TC Paul Leclerc.
K1: Paul Leclerc, Ken Gordon & Sean Green
OC1: Kenny DeCoster, Evan Eichorn, OC2: Ryan and Krea Galway
Raft: Galway and Eichorn families.
During the Dead 4000 trip in June, Pat Cavanagh and I decided to put together a trip later in the Summer on the Dryway. The only date Pat could do was August 1st and 2nd. At the time we didn’t know it coincided with Deerfield Riverfest or that Ryan’s and Evan’s families were planning a trip to the Dryway as well.
We lured in Sean, Ken and Kenny. Others wanted to come but for one reason or another, couldn’t make it, including Pat. I booked a camping site that turned out to be unsuitable and after spending the night in another unsuitable site we moved yet again, thanks to Kenny’s smooth talking nature. The heavy rains that pummeled New York and western Massachusetts kept the crowds away but in the end the outflows were managed, and the releases were perfect at 1,060 and 1,140 respectively.
On the first run we waited for the throngs of rafters to pass then made our descent. Rapid after rapid, we all came out clean and wet. Then came Dragon’s Tooth. We scouted it, saw our lines and dropped in. One by one we nailed it and gathered at the bottom before Labyrinth. Labyrinth is a long technical rapid with lots of ledges and holes. Rocks everywhere, making no clear discernable line. I lead and Ken followed. The eddy below was thrashing, and Ken went out first. Against their efforts both he and Kenny joined the Dryway swim club. Sean did a few combat rolls and everyone else was good. Walking out to the take-out, I spotted a familiar looking fella putting his Apex kayak next to mine – Eric Jackson! After a brief conversation with the legend and a quick photo, we gathered our stuff and headed for lap two.
No swims! In the evening the group attended Riverfest. I stayed behind nursing a headache.
Sunday morning we ran the river again, this time with Ryan’s and Evan’s families in a raft. A perfect run all around. On lap two, I opted out, only to bear Kenny’s scolding for trip leader abandonment. Ryan and Evan jumped in an inflatable canoe. I hiked to “girlfriend” rock to take video. A perfect run through Dragon’s Tooth and once again Kenny repeated his swim routine at Labyrinth and Sean honed his combat roll. We all agreed to do it again next year, Riverfest or not.