Hi Y'all

I hope everyone had a great winter and is ready for the upcoming season. Things couldn't be going better for me. Let me fill you guys in on what has been going on in my life. I graduated from Michigan state in Dec. and stuck around in MI for another month. After that, I moved to Mt. Baker, WA and had a sick couple of months ripping pow. There is a nice class 3 run that starts right by my house that they do rafting on in the spring and summer. In march I went to the owner of the local rafting company's house to ask about working for him this summer. As it turned out, his girlfriend had won a permit for the grand canyon and they were leaving in two weeks. Someone had backed out last minute and they needed another guide, so he asked me if I was up for it and we were at Lees Ferry 2 weeks later.

The trip was amazing. We had 7 boats. 6 were gear boats and I got to guide the passenger raft. I had a 14 footer with a stern frame and 4 paddlers with very little experience. We were light and fast, and easy to flip.

I flipped the raft twice early on (house rock rapid and mile 25 rapid) both pretty insignificant, but I cleaned up just like any good WV guide would and didn't lose any gear (not that we had any in our raft). After that, I started to pay more attention, and learned how to use my ores(way easier then R1ing lunch for 90 people). I nailed all the rest of the rapids and only flipped 1 more time trying to run a huge hole at the bottem of another no name rapid. At Lava, the gear raft behind me fliped on the V WAVE and we were in position for the rescue. we pulled the boat to shore just before lower lava. didn't lose any gear and got the boat up right with out derigging.

floating the canyon is the coolest thing I have ever done. there is plenty of flat water to relax and enjoy the scenery and spaced out between that are the biggest rapids I have ever seen. The group was great. 16 in total. we bought 100 cases of beer and never ran out. we also eat relay well. The other guys rowing were relay experienced and great to follow in the rapids. we had 1 cloudy day in 21 days on the river, and it was 70 to 80 every day. they also had the wettest winter in 20 years, and we were there in full bloom. the canyon was green with flowers everywhere! my camera only made it through about half of the trip so i don't have many good pictures, but we had a pro photographer on the trip who took over 1000 pictures. She also took action shots at hermit and lava so i will post them when I get them. here are a few of mine though.

There kind of backwards. this last one is from Lee's the day before we put on

I also got a real job so sadly I will not be working in ohiopyle this summer. Its for a small aerospace engineering firm in Seattle called pacific rim aerospace. I am actual at work right now and have wasted way to much time so i will fill you in with the rest soon.

Peace,

Brian

P.S. sign up for the permit lottery!

NC/ TN trip

Since I broke my Hero, I have been in search for a new kayak…
My brother and I found a Burn in NC on the Nantahala, so I called some numbers placed some orders and headed South.

Sadly not much was running, but we made use with what we had and set off to meet Kyle Welch on the French Broad. It was pretty easy, but there were a few rapids that stepped it up. Upon running the first fun section, Kyle and I were attacked by a goose! It went after Kyle first, Big Ben came to rescue when he heard me screaming of course! However, he found it more amusing than serious, when he saw the situation. Overall, the river was fun, but the goose made it memorable.

The next day, we paddled the Nolichucky in TN. This was a really fun river, if the water would have been higher it would have been more exciting, but even so running something new is always cool. Once we got off the Nolichucky, we headed to the Watauga in hopes of running it. By the time we got there it was late, so we camped by the put in and waited until morning.



Our last day of the trip was cold, we decided not to paddle the Watauga because it was so low, but we did get to paddle Wilson’s creek. It was by far the best thing we did. It had several ledges, a rapid kind of like frogs back on steroids, and a ten foot waterfall. It was only three miles, but it was all road side and shuttle was easy. A must do creek if you are ever in the area.



Overall the trip was amazing, the scenery was beautiful, and the weather was nice. I plan to take a trip back soon, since we didn’t get to meet up with everyone we wanted to see. Let me know if anyone is interested in joining in...
Also, a special thanks to all of those who helped with gauges and directions. =)

New video on new blog

Hey guys,

First off, follow this link to check out my latest video - me and Susan on the Big Sandy.

