tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304024771799370772024-03-13T02:53:23.909+01:00MassiveCock ProductionsMCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-42361310204755262592009-08-18T01:22:00.003+02:002009-08-18T01:42:26.405+02:00I have A Website Now!!<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 356px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SonqpbrwWMI/AAAAAAAABow/-Fu1oHNRIuk/s400/AllOverTheShow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371082028142844098" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Hey everybody. Well it finally happened... I started an actual website. This means that there will be no more updates posted here but all the latest happenings in my world can be found at <a href="http://www.allovertheshow.co.nz/">www.allovertheshow.co.nz</a>. I hope you all enjoy my site.</div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-25697690558000530962009-07-05T16:44:00.009+02:002009-07-07T00:12:46.970+02:00Norway Roundup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDH0gUHHBI/AAAAAAAABoM/HAEfvqt6df8/s1600-h/Brandseth-6+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDH0gUHHBI/AAAAAAAABoM/HAEfvqt6df8/s400/Brandseth-6+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354999661784931346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AAHHHHHHHH!!!!!</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So I'm soon back to work for another month... sigh. But here is a quick roundup of how my two weeks in Norway panned out. </span></div><div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDGzzlibnI/AAAAAAAABn8/6doVtp_-SL8/s1600-h/Brandseth-2+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDGzzlibnI/AAAAAAAABn8/6doVtp_-SL8/s320/Brandseth-2+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354998550266801778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thorpy on the first drop on the Brandseth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDG0GfKEYI/AAAAAAAABoE/8C8Wf9-cc18/s1600-h/Brandseth-3+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDG0GfKEYI/AAAAAAAABoE/8C8Wf9-cc18/s320/Brandseth-3+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354998555340312962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Colin styling the line in his $1000 NOK Embudo</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ESKTREMSPORT VEKO: Classic times as expected. On my first morning in voss I teemed up with a British crew and we had a high water blatt down the Lower Myrdalselvi (</span><a href="http://kayakingsux.blogspot.com/2008/07/lower-myrdalselvi-little-voss-gem.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">click here for some pics</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">) which turned out to be a little more 'full-on' than any of us really signed up for. Top start to the week, right what's next? Ah yes partying... and that pretty much filled the rest of the week.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFsjQAOXI/AAAAAAAABnU/86YE95Gd6Ts/s1600-h/Brandseth-4+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFsjQAOXI/AAAAAAAABnU/86YE95Gd6Ts/s320/Brandseth-4+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354997326110800242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thanks to Colin filming there is some good video footage of me getting spanked on this run... it is good to take your medicine though because if you don't take your medicine you might get sick!!</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Norwegians are not quite as boisterous on the dance floor was us kiwis and given there was an over representation of us fellas from the deep south we turned a few heads with our impromptu mosh-pit antics. On the Saturday night I had my own private mosh-pit going but I have a suspicion that not everybody around me was as happy about it as I was.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFs9kyA0I/AAAAAAAABnc/Dr0GER0b7_o/s1600-h/Brandseth-5+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFs9kyA0I/AAAAAAAABnc/Dr0GER0b7_o/s320/Brandseth-5+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354997333177271106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thorpy taking the flying approach... nice line buddy!!</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Voss is a good place to just turn up and meet new people... most of the people I hung out with for the week I had not met before arriving including a group of three rowdy ausies. Somehow we seemed to get along in spite of them referring to me simply as 'kiwi' (it's hard to think of that in negative terms though). After getting loud on Thursday night I joined them on a Upper Brandseth run although I probably shouldn't have been in a boat. I managed to get two good hole trashings and had to roll probably a half dozen times in all, oh and broke my boat to but that was coming for a while. Not the best trip ever for me but I did get some good photos which is what you're looking at.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFtM089tI/AAAAAAAABnk/4QKO9gsP6HM/s1600-h/Brandseth-7+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFtM089tI/AAAAAAAABnk/4QKO9gsP6HM/s320/Brandseth-7+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354997337271629522" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This move belongs in a skate park... boof to wall grind. Colin showing how it is done</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After esktremsports veko was done I headed to Sjoa to hangout at the Australian embassy as the aussie boys dubbed there trailer complete with 'pool room'. High water boating on the Åmot and Skjørva kept the days interesting... maybe a little to interesting for Leon. He got a couple of good rodeo rides but on the plus side he showed me where not to go ;-) The nights were filled with home brew, bbq's and parties. The party shenanigans got a little out of hand on my last night when I got blind sided by a Tasmanian Devil... my shirt will never be the same again!!</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFteU5bsI/AAAAAAAABns/uVam_T_OABU/s1600-h/Brandseth-8+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFteU5bsI/AAAAAAAABns/uVam_T_OABU/s320/Brandseth-8+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354997341969018562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The camera angle doesn't do this drop justest, it is far more tricky than it looks.</span> </div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Good times all round in Norway once again... this really is a great place so if you haven't been then it's time to make the pilgrimage, especially if you are a boater. Well it is back to work for me... not sure yet but the next mission might be a winter one in godzone. </span></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFtYCwzMI/AAAAAAAABn0/x4pYy4RS7Q8/s1600-h/Brandseth-1+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlDFtYCwzMI/AAAAAAAABn0/x4pYy4RS7Q8/s320/Brandseth-1+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354997340282342594" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The result of being was attacked on the sly by a Tasmanian Devil... he might have one the battle but I won the war!!! (Photo: Leon)</span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-2770599752990445012009-06-26T19:26:00.002+02:002009-07-07T00:13:39.908+02:00Yah I'm Extreme Racist<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCw7bz08rI/AAAAAAAABnM/O7rLmsNzt8U/s1600-h/Brandseth-9+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCw7bz08rI/AAAAAAAABnM/O7rLmsNzt8U/s400/Brandseth-9+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974492067426994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mikey on route to the top qualifying time</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So I'm back in Voss for another Esktremsport Veko, my second to date and so far it has been just as good as the last. The sun is blazing, the water levels are up (maybe a little too much), and there are crazy people trying to kill themselves left right and centre!! Even at the kayak downhill competition we were 'swooped' by some sky divers... it seems even on the river people keep dropping out of the sky?!?.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxK_y1UI/AAAAAAAABms/4SoCajKwQ_o/s1600-h/Brandseth-10+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxK_y1UI/AAAAAAAABms/4SoCajKwQ_o/s320/Brandseth-10+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974315755525442" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The water fall in the middle of the course... not always so easy to get a fast line on</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Base thumping looks awesome but they weren't running a try it and see if you like it program so I didn't 'give it a shot' and same for sky dying. Maybe I'll do a course some time... they don't really seem like the sort of sports that one can purchase the gear and just have nudge at. Something about the laws of gravity being the same for beginners and experts alike... some guy tried to explain it to me but I didn't really follow what he was on about. Oh and most of the other sports have races to see who can get down the fastest (like kayaking - fastest down wins) so why is there not a similar competition in sky dying?!? The rules would be quite simple - first guy to make it inside the finishing circle (alive) wins... I think it really has some spectator potential.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxEdFyMI/AAAAAAAABm0/sxF84bGue5g/s1600-h/Brandseth-11+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxEdFyMI/AAAAAAAABm0/sxF84bGue5g/s320/Brandseth-11+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974313999354050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I'm not convinced... rock splats are not usually quickest way to get through a rapid</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyway moving on to the kayaking as that is what all the pictures are of. Yes I did make up the numbers (can't claim to have competed) with a mid field finish from a rather average run. Eddying out is my secret to a slow time although it is not as glamourous as the tricks of others such as sliding backwards in the slot at the end. I did try that one two years ago though and it is a good wee time taker. You could really tell some people had put some effort into there slow times though, maybe even some practising. I think eddying out and rolling just above the waterfall was the most creative way I saw to add seconds to the clock... maybe I'll give that a shot next year. The real key to an outstandingly average time however is not practising combined with heavy partying the night before!! Works a charm</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxmhy7pI/AAAAAAAABm8/oh68yRIPMJQ/s1600-h/Brandseth-13+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxmhy7pI/AAAAAAAABm8/oh68yRIPMJQ/s320/Brandseth-13+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974323145895570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Some holes that just love to stall you or push you into an eddy</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The race turned out to be a good one for the kiwi's with Sam and Mikey both on the podium and Sam had the fastest run of the day by a couple of seconds but just got piped on combined times. Top work fellows and don't worry I'll be 'not' practising for next year. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxu8ETrI/AAAAAAAABnE/faHyCPrG0sA/s1600-h/Brandseth-14+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 162px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCwxu8ETrI/AAAAAAAABnE/faHyCPrG0sA/s320/Brandseth-14+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354974325403569842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Probably the funnest rapid in the race section... yeehaa</span></div></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-4898710666467327042009-06-14T13:29:00.003+02:002009-07-07T00:11:58.690+02:00Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCaTthhqMI/AAAAAAAABmk/cmVHhTzupAQ/s1600-h/France-1+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCaTthhqMI/AAAAAAAABmk/cmVHhTzupAQ/s400/France-1+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354949620371925186" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There goes that crazy french man... look out!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My buddy Luc, or the crazy french man as he is known in our circle of friends, is back in France and seeing as I have not been to France before I figured that he would be the perfect person to introduce me to a country I have heard many stereotypes about.</span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZn2rBDAI/AAAAAAAABmU/fIPwpmBAQ2I/s1600-h/France-2+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZn2rBDAI/AAAAAAAABmU/fIPwpmBAQ2I/s320/France-2+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354948866913405954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Krzysztof on line to glory</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In standard fashion I didn't really organise any of the finer details like the address of the house we were staying or how I was going to get there. I took a train to Grenoble and figured I would text Luc when I got arrived and magically it would all be all right... quick bit of advice for the future - make sure that your phone is going to work before you attempt this approach. After that hiccup was straightened out we had a few beers, a nights sleep and headed up into the French Alps for a weekend boating mission.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZniC6z9I/AAAAAAAABmM/En2_axNrkA0/s1600-h/France-3+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZniC6z9I/AAAAAAAABmM/En2_axNrkA0/s320/France-3+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354948861376516050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wood anyone?!?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Krzysztof, our guide for the weekend found us some sweet wee class 3-4 luge runs. Nothing stressful, just quality white water and beautiful scenery... perfect. That night I got to practice my French (well... my French laugh that is) while hanging out with the Grenoble kayak club who despite no one really speaking English made rather good company... or perhaps I was just drunk and having my own fun (the beers were very much cold and the G&T's very much G).</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZnbLz9oI/AAAAAAAABmE/c8oVlMENjeA/s1600-h/France-4+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZnbLz9oI/AAAAAAAABmE/c8oVlMENjeA/s320/France-4+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354948859534767746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The French Alps are a beautiful place</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Three runs the first day, two runs the second, one swim (don't worry Luc I wont mention any names), and good times all round. I finished off my flying trip to France by visiting the other crazy french man I know, Franck who fed me like a king. That is one stereotype that is very much true about France: the food is great and the cheese amazing.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZnIj6uNI/AAAAAAAABl8/kluP1oFFsgk/s1600-h/France-5+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCZnIj6uNI/AAAAAAAABl8/kluP1oFFsgk/s320/France-5+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354948854535600338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Luc showing a bit of... dry top... hmmm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cheers for the adventures guys, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">vous voir la prochaine fois</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-40595694899961325212009-06-10T21:08:00.005+02:002009-07-07T00:11:04.386+02:00Does Kayaking Get More Unusual Than This?!?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCGhqtTRyI/AAAAAAAABl0/TNM5eSEIxaU/s1600-h/DSC_0002.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCGhqtTRyI/AAAAAAAABl0/TNM5eSEIxaU/s400/DSC_0002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354927869901621026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Looking up to the Jungfrau... pretty sweet mountain to be kayaking in the shadow of </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Right now I'm hanging out in picturesque mountains of Switzerland. Work is over for another month and it is play time and what better place to start than crashing on Fraenzi's couch in the adventure tourist hot spot that is Interlaken. Balmers provided the entertainment by night and the days were filled with 'whatever' and that sometimes included kayaking on the Weisse Lutschine. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCFTlQNv1I/AAAAAAAABlk/C6qROJIirio/s1600-h/DSC_0008.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCFTlQNv1I/AAAAAAAABlk/C6qROJIirio/s320/DSC_0008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354926528407650130" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Oh my god it's thee Eden Sinclair... he's a pretty big deal around here!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Eden and I managed to drag Stu away from his womanising long enough to go boating and through some inventive borrowing of gear we had enough kit and a crew to make it happen. First step... catch the train. It certainly is the first time that I have taken the train to go boating but they have them everywhere in this country so it makes sense... I guess. The train stops at Lauterbrunnen about 200m form our put in - a luge track!!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDlQxfCGI/AAAAAAAABlU/PLkeie_DRJ0/s1600-h/DSC_0017.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDlQxfCGI/AAAAAAAABlU/PLkeie_DRJ0/s320/DSC_0017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354924633124440162" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Eden making himself streamlined... maybe stupid fast wasn't fast enough for him!!