Good Gauley!

By Clay Wright

Photos

Gauleyfest with no rain? Crazy! But there it was, bright blue sky and hot sun over that cool green water we know and love. And the fest was dry too – a bummer for the mud-seekers but they found other ways to revel I’m sure.

The highlight of the weekend? The River of course! I’ll let Stephen’s Fest Photos talk for that action, and I’ll just speak for the Flow…

Who would guess that many thousand kayakers could fit on a class 4-5 run with so few minor injuries? It’s a really positive sign for the sport and it’s participants for sure! And perhaps the modern equipment – but then it wasn’t all modern out there at all. One of my favorite parts of the 2008 Gauley Fest Weekend was the tremendous variety of boats we saw on the river . .

Sure there were as many All-star type playboats as there are stars in the sky, but also slalom boats, duckies, 9′ rafts, Shredders, tons of squirt boats, boogie boards, creekers, also long boats new and old. At one point I saw a guy in an Augsberg (designed for the 72 Olympics, made only a short time afterwards) paddling with a guy in an 07 Fun… incredible to see so many people enjoying the endless varieties of ways to enjoy the river – all safely!

Other highlights of the weekend:

PLAYBOATING – it’s the most exhausting day of play I can think of and with 4 days on, 3 days off it’s really a perfect river

Jumping off Pillow – the best way to celebrate this incr P1040132 edible rapid is by swimming it, and with 80 degree weather a bet 100 people did just that

Friends from Everywhere – who didn’t go to the Gauley? It’s like everyone you’ve ever run shuttle with the last 20 years all in one place.. so cool

AW – it’s why we’re here, literally. What great coincidence that the best river festival in the World happens to be a fundraiser for the best tool we’ve got as kayakers to increase our access to good places to paddle year after year. Obtaining recreational releases on the Gauley was such a great start, and the recent past has been filled with so many victories, I can think of no better place to invest in AW’s bright future than back here where it all started.

To those that missed it, better luck next year. To those that were there – great to see you, thanks for your donations, and great job on those good lines all weekend.

The whole Jackson clan hung out at the take-out for hours enjoying the afterglow as car after car rolled away. It’s just so hard to end such a great weekend. Of course Pies n Pints, then the Cathedral Cafe this morning easily softened the blow …

enjoy these shots.