And now for your call to action. Just because the season is nigh upon us doesn't mean we don't want to know what you're doing. Let's see some action at The Putin. Or, better yet, if you have something to say that you think our customers would want to hear, why not put it on the New Blog. Here's a review of how to post.
1. Go here
2. Click Login (top right)
3. Username: wildernessvoyageurs1
password: wvstaff
4. Compose your post and click submit
5. Once we approve it, it will appear on the blog

That's all! Please remember that the intended audience on this new blog is our customers. You can direct any questions to me Lou.

Now for some Ohiopyle news. We had our first trip this past Thursday: Max and two brave dudes in Eric's shredder at 7.5 feet while Brian Douglas paddled along. Temps have been low but water has been high. Since Saturday 3/15 I've paddled the Middle Fork into the Tygart Gorge, Teeter and Laurel creeks, Meadow, Fikes, Top into the Upper Yough, and Big Sandy. Other folks have been doing the Cheat, the B, and anything else with water.

The Top into Upper run was extremely fun. Top was running over 1000 cfs and the Upper was right at 3 feet. We had a sweet crew - me, Jess Hartman, Brian Douglas, Max, and Drew. Douglas and Hartman were firing up all the sick lines (even though Jess wouldn't stop whining about his loose seat). The rest of us stayed pretty conservative, taking sneaks and accidentally discovering a few places where we should have taken sneaks.

Looking forward to seeing more and more familiar faces as the season approaches,
Lou

WTF!?

I can't help but to think that this is really stupid.

I'll also take this opportunity to note that I am confused and intimidated by the new blog.

The New Blog

Hello all,

A little follow up explanation on the new blog. The log in is "staff", but it is a blog for customer's eyes. Please continue using this blog for staff updates and greetings, but we'd love your help getting the new blog going as well. Thoughts on ohiopyle, the river, the laurel highlands in general. Anything you have to say to help get it going would be awesome.

As Lou's blog below says: the link is http://blog.wilderness-voyageurs.com/

Username: wildernessvoyageurs1

password: wvstaff

Please blog away - but keep the greetings for eachother and personal updates to this blog. Thanks!

Eric and I are in Colorado. We packed up our laptops, filled boxes with work files and relocated our office to my parents house. No complaints. Good days working, followed by awesome skiinig in the evenings and the hot springs as often as we can. We've been hiding out in Redstone most of the time and haven't caught up with everyone else out here, but we're hoping to before we leave. If anyone comes through this area - stop in! The hotsprings alone are worth it. Last night there were Elk all around. Pretty cool.

Love to all-

Kas, Eric & Ancho (psycho Sandy is staying with Lou. We figured Sandy and my parent's cat would be a bloody meeting)

Mad Props, Son!

_Jason

WV gets new blog (again!)

Hey guys,

So WV coughed up some hard-earned cash for a professional 'compended' blog. Frequent posting will really help our company, so let's show some support for our fearless leaders and blog like maniacs!

The url for the blog is http://blog.wilderness-voyageurs.com/

Click and you'll find yourself on Compendium's site (this is Chris Baggot's company - Chris is Kaila's godfather). You'll be looking at a list of all the blogs. The first 13 are "compended," meaning they only exist because they pull content from the last two, which are regular blogs. Scroll down and you'll see a staff blog and a guest blog.

You can click any blog title to view it's content, but what you really want to do is check the top right corner and click Log In. Here's the login info:

Username: wildernessvoyageurs1
password: wvstaff

You'll be looking at a text editor for creating your post. You can do lots of things here: all the regular stuff (fonts, links, pictures, etc), plus pure html editing, and even inserting YouTube videos.

Once you're done, submit your post. It'll show up on the blog once one of us power-tripping manager types uses our Admin privileges to accept your post.

There's a lot more to this, though. If you want to get busy blogging, go ahead. For more info, check out the comments of this post.

