planning a trip down the Upper Wind. Why not? I loaded up the playboats for that run. Yeah, most people take creekers but it makes the run more entertaining and there is plenty of play on the run in the runnout that most people hate. Cause they're not in playboats!! I also loaded up the creekers with the hope of finding someone from the Wind run or HR boater to run the Upper East fork of the Hood. A awesome class IV+ 4-5 mile continuous rapid/ boulder garden. I'd done a few laps while Devin was in CO and had hoped it would still be in when he got back home. It was!!
After our run down the Wind which was pretty uneventful, one swimmer that sucks on that run usually and myself getting worked in a hole way up top above Initiation, the first class IV and the start to the busy stretch that follow for miles. After a few cartwheels I flushed out and though this was gonna pretty entertaining run.
Got the shuttle done and me and Devin were headed into Hood River to grab lunch and hopefully find someone to boat with. As I came into cell range I got a message from a friend in HR that had gotten my email earlier that I was looking at getting out today and by chance I was in his part of town a hour after he had called me. We were all up for the UEFH run and after me and Devin grabbing a coupl pieces of pizza to go and a few pairs of nose plugs from The Shed. We were off to the UEFH or Upper East fork of the Hood.
It was a true treat for me to share this run with Devin. I'm not running the Little White but this run is for sure challenging and has only consequences if you happen to find yourself upside down or into the wood that is always present on this run. There is one mandatory portage around a huge unrunnable logjam and a few optional ones that depending on how you feel about wood are easily walkable. Besides the logjam we walked three pieces. One being a hundred yards from the take-out, so we just walk up to our cars from there. It's a no brainer. Devin was all smiles from ear to ear during and after the run. Yeah, he asked for another lap. Not today!! I did my first flip and happily rolled before nailing a rock with my head rudder. I consider this run to require a solid brace and a optional roll. Most people that flip on the UEFH bail after hitting a rock or two and or lose their paddles out of their hands. A good friend donated his creekboat to the UEFH just Saturday.
If you see a blue Dragonrossi Mafia let me know and I'll get you in touch with it's owner.
The logjam from the bottom looking back up at it.