</span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCFTcLLLsI/AAAAAAAABlc/MgvlQC89yDY/s1600-h/DSC_0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCFTcLLLsI/AAAAAAAABlc/MgvlQC89yDY/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354926525970591426" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is I... and dam I make this shit look good</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:7;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:48px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Step two: put on. Doesn't sound so unusual... until you relies that the put-in is a water race complete with turns, low hanging branches, and even a small drop!! I took Eden's word for it that it was "sweet as bro" and heeded his advice that it would be unwise to roll - "just don't flip", cheers for the heads up. One question was nagging in the back of my mind though, "how do I steer" but apparently that is easy - "you just bounce off the walls"... glad I asked!!</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkt7gKKI/AAAAAAAABlE/Yx83FW6DbDQ/s1600-h/DSC_0033.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkt7gKKI/AAAAAAAABlE/Yx83FW6DbDQ/s320/DSC_0033.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354924623771216034" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Styling the boof -stomp... but hey I'm a pretty big deal around here</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Step three: paddle the river. Finally some normality... by this stage I was half expecting to be told that we actually paddle this one up stream... fortunately the river was just good quality white water. Until the catch that is... you have to walk a section because it is illegal to paddle it. Well I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less on this trip!!</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkZwiUAI/AAAAAAAABk8/P9MDIHpds64/s1600-h/DSC_0046.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkZwiUAI/AAAAAAAABk8/P9MDIHpds64/s320/DSC_0046.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354924618356510722" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The level was kind and the stupid hole that I saw here two years ago was nothing but a playful pussy cat</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Step five: paddle out. Yes I know I skipped step four but it was just some running, some good luck to get our boat shuttled for us, and some annoyance that a bunch of fisherman had prevented us paddling a sweet looking rapid. Moving on - the paddle out is just that a paddle out but it finishes 50m from Fraenzi's place so I can't complain. Another first for me, to paddle back to the house I'm staying at... like I said not your average trip but great fun all the same. The photos are from a few days later and they tell the same story... I have to apologise though as I have forgotten the name of the person who took the pictures, cheers for the effort though. Ka kite :-)</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkE5kj6I/AAAAAAAABk0/q3ESA5TYZ5Q/s1600-h/DSC_0067.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlCDkE5kj6I/AAAAAAAABk0/q3ESA5TYZ5Q/s320/DSC_0067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354924612757262242" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The rapids below the weir drop... not too shabby</span></div></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-66948848935117264412009-04-27T10:32:00.009+02:002009-07-07T00:04:19.580+02:00Road Tripping in Aotearoa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB5O4j9CJI/AAAAAAAABks/wbJDZl9brK8/s1600-h/Roadtrip-13+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB5O4j9CJI/AAAAAAAABks/wbJDZl9brK8/s400/Roadtrip-13+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354913253551835282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Driving into Milford Sound</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So my trip back home has turned into one long road trip, the river gods of The Coast decided that kayakers had already had there share of perfect flows for the season and having sampled the boating at its best in years past I opted out of the low water scrape that was on offer and headed in the opposite direction with a new ally Ine (a backpacker Crusty and I commandeered during are goon train adventures that we shall not speak of).</span></div><div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4oLHGI7I/AAAAAAAABkk/gxJzWXeCXMs/s1600-h/Roadtrip-14+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4oLHGI7I/AAAAAAAABkk/gxJzWXeCXMs/s320/Roadtrip-14+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354912588516172722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Kea's... the gangster bird of New Zealand</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is all too easy to ignore the places close to home that are 'easy' to go to anytime. Before you know it they are not close to home anymore and you never went! One such place for me is the bottom of the South Island. In particular the Catlins so I was happy to be given a chance to redeem my previous apathy and mission it south in my trusty van, complete with 4WD stickers and all. 4WD stickers really are the way forward... it is like being given a free licence to drive places you really shouldn't without having to put up with the judging steers of those who have to help pull you out... "Cheers for the help mate... I would have got back up there but the 4WD broke (heeheehee)". The best part about the van though has to be the sweet as bed in the back... no camping in a tent for me, that's sooo last millennium.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4nPbGSJI/AAAAAAAABkc/DuFbF-mG__s/s1600-h/Roadtrip-15+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4nPbGSJI/AAAAAAAABkc/DuFbF-mG__s/s320/Roadtrip-15+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354912572493940882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hey that's not yours, get off there</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Our tour de south took us form Queenstown to the bottom (with mandatory stop in Milford Sound), around the bottom to Bluff, back up through the Catlins, inwards to the southern lakes and Aoraki, and finally through Arthur's Pass to the Coast. At times it was like travelling with another kiwi as Ine is pretty apt at taking the piss, something we kiwis pride ourselves on, so if I ever started to go on about how much I love being in New Zealand, Ine would begin telling me how great Australia is or try to make Belgium sound like there was more to it than beer and chocolate... yeah right. Ine never could tell me who the president of Europe was though... "It's the country you come from, how do you not know?!?" Good times all round ;-) </span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4mtzt0zI/AAAAAAAABkU/hrgmpfvzEl4/s1600-h/Roadtrip-16+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB4mtzt0zI/AAAAAAAABkU/hrgmpfvzEl4/s320/Roadtrip-16+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354912563470390066" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ine having a stand-off with a kea. It lasted until the kea got board and started investigating what he could steel from my van</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We learnt some important lessons in Fiordland such as the camping is free if they catch you in the morning. Apparently you have to pay or leave if they catch you in the evening because they can 'evict' you but that doesn't really work in the morning... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"yeah sweet as mate we're leaving anyway"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. Parking the van out of site is also a good approach to avoiding the unwelcome and introduced pests that are the DOC rangers. However you may need the 4WD stickers for this to be plausible. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB392p_txI/AAAAAAAABkM/fSNWwybF_SU/s1600-h/Roadtrip-17+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 119px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB392p_txI/AAAAAAAABkM/fSNWwybF_SU/s320/Roadtrip-17+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354911861470902034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fiordland rain forest</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The bottom of New Zealand is well worth the effort to go and see and that goes doubly for the Catlins. South Westland is my favourite spot but the Catlins are an equal match with rain forest right beside the coast... all it needs is some world class creeking and I would have serious trouble choosing between the two. We found plenty of waterfalls, beautiful beaches, and even caves at the bottom of sea cliffs. My camera battery ran out of juice just before we arrived so I don't have any photos to show you... perhaps another time.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB39Mdt4qI/AAAAAAAABkE/dboW4fs09zE/s1600-h/Roadtrip-18+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB39Mdt4qI/AAAAAAAABkE/dboW4fs09zE/s320/Roadtrip-18+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354911850145112738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mitre Peak - Milford Sound</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Having completed our tour de south we headed to the Coast to catch up with thee Eden Sinclair. It was the first time I have seen Eden since he left Norway after we were there for five months, over two years ago, so made for quite an emotional reunion... ok so actually we just got pissed and talked shit like always. Eden was kind enough however to show us his 'secret' spot for gold panning and the three of us slaved away for an afternoon to secure no less that 1.5 grams of of the shinny stuff with a street value for up to 50 kiwi rupees... hmmm you might have to rethink your retirement plan buddy. Well at least Ine has a nice souvenir to remember how pointless hard work is.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB38Tl6ViI/AAAAAAAABj8/f823LQ7DyxA/s1600-h/Roadtrip-19+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB38Tl6ViI/AAAAAAAABj8/f823LQ7DyxA/s320/Roadtrip-19+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354911834878662178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moss covered beech forests</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So all in all New Zealand has continued to treat me well, I had a great time just by being here. The really beauty of the place is in the photos though so I'll let them tell the story of my travels. I will offer one piece of advice however for anyone travelling with someone form Belgium... don't call them German... well actually do, it's pretty funny (just be prepared for retaliation hahaha). Ahh good times Ine, your welcome back in New Zealand any time :-) Ka kite</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB37pfxyDI/AAAAAAAABj0/3ITw7eoy5Fo/s1600-h/Roadtrip-20+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB37pfxyDI/AAAAAAAABj0/3ITw7eoy5Fo/s320/Roadtrip-20+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354911823578646578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crazy fungus... Ine was to scary to try and eat it despite my reassurance that she would be 'cool' if she did</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB36xwtFxI/AAAAAAAABjs/tLj5lvkMAL4/s1600-h/Roadtrip-21+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB36xwtFxI/AAAAAAAABjs/tLj5lvkMAL4/s320/Roadtrip-21+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354911808617256722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wicked starry sky... I think it is the little things like being able to see this many stars which makes New Zealand such an amazing place</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2sEt3dkI/AAAAAAAABjk/14-C4y8Wv5o/s1600-h/Roadtrip-22+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 64px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2sEt3dkI/AAAAAAAABjk/14-C4y8Wv5o/s320/Roadtrip-22+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354910456495961666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nothing in particular, I just like this photo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2rO4sJGI/AAAAAAAABjc/yA5vLhM68Uw/s1600-h/Roadtrip-23+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2rO4sJGI/AAAAAAAABjc/yA5vLhM68Uw/s320/Roadtrip-23+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354910442045842530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moeraki Boulders</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2qU54q9I/AAAAAAAABjU/n2PmJ3MJwto/s1600-h/Roadtrip-24+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2qU54q9I/AAAAAAAABjU/n2PmJ3MJwto/s320/Roadtrip-24+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354910426481601490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ine learning about waves... they are the things that wash up the beach and get your shoes and pants wet when you stand in the wrong place</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2phFnCpI/AAAAAAAABjM/JmfSuT8-ozc/s1600-h/Roadtrip-25+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2phFnCpI/AAAAAAAABjM/JmfSuT8-ozc/s320/Roadtrip-25+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354910412572134034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moraine from the Tasman Glacier at Aoraki</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2pBcMIbI/AAAAAAAABjE/M9ihwkas46A/s1600-h/Roadtrip-26+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 99px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB2pBcMIbI/AAAAAAAABjE/M9ihwkas46A/s320/Roadtrip-26+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354910404076904882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Heading towards Arthur's Pass</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1eRQLZEI/AAAAAAAABi8/39EM85X7XRI/s1600-h/Roadtrip-27+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 73px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1eRQLZEI/AAAAAAAABi8/39EM85X7XRI/s320/Roadtrip-27+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354909119831303234" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Castle Hill</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1djwjHPI/AAAAAAAABi0/2L_EnQVWY78/s1600-h/Roadtrip-28+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 153px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1djwjHPI/AAAAAAAABi0/2L_EnQVWY78/s320/Roadtrip-28+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354909107619044594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Walking into Punch Bowl falls</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1c37bQ1I/AAAAAAAABis/6I4487F3ZSI/s1600-h/Roadtrip-29+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1c37bQ1I/AAAAAAAABis/6I4487F3ZSI/s320/Roadtrip-29+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354909095853507410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Punch Bowl falls</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1cE8UbCI/AAAAAAAABik/tktyT9BnePs/s1600-h/Roadtrip-30+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1cE8UbCI/AAAAAAAABik/tktyT9BnePs/s320/Roadtrip-30+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354909082167045154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">An old rimu tree... one of my favourite types of tree on the Coast</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1bpEAwgI/AAAAAAAABic/DHkwVMEXvmY/s1600-h/Roadtrip-31+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SlB1bpEAwgI/AAAAAAAABic/DHkwVMEXvmY/s320/Roadtrip-31+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354909074683118082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Chilling in the Hokitika Gorge... good times</span></div></div></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-53844080431799915422009-04-10T11:39:00.025+02:002009-07-07T00:07:51.157+02:00The First Of Road Trip Is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-IPCTkAjI/AAAAAAAABgU/KCH6BIJBSdQ/s1600-h/Roadtrip-1+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-IPCTkAjI/AAAAAAAABgU/KCH6BIJBSdQ/s400/Roadtrip-1+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354648273865146930" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crutsy doing... well you can decide for yourself!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Stuff this Crusty... turning right is not happening, we're going left!"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I exclaimed after waiting not so patiently for nearly ten minutes at an intersection with constant rush hour traffic. Not the best time to leave Christchurch but when you only decide the 'roadtrip' is a go at 4:00pm there is not always so much choice in the departure time. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"So where does left take take us then Crusty?"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I ask all ready knowing the answer. "To the coast au" is his response empathised in colourful kiwi slang which I have missed so much while overseas... something tells me that good times await.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk9rVHJlaWI/AAAAAAAABfc/BoiNEByMhPo/s320/Roadtrip-4+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354616492407482722" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On the road</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE FIRST RULE OF ROAD TRIP: The two of us left Christchurch on a Wednesday afternoon with a van full of toys, fresh vegetables from Crusty's garden, top work Crusty, and a plan that hadn't progressed past leaving the city. The decision to head to the coast was made for us by our inability to turn right at an intersection and that is how the rest of the trip would would pan out. This is also when we decided that </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">'the first rule of road trip is... </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">you do not talk about road trip</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">'</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> thus ensuring that the randomness would continue. And so there we were headed to the coast and into the unknown with neither of us truly prepared for what lay ahead. