Off Topic: On The Creek

These days, Diane and I tend to spend most of our weekend time either on the bike or doing things that must be done to maintain the homesteads, but in my previous life, I was driven by the prospect of running rivers. I hoarded vacation days and drove many thousands of miles in chase of rainfall, dam releases and snow melt. It started innocently enough, canoeing the Buffalo, but running rivers soon ballooned into a lifestyle. Newton County became North Carolina, then Colorado, California, West Virginia, Chile, Argentina, Georgia, Maryland, Costa Rica, Arizona, Tennessee...... You get it. Diane and I got together boating and our mutual love of rivers is a bond. But, I've become loathe to get in the truck and drive the necessary hours to go boating for a day when I can top off my tires and roll off down the street. Instant gratification on two wheels.
So, while I'm less likely to call in a last-minute day of vacation and head to the hills chasing thunderstorms, we still hear the call, as we did weekend before last when the weather was forecast at a perfect 72 and Richland Creek in Newton County was predictably runnable from rain on Thursday and Friday. There was a big crowd for the remote run and it was quite a social occasion. Most of the serious boaters know one another so shuttles are arranged quickly and paddling groups form almost wordlessly.

Richland Creek was the place to be for sunshine, high water, stunning scenery and warm temps.

Diane after running Richland Falls

Here's a little boof at Upper Screw Up

At the bottom of Lower Screw Up, I'm waiting on our buddy, Bob.

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This doesn't have a thing to do with cycling, but it doesn't have to. If you don't love rivers, then I think that you probably just haven't had the opportunity to spend enough time on them.