Peace,
Lou

VPOC LIVE!!!

For those of you who want something to do on Saturday, it might be nice to get out of The 'Pyle and check out some muzak. My world famous band is taking a break from our European tour to come play a kickass show at the best venue in WV: 123 Pleasant St.!!! Seriously though, it is a great venue, and there should be a big turnout. We will have an opener, but I'm not sure who yet. Music should start at around 10 pm, but I'll be there earlier setting up and what not. So come on into Morgantown early and make a night of it: Dinner, Wal-Mart, Dancing, Vomiting, etc.
The door charge is a meager $5, and I know the bar sells $1 beers.
It is an easy place to find (the name of the place is also the address), and I know some of you have already been there. The drive takes about 45 minutes. I enclosed a map for that ass.
Anyways, if you need more info, give me a call: 304-680-1783. Hope to see you there!



View Larger Map

Laura and I up at white grass for my b-day. That was mon., by the end of the week we were kayaking. Hartman, Taylor, and I got a healthy top yough run. I had a nice run through swallow falls. Then I sat in the eddy while first Hartman, and then Bigga B, got surfed. Yeah that was funny... Petty was all for coming along, of course, but then he got hit by a bad case of I'm little bitch-itis. I think the fever is going down now.

Drew had a small case too, but he shook it off the next day and headed out to the upper with Hartman and I. Another beautifull day on the river. Came back to the 'pyle and watched the best superbowl in recent history. What a game. Let's it hear for the Giants' defense.

Anywhoo, I'm back at the valley for the week. Yay soggy skiing. I just talked to e and k.

I guess they got so much snow they are stuck in the house for the day... serves 'em right.

scoville

Real Politick/Messages for Tiffany?

If it's any consolation, I don't mind the put-in politicking. And while I don't think Obama is a Islamo-fascist flag hater (but I wouldn't mind, because our flag could be jazzed up a bit), he's not my pick. If we can't get Kucinich, Gravel, or anyone from the Green Party up in this piece (this piece being the US presidency), can we at least rally for some Edwards?

But to legitimize my post, Tiffany Taylor, you will be proud to know that as of last night at my first SU snowboard discount lessons and lift session, I was able to do the "falling leaf" on my toe edge. You're welcome. I may have discounted it all, however, when I ate shit trying to use the beginner tow with my friend Lisa (who sort of refused to graduate from bunny hill... where's my friend Tiff whose willing to eat shit getting off of the chair lift when you need her?). Oh the joys of learning a new sport and sucking royally (as opposed to only partially?). 

Also, Tiffany, I saw a how-to somewhere on making your broken kayak into a wine rack. Perhaps you should look into it. Also, I think Matt still has that micro 230 if you want it?

Creekin' blunders

A few weeks ago, I went kayaking with some guys from OTP, Whitewater, and highlands. We went down Fikes creek first, and had a really good run.

After Fikes, we went to paddled Meadow. This run didn't turn out quite as well. The time on the river wasn't so bad other than the fact that I cracked my kayak on the cascades. So, I am now in search of a new creek boat, so if anyone runs across a good deal let me know. =)



Tiffany

I apologize Petty

I apologize for my rather venomous post earlier. I was all hopped on caffine, hungery, and I had to poop. Those aren't excuses just reasons. I will endeavor to keep my political and religious views off the Put-in. Although please research the smear tactics this campaign season, both sides of course. Don't get taken in by people preying on your patriotism. They are taking what should be good motives, and turning them to bad ends. Lies and dishonesty are not the American ideal.

Not so Comrade Scoville

For Christ's Sake Petty

Alright you fricking lemmings,

If I hear one more of you numbnuts say that obama is a flag hating islamo-facist, I will beat you with the reams of proof that refutes your fox news brain damaged, I will eat what ever you feed me, bullshit propaganda.

If you want a "fair and balanced" view, try Democracy Now!. Yes they're leftists, but they take their journalism a hell of a lot more seriously then their more mainstream counterparts.