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-SgpT7raI/AAAAAAAABhM/LashIUs0T1U/s1600-h/Roadtrip-5+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-SgpT7raI/AAAAAAAABhM/LashIUs0T1U/s320/Roadtrip-5+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354659571509734818" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Crutsy is sponsored don't you know... by Nippy's</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ROCK SCISSORS PAPER: "</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Good old rock... nothing beats rock!!"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I chuckled to myself as I cruzed round a sweeping left bend having just one and in the process decided that we would head south and not north at the first junction we had seen since leaving Christchurch nearly three hours ago. We hulled up for the night in the small South Westland town of Franz Joseph and set about making our presents known to all in sundry. The Kiwi Experience bus was in town, as it always is, and the drunken Europeans kept the atmosphere lively while the locals add a sharp contrast and made the place feel real. Crusty made 'not' friends with some fishermen passing through by discussing quoters but fortunately the locals were far more accommodating. I started talking shit with a helicopter pilot and as the beers drained we invented a new challenge of sorts, kind of like a real life survivor. The concept was simple, the pilot would drop us in the bush somewhere without much gear (and no idea of where we were) and we had to 'survive'. As fate would have it my new pilot friend was off for a flight in the morning to check out some 'stuff' and was keen for Crusty and I to give the 'survivor' game a nudge. "Sweet as mate... I'm sleeping in the van out there, wake me up" I cheerfully remarked not releasing that he was serious. And so at 6:00am Crusty and I were flown blindfolded into 'somewhere' and had to 'survive'.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551A8B;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-Mnji_5WI/AAAAAAAABgs/yiWNVyGGI5M/s1600-h/Roadtrip-6+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 133px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-Mnji_5WI/AAAAAAAABgs/yiWNVyGGI5M/s320/Roadtrip-6+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354653093151630690" /></a></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Quality West Coast housing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:7;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:48px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">SURVIVOR: Turns out the game is more fun to talk about than to actually play and at times it would be fair to say that we might have, if only a little bit, regretted our impromptu decision. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Well crusty, we got ourselves into this shit... we better get ourselves out of it"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Soooo where do we start?!?"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Our first move was to gain some altitude to get our bearings. This was not so hard as we had been dropped off rather high up and given the abundance of large mountains in South Westland, once we could see them our route to the civilised world become clear as mud... or so we though, it was actually a little murkier. The vantage point from the ridge we were saddling showed what looked like a plausible route down into the valley and out to what was probably the road... probably. The reality however was that descending into the valley got sketchy after about two hours and yet again we were at a junction but rock paper scissors wasn't going to solve. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Crusty old chap... I'm fraid to say old boy that you are going to need a rather large piece os earth moving equipment too get me to take one more step down this damned mountain"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I calmly explained to Crusty. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Well Mr Ramsay Sir... I hope you slipped a club ski field rope tow in your back pocket before departing because such a devise will indeed be required to drag me up to the ridge line" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Crutsy gently informed me. </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And so we did the only think we could do - traverse. To shorten a long story (or cut a long story short so to speak) we reached the road just as darkness was descending and started hitching back to Franz Joseph to recover the van and yarn to the pilot of our adventures. For 'surviving' he bought us a beer... top bloke.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk9qtd6BrxI/AAAAAAAABec/37M1VSjUGsI/s320/Roadtrip-8+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354615811321474834" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pass the goon bro</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk9rUVoZ17I/AAAAAAAABfE/08ThUalJK2U/s320/Roadtrip-7+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354616479114975154" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yeah this man's on the goon train</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THROWING CAUTION TO THE WIND: Next stop in our adventure was Jackson's Bay and a much quiter pub hidden away from the silly drunken tourists of the kiwi experience bus. The guy who picked us up when we hitched back to Frnaz was on his way to check out a cave that some buddies of his had found where a river apparently flows right through a hill kind of like cave stream but it could be you could float through in on an inner tube. He was impressed with our tails of the game 'survivor' and asked us to join him. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Sweet as mate... see you in Jackson's".</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> So there we were sitting in a different pub, Rain by Dragon blasting on the dukebox, a older women dancing by herself, locals yarning at the bar, and us... discussing a different but no less foolish sounding plan to float under a mountain. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"I suppose there are some things you just shouldn't say no to"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Crusty summed up the situation and so for the second time in two days all caution was thrown to the wind and we set out on a caving adventure.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-LvGMSQoI/AAAAAAAABgk/a7gPzSPlG7E/s1600-h/Roadtrip-32+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-LvGMSQoI/AAAAAAAABgk/a7gPzSPlG7E/s320/Roadtrip-32+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354652123199062658" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Which way is up?!?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CAVE TUBING: Our new friend Matt had a spear tube (Crusty had brought a tube with him... talk about prepared) and so with enough warm gear and a hand torch each we set out on next adventure. The cave wasn't too far, only a couple hours walk so we were soon peering into the vast opening into the mountain apparently which flowed into the next valley. Our plan was to float through the hill and then pretty much all the way back to the car... twas a good plan except that the underground river had different ideas. The level was 'higher' than what I imagine is ideal and had started to form 'rapids'. I do my fair share of throwing myself in amongst class five white water and this was by no means class 5 but when complete darkness and that uneasy sense of eminent death are in the mix, boy the pulse really starts racing. Matt assured us that it would be </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"sweet as bro"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">... well </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"that's all the assurance I need, how about you Crusty?"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I asked sarcastically. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Yeah man, if he says it's good then I'm in"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Crusty remarked with no less sarcasm in in voice. And so in a funny double bluff gone wrong we all ponyed up and floated into the unknown.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk9qtgIbPFI/AAAAAAAABek/DDcivhM2k_c/s320/Roadtrip-9+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354615811918740562" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DANGER!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-Nqlr3NTI/AAAAAAAABg8/zHZcB0iROMs/s1600-h/Roadtrip-2+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-Nqlr3NTI/AAAAAAAABg8/zHZcB0iROMs/s320/Roadtrip-2+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354654244776916274" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hmmm rather and emotional photo... wouldn't you say?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">REBIRTH: I emerged from the 20min luge ride into the blindingly bright daylight first. My terror was replaced with a sense of amazement and then laughter as I saw the look on Crusty's face. He exited soon after clinging onto Matt for dear life. A hole had 'eaten' him and then kindly shoved him in an undercut... lucky for Crusty Matt floated past at the same moment and gave Crusty something to hold onto and be dragged out with... Matt's leg. Matt probably though a taniwha had got him because he had some rather wide eyes too. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Classic... now lets never speak of it again!"</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-S7MCTAeI/AAAAAAAABhU/omCPxW0sTeI/s1600-h/Roadtrip-10+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-S7MCTAeI/AAAAAAAABhU/omCPxW0sTeI/s320/Roadtrip-10+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354660027507605986" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New Zealand ROCKS!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CHICKEN WITH THE BEES: Crusty and I both agreed that we had had enough adventure on our road trip so it was time for some mischief. And as luck would have it we were joined by two German girls hitching around New Zealand... didn't there mummy's teach them not to accept rides from strange kiwis. We started out amusing ourselves with the little things, such as telling them all about our colourful history including killer snow chickens and hobbits. Pretending to drive off with all their stuff got some classic looks on their faces but still they did not take heed. Those Germans are suckers for punishment!! I think we finally convinced them we were not 'ordinary' when we started playing chicken with the bees. It's a simple game involving a hive of bees, a van, and a complete lack of common sense. One person exits the van... runs over the bee hive and bangs on the top five times thus getting the bees considerably 'agitated'. They then run back into the van and it is the next persons turn. The process is repeated until someone chickens out and has to do something predetermined at the start as a result. See fun for the whole family!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk9quAlHmcI/AAAAAAAABe0/G6zPygyQulM/s320/Roadtrip-11+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354615820629023170" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yeah I know some magic bro!?!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE FIRST RULE OF ROAD TRIP: So this is where the story ends... and also where it begins!! If you remember the first rule of road trip is - 'you do not talk about road trip' and thus it follows that everything above is a complete work of fiction. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"What is the real story?"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I hear you ask... sorry cant say, it's a secret ;-)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-NPHRoFsI/AAAAAAAABg0/RF5sLozm09g/s1600-h/Roadtrip-12+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/Sk-NPHRoFsI/AAAAAAAABg0/RF5sLozm09g/s320/Roadtrip-12+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354653772757341890" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Check it out... Hobbits</span></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-91408795660021318932009-04-08T01:00:00.004+02:002009-07-07T00:05:14.673+02:00Soooo It Has Been A While<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SdvjI6yxlRI/AAAAAAAABcc/LzLzt0grn8M/s1600-h/New+Zealand+(1+of+1).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SdvjI6yxlRI/AAAAAAAABcc/LzLzt0grn8M/s400/New+Zealand+(1+of+1).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322097127029052690" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Kia ora, kei te pehea koutou good people of interweb land... I guess you have all but given up on ever seeing an future updates of what is going on in MassiveCock land. Well there has been plenty and not so much at the same time. I have spent more time taking photos and chilling out on goon train than going on missions. Well not kayaking missions anyway and those are the ones that really get me motivated to share the adventure. At present I'm back in Aotearoa (New Zealand for those not in the know) and loving life. There are plenty of stories to share... but I'm not going to. Instead here is a photo I took of me the other day while on an... umm, entertaining road trip with a good friend Crusty (The first rule of 'roadtrip' is we do not talk about 'roadtrip'). Hopefully more to come in the near future. Ka keti akuanei</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-9170026224666549132008-08-02T13:32:00.007+02:002008-11-13T22:17:01.836+01:00Swim Like A Fish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRKZHtLoqI/AAAAAAAABA4/3wdnPVInrxo/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRKZHtLoqI/AAAAAAAABA4/3wdnPVInrxo/s400/Norway+Sogndal-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229886862709727906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">This is in the middle of the longest tunnel in the world. There are three rooms like this that look more like a rave hall than a main road. I assume that it is to keep people awake and alert.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One river I was disappointed not to paddle last year while in Norway was the Sogndalselvi, particularly notable for three back to back waterfalls with no place to get out in between them. My buddies Mefford and Amos had also failed to paddle the river despite living only an hour and a half drive from it. Our mission to it last year only revealed water to low to paddle but we did get to scout the three waterfalls and dream of what could be.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRG4USHDoI/AAAAAAAABAo/MxF0xbKI69s/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRG4USHDoI/AAAAAAAABAo/MxF0xbKI69s/s320/Norway+Sogndal-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229883000615276162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Amos running the first waterfall which had a burly leadin<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">This year was to be different. While hanging out in Voss I received a call from Mefford - “Our trips for today have been cancelled so we’re heading for the Sogndal, you want to come?” And with that I was off on a two hour drive which nearly spent more time underground than it did above. I think the tunnel breakdown goes something like this - 2km tunnel, 11km tunnel, 5km tunnel, 24km tunnel, 6km tunnel, and ferry into a 3km tunnel (tunnels under 1km excluded because hey it's Norway). That's over 50km on tunnels on a 120km drive!! At the end of the 3km tunnel (after the ferry) I picked up a couple of Belgium girls hitchhiking. They had taken the ferry and then walked the entire length of the tunnel not realising how long it was.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRG4anEXeI/AAAAAAAABAw/oA4RbrNozRI/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRG4anEXeI/AAAAAAAABAw/oA4RbrNozRI/s320/Norway+Sogndal-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229883002313792994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mefford discovering the challengs of the entrance and inventing a new style of boofing - the tail first plug!! You will have to ask him how it is done, I only took the photos.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">Arriving in the small town of Sogndal I soon found Mefford and Amos. We had a quick reunion, set shuttle and were off to paddle both upper and lower sections of the Sogndal at the timely hour of 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. Good thing it doesn’t get dark in Norway in the summer.<br /><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsF2EWCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/pEh5Gi2VR1o/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsF2EWCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/pEh5Gi2VR1o/s320/Norway+Sogndal-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229882790581131298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">For once it's me not behind the camera. After Mefford swam on the first waterfall he become camera man (Photo by: Mefford Williams)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">About the time we went kayaking is about the time things went astray for me. A kilometre into the upper section I got a right proper thrashing and swam like a fish. Amos jumped out for a quick scout in which he saw a big hole in middle of the river with '<span style="font-style: italic;">good to go</span>' line down the left... not so! I paddled the drop first to find the “go to go on the left” line ran into a wall of water kicking hard into the hole. Form the low angle slide I was on I had no chance of getting a boof so instead took my beating like a man and a good wee beating it was. I would like to claim that I was in there for over a minute because it sure felt longer but it was probably closer to 30-45 seconds. Long enough for Amos to place a throw rope perfectly on my shoulder signalling that it was to time to make hasty retreat.