I have been boating since 1993 – 18 years
I have had a number of love affairs with boats, and am serially monogamous.
· Perception Corsica S – the very first boat that made sense to me because (at the time) it fit. I learned how to catch eddies and peel out in this boat
· Dagger RPM – I’m still in love with this boat, and can’t believe I sold it. This is the perfect boat for the ages. It’s the boat to send up in the unmanned probe to the next galaxy, to bring whitewater boating to the universe.
· Pyranha 420 - The 420 took awhile to master, and for a time, I HATED it. But when I fell in love, I fell HARD. I think it was the challenging period of getting to know one another, that made me love it so much. We had such good times together on the Ocoee, but then it was stolen, leaving me heartbroken.
Favorite local run?
The Upper Ocoee. Remote, not terribly crowded, always there for you in the summer, but not so often that it gets to be humdrum. Challenging enough to get my adrenaline pumping. I have met interesting people on the Upper, and paddle there with my dearest friends, which makes it special.
Top two destinations?
I pick for the scenery, water quality, and remoteness. From Chattanooga, the choices are incredible, and almost impossible to pick just two. And I’ve excluded from this list my 1 long trip to paddle, to the Grand Canyon. That trip transcends everything else on so many levels – the camping, the scenery, the sounds, the solitude, the camaraderie…So, I’m staying local for these top two picks:
· Little River Canyon in Alabama
· Nolichucky River near Newport, TN
Favorite Boating Gear? My Werner bent shaft carbon fiber paddle. Paddle is EVERYTHING
Best Apres boating burrito? Whatever happens to be in the back of Spence Lycan’s van, consumed with beer and stories. Usually saltine crackers and something weird.