Comrade Scoville

creekin' trip in the spring

I'm thinking about the weekend of easter, make it Fri-Mon. Maybe a little longer, we'll see what everyone can do. Let me know what ya'll think.
Scoville

Life in Jan. in PA

hey there kiddies,

We had a time of it the past couple weeks. We got a big snow, went skiing, then it rained... so then we went boating, then it snowed again... so now we are skiing again. The temp. went from friggin' cold to way to warm, then dropped back down to really friggin' cold.

I didn't get to take advantage of the warm weather as much as wanted to, got sick. Nevertheless, this past mon. Lou and I headed down to Canaan Valley and paddled the Upper B. in the high 200's. We met up with a local friend of mine, Curtis, and two of his buddies, John Logar and Noori. Curtis , the bastard, had bagged the upper b three times already, the n. fork twice, and red creek once. He just started kayaking this past April, but is up for almost anything, so if you need someone to boat with in the Canaan Valley area let me know and I'll give you the number. He's a giver!

The run itself went more or less flawless, everyone feeling good and comfortable on the run, even if it was 20 degrees and snowing. We were all a little worried about the hike out, but even that proved to be uneventful.

Now it is cold again, so no more boating for the forseeable future, but that is ok I think we are going to make a push down to White grass for a little x-country skiing this weekend.

Later,
Scoville

Dub-V's Finest

Greetings from Monroe County, WV. There is not a stoplight in this entire county, but there is a radio station. Tucked into the back rooms of the vo-tech center adjacent to the high school, there is a tiny 6' by 6' room with cement block walls, drop ceilings, and a microphone. I am the master of this domain, and the sole employee at a mere 20 hours per week. This is where I, along with the occasional high school student that is cool enough to be in the radio club, craft the exciting news about the county commission meetings and livestock prices. Go to http://www.whfi-fm.com/ for some hot radio action. Here at 106.7 WHFI, we play only the finest in classic hits from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Tonight I am broadcasting the Girls Varsity Basketball game, live! The Lady Mavericks are facing off against the Bluefield Beavers in a game that may make or break our playoff chances. Hey, women's high school Division AA sports is a big deal 'round these parts. Anyways, I'm livin' the dream. Staying at the family farm with my granny, getting home cooked meals with no rent, spending my weekends playing music and drinking heavily at the local Irish pub. It may not be the most exciting (active) (calorie burning) life, but then again, I am not one of you "extreme" types.

Anyways, I am really writing this to update everyone on the status of the guide video I'm putting together from last summer's footage. I am just starting to work on it. I should have it finished by the early spring. I will post when it is complete. Also, check out the facebook group I made (Riverview Terrace) for further updates.

Also, I built a recording studio at the farm house. I have been busy recording all sorts of eargasm inducing shiznit. Check it out: www.myspace.com/thestudiovirgins
and check my new hip-hop tracks at www.myspace.com/bigsavagefats

For those who may be interested, my band Vern's Pot O' Chili is playing in Morgantown@ 123 Pleasant St. in February. I forget the exact date, but I will post it when I remember.

I had many a holiday beer with our mutual friend and brief WV photo jockey, Chill. The local Irish pub recently opened and is awesome. It's owned by a real deal Irishman, who plays real deal live Irish music nightly!

Also, I talked to Mizzle on the phone the other day. He is going crazy up in Jersey and is doing NOTHING. He sold Christmas trees for a while, and that's about it. He is currently contemplating a trip out west to CO, and then an early return to the 'Pyle. He might actually lose his mind this year.

Well that's about it. I plan to come up and visit one of these days. I am most likely NOT coming back this summer, on account of a the dreaded mixture of debt and commitment, but visiting will be a must.

Peace out,

_Jason Johans

WV's latest product?

Kas has really had Eric on the ropes lately, what with all his binge drinking and his bizarre new hobby of purchasing kittens and watching Sandy shred their flesh. It's starting to show in their relationship.