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsPIVsKI/AAAAAAAAA_4/EECYlOXWnh0/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsPIVsKI/AAAAAAAAA_4/EECYlOXWnh0/s320/Norway+Sogndal-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229882793073684642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Amos running the second waterfall (Photo by: Mefford Williams)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">Swimming was not to be as easy as I anticipated though. To enable me to hold onto the throw rope with two hands tried to put my knee through my spray skirt but without any success... that little bugger was determined to keep my in my kayak! This left me holding onto a line trying to pull me of the river while me boat held me stead fast in the hole. Only thing for it - let go with one hand and pull my spray skirt off by its tag... easier said than done. Finally out my kayak and still holding onto the rope I things were surely looking up... until the rope went slack!! Amos had been pulled into the river just before I got out of my boat so I was on my own again. Luckily he had already pulled me over to the left side of the river and my swim to the sure was easy. I then got to watch my boat, with my camera inside, float past in the middle of the current where I had no chance of grabbing it.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsmPwYSI/AAAAAAAABAE/Ifg36qdwg38/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGsmPwYSI/AAAAAAAABAE/Ifg36qdwg38/s320/Norway+Sogndal-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229882799278809378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Amos on his way to the bottom of the third and final waterfall (Photo by: Mefford Williams)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">My boat made it a long way down the river before pinning about a km before the takeout of the upper. Having got all my gear back I wasn’t too worried about walking half the upper run and got straight back in the saddle. It didn’t take us long to get to the three waterfalls which makes the Sogndalselvi such a classic run. Amos and Mefford paddled the first waterfall while I took photos. Amos got stalled in the bottom but came out fine. After seeing this Mefford though he would head further right... a lot further right in the end and although he had a good line on the falls he got stuffed under an undercut just after the drop and had no choice but to swim like a fish (at least fish are good swimmers). Fortunately I was in a good position to get him a throw bag and help pull him out before the second falls. Not wanting to leave Amos the run the next two falls by himself I ponyed up and stuck the line to meet Amos waiting a small eddy just above the second drop. Which he insisted I paddle first but hey he been sitting waiting in his boat for nearly 30min so I was happy to do so. </span><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGs9NF62I/AAAAAAAABAQ/lKWYO42JwXo/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGs9NF62I/AAAAAAAABAQ/lKWYO42JwXo/s320/Norway+Sogndal-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229882805441653602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Weeee... (Photo by: Mefford Williams)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">The next two falls were all good and we found Meffod’s boat just downstream of the final falls so all were back on the water together for the rest of the run. The rest of the run saw only good lines and no dramas. While the paddling was not executed as well as we hoped it certainly was enjoyed by all.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGtYWvGeI/AAAAAAAABAc/6AUaZ_sSrc8/s1600-h/Norway+Sogndal-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJRGtYWvGeI/AAAAAAAABAc/6AUaZ_sSrc8/s320/Norway+Sogndal-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229882812729858530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mefford reflects on the day that was<br /></span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-89768539451254722142008-07-30T16:17:00.001+02:002008-11-13T22:17:03.017+01:00Raundalselvi - Lower Canyon<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHllS8SMHI/AAAAAAAAA_o/cjGm2qyuriw/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHllS8SMHI/AAAAAAAAA_o/cjGm2qyuriw/s400/Norway+Voss-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229213071256465522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The put in drop... what a way to start a run!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More of the Voss area goods... the Lower Canyon of the Raundalselvi which is probably my favorite run of the area (of those I have paddled so far that is). Then again it is hard a choice because all the runs are such high quality. The wonderful sunny hot day made for good picture taking too, a bonus to any good days boating that should be remembered. And too thoes of you enjoying the winter snow back home... well to be honst I am jelous but only a little bit because of rivers like the Raundalselvi and thirty plus degree days ;-)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYGLUadI/AAAAAAAAA_I/9-DvFVUG4eY/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYGLUadI/AAAAAAAAA_I/9-DvFVUG4eY/s320/Norway+Voss-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229183157677615570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mark enjoying the entrance to a great section</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYRZQkII/AAAAAAAAA_Y/8Way779BfxU/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYRZQkII/AAAAAAAAA_Y/8Way779BfxU/s320/Norway+Voss-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229183160688873602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mickel playing games with holes... luck for him he was on the winning side</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYno3NkI/AAAAAAAAA_g/aa7Nr3uPQ-U/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHKYno3NkI/AAAAAAAAA_g/aa7Nr3uPQ-U/s320/Norway+Voss-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229183166659900994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mickel getting his boof on</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7C_jWVI/AAAAAAAAA-g/mNrjr6LFcvw/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7C_jWVI/AAAAAAAAA-g/mNrjr6LFcvw/s320/Norway+Voss-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229182658606750034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hendri same</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7ZEQwtI/AAAAAAAAA-o/MzRnyOQ4GQQ/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7ZEQwtI/AAAAAAAAA-o/MzRnyOQ4GQQ/s320/Norway+Voss-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229182664532083410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">More sweet drops... on this guy I though I would so a little dance with the left wall, not so graceful though I might add. Here Mickel makes it look far better than I did.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7uMWSwI/AAAAAAAAA-w/W8bET_5rgRw/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7uMWSwI/AAAAAAAAA-w/W8bET_5rgRw/s320/Norway+Voss-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229182670203144962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Greg paddled... um a drop while Hendri looks on... come to think of it I don't know the names on any of the rapids on this section. Maybe there aren't any?!?</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7vmD56I/AAAAAAAAA-4/m1cNA7KcTqI/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ7vmD56I/AAAAAAAAA-4/m1cNA7KcTqI/s320/Norway+Voss-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229182670579427234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mickel, same rapid different line</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ77X37kI/AAAAAAAAA_A/TR2hD6VKwpo/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJHJ77X37kI/AAAAAAAAA_A/TR2hD6VKwpo/s320/Norway+Voss-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229182673741147714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hendri looking for the melt down</span><br /><br /></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-67910323249886149012008-07-29T20:36:00.000+02:002008-11-13T22:17:03.907+01:00The Lower Myrdalselvi a Little Voss Gem<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGoTdbvYfI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/0TG_EPkPq8g/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGoTdbvYfI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/0TG_EPkPq8g/s400/Norway+Voss-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145694625817074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Greg on the first drop of Karma Cow Falls<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, I'm back on the water again in Norway in one of my favourite places - Voss. Voss just seems to have it all, great rivers, awesome people to hangout with, and even great weather (well don't count on it but it has been 30+ everyday I've been in town). Essentially no kayaking trip to Norway is complete without a trip to Voss and these pictures should be a good indication why. They are all from the Lower Myrdalselvi at a wonderfully friendly flow where there is enough water that it's not scrappy but everything goes and nothing is too scary. Perfect<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGoODI-JuI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/UeyWP4RaIVw/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGoODI-JuI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/UeyWP4RaIVw/s320/Norway+Voss-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145601668425442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hendri on the second slide of Karma Cow Falls</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnw1CZkwI/AAAAAAAAA9o/iigqiOc4OW0/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnw1CZkwI/AAAAAAAAA9o/iigqiOc4OW0/s320/Norway+Voss-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145099666559746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Greg on the same drop<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnwzuudgI/AAAAAAAAA9w/atCkDQm5eHs/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnwzuudgI/AAAAAAAAA9w/atCkDQm5eHs/s320/Norway+Voss-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145099315607042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hendri hand paddling the falls after the portage... oh yeah there is one portage, a 100 foot waterfall which lands on rock. Apparently the one only gets paddled on Sundays, day of the Gods... or so Greg and Hendri would have me believe.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxHHhSVI/AAAAAAAAA94/w4uzAUnkqTo/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxHHhSVI/AAAAAAAAA94/w4uzAUnkqTo/s320/Norway+Voss-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145104519874898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hendri sticking witht the hand paddles at the weir drop<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxXjuDXI/AAAAAAAAA-A/de7oD95RhXc/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxXjuDXI/AAAAAAAAA-A/de7oD95RhXc/s320/Norway+Voss-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145108933119346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The grand finale, a scary looking drop that you <span style="font-style: italic;">'just float down the middle'</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxcZA_gI/AAAAAAAAA-I/5rbe4jzPofE/s1600-h/Norway+Voss-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SJGnxcZA_gI/AAAAAAAAA-I/5rbe4jzPofE/s320/Norway+Voss-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229145110230400514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Greg on the same drop<br /></span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-55969424353156948642008-07-19T11:05:00.009+02:002008-11-13T22:17:06.060+01:00Endelig tilbake i landet med brun ost<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIG0pnpw7tI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/HaYIpm0N6RY/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIG0pnpw7tI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/HaYIpm0N6RY/s400/Aker+Brygge-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224655669838278354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sit down and relax... there is no need to rush in Norway<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Well I have finally made my way back to Norway for some boating after far to long away from the place. The finer details of said boating are yet to be arranged but with rivers everywhere and lots of other kayakers about that shouldn't be too much of a problem. For the moment I am rather enjoying a relaxing time after five weeks of parting (I mean working) in Poland. Anyhow for your enjoyment I have some photos that I snapped that other day in Aker Brygge by the waterfront in down town Oslo. The weather in this part of the world has a habbit of continously changing and the day I took these photos on was no exception. The are shown here in the order they were shot in so you can see how different the sky is in each shot! Well enjoy... kayaking action to come shortly. Har det bra<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwfEDZIpI/AAAAAAAAA9A/wptkm63-80U/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwfEDZIpI/AAAAAAAAA9A/wptkm63-80U/s320/Aker+Brygge-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224651090436891282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Protecting the city from attack... by whom I wonder?!?<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWfchefI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/TgmLI0QM3PE/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWfchefI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/TgmLI0QM3PE/s320/Aker+Brygge-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650943171230194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Some old buildings near the city center</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWsKmZ8I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/tRh7VyCtUzo/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWsKmZ8I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/tRh7VyCtUzo/s320/Aker+Brygge-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650946585716674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">There are lots of sculptures and statues all over Oslo... I'm not sure why they chose a bull for the waterfront though?!? </span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWtdN_3I/AAAAAAAAA8g/HGEtmz69gro/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwWtdN_3I/AAAAAAAAA8g/HGEtmz69gro/s320/Aker+Brygge-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650946932244338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">People relaxing at the waters edge<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwW72s-SI/AAAAAAAAA8o/bEIDNuQuST4/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwW72s-SI/AAAAAAAAA8o/bEIDNuQuST4/s320/Aker+Brygge-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650950797228322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The weather made for some really nice lighting conditions. Here the buildings are lit up with a dark background sky. This is probably me favorite lighting conditions to take photos in.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwXOUnlnI/AAAAAAAAA8w/uJI5jT_TmZo/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwXOUnlnI/AAAAAAAAA8w/uJI5jT_TmZo/s320/Aker+Brygge-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650955754542706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't like the threatening looking sky... no problem, just turn around!! </span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwEC3xXoI/AAAAAAAAA7o/mz4lP7NOHnw/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwEC3xXoI/AAAAAAAAA7o/mz4lP7NOHnw/s320/Aker+Brygge-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650626263244418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">More of the same amazing lighting. I love the way the tree almost appears to glow.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIHTaNBujsI/AAAAAAAAA9g/lRCKgBiSiSo/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIHTaNBujsI/AAAAAAAAA9g/lRCKgBiSiSo/s320/Aker+Brygge-18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224689489853451970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The lighting conditions are not only perfect for photo taking but also for sitting down and enjoying the afternoon sun<br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwERoUGtI/AAAAAAAAA74/YOXp5h5qs1I/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwERoUGtI/AAAAAAAAA74/YOXp5h5qs1I/s320/Aker+Brygge-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650630224943826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the many parks and fountains which are found all over the city. It really does make for an enjoyable place to be.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwEbtwb2I/AAAAAAAAA8A/WUaaNQkaXVE/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwEbtwb2I/AAAAAAAAA8A/WUaaNQkaXVE/s320/Aker+Brygge-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650632932126562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A close up of the sculpture at the base of the fountain </span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwErc2A8I/AAAAAAAAA8I/LAdUHa4aQ0w/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGwErc2A8I/AAAAAAAAA8I/LAdUHa4aQ0w/s320/Aker+Brygge-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650637156156354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">If I wasn't being so lazy I would probably darken the sky to the left of the statue to give a greater contrasting effect... but hey this is Norway and you are allow to be lazy here ;-)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvq7AhAyI/AAAAAAAAA7A/12I2GNEBs3w/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvq7AhAyI/AAAAAAAAA7A/12I2GNEBs3w/s320/Aker+Brygge-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650194655707938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">This one is a personal favorite but I think you need to see the full sized original to full appreciate the subtle depth of field effect here. Just enough to make the statue standout without overly blurring the background - camera settings were ISO 200, 28mm, <span style="font-style: italic;">f</span> 7.1, </span><span style="font-size:85%;">1/400 sec.