Some of you may keep up with the paddling world excesses, and some of you may not.  This is an individual choice, much in the way some people from Wisconsin choose to refer to themselves as Wisconsonians while others refer to themselves as Wisconsinites.  I knew a fellow long ago, from Bear Trap, Wisconsin, by the name of Dave Greenburg, who referred to himself as a Wisconsonian, though others from the Badger State tend to disagree.

http://www.najp.org/articles/2010/05/dubuquians-wisconsonians-and-o.html

I’m not sure why WisCANsin (how I hear it pronounced by Wisconsonianites) is referred to as the “Badger” state, as, I’ve been to WisCANsin several times, and have never seen a badger.  I have seen badgers in Oklahoma, Idaho, Wyoming, and all parts in between.  When I chauffeured Adam Elliott to the headwaters of the Mississippi, at Lake Itasca (eye-TAS-kuh, and not i-TASK-uh) Minnesota, three years ago, we saw a dead badger on the streets of Hannibal, Missouri.  We did not see any remnants of Hannibal’s Alpine pachyderms, however.

But back to the records business: Years ago, although not as many years ago as my days with Wisconsonianite Dave Greenburg, I had a paddling friend from Durango, Colorado, one Andy Corra.  Andy had accomplished much in life in the world of Wildwater (Wildvasser) racing, which is downriver racing on whitewater, and at its best.  Jump to June of this past summer, which is rapidly fading.  On 28 June, at twelve noon, Andy Completed a 273 mile non-stop paddle of the Yukon, in an Epic V-12, to complete a new world record for the greatest distance ever paddled in a 24 hour period.  You can read about it here:

http://www.adventurekayakmag.com/blogs/flotsam-a-jetsam/blogs-people/1143-record-breaker-andy-corra.html

So, I called Andy on Monday.  Andy owns 4 Corners River Sports, in Durango, Colorado, where he was exceptionally adept at assisting me in parting with my money about a decade ago.  To return the favor, I have asked of Andy that he bring his carcass to Natchez, October 8th, to give the Phatwater a shot, and I think he’s planning to do so.  If we do-so, we may be in need of some one of you from the Carolina area, to transport a V-12 down here from Epic’s Aitch-Kew, in Charleston, South ‘Click’.  Volunteers?

Phatwater on the Natchez gauge, today, with no badgers present, is 30.16′, still six+ feet above last year at this time.  Not surprisingly, yesterday’s Phatwater tour went well, with Greg Jacob joining us from Ridgeland, Mississippi, and Maggie Pyle, Chris Marmande and his tandem partner Rich Wetmore joining us from Mobile.  We were able to launch just after 0700 in roller derby smooth water which turned to two-foot waves and 20+ MPH south winds below the Waterproof Grain Elevator, all the way into Natchez.  A sprung rudder (Sprung?) was giving Chris and Rich fits, and they fell behind us, stopping for a lengthy sandbar repair, and limping in two hours after we’d made the ramp, but a well earned plate of friend dill pickles (Swear-to-God) at the Magnolia Grill and a couple of chilled Coronas, with lime, after the fact, made all the injury fade into the growing humidity of an angry afternoon Sun.

Here’re a couple of shots of Maggie Pyle, in her new V-10 Sport, at the beginning and end of yesterday’s Epic tour.

Maggie Pyle at the Slack Water Port of Grand Gulf

Maggie at the ramp, Under-The-Hill

All For Now-KB