Laurel Forked...

After a late afternoon Boone Fork run Wednesday Clay Lucas and I were hoping Laurel Fork of the Doe would hold for a run thursday because neither of us had ever run Laurel and we hadn't heard much about it. We awoke to find the Doe and Watauga still above 1000 cfs, we went to our morning classes and rolled out from Boone around 12:30. We pulled up to Laurel Fork to what looked like (and ended up being) the perfect level, so we set shuttle and put on. Laurel Fork is pretty much one of the coolest rivers ever and it's now one of my favorite runs...A combination of: Overflow, Chattooga, some colorado stuff, and the West Prong with totally incredible scenery. Here are some pictures from the trip...I'm not sure if grabbed a first 'D' on Laurel Fork Fall or not, but I saw I line and ended up giving it a go...

Me running "Getting Warmer"

(Photo: Clay Lucas)

Clay Running "Getting Warmer"

Entrance to "Darwin's Hole"

"Darwin's Hole"

Clay at "Darwin's Hole

Looking back up at "Quadruple Drop"

"Hit The Deck"

The top 3/4 of Laurel Fork Falls

Taking peeksie...

Givin' er

-Huck-

Clay on the paddle out

Over all the Laurel Fork is pretty much one of the coolest rivers ever, and I highly recommend a trip out there if you have the time and the water. good hucking everyone...

Peace and good lines,

Mac

Team Pyranha

Green Racen'

Man was this ever a great Green Race year! Records were blown out of the water, over 170 people competed, tons of new racers gave it a go, and the weather and flow were perfect. To start out, being in Boone, NC this fall without a car hasn't given me alot time to train so I was little nervous when I pulled up to the put-in on friday for my first run in five months, as it happen pre-race run did not turn out so well so I was even more nervous when I rolled up saturday for the race, hoping I had the bad runs behind me I shouldered my boat and hiked down to the put-in.

Rollin' through Go Left...

(Photo: Ben Hinman)

Digging through Scream Machine

(Photo: Jennifer Woods)

Powering through nieces' pieces

(Photo: Mel Boeyer)

Post race Lefty

(Photo: Sam Silvey www.SamSilvey.com)

In the end I came out with decent time of 5:18 ( which I think is not to shabby considering I ran the Green twice in 5 months). Big thanks to every one who helped put on the Green Race an organize it, Thanks to Chris Bell for juristically simplifying the registration, and also to the timers (we couldn't function without you). Finally, thank you Sam Silvey for taking rock awesome pictures of everybody, all of you should check out his website www.SamSilvey.com for some killer shots. Hope to see everybody next year, until then....

peace and good lines,

Mac McGee

Team Pyranha