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrJeAnRI/AAAAAAAAA7I/TduDrN61OW0/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrJeAnRI/AAAAAAAAA7I/TduDrN61OW0/s320/Aker+Brygge-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650198537510162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Another favorite, in this case the composition of the photo worked out really well.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrDJdABI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/LtcZCi2hhms/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrDJdABI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/LtcZCi2hhms/s320/Aker+Brygge-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650196840677394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I had to wait a while for this courtyard to be clear of people, well almost clear (this was the best I managed). I feel the photo looks far better without people.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIG0yWIGrPI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/-zlg-IDTVhY/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIG0yWIGrPI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/-zlg-IDTVhY/s320/Aker+Brygge-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224655819752516850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I couldn't believe my luck when I came across this boat lit up the way is was. This photo has minimal post editing... this is how it look as I took the photo. Actually none of these photos have had any post editing that changes the look/feel of the original shot... it was just one of those days when the light was kind.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrmTN5gI/AAAAAAAAA7g/k5tpSLV7mW0/s1600-h/Aker+Brygge-17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SIGvrmTN5gI/AAAAAAAAA7g/k5tpSLV7mW0/s320/Aker+Brygge-17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224650206276871682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Believe it or not this is actually half of a round-a-bout and probably the coolest I have ever seen! You can see the marks on the coble stones where the cars have been driving. Also note that I am standing in the middle of the road to take the picture. Luckly the cars in Norway stop for podestriens. </span><br /></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-49807713487506035622008-06-19T11:00:00.010+02:002008-11-13T22:17:09.986+01:00Gdansk - Poland<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFojKPsLMXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/OxWRWIjxG_Y/s1600-h/Gdansk-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFojKPsLMXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/OxWRWIjxG_Y/s400/Gdansk-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213518177552249202" border="0" /></a>So now I'm back at work which means no kayaking photos until I make my way to scando land to terrorize more Norwegians and do battle with their rivers. In the mean time I'll be making the best of what Poland has to offer and so far that has been a lot. Seeing as I'm living in a hotel with other guys from work we eat out most nights (at works expense of course) and that often escalates to a night out drinking but hey I'm not complaining. Not all has been remembered but I'm sure all was enjoyed!! Well before this turns into more drinking stories here is a quick summary of Poland so far... The food good and cheap plus there are places to eat out everywhere, beer is cheep and there are plenty of paces to sit outside in the sun and enjoy the fact that there are more beautiful girls in Poland than any other country I have been in to date, they are everywhere.... EVERYWHERE. The western bulge hasn't hit Poland yet that's for sure. The place has a very relaxed feel to it with many parks spread throughout the city and trees everywhere, more so even than Christchurch back home which is really saying something. Gdansk has a rather active night life in which day of the week doesn't seem to matter and all the best places to go are in a part of the city call 'Old Town' which looks like it was built hundreds of years ago, although I have no idea how many. This certainly adds to the atmosphere though. For the time being I don't have to work Sundays so I got a chance to get out and explore the city (and snap away happily even if I did look like a tourist). Right I best be back to work so I'll leave my brief description where it stands except to add that at face value Poland is a sweet place, much more so than I expected (and I was expecting good things). If you ever get the chance to visit then definitely take it... and make sure you include Gdansk in your exploring, especially Old Town. Enjoy the photos... the second half are of some graffiti that I found close to the center of the city and was also some of the best I have seen.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8UdoX4I/AAAAAAAAA5M/dKAN5dvv74c/s1600-h/Gdansk-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8UdoX4I/AAAAAAAAA5M/dKAN5dvv74c/s320/Gdansk-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516838803627906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8lCLrpI/AAAAAAAAA5U/byHO_YRgdeo/s1600-h/Gdansk-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8lCLrpI/AAAAAAAAA5U/byHO_YRgdeo/s320/Gdansk-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516843251904146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8s5ECSI/AAAAAAAAA5c/Yief2E9KiHM/s1600-h/Gdansk-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh8s5ECSI/AAAAAAAAA5c/Yief2E9KiHM/s320/Gdansk-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516845361137954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh83NxIsI/AAAAAAAAA5k/1aGOh44hyPw/s1600-h/Gdansk-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoh83NxIsI/AAAAAAAAA5k/1aGOh44hyPw/s320/Gdansk-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516848132334274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuShVXgI/AAAAAAAAA4c/Z6Al9nl7MkI/s1600-h/Gdansk-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuShVXgI/AAAAAAAAA4c/Z6Al9nl7MkI/s320/Gdansk-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516597764120066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuXaYnvI/AAAAAAAAA4k/u-NuZM2yAEo/s1600-h/Gdansk-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuXaYnvI/AAAAAAAAA4k/u-NuZM2yAEo/s320/Gdansk-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516599077150450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuht0ACI/AAAAAAAAA4s/hdlyGk6TI7A/s1600-h/Gdansk-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohuht0ACI/AAAAAAAAA4s/hdlyGk6TI7A/s320/Gdansk-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516601842991138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohvJMhTLI/AAAAAAAAA40/XRkQ5Q7f_aE/s1600-h/Gdansk-9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohvJMhTLI/AAAAAAAAA40/XRkQ5Q7f_aE/s320/Gdansk-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516612440771762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohvNLSueI/AAAAAAAAA48/X4iN2TBd1Wk/s1600-h/Gdansk-10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohvNLSueI/AAAAAAAAA48/X4iN2TBd1Wk/s320/Gdansk-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516613509364194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohfjD1-fI/AAAAAAAAA30/EBQf7WfV4tE/s1600-h/Gdansk-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohfjD1-fI/AAAAAAAAA30/EBQf7WfV4tE/s320/Gdansk-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516344505793010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohf-k_SOI/AAAAAAAAA38/gu76OEuuoj4/s1600-h/Gdansk-12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohf-k_SOI/AAAAAAAAA38/gu76OEuuoj4/s320/Gdansk-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516351892572386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohf-31YcI/AAAAAAAAA4E/U77Gwjg4iOs/s1600-h/Gdansk-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohf-31YcI/AAAAAAAAA4E/U77Gwjg4iOs/s320/Gdansk-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516351971615170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohgG2AzZI/AAAAAAAAA4M/ejkH7Lkcy2I/s1600-h/Gdansk-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohgG2AzZI/AAAAAAAAA4M/ejkH7Lkcy2I/s320/Gdansk-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516354111458706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohgQ9XeYI/AAAAAAAAA4U/s6JV33lQX40/s1600-h/Gdansk-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohgQ9XeYI/AAAAAAAAA4U/s6JV33lQX40/s320/Gdansk-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516356826659202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRtTPqdI/AAAAAAAAA3M/_fIkiBYXhKY/s1600-h/Gdansk-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRtTPqdI/AAAAAAAAA3M/_fIkiBYXhKY/s320/Gdansk-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516106736576978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRsJCUyI/AAAAAAAAA3U/aIkn5tcSDIs/s1600-h/Gdansk-17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRsJCUyI/AAAAAAAAA3U/aIkn5tcSDIs/s320/Gdansk-17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516106425324322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRx8LP5I/AAAAAAAAA3c/MxTtHa6CD8o/s1600-h/Gdansk-18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohRx8LP5I/AAAAAAAAA3c/MxTtHa6CD8o/s320/Gdansk-18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516107981995922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohSNEbMtI/AAAAAAAAA3k/yMVgz0Y__KU/s1600-h/Gdansk-19.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohSNEbMtI/AAAAAAAAA3k/yMVgz0Y__KU/s320/Gdansk-19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516115264352978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohSLV-_9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/lX1u8Gnf7-k/s1600-h/Gdansk-20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohSLV-_9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/lX1u8Gnf7-k/s320/Gdansk-20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213516114801131474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohBXU5oyI/AAAAAAAAA2k/cFAAoPGx3fw/s1600-h/Gdansk-21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohBXU5oyI/AAAAAAAAA2k/cFAAoPGx3fw/s320/Gdansk-21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515825960035106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohBtm3fFI/AAAAAAAAA2s/Q88Gm8WC2lI/s1600-h/Gdansk-22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohBtm3fFI/AAAAAAAAA2s/Q88Gm8WC2lI/s320/Gdansk-22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515831940971602" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohB01rpqI/AAAAAAAAA20/VGhHTgvbO0Y/s1600-h/Gdansk-23.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohB01rpqI/AAAAAAAAA20/VGhHTgvbO0Y/s320/Gdansk-23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515833882158754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohB6XvMqI/AAAAAAAAA28/L_3TBYycrDk/s1600-h/Gdansk-24.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohB6XvMqI/AAAAAAAAA28/L_3TBYycrDk/s320/Gdansk-24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515835367174818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohCDHgLzI/AAAAAAAAA3E/KyvGWUbFKN4/s1600-h/Gdansk-25.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFohCDHgLzI/AAAAAAAAA3E/KyvGWUbFKN4/s320/Gdansk-25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515837715001138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogt3UiN8I/AAAAAAAAA18/9XgDuGZddyI/s1600-h/Gdansk-26.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogt3UiN8I/AAAAAAAAA18/9XgDuGZddyI/s320/Gdansk-26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515490951051202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoguC-Yt0I/AAAAAAAAA2E/5KFC4moe8_A/s1600-h/Gdansk-27.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoguC-Yt0I/AAAAAAAAA2E/5KFC4moe8_A/s320/Gdansk-27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515494079379266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogucMk6CI/AAAAAAAAA2M/2JjJhPWhhLs/s1600-h/Gdansk-28.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogucMk6CI/AAAAAAAAA2M/2JjJhPWhhLs/s320/Gdansk-28.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515500849784866" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoguQDX4WI/AAAAAAAAA2U/zAXA58OHS5s/s1600-h/Gdansk-29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFoguQDX4WI/AAAAAAAAA2U/zAXA58OHS5s/s320/Gdansk-29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515497589956962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogummx-UI/AAAAAAAAA2c/WTZf1wt-538/s1600-h/Gdansk-30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SFogummx-UI/AAAAAAAAA2c/WTZf1wt-538/s320/Gdansk-30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213515503644047682" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///Users/ThatGuy/Pictures/Blog%20Photos/Gdansk-12.jpg" alt="">MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-54332162306191521132008-06-05T00:55:00.008+02:002008-11-13T22:17:12.252+01:00The South Merced<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcl4ox2iTI/AAAAAAAAA10/jQ4yuo5BEfI/s1600-h/DSC01774.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcl4ox2iTI/AAAAAAAAA10/jQ4yuo5BEfI/s400/DSC01774.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208173149026683186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the craziest flower I have ever seen... the stamen is over two inches high<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Here are some pictures from our two day trip on the South Merced River, one of my favourites in <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>Unlike <st1:place st="on">Royal Gorge</st1:place>, the water level was far from low so we enjoyed punching holes instead of hitting rocks.<span style=""> </span>I managed to rein in my under sized, overloaded kayak for all but one off the biggest rapids when she got away on me a wee bit.<span style=""> </span>After (almost) styling the entrance I gracefully stern squirted my way down the middle of the rapid before plugging deep in the guts of a massive hole I had intended to skirt around… no worries for a small boat though with lots of gear in it though – straight underneath.<span style=""> </span>The only down side is that Evan didn’t have his video camera out in time… bugger.<span style=""> </span>Anyhow, before this becomes a story, I’ll leave it at that and show you all dem pritty pictures yo’ll love so much. <span style=""> </span>Story to follow… maybe.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivHdDpQI/AAAAAAAAA1U/902VC4tu9pM/s1600-h/DSC01788.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivHdDpQI/AAAAAAAAA1U/902VC4tu9pM/s320/DSC01788.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169686927385858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Weeeeee... Lizzy showing the guys how it's done<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivfdSdCI/AAAAAAAAA1c/SMhoBbaxr34/s1600-h/DSC01793.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivfdSdCI/AAAAAAAAA1c/SMhoBbaxr34/s320/DSC01793.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169693370807330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G on the same slide<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivn8ngRI/AAAAAAAAA1k/rb9FIgBEqU0/s1600-h/DSC01801.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivn8ngRI/AAAAAAAAA1k/rb9FIgBEqU0/s320/DSC01801.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169695649693970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G probing to see if the hole is as sticky as it looks<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivjvMgnI/AAAAAAAAA1s/VEvYbV279hM/s1600-h/DSC01805.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEcivjvMgnI/AAAAAAAAA1s/VEvYbV279hM/s320/DSC01805.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169694519657074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Where's Chris K... see if you can find him, he's up there somewhere and he says portage Once In A Life Time on the right!!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRJanXcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/DboeCwM2UUg/s1600-h/DSC01811.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRJanXcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/DboeCwM2UUg/s320/DSC01811.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169172057939394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Evan hanging out with his new buddy</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRbrBjtI/AAAAAAAAA00/2xU5SFt2UvA/s1600-h/DSC01815.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRbrBjtI/AAAAAAAAA00/2xU5SFt2UvA/s320/DSC01815.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169176958602962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Before running the shit. His new buddy wasn't so keen though so the two of them parted ways<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRm_tM0I/AAAAAAAAA08/DobtlR3mNsE/s1600-h/DSC01818.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciRm_tM0I/AAAAAAAAA08/DobtlR3mNsE/s320/DSC01818.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169179998139202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris K finding the tongue after surfing the wave above. Nice work buddy<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciR8402WI/AAAAAAAAA1E/uHDKGw0oY9c/s1600-h/DSC01823.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciR8402WI/AAAAAAAAA1E/uHDKGw0oY9c/s320/DSC01823.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169185874860386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G styles this drop and so though he'd have a go at wave wheeling the next (see below)<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciR4LBXaI/AAAAAAAAA1M/e_bMaiWArSc/s1600-h/DSC01830.