Rock Island Reunion!

By Clay Wright. Learn more about Clay.

July 20, 2006

Got back from Colorado to find the house still standing, the weeds still growing, and the weather positively unbearable!
Seems like the 95 degree humidity takes some getting used to … but at least the cracks in my heels and fingers will heal!

Went out with John and Carmen Ratlif and their family this weekend – the lake is THE ONLY place to be outside of Air Conditioning for the un-acclimated – so I’ve been there every day. On this day, we jumped off the Island and rope swing, and did every dive I could think of off the dock. Abbey is just 7 but likes big air as much as I do! I’ve been working out on the dock so I can do dives between sets, then swimming a couple laps across for my cardio – can’t imagine any other form in this heat! It’s a fun way to stay in shape while TVA is being so stingy.

Finally the TVA gods relented and released water – 3400 half the day! What a treat to paddle my favorite hole in the world in a shorty till dark without a shiver!

Couldn’t believe how fun this place is: just some time away and I forgot how you can do all the cartwheel-y tricks and then pop big air ‘down the middle’ pass after pass without worrying too much about flushing. It’s big-wave training facility for sure . . . For my ‘get out’ move I chose Mcnasty’s both ways and back pan-ams both ways – got em all by the 3rd try.

EJ, Stephen, and fam are up in CAN and I’ll be there in August, but for now enjoying summer-time in Rock Island is my full-time obsession.

Hoping for rain, or a power shortage…

Clay