I Will Survive

I'm alive! I should say, we are alive. When we last left our intrepid heros, they were setting out for the adventure of a life time: riding the 5th best commercial river in the world, the Upper Gauley. We went in knowing that it would be intense. We knew Doug, our guide, and knew his reputation. That is to say, nobody asked us if we were looking for the intense ride or a more safe ride after we told them we were going with Doug. Born and raised local to the Gauley river, Doug knows every nook, eddy, ripple, pour-over, hole, undertow and trap in the water, and he will take you through it all. In addition, he has one of the most encouraging personalities I've met up with. Being super intense and directed, the four us felt like we could conquer any task put before us, as long as we had our raft, our paddles, and Doug. One challenge on the Gauley is to charge straight at Pillow Rock and see how far up the face of it you can get your raft. Our group took gold, by no small margin. In addition to feeling like we could conquer the river, Doug frequently let us know who was in charge. You may notice the lack of fellowship with our guide here. Moments before this shot, our raft was vertical in the water, with four young, headstrong rafters seated inside, paddling desperately. No one noticed Doug inching over to the highside of the raft until it was too late. All in all, it was an excellent trip. A small mix up with the local authorities (no worries, it wasn't Deliverance style) at about 4am was the only hiccup. I talked to Justin yesterday (being Thursday) and he said he was also just coming down off the adrenaline. Yeah, it was a good weekend. I think Kevin frames our emotions best.

Gauley Me!

Big plans for the weekend. Here is the roster: First off, we have Justin. Justin is a fun loving, hard-charging brute of a man who will not let up when a challenge faces him. These qualities, along with a "go big or go home" attitude makes him an ideal candidate for this weekend. Next up is Kevin. Kevin defines laid-back when the world is a hustle and bustle around him. In a life of chaos, Kevin is the slow walker, enjoying endless-sand beaches and water. But when his intensity turns up, be prepared to see a Jekyll & Hyde conversion into a fierce warrior, putting his life on the line for his friends and beliefs. Both of these faces will be integral in this weekend's endeavors. Third on our hit list is Luke. A peaceful man, tempered by a tour in the Marines, producing a double-edged sword capable of accomplishments only God can know the extent of. Luke's indomitable drive may well provide the glue that binds our team together. Finally: The mission. The four of us will embark on a great adventure this Friday. Departing from Grand Haven in the afternoon, we will travel to the wilderness that is West Virginia to tackle the pitfalls and waterfalls of the Gauley River, armed with nothing but a raft, four paddles, (a guide) and our wits. One of the most intense sections of river in the nation. This will be epic.

More of the same.

Well, in the fast-paced, action packed news of my life, things are pretty quiet. No major events have happened, therefore I haven't felt inspired to post. My day life has become the routine of work, which I enjoy. I still love my job. I recently was put in charge of a major project, so I'm excited to head that up. The afternoons are filled with waves (this is the wavy season in Michigan, after all), or hanging out with friends. I feel like I don't do much, but I have no free time. Strange. The boogie boarding is still great fun. I broke the leash on Justin's board the last time I went, so today I bought a new sweet one. I like it a lot, and I think he will too. The picture was from that session, which ended the strap. Riding in Grand Haven is a complex beast to tame. I've never ridden in the ocean, or at any of the sweet, well-known hotspots for waves. All I know is the Grand Haven Rockpile and the Pier. Basically, in a south wind, the waves build up as they approach the shore. Coming in at a diagonal, they rebound off the pier and create these super narrow, tall waves. Riding one is challenging, because if get outside of it, you'll just stop. Riding along the pier is exhilarating, because most of the waves are pushing you straight into the cheese-grater type pilings, but there is a 3 foot "safe" section every so often which can yield some pretty intense rides. Today, Dave, Nate and I went out. The wind had a lot of south too it, so riding along the pier was out of the question. Every so often the rebounds would line up right and we would get some super intense rides, but for the most part, it was just large chop out there. But hey, any day in the water is a good day, in my opinion. My boss from this past winter is right, though. While I am totally loving these waves, I can't wait for the white powdery type to fall from the sky and change my outdoor recreation completely.
I spent this past weekend in Saginaw, visiting my friend Jamie. It was a great weekend. Met some new friends, played games, and just had a great time. More on that in the future.

Been a long time gone.

Luke wins the "cool photo to start my post with" award.
So, I haven't posted in quite some time now. I thought this would happen. Well, let's not dwell on it and suffer through apologies, as the stereotypical blog tends. On with the news!
The stairs (topic of the previous post) are still not done. Our DEstruction still stands as a testament to the step-father/son bonding experience. The CONstruction has yet to conceal our monument to unity. But enough with the past.
I'm currently working as a full time, salary paid employee of the Grand Haven Area Public Schools. I'm a sub for a tech guy who is out on sick leave. That basically means that my job is secure through the end of the month. I'm digging it, though. I love the people I work with, the job itself, and the responsibilities. Great combo. In recreational news, I fall more in love with the idea of surfing every day (read the dangling modifier however you want. It's true either way). My friend Daryl brought up the idea of him, Matt, Eric, and myself attending a surf camp. Tarnations, that would be fun. I can't think of a better way to spend a week. Well I could, but we won't get into that here. The point is, I'm stoked about the idea. Since I don't have a surfboard, I've been boogie boarding a lot with some friends. Nate and Shyle are an awesome couple; I've known Shyle since she was in middle school. Nate is really into boogie boarding, and between him, Dave, and I, I doubt a day goes by with decent waves that we don't call each other. Super quality.
I've been visiting my friend Jamie off and on. It is a new friendship which is cool. Also, hanging out with a guy Andy from around here. He's super cool and fun to be around. A new addition to the Grand Haven regulars over the summer.
Speaking of Grand Haven, I feel like I still need to defend my home town. For those that grew up here, you all know that it's not the coolest place to be as a kid, unless you're downtown and have easy access to the waterfront. After leaving for a period of time, I came to realize how awesome it is, and I'll be honest: I get a bit defensive when people down this place. True, it has its' faults (primarily in the winter), but in the summer months, I daresay that it is unbeatable. This sunset, while it may not be "commonplace," is certainly not out of the ordinary. This doesn't make it any less spectacular, and every night holds a new one, equally unique. Unfortunately I miss many of them due to lack of self motivation to indulge, but the fact remains: Grand Haven is a breeding ground for summer awesomeness. While I'm a bit sad that summer is gently drawing to close, it is without regret that I eagerly welcome the winter months, with their skiing, snowboarding, sledding and all sorts of snow-related activities. Until next time: (insert cool closing here)