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEciR4LBXaI/AAAAAAAAA1M/e_bMaiWArSc/s320/DSC01830.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169184609000866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sure it looks good in the photo but not so in real life... ask Chris.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchPqyT-lI/AAAAAAAAAzs/wJOZrYYWNQI/s1600-h/DSC01834.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchPqyT-lI/AAAAAAAAAzs/wJOZrYYWNQI/s320/DSC01834.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208168047144335954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">More big slides... Evan leading the way<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchPqFIBlI/AAAAAAAAAz0/5krygXFj_Ok/s1600-h/DSC01847.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchPqFIBlI/AAAAAAAAAz0/5krygXFj_Ok/s320/DSC01847.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208168046954808914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Lizzy showing the guys how it's done... again<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchP0H07hI/AAAAAAAAAz8/DUm0OXoVa-Y/s1600-h/DSC01857.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchP0H07hI/AAAAAAAAAz8/DUm0OXoVa-Y/s320/DSC01857.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208168049650494994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Food!!! Chris K and Chris G fighting over the peanut butter at the take out<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchQJjxguI/AAAAAAAAA0E/JIJF-81HG80/s1600-h/DSC01859.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchQJjxguI/AAAAAAAAA0E/JIJF-81HG80/s320/DSC01859.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208168055404856034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mean while Evan had his own <span style="font-style: italic;">'little'</span> big gun show<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchQRbvFhI/AAAAAAAAA0M/XaCdWz3w2FU/s1600-h/DSC01860.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEchQRbvFhI/AAAAAAAAA0M/XaCdWz3w2FU/s320/DSC01860.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208168057518626322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Lizzy wasn't so impressed though...<br /></span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-32407305422932619392008-05-31T20:37:00.007+02:002008-11-13T22:17:13.722+01:00Royal Gorge<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGjGvM6B_I/AAAAAAAAAzk/1x8eKfGG4X8/s1600-h/DSC01749.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGjGvM6B_I/AAAAAAAAAzk/1x8eKfGG4X8/s400/DSC01749.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206621980362147826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G getting his plug on<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">The last week saw us get skunked by the combination of weather, weather, and weather.<span style=""> </span>The cold snap in Cali which we endured <span style=""> </span>(not by choice I might add) not only made camping uncomfortable but also ensured that Dinky Creek dropped out on us and stranded us in Kaweah land with not a lot to paddle.<span style=""> </span>A quick check of internet river levels revealed that Royal Gorge, a sweet three day trip, should come into a good level the next day and so we rallied north to where we had just been… three days earlier, dam this driving all over cali chasing water.</span><br /></div><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdrvM6B6I/AAAAAAAAAy8/XX1UbFYoS-k/s1600-h/DSC01663.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdrvM6B6I/AAAAAAAAAy8/XX1UbFYoS-k/s320/DSC01663.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206616018947540898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris K at Heath Springs<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdr_M6B7I/AAAAAAAAAzE/BmD5zpXe41I/s1600-h/DSC01675.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdr_M6B7I/AAAAAAAAAzE/BmD5zpXe41I/s320/DSC01675.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206616023242508210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Evan same</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Still at least we were going to get to paddle <st1:place st="on">Royal Gorge</st1:place>… or were we?!?<span style=""> </span>Waking early in the morning we rallied to the put-in but never quite made it.<span style=""> </span>With persistent rain and temperatures hitting the high thirties (Fahrenheit not Celsius) we turned back at the top of the pass on the premise that camping in the cold and rain would be horrible, plus actually being able to start a fire was up in the air.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsPM6B8I/AAAAAAAAAzM/KP0MF4K2Tks/s1600-h/DSC01683.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsPM6B8I/AAAAAAAAAzM/KP0MF4K2Tks/s320/DSC01683.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206616027537475522" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Royal Gorge has some cool box canyons and funky holes but Evan wasn't even going to give this hole the time of day.</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">However only the car I was in did so… Justin and Corey let determination get the better of them and decide to go paddling without us, rain or no rain.<span style=""> </span>They even managed to rope Lizzy in on there shenanigans and so they started paddling while we drove back to Justin’s place and lined up an Indiana Jones adventure night out to make up for the lack of real adventure.<span style=""> </span>We were not to make it to the movies… instead Corey’s girlfriend Aim arrived back at the house with news they had put on.<span style=""> </span>Well we certainly weren’t going to be upstaged, <i style="">“looks like we’re going kayaking boys!”</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsvM6B-I/AAAAAAAAAzc/uza9RWCLtTc/s1600-h/DSC01699.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsvM6B-I/AAAAAAAAAzc/uza9RWCLtTc/s320/DSC01699.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206616036127410146" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Lizzy getting her sideways boof on</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsfM6B9I/AAAAAAAAAzU/GGFJ1tnzCsc/s1600-h/DSC01692.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGdsfM6B9I/AAAAAAAAAzU/GGFJ1tnzCsc/s320/DSC01692.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206616031832442834" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G deifying gravity</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">After some Colin McRae rally driving (in which we lost the boats not once but twice) we were putting on <st1:place st="on">Royal Gorge</st1:place> at the crack of three thirty.<span style=""> </span>Moving quickly to try to catch up with the lead group before dark we arrived at Heath Springs few hours later to find Corey with a massive crack in his kayak and Justin without a kayak at all.<span style=""> </span>Although Justin he did have some very sore ribs from running a 50 foot water fall without much elegance.<span style=""> </span>His boat got stuck in on a log in the gorge just down stream from the horrible boiling pool Justin ended up swimming in after being ejected from his kayak.<span style=""> </span>Lucky Justin was able to climb up a crack to get out of the gorge although I’m sure he would have a different take on how his luck was going.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcq_M6B2I/AAAAAAAAAyc/5WWh5gnEeR4/s1600-h/DSC01743.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcq_M6B2I/AAAAAAAAAyc/5WWh5gnEeR4/s320/DSC01743.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206614906551011170" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Lizzy heading to the lip of yet another waterfall</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Over night the river gods were nice to us, gracing us with stars instead of rain and so we were all in reasonable shape the next morning.<span style=""> </span>Justin without a kayak had no choice but to hike out while the rest of us continued on our merry adventure.<span style=""> </span>Evan and Chris K fired off some sweet waterfalls while the rest of us were happy to walk… crazy basted <span style=""> </span>Corey managed to put two new cracks in his kayak and Lizzy, Chris G and I ended the day at about par.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcr_M6B4I/AAAAAAAAAys/pNHwyxTRB64/s1600-h/DSC01723.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcr_M6B4I/AAAAAAAAAys/pNHwyxTRB64/s320/DSC01723.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206614923730880386" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Evan taking his time to scout Rattle Snake<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcsPM6B5I/AAAAAAAAAy0/T_F3g9QrWRM/s1600-h/DSC01708.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcsPM6B5I/AAAAAAAAAy0/T_F3g9QrWRM/s320/DSC01708.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206614928025847698" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">But while he wasn't looking Chris K snuck in and beat him to it</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcrvM6B3I/AAAAAAAAAyk/evp4dsxphIk/s1600-h/DSC01725.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcrvM6B3I/AAAAAAAAAyk/evp4dsxphIk/s320/DSC01725.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206614919435913074" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Evan was happy with Chris' line but past on his landing (and bloody nose)</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">The final day was not to be Corey’s favourite.<span style=""> </span>His boat repairs barely even made it a mile leaving him to limp down to Giant Gap and hike out while the rest of the tired kayakers straight lined it for the finish.<span style=""> </span>All in all it was a pretty sweet trip even if the river was low and two members didn’t make it all the way.<span style=""> </span>Time for beer food and merriment I reckon.<span style=""> </span><i style="">“Here Here”</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcqvM6B1I/AAAAAAAAAyU/nHVa6t89JWY/s1600-h/DSC01763.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SEGcqvM6B1I/AAAAAAAAAyU/nHVa6t89JWY/s320/DSC01763.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206614902256043858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Oh my... (photo Lizzy English)</span><br /></p>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-22673449268020369352008-05-28T06:58:00.008+02:002008-11-13T22:17:14.258+01:00Dam That's A Big Tree<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iaEhgvnI/AAAAAAAAAyM/yv7quRqHcUo/s1600-h/DSC01637.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iaEhgvnI/AAAAAAAAAyM/yv7quRqHcUo/s400/DSC01637.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205424944340582002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Photos sometimes make things look small... don't be fooled this tree is over three hundred feet high</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">So not a lot new to report from <span style="font-style: italic;">'merica'</span> but I did go and see some big trees, biggest in the world in fact in the Sequoia National Park. It was really foggy so we almost couldn't see the top of the trees but this probably only made them more impressive as the towered over us some three hundred feet high. Lucky for me I had my fisheye lens with me or you would only be looking at pictures of the bases!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iMEhgvkI/AAAAAAAAAx0/9xT3OX936-s/s1600-h/DSC01639.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iMEhgvkI/AAAAAAAAAx0/9xT3OX936-s/s320/DSC01639.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205424703822413378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">General Sherman, the worlds largest tree by volume<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iNEhgvmI/AAAAAAAAAyE/R1Z6hN28mZ0/s1600-h/DSC01645.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iNEhgvmI/AAAAAAAAAyE/R1Z6hN28mZ0/s320/DSC01645.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205424721002282594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">To them we are but a blip as they live to over three thousand years old<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iMkhgvlI/AAAAAAAAAx8/FQ-7KWRvixM/s1600-h/DSC01620.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SD1iMkhgvlI/AAAAAAAAAx8/FQ-7KWRvixM/s320/DSC01620.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205424712412347986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">And sometimes the camera makes things look huge... but it wasn't (well maybe a little bit huge). Evan trying to reach mach 10 while paddling in the park</span><br /><br /></div></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><blockquote></blockquote></span>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-83329950303530675482008-05-26T20:23:00.009+02:002008-11-13T22:17:15.860+01:00"Go Where I Go... Don't Go Where I Don't Go!"<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBxUhgvjI/AAAAAAAAAxs/BX7Wb-9lmEM/s1600-h/DSC01527.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBxUhgvjI/AAAAAAAAAxs/BX7Wb-9lmEM/s400/DSC01527.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755741191224882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Who said girls can kayak... See here Lizzy doesn't even know how to hold on to her paddle<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">So there have been some more adventures mostly involving far too much water and no photographs. Oh and even some rain... I know, in California!! But for you're enjoyment I have some more pics from The South Branch of the Middle Feather. Enjoy<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBp0hgvgI/AAAAAAAAAxU/fTDg1hNr014/s1600-h/DSC01486.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBp0hgvgI/AAAAAAAAAxU/fTDg1hNr014/s320/DSC01486.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755612342205954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Josh at Split Falls<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBqEhgvhI/AAAAAAAAAxc/UXN9JQ638rg/s1600-h/DSC01492.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBqEhgvhI/AAAAAAAAAxc/UXN9JQ638rg/s320/DSC01492.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755616637173266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Monkey boof... I wonder who that is?!? Evan working on a new style of kayaking<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBqEhgviI/AAAAAAAAAxk/b4KvAidpjCM/s1600-h/DSC01495.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBqEhgviI/AAAAAAAAAxk/b4KvAidpjCM/s320/DSC01495.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755616637173282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Justin and Even chilling in the sun<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBbkhgvbI/AAAAAAAAAws/bQrMbOBahPY/s1600-h/DSC01500.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBbkhgvbI/AAAAAAAAAws/bQrMbOBahPY/s320/DSC01500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755367529070002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Well ok maybe girls can kayak some times... Lizzy showing the guys how it's done... again<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBcUhgvcI/AAAAAAAAAw0/Pl4U17jsOJw/s1600-h/DSC01505.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBcUhgvcI/AAAAAAAAAw0/Pl4U17jsOJw/s320/DSC01505.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755380413971906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Where's Josh?<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBckhgvdI/AAAAAAAAAw8/rKcQYhPuFLo/s1600-h/DSC01508.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBckhgvdI/AAAAAAAAAw8/rKcQYhPuFLo/s320/DSC01508.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755384708939218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">And again!!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBdEhgveI/AAAAAAAAAxE/QqRqBXC-jpQ/s1600-h/DSC01517.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBdEhgveI/AAAAAAAAAxE/QqRqBXC-jpQ/s320/DSC01517.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755393298873826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Justin firing off the normal portage<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBdkhgvfI/AAAAAAAAAxM/EKtqLF7GcoE/s1600-h/DSC01546.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SDsBdkhgvfI/AAAAAAAAAxM/EKtqLF7GcoE/s320/DSC01546.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204755401888808434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Oh there's Josh</span><br /></div></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-79845125109661377142008-05-15T07:04:00.010+02:002008-11-13T22:17:16.601+01:00The Big Kimshew<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC4ybwsZOMI/AAAAAAAAAwE/49pZgtEJ4KI/s1600-h/DSC01443.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC4ybwsZOMI/AAAAAAAAAwE/49pZgtEJ4KI/s400/DSC01443.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201150072168462530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris K firing off Frenchies</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are a couple photos from the Big Kimshew river which we had a quick two and a half hour blat down today (including stopping to take pictures). It was our second time down this week so we had the lines mostly down which made for a reasonably low stress day... until I boof half a foot to far left on one of the bigger drops and landed my left butt check square on a rock... <span style="font-style: italic;">'I've been tenderised'</span>. Fortunately it only really hurt for a few minutes and then came right, not that I really got to take a break. I guess sometimes you have to take the good with the bad... or some other cheesy metaphor. Actually today was the first time I have taken my 80-200mm f2.8 lens on the river which is why the shots are cropped tightly. It certainly won't be the last though so look out for more sweet shots framed like these to come in the future.