Final Brush Creek until today update

April 21, 2006

There has been little time to get on the computer to download photos, and to write updates, not to mention that internet and phone service are to find. Here is my final update from the Kern, and catching up to today, where we are running “Slab Creek” .

First after having a great time on Brush Creek with Phil Boyer, Eric and Rebecca Giddens, Jay Kincaid, and the kids, we got to compete in the Kern River Festival main event, the Brush Creek Extreme Race. Since I wrote about it already, I will just put up photos. None of the kayaking shots are during the race and I never got photos of Emily in her Pink Hero, the boat she paddled every day except the first day where we took photos.

The night after the race, we got to watch Hot Rod and Mikey (two local heroes) play at the Hut with their band. It is full on heavy metal, and Hot Rod really plays the part well. Phil Boyer and I did the obligatory slam dancing in the mosh pit and only one guy with a black leather jacket was swinging his elbows with a little extra gusto, hoping to contact a nose or eyeball. We spotted the dude early (by having to duck the intended blows) and got him doing a little pinball action between kayakers until he got the message. All in all I was surprised that the adrenaline and booze didn’t create more excitement in the bar. When Hot Rod isn’t singing lead he can be found hanging with his lovely wife and son max or kayaking with his Fun or All-Star on the Kern or Brush Creek.

On Sunday we raced slalom in the Ricochet. Dane, Emily, and I each have our new Ricochet’s and this is our first race to use them. I had two runs at 90 seconds each, both with a penalty in the first race and then two races with clean runs in the second race.

Ooops- Jay Kincaid and Phil just showed up- time to go creeking!

🙂 EJ