And that is how it came to be that Eric was walking his new mistress back to the store from Falls Market, when, drunk as he was, they fell off the bridge and into the water.....

A few ledge drops and one super sick boof later, Eric found himself cornered by several park officials. Inventing wildly, he told them of the newest format of rafting trip, seen below, and how it was bound to be a big hit. You've done R4, S2, and K1, now get ready for SD1.

My Tiffdyssey

Tiff turned 21 with a vengeance.

We partied hard at Springs for New Years Eve (I totally made out with this random boy) and Tiffany met my friend Cedric (of course that's not his real name). She also had her butt grabbed by none other than Seth "I'm-not-as-think-as-you-Christian-I-am" Custer. I guess she liked him (Cedric) because the next night (over which it snowed 16 friggin inches) she decided, at 12:30am, to brave the blizzard and drive her little sedan from Ohiopyle Hostel to Springs to join Cedric for a nude romp in the hot tub.

Her trip wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't taken Indian Head road, which wouldn't have been so bad if she'd hadn't run out of gas, which wouldn't have been so bad if she'd remembered her phone charger. Long story slightly less long: at around 2am I was arguing on the phone with a State Trooper over who was going to have to go get her. He won, and I took my Subie for a ride.

My Subie is AWESOME. I just had to get that out there.

It wasn't until around 4am that Tiffster and I got to the Springs condos. I stopped and got her some gas on my way, so a teeny tiny handful of hours later when I took her back to her car, I assumed the adventure was at an end. But, if you can picture dropping a marble into a bowl you can imagine what Tiff's car did when she tried to get up either side of the huge hill on Indian Head Rd.

So she ended up sitting in her car at the bottom of the bowl until big BT decided that he wasn't coming for her after all and she was on her own. Left with no choice, our intrepid Tiffster started hoofing it. She hadn't walked more than 20 miles when she was picked up by none other than a Springs staff member who even had a gas key. Tiff chilled at Tiny Tots with my gal pal Sheila Shurina until me and roomie Lois swung by and got her. She looked pretty funny waiting for us in the parking lot with her little gas can.

Well, we took her back to her car and she was fine from there. Although I think she does have one regret. She told me that if her right leg was Christmas and her left leg was New Year's, she really wanted Cedric to visit her between the holidays.

Peace
Amanda

Powder Day at Springs

The call came in at 9:00am on Wednesday January 2. "There's 16 inches of powder on the ground. It's a snow day and we're comin' your way." A few minutes later, Seth, Eric, Kas, and I were 4-wheel cruising to Springs in Eric's new bitchin' ride. We met up with A-Love and hit up the North Face.

We were pretty damn crest fallen when we saw that visibility was nil and, worse, that Springs was blowing a sticky coating of piss-yellow snow over a hundred acres of the sweetest powder Southwestern PA was likely to see this season.

But we made the most of it. First the sun came out. Then we found some decent lines on North Face, and while searching for more we got a little lost. Luck steered us to beautiful 40-yard pitch of untouched steep powder that was closed. As we stopped to check it out, some chode patroller skiied by yelling, "Closed, guys, closed means closed." I turned to Eric and said, "I don't know about you, but I spell 'open' with a 'c.'" It was a sweet 40 yards, but it was over quick, and so we made our way back to the North Face for a few last runs. Just before our last lift ride, Garth (of full moon fame), whispered to us that the new high speed six pack, Gunner Lift, was finally opening for the day and quietly opened the gate.

What ensued was a chaotic bloodthirsty, cut-throat, winner-take-all race to the finish the likes of which Springs had never seen: skiiers tripping over each other, losing eyes to poll-stabbings, clothes-lining their friends, and two snowbaorders died twice each. Any man who fell behind was certainly left behind - that's the powder code.

Our group made the first three chairs, and the we were treated to two runs on some really awesome powder. I have to admit that I face-planted, tripped, tumbled, and otherwise comically ate it many times, but that was my first experience skiing in anything even close to that, and I have to say that I had a blast.

Lou