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC4z7wsZONI/AAAAAAAAAwM/EjxXmmPw0AQ/s1600-h/DSC01402.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC4z7wsZONI/AAAAAAAAAwM/EjxXmmPw0AQ/s320/DSC01402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201151721435904210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">T'was a good sized crew and only one van required - not to shabby</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvH2QsZOII/AAAAAAAAAvk/zCLmsoLyFXs/s1600-h/DSC01413.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvH2QsZOII/AAAAAAAAAvk/zCLmsoLyFXs/s320/DSC01413.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200469929737402498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Travis at Big Kimshew Falls<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvH2gsZOJI/AAAAAAAAAvs/1SoRpGVNmCE/s1600-h/DSC01429.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvH2gsZOJI/AAAAAAAAAvs/1SoRpGVNmCE/s320/DSC01429.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200469934032369810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Trip at the bottom of The Tripple Drop (and not in the eddy of death... ask Chris K how that goes)<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC43JAsZOOI/AAAAAAAAAwU/PXG9D4YOpS8/s1600-h/DSC01446.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC43JAsZOOI/AAAAAAAAAwU/PXG9D4YOpS8/s320/DSC01446.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201155247604054242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">And last but not least... what a way to finish the day</span><br /><br /></div></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-70170146006449269542008-05-12T05:21:00.004+02:002008-11-13T22:17:18.932+01:00And Then There Were Three...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCu0lwsZOAI/AAAAAAAAAuk/QO2JLyOO70M/s1600-h/DSC01281.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCu0lwsZOAI/AAAAAAAAAuk/QO2JLyOO70M/s400/DSC01281.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200448755548633090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris G firing of the first waterfall we came to<br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Having already tasted the delights of the first day of the South Branch of the Middle Feather we though we best see what the second day is like, I mean it would be rude not.<span style=""> </span>Plus doing the two day trip involves camping on <i style="">‘The Island’</i>, not quite as interesting as the one on Lost and the only <i style="">‘others’</i> are the masses of ants who were more interested in abducting our food than messing with us but that still didn’t make the prospect of camping on an island any less attractive.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu2wsZN5I/AAAAAAAAAts/XyacT36d7MU/s1600-h/DSC01303.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu2wsZN5I/AAAAAAAAAts/XyacT36d7MU/s320/DSC01303.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200442450536642450" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">More waterfalls... Chris G still enjoying the action</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu3QsZN7I/AAAAAAAAAt8/8GxFZ3_f3q8/s1600-h/DSC01323.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu3QsZN7I/AAAAAAAAAt8/8GxFZ3_f3q8/s320/DSC01323.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200442459126577074" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes you guessed it, still more waterfalls... this time Chris K in the action</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu2gsZN4I/AAAAAAAAAtk/pfDzLD4MMss/s1600-h/DSC01287.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu2gsZN4I/AAAAAAAAAtk/pfDzLD4MMss/s320/DSC01287.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200442446241675138" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Yep... more falling water, it just doesn't stop. Chris G attempting take-off</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">We rallied a big crew of eight keen contenders all set to dominate the abundance of falling water and one large portage at the start of the second day.<span style=""> </span>The reality however was that most were dominated by the river and out of the eight that started all intending to paddle both days, only three actually made it to the water below the portage to start the second days paddle.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6AsZNzI/AAAAAAAAAs8/4A6BCzYFrl0/s1600-h/DSC01337.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6AsZNzI/AAAAAAAAAs8/4A6BCzYFrl0/s320/DSC01337.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200441406859589426" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Now for the big stuff. The first day we paddled the run there was a bit more water and it was a bit softer at the bottom... Chris G was over heard saying <span style="font-style: italic;">"maybe I should have just got someone to punch me in the head and walked around it"</span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu3QsZN8I/AAAAAAAAAuE/3tF3WjQjp9U/s1600-h/DSC01330.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuu3QsZN8I/AAAAAAAAAuE/3tF3WjQjp9U/s320/DSC01330.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200442459126577090" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris K bracing for impact... or maybe just getting all the sponsors clearly in the shot?!?</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">The first casualty was Chris G who was in doubt from the onset.<span style=""> </span>He fell victim to Riot Kayaks who didn’t send him his new boat when they were meant to and after hearing there was some <i style="">‘mank’</i> on the second day he was out.<span style=""> </span>Then to push things beyond all doubt he shoved stick an inch into his foot while collecting firewood… ouch!!<span style=""> </span>He at least managed to camp for the night.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC45iAsZOPI/AAAAAAAAAwc/hZK3qaIvTKg/s1600-h/DSC01352.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC45iAsZOPI/AAAAAAAAAwc/hZK3qaIvTKg/s320/DSC01352.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201157876124039410" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Take that falling water... Chris K stomping his authority on yet another unsuspecting waterfall</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC45iQsZOQI/AAAAAAAAAwk/mghqf9lTaec/s1600-h/DSC01360.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SC45iQsZOQI/AAAAAAAAAwk/mghqf9lTaec/s320/DSC01360.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201157880419006722" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Beware Chris the water remembers... and it's about to exact revenge </span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Darrin took and hit to the chin with his paddle on the fifty footer (and last drop of the day) which required some patching and Matt decided to join him although I’m not sure why??<span style=""> </span>Garrett took a hit on the fifty footer as well but mainly to his pocket when he broke his paddle.<span style=""> </span>That also become the reason he walked out in the morning after having nightmares about having to paddle big rapids with a break-down.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6wsZN3I/AAAAAAAAAtc/KY54sj2o5dM/s1600-h/DSC01368.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6wsZN3I/AAAAAAAAAtc/KY54sj2o5dM/s320/DSC01368.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200441419744491378" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Our campsite on <span style="font-style: italic;">'The Island'</span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuteAsZNuI/AAAAAAAAAsU/t7hJeieJ8AY/s1600-h/DSC01369.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuteAsZNuI/AAAAAAAAAsU/t7hJeieJ8AY/s320/DSC01369.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200440925823252194" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And perfect place for some boat repairs</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Ryan only survived about forty feet of the two hour portage.<span style=""> </span>The next foot send him downhill about ten feet hurting his shoulder in the process… <i style="">‘dropping like flies’</i> Chris K, Devin and I thought as we soldiered on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuteQsZNvI/AAAAAAAAAsc/-VD3rflI8K4/s1600-h/DSC01377.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCuteQsZNvI/AAAAAAAAAsc/-VD3rflI8K4/s320/DSC01377.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200440930118219506" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chris K and Devon inspecting the three two-hundred foot water falls we portaged around</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6gsZN2I/AAAAAAAAAtU/COAJqE4o4zI/s1600-h/DSC01367.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCut6gsZN2I/AAAAAAAAAtU/COAJqE4o4zI/s320/DSC01367.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200441415449524066" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't want to go off there aye Chris?!?</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">The second day was pretty sweet although not quite as brilient as the first days action but worth it if for no other reason than you get to camp on <i style="">‘The <st1:place st="on">Island</st1:place>’</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutewsZNxI/AAAAAAAAAss/usg98dzgPrA/s1600-h/DSC01391.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutewsZNxI/AAAAAAAAAss/usg98dzgPrA/s320/DSC01391.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200440938708154130" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Day two action. Chris K styling the line all the way into the hole!!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutegsZNwI/AAAAAAAAAsk/q_4fC8paFww/s1600-h/DSC01387.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutegsZNwI/AAAAAAAAAsk/q_4fC8paFww/s320/DSC01387.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200440934413186818" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Dev using his kayaking like a glider</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutfAsZNyI/AAAAAAAAAs0/L1W6sAdj41o/s1600-h/DSC01397.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCutfAsZNyI/AAAAAAAAAs0/L1W6sAdj41o/s320/DSC01397.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200440943003121442" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">See anything good in there? Chris inspecting the inside of the curtain. </span><br /></p>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-1610416600493457632008-05-11T06:57:00.000+02:002008-11-13T22:17:19.306+01:00Hanging with the Rednecks<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDZQsZOGI/AAAAAAAAAvU/HLUD9jQgask/s1600-h/DSC01342.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDZQsZOGI/AAAAAAAAAvU/HLUD9jQgask/s400/DSC01342.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200465033474685026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Our new friends Jeff, Paul, and Mike<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">One of the best parts of any kayaking trip to a different country is that you get to meet the locals and enjoy their culture… in this case the locals were a group of beer drinking rednecks and there culture, well… that’s drinking beer.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDPAsZOEI/AAAAAAAAAvE/QMmY5ljG96w/s1600-h/DSC01343.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDPAsZOEI/AAAAAAAAAvE/QMmY5ljG96w/s320/DSC01343.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200464857381025858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Mike had had a few that's for sure</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">We arrived at the takeout to Ben & Jerry’s section of the West branch of the Feather and while waiting for our buddy Darin we started chatting with some guys sitting round drinking beer… well actual they started chatting with us and we simply failed to resist.<span style=""> </span>They were offering beers thick and fast though so we were more than happy to find out about there world.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDPQsZOFI/AAAAAAAAAvM/01hcNahizyU/s1600-h/DSC01348.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCvDPQsZOFI/AAAAAAAAAvM/01hcNahizyU/s320/DSC01348.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200464861675993170" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Hanging out at Jeff's place for a bbq.</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Three or four beers later Darin showed up and we went boating but not before being invited to a barbeque at one of the guys places.<span style=""> </span>It would be rude not to attend I reckon so after paddling we enjoyed the company of our new friends while having one of the best meals of the trip to date.<span style=""> </span>Bloody good show if I do sat so and in the end a <i style="">‘uniquely’</i> classic night.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-59783639355778696022008-05-05T01:51:00.001+02:002008-11-13T22:17:19.492+01:00Rock is Dead… Long Live Paper and Scissors<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjYKQsZNkI/AAAAAAAAArE/RgOgEdCabhM/s1600-h/DSC01229.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjYKQsZNkI/AAAAAAAAArE/RgOgEdCabhM/s400/DSC01229.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199643440590698050" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Wow... pretty much that's all I can say<br /><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">With funds for us extreme travellers running dangerous low (not actually but I think it builds a bit of tension so just go with it for now) we embarked on a grand plan to make our millions and rid ourselves of all those pesky pennies we had acquired… the bane of my American existence.<span style=""> </span>Vegas here we come… look out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">All big money making plans require the right code of dress and I think Shaun and Chris really nailed it… party shirts with a twist – <i style="">’party glasses’</i>!!<span style=""> </span>So all was set for a million dollar night and because it was such a sure thing we though we might celebrate early with a banquette feast… error!!<span style=""> </span>The over-consumption of food rendered us incapacitated with barely the ability to crawl out the door let along rage a million dollar night in Vegas.<span style=""> </span>The crew put up a valiant effort cruising the strip, stopping at all the big casinos, but in all reality we were doomed from the onset.<span style=""> </span>Oh well better luck next time we all though as we skulked away from Vegas, tails between our legs.<span style=""> </span>At least I achieved my goal of leaving Vegas <i style="">‘penniless’</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjYSwsZNmI/AAAAAAAAArU/elK57ZA13pw/s1600-h/DSC01233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjYSwsZNmI/AAAAAAAAArU/elK57ZA13pw/s320/DSC01233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199643586619586146" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes guys, looking good. Shaun and Chris ready to create a storm (in a tea cup) in Vegas.</span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-30099977283113151642008-05-03T01:47:00.001+02:002008-05-13T01:50:20.039+02:00She Wore an Itzi Bitzi Teeny Weenie Yellow Poker Dot Bikini<div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">This is a wee story I just had to share… particularly with Luc.<span style=""> </span>There has been a long running joke that the Swedish Bikini Team would be waiting at the takeout… or pretty much wherever we were going to be.<span style=""> </span>Actually maybe it is just wishful thinking.<span style=""> </span>Well we didn’t happen across the Swedish Bikini Team but we found a very close second while camping just outside Vegas.<span style=""> </span>Not long after we arrived at our poached campsite for the night a cute bikini clad girl, form the only other group staying there, came over and invited us to join there group and do some beer bongs (skulling cans of beer out of a funnel of sorts).<span style=""> </span>With jaws hitting the floor we graciously accepted… and so began another good night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-24865466869472912642008-04-29T00:55:00.000+02:002008-11-13T22:17:21.337+01:00Grand Canyon Adventures<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjS6wsZNjI/AAAAAAAAAq8/iljlOer4KlU/s1600-h/DSC01046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjS6wsZNjI/AAAAAAAAAq8/iljlOer4KlU/s400/DSC01046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199637676744586802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Go little guy, you can make it.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a></o:p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}">For the last two weeks I have been living a day to day (kayaking) existence while waiting for work to get in touch, probably with short notice plan tickets to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Poland</st1:place></st1:country-region>… however it never happened.<span style=""> </span>Not that this bothered me too much as the are still paying me so if they feel I should stay on holiday instead of doing some actual work then who am I to argue!!<span style=""> </span>However I did get a little frustrated at not knowing so I sent them an email to find out what was up… <i style="">“We are a little delayed at present; you will not be required until June 11<sup>th</sup>”</i>… sold!!</a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMigsZNfI/AAAAAAAAAqc/lxHAVRiG2Fg/s1600-h/DSC00939.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMigsZNfI/AAAAAAAAAqc/lxHAVRiG2Fg/s320/DSC00939.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630663062992370" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Typical rock formations in the Grand Canyon<br /><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMigsZNgI/AAAAAAAAAqk/VxyqdGBOnJU/s1600-h/DSC00965.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMigsZNgI/AAAAAAAAAqk/VxyqdGBOnJU/s320/DSC00965.