More Than You Ever Wanted...

to know about me. This post is all about just that, its going to be a place I can keep track of my achievements. I'll update it as things change.

About Me:

I started paddling at age 9 in Florida and, it being Florida, the boat was 16'6" long and 20" wide and the paddle was a 90 degree 235cm. It wasn't till I moved to Washington that I started to spend anytime on rivers and even then only occasionally. In April '04 that I got my first playboat and From then on I've been hooked. I've paddled rivers all through the northwest though my favorites are still where I learned: the Skykomish in Washington. The Sky is still my favorite river just for the runnability (all year) and variability (you can run it everyday of the week and take a different line though Boulder Drop each day). Since moving to Oregon the number and steepness of the rivers I run has increased dramatically and the last 2 years have been wonderful in terms of paddling. To anyone who wants to paddle more, I recommend Graduate School. Even they, however, will eventually kick you out. So now, I am armed with a Masters in Molecular and Cellular Biology, a minivan and a will to paddle before I let my life become the sum of 9 2 5. 16 if you are keeping track.

UPDATE:
Having entered the workforce unwillingly and unwittingly, I am now a database admin, and software engineer at a small Biotech company in Portland. Don't let that fool you though, I'm still the same person on the inside. I think...

To me kayaking is about challenging myself and growing through those experiences. Challenge take the form of a new move, a bigger drop or teaching people on the river. I get the same joy out of running a big drop as when someone I am paddling with gets their first spin or cartwheel. Its a choose your own adventure sport whether its Class II or Class V+, river running, creeking or playboating, its all a part of this river life.

Competition:

2006 Nugget Rodeo: Intermediate Finalist
2005 Wenatchee Rodeo: Team Second

Leadership:

Began teaching Sea Kayaking 1999
Co-led Outdoor Education class in Alaska
Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club Saftey Weekend 2006: First Aid
Ongoing informal playboating clinics

Countries Paddled in:

US (Nothwest, Northeast, Southeast)
Canada (Skook, Tofino)
New Zealand
Antarctica (Technically not a country and sure it was only flat water in a double inflatable but its still pretty darned cool!)
China (Last Descent of a stretch of the Mekong)

First Descents:

Kenobi Gorge: Little Goose Cr, trib of Trout Lake Cr, trib of the White Salmon River
Black Rock Fork of the South Umpua

Boats Broken:

Liquid Logic Pocket Rocket
Pyrahna Micro 230
Liquid Logic Gus (4 times)
Wavesport ZG54
Riot Magnum 72 (3 cracks and one fold)

Media of me:

May/June American Whitwater: photo by Jason Rackley
American Whitewater: Kenobi Gorge mention

Media:

Oregonkayaking.net: One or two write ups and a whole load of photos. Thanks Jason!

Videos:

Kenobi Gorge
Sweet Creek
Green Truss
Copper Creek
Henline Creek
Spencers Hole
McDowell Creek
Skwrle Waters
More Recent Spencers Hole vid

Big thanks to Jason, Ryan, James, Jim and all the others who spent time on the vids.

NEWS:
Syndicated news story and footage of out trip down the Oregon Salmon River Gorge in June 2007.