# Sweetest moments on the river this season...



## WW Lush (Dec 26, 2003)

Just feeding off the topic started on the main forum. 
It was a good confidence building season for me. I did some bigger stuff and was able to control my emotions much better on the river- a mental game, I tell ya! Weirdly this is the first season I have not had a swim (yes, I am knocking on wood right now...). I did get worked a few times in some BIG holes- luckily hanging in there to get out. During one of them I heard later that one of the guys on the trip was yelling the whole time- "Tina's going to swim!!"- I am pretty proud that I didnt - HA!
My coolest moments:
1) Over Paddlefest weekend in BV paddling with 7 solid boater chicks. I have rarely paddled with women so was a first for me. I traveled alot this year so didnt get too much more paddling in with this group but I do hope to do more with them next year. 
2) My self support kayak trip with just my boyfriend on the South Fork of the Salmon River in ID. In the midst of the wilderness with just our kayaks, and big fun continuous whitewater. It was surreal!
3) Nailing some boofs when paddling out in Washington- it really is a sweet feeling!
4) A high water run down Clear Creek from Dumont to Golden reaching the take out at dusk. 

I know you all have stories. Lets share. 
Tina


----------



## CWorthy (Jun 22, 2005)

I already responded to the similar subject on the Boater's Forum and it took me forever, so I will not repeat the story here. I just wanted to say that, any day on the river is far sweeter than sitting here, piloting my desk at work, counting the minutes until I leave for Lodore tomorrow morning


----------



## nicoleg (Nov 14, 2003)

Tina, I'm so psyched to hear of what a great season you've had! I love how Kyle had your trip together as one of his top days - and that you were styling the lead on that big water trip. My last day on the river was that day in BV- how cool that was rolling deep with such solid women boaters. Hey... now one of them is going to deliver my baby in just a couple of months, and I had first met her on the river together that day. Very cool.

I have very much missed boating this season, would love to read more about how you ladies have been gettin it done!


----------



## hanala (Oct 20, 2006)

*I'll throw mine in.*

There have been a lot of greats this year. Teaching fellow cancer survivors how to paddle, making trips over to the Lochsa, hanging with my friends after paddling, surfing various features for the first time, etc. But one really stands out in my mind. For years, my friend "Aberry" and I have been paddling together. Each year, we go bigger and bigger, even though we are getting older and older . 

Our standard after work run is the Gallatin. This year, the two of us went together one night. As we were putting in, we realized this was the first time the two of us were putting on without any of the guys. Just us two girls, paddling a beautiful river. For some reason, even though we have paddled together for years, traveling all over, the two of us had never paddled alone together. Our husbands or guy friends ALWAYS seem to tag along. Not that we don't love them, but they always find some reason to come with us. To say the least, we were stoked.

Things went well until we got to House Rock, the class IV that leads into the Mad Mile. I think we were giggling the whole way up to this rapid. Alright, I'm the only one who giggled. Aberry is more adult than me. There is a huge eddy/still water above. This rapid usually gives both of us problems. Aberry had flipped in Wacker, right above the main "pit" a number of times this year, which is not fun. I managed to get myself pinned in the middle of the Mad Mile this year, with an easy self extraction (i.e. I confess my swim ) We were both nervous. Aberry looked at me, I looked at her, we nodded and I took the lead. I ran House, and caught an eddy right below House Rock and she took the lead down the Mad Mile. When we got to the bottom, our grins were so big, we were probably scaring the fish.

Afterwards, we found a great eddy and worked on our squirts. (We both finally bought boats that are small enough for our tiny bodies to squirt.) We hung there for maybe half an hour, just having fun.

She and I have been through a lot of ups and downs together. I don't know if two years ago, we would have paddled that section alone. While we had the skills, we still had to build our belief in ourselves. We probably would have walked. I think we both felt as if we had cleared out last mental hurdle, a clean run on our home river, just us girls. 

It is hard in Bozeman to find female paddlers. I'm just glad I have a friend like Aberry. Can't wait for our next paddling trip!


----------



## Ice Water (Aug 28, 2007)

Sweetest Moment? Knowing that every wave train passed, and every spot surfed, and every hole bounced though are times I am on my own with the river!


----------