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630663062992386" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sunset view from the canyon rim</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}">With that little development I started scheming plans… the best of which was to catch back up with Shaun, Jacs, Chris, and Kate who I hadn’t yet seen since her arrival in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>Bumming a ride with Chris K to <st1:city st="on">Medford</st1:city> (in which our kayaks were stolen during our stopover in <st1:city st="on">Corvallis</st1:city> – stink au), I caught a flight to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city>… <i style="">“vive las vagas”</i>… to meet up with the gang on route to the <st1:place st="on">Grand Canyon</st1:place> (some sort of big canyon I guess?!?).<span style=""> </span>The way there took us over the Hover Dam which they are now building a massive bridge beside so the road doesn’t have to cross the dam anymore, and by massive I mean <i style="">‘massive’</i>.<span style=""> </span>The dam itself is something to behold as well considering it was built in (<i style="">insert</i> <i style="">date</i> <i style="">here</i>)!</a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMRQsZNaI/AAAAAAAAAp0/RFY2LQZnQ54/s1600-h/DSC01050.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMRQsZNaI/AAAAAAAAAp0/RFY2LQZnQ54/s320/DSC01050.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630366710248866" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">The view of our campsite by day</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMQwsZNXI/AAAAAAAAApc/Qs6B609vR_0/s1600-h/DSC01001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMQwsZNXI/AAAAAAAAApc/Qs6B609vR_0/s320/DSC01001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630358120314226" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And by night!! (fire added for effect... really... I mean who would be silly enough to start a fire in the middle of a tinderbox)</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" >The <st1:place st="on">Grand Canyon</st1:place> was pretty dam cool too except for the temperature which was hitting 25°C at the top and 35°C at the bottom!!<span style=""> </span>We got a little shot-down on our first day when we tried to go for a day walk down a trial that was only accessible by a closed road although not all was lost.<span style=""> </span>Walking back form where the shuttle bus had drop us off near the canyon rim we overheard someone exclaiming <i style="">“the longer you stay here you really start to feel the tranquillity”</i>… just as the bus was gronching its gears and revving its engine only 30m away - classic, some people have no idea.<span style=""> </span>Stilling chuckling to ourselves we cooked dinner and watched the sun set from a good vantage point at the canyon rim.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMQwsZNYI/AAAAAAAAApk/k_x_85AO3SA/s1600-h/DSC01045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMQwsZNYI/AAAAAAAAApk/k_x_85AO3SA/s320/DSC01045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630358120314242" border="0" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">The newly painted roof box... none to shabby</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMQwsZNYI/AAAAAAAAApk/k_x_85AO3SA/s1600-h/DSC01045.jpg">Having obtained the necessary permits we had a day to kill before we could start our walk so Shaun and Jacs decided to paint their roof box (under the expert supervision of Kate who’s an <i style="">‘artist’</i>).<span style=""> </span>Their roof box is now sporting a picture of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the Southern Cross, some waves, a big yellow sun, and several stick-figures doing various extreme sports.<span style=""> </span>Nice work guys… now lets go tramping (hiking to those living in the <i style="">‘<st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> of Freedom’</i>).</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMRQsZNbI/AAAAAAAAAp8/dVkaU2QDZl8/s1600-h/DSC01067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjMRQsZNbI/AAAAAAAAAp8/dVkaU2QDZl8/s320/DSC01067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630366710248882" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Shaun checking out the view during our decent into the Grand Canyon</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7QsZNSI/AAAAAAAAAo0/4-QWog69zog/s1600-h/DSC01109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7QsZNSI/AAAAAAAAAo0/4-QWog69zog/s320/DSC01109.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629988753126690" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Spot the trampers!! Shaun, Jacs, Chris, and Kate standing on the ridge line.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7gsZNTI/AAAAAAAAAo8/1XOTjopxqrw/s1600-h/DSC01122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7gsZNTI/AAAAAAAAAo8/1XOTjopxqrw/s320/DSC01122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629993048094002" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the many cacti in bloom<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" >The Grand Canyon is… well…<i style="">’grand’</i> to summarise in a single word and to date I think it is the only <i style="">‘hike’</i> I have been on where the first day is solely down hill and the final day solely uphill.<span style=""> </span>We stayed for two nights at Phantom Ranch camp ground so had a day to explore Phantom Canyon, a small side canyon which doesn’t see much action due to lack of a trail.<span style=""> </span>That however wasn’t going to phase a bunch of Kiwis (and an American we would almost claim… you know, if we had too).<span style=""> </span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7wsZNVI/AAAAAAAAApM/4xiWALktw5Y/s1600-h/DSC01166.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL7wsZNVI/AAAAAAAAApM/4xiWALktw5Y/s320/DSC01166.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629997343061330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Walking up Phantom Canyon<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL8AsZNWI/AAAAAAAAApU/lw6NRoktbjQ/s1600-h/DSC01171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjL8AsZNWI/AAAAAAAAApU/lw6NRoktbjQ/s320/DSC01171.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199630001638028642" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">When the going got tough... Chris when straight up the middle</span><br /></div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjQsZNOI/AAAAAAAAAoU/4ljY4JWQ75w/s1600-h/DSC01205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjQsZNOI/AAAAAAAAAoU/4ljY4JWQ75w/s320/DSC01205.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629576436266210" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Shaun enjoying our game of keep the pack dry... good work buddy<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjgsZNPI/AAAAAAAAAoc/LtSJHRZdLOc/s1600-h/DSC01213.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjgsZNPI/AAAAAAAAAoc/LtSJHRZdLOc/s320/DSC01213.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629580731233522" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Kate takes an unintentional dunk while doing some impromptu canyoning </span><br /></div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-NZ" ><br />Even when the bush bashing turning to climbing straight up the centre of waterfalls we charged straight on through while playing an interesting game of catch with the backpack we had with us.<span style=""> </span>The back stayed dry… not so all of us and Shaun’s valiant effort has to be commended.<span style=""> </span>Right so long story short, Phantom Canyon was well worth the effort and it was nice to get away from the crowds (we had it all to our self) and the hike out the following day was an effort and very hot but as we started early to avoid the heat of the day we were out before lunch.<span style=""> </span>Nice work guys… next stop Vegas - <i style="">“vive las vagas”</i>!!</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjwsZNQI/AAAAAAAAAok/vxJD8S5n27U/s1600-h/DSC01222.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjwsZNQI/AAAAAAAAAok/vxJD8S5n27U/s320/DSC01222.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629585026200834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sunrise at the bottom of the Grand Canyon<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjwsZNRI/AAAAAAAAAos/PCKxTF-f_9I/s1600-h/DSC01226.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SCjLjwsZNRI/AAAAAAAAAos/PCKxTF-f_9I/s320/DSC01226.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199629585026200850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A squirrel running down the trail with us. These guys were all over the place on the way up to the canyon rim.</span><br /></div>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-54634645954488518672008-04-21T18:38:00.006+02:002008-11-13T22:17:21.999+01:00Little White Race<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzIYfDPQ3I/AAAAAAAAAn0/GxBBUQlqzFc/s1600-h/IMG_1208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzIYfDPQ3I/AAAAAAAAAn0/GxBBUQlqzFc/s400/IMG_1208.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191744793428837234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Coming in hot!! Chris K going big at Spirit (photo Keel Brightman)<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Here are a couple of photos from the weekends Little White Race action.<span style=""> </span>The race starts at the top of Getting Busy (the start of the run) and finishes after <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Wishbone</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Falls</st1:placetype></st1:place>, only three hard rapids before the end of the run. The river is solid class 5 and racing down it solo is a little intimidating. <span style=""> </span>A good time is sub 16 minutes but for me survival was the key because if you can imagine that paddling one class five rapid is hard enough then think about paddling that same rapid exhausted!!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzH1fDPQzI/AAAAAAAAAnU/flkk6EaTzyE/s1600-h/DSC_0102a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzH1fDPQzI/AAAAAAAAAnU/flkk6EaTzyE/s320/DSC_0102a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191744192133415730" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Look it's me not behind the camera for once at Wishbone Falls and final drop of the down river race (photo Bo Wallace)</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">The waterfall, Spirit, was not included in the race but we all ran it anyway just because the sun was out.<span style=""> </span>The race was sweet times too… maybe a little to long for me and as I still can’t remember all the lines there was a few times that I approached horizon lines still unsure where I should be headed.<span style=""> </span>Fortunately I (and everybody else) made it down in one piece so no real dramas, just tired kayakers to fly off Spirit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzH1_DPQ1I/AAAAAAAAAnk/6V20dOHj87o/s1600-h/DSC_0106+%28Custom%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzH1_DPQ1I/AAAAAAAAAnk/6V20dOHj87o/s320/DSC_0106+%28Custom%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191744200723350354" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">The finish line and one very happy to be done kayaker (photo Bo Wallace) </span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Lots of people boofed Spirit but landing flat off a 30 foot drop is not for me so I rocked the plug-it line.<span style=""> </span>The only problem with the plug-it line is that I was rolling the dice with the boil at the base of the falls… and I lost.<span style=""> </span>The boil stool my paddle and sent me into the cave behind the falls.<span style=""> </span>Not a bad place to hangout but I would rather be still holding onto my paddle.<span style=""> </span>Determined not to swim for the second time in a week I hand rolled, found my paddle (which was circulating laps of the pool I was in) and reappeared from the curtain to the side of the falls – hurray.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzIYvDPQ4I/AAAAAAAAAn8/MCaB6LxLPXU/s1600-h/IMG_1211.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzIYvDPQ4I/AAAAAAAAAn8/MCaB6LxLPXU/s400/IMG_1211.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191744797723804546" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Me paddling Spirit (photo Keel Brightman)</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">On Sunday they had a slalom down a super fun class five rapid Bolder Sluice with one very hard to make gate (not helped my all the partying the night before). <span style=""> </span>I had the first run of the day and completely missed it however kept everything clean on my second run to move into a middle of the field 10<sup>th</sup> place overall.<span style=""> </span>Not bad considering I only entered for the fun of it.<span style=""> </span>All that was left to do was paddle out form the slalom course – down almost the entire length of the Little White (and drink some more beer).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzJx_DPQ5I/AAAAAAAAAoE/WOwJXq5ewpg/s1600-h/DSC_0225+%28Custom%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAzJx_DPQ5I/AAAAAAAAAoE/WOwJXq5ewpg/s320/DSC_0225+%28Custom%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191746331027129234" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">LJ and Chris K at Chaos just after Spirit (photo Bo Wallace)</span><br /></p>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830402477179937077.post-60094858029342568022008-04-17T21:34:00.004+02:002008-11-13T22:17:23.386+01:00Party Party Party<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOb0R6CGI/AAAAAAAAAnE/OwCmVoBk3yg/s1600-h/DSC00828.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOb0R6CGI/AAAAAAAAAnE/OwCmVoBk3yg/s320/DSC00828.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190625547830036578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A cold one anybody?</span><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;">Here is a nice wee collection of pictures from a party I was at last night.<span style=""> </span>The main reason for the shindig was to celebrate Chris Gabrielli starting his yeah long trip of <st1:place st="on">North America</st1:place> and Clare coming home for recent surgery.<span style=""> </span>All in all it was a dam good time but I think the pictures speak for themselves so I’ll let them do the talking.<span style=""> </span>Enjoy</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenFUR6B8I/AAAAAAAAAl8/zdmwTFy2UEw/s1600-h/DSC00755.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenFUR6B8I/AAAAAAAAAl8/zdmwTFy2UEw/s320/DSC00755.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190300805352785858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Dress-up time... As you can see the photos start from later in the night!!! </span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjObER6CEI/AAAAAAAAAm0/1hnY0mFADTI/s1600-h/DSC00816.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjObER6CEI/AAAAAAAAAm0/1hnY0mFADTI/s320/DSC00816.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190625534945134658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Look at what you're wearing!!"<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenMUR6B9I/AAAAAAAAAmE/IIQduBTQoAo/s1600-h/DSC00758.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenMUR6B9I/AAAAAAAAAmE/IIQduBTQoAo/s320/DSC00758.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190300925611870162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Alanore looking stylish<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjObkR6CFI/AAAAAAAAAm8/ihRefJz9LbQ/s1600-h/DSC00822.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjObkR6CFI/AAAAAAAAAm8/ihRefJz9LbQ/s320/DSC00822.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190625543535069266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Looks like these guys are having a good time.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenOUR6CAI/AAAAAAAAAmc/iN6qEwFwA7c/s1600-h/DSC00797.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenOUR6CAI/AAAAAAAAAmc/iN6qEwFwA7c/s320/DSC00797.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190300959971608578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Time for ice cream<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOakR6CDI/AAAAAAAAAms/kSnWZK0Jk7o/s1600-h/DSC00810.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOakR6CDI/AAAAAAAAAms/kSnWZK0Jk7o/s320/DSC00810.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190625526355200050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Man down!! Chris K doing his best sea otter impression.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenNkR6B_I/AAAAAAAAAmU/EHljqgdRYRQ/s1600-h/DSC00781.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenNkR6B_I/AAAAAAAAAmU/EHljqgdRYRQ/s320/DSC00781.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190300947086706674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Channey lead the way to the fire<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOcUR6CHI/AAAAAAAAAnM/-te_b78PsmY/s1600-h/DSC00837.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAjOcUR6CHI/AAAAAAAAAnM/-te_b78PsmY/s320/DSC00837.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190625556419971186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Wouldn't be a party without a fire<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenNUR6B-I/AAAAAAAAAmM/2CCR7hriL-4/s1600-h/DSC00773.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHtj04UkEOg/SAenNUR6B-I/AAAAAAAAAmM/2CCR7hriL-4/s320/DSC00773.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190300942791739362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Or a banjo?!? Jeff keeping it red neck </span><br /><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>MCPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11268317853610680002noreply@blogger.com