Steve Fischer's Black Book

I decided to be like Karene and tell everyone what i like (i think it's because you're in advertising that you do that so much) . At my work we have been continually looping a DVD that we got called Steve Fischer's Black Book, and so i've seen every second of it, but never in one sitting (or standing or walking, hehe). Steve Fischer is a South African kayaker, and nowadays recognized as one of the best (arguably the best, and which many people would argue for that case) kayakers of all time. It's a pretty funny and well-made movie, and really shows you what the ultimate is in kayaking, and it really can take your breath away in parts. If i inspired you to somehow watch it i will say that there is one rap song on it that swears a few times but other than that they did an amazing job with the music. i'll post a little piece of it i think.

Part of my Girls Camp experience...

So i lived the dream of Matt Burningham and was able to go up to girls camp, albeit for only part of a day but still. I just kayaked alongside their rafts and then helped with their faithwalk. I'll post up the pics of the raft trip - it was really stormy the day before and so there were some mudslides on the south fork that fed into the main, so as you'll probably notice the water looks like chocolate milk. (wouldn't drink it though) it made it a little hard to tell what was what or if what was there. and by that i mean if there was a hole, wave, or rock it was hard to tell sometimes. No whitewater, just brown. still fun though!

AMF coming up - Rachel's raft just behind me (i tended to stick with them)

Little off balance

WAY off balance (and a bad brace stroke)

letting the Nesquik rabbit out at the end

Rachel's raft at Chief Parrish

Just before Mixmaster pretending i know enough to tell the boat what to do

(insert pump up rock music *here*)

i'm smiling because i'm kayaking, even if it is in choco milk

me and Rachel's raft - i'm sure you can pick out here huge hair

MMMM!!! Nesquik! or Ovaltine!!!

Where's Waldo? i'm in there somewhere

Rachel's raft at GLOYF

Other than that i've just been working for Inland Surf Company, getting ready for the mish, and just now started some self-defense classes - Krav Maga if you were wondering

Gloyf Video, nice of Caitlyn to miss me as i go darting past the camera

Kayak trip videos!

oh you can totally see me air on the big wave - which is right when i dissapear and then reappear shooting up then sideways.

4 July Kayak Trip

Well, on the Fourth of July i organized a river trip with Josh Wester and his wife, Anne. It was pretty fun - i only got rolled in two rapids - the first & biggest "Gloyf" (go-left-or-you're-fired) but then in the last one AMF (adios my friend). i was trying to surf the biggest wave in it but got rolled (as i expected really...) but when i rolled back up i was disoriented and the goggles you will see i had were in my eyes so i kept rolling back under. I rolled about 5 or 6 times and i'll tell you i really thought to myself: "am i going to have to bail and swim?!" i decided to keep with it until i either got up and stabilized or had no breath and then bail. Luckily i stuck with it and got up and good. man i was tired though! The goggles weren't the problem - i love them, they're some Oakley's that i got off of Zappos that are made for water to protect against splash (good for me - i have contacts that have almost gotten washed out a couple times from waves) - it was that i didn't have them tight enough. I knew it too but thought about fixing it too late so i decided the rapid was too close and decided i wouldn't worry about it. i should have! well maybe not - i got some good roll practice! (heheh stupidly optimistic). So that was the main parts of the trip except for both Mom and Dad (and caitlyn) came to document the trip which was awesome. Though Mom says she got to AMF late and saw me rolling repeatedly but by the time the camera was ready it was over. ha, funny story: at the takeout this guy asked me if i was the kid who kept rolling at AMF. He seemed like "holy cow". Oh and i also was able to get Dad to go on the last two rapids with Brother Wester in the ducky, i think he enjoyed it. well i've babbled enough - time for pictures!

me testing depth before doing a practice roll

Eddying out into the current

This is the beginning of Gloyf

Probably the second coolest picture - you can see my poor paddling form (my hand is above my head - thats why we take pictures! to see this stuff) Oh and it looks alot smaller in the pic - the left side of the picture is part of the biggest wave that i go flying over. it was pretty big, trust me.

This is my crash landing after airing off the big wave. yes i was momentarily flushed underwater after this shot. you can see the top of the big wave just to the right of me. it doesn't look so big because you can't see the deep trough just on the other side of it.

after i had rolled back up and stuff - looking at how the Westers faired

a pretty good shot as well of me at the end of GLOYF

Great pic in my opinion, the most artsy one

Dad waiting for us to come around the bend. "Just around the river beeennnnddd!"

a brilliant showcase of my poor paddling form once again. but a cool shot nonetheless. this is the beginning of Chief Parrish, in my opinion the wimpiest of the named rapids. Though it doesn't seem to be a constriction rapid so i bet it's shallowish and has some rocks that wouldn't agree with an upside-down kayaker's head. but i have no idea really

getting ready to start out again, this time with dad in the inflatable

Westers

ah this one shows how my boat is almost a squirt boat - as in it's underwater alot.

the coolest picture i think - i look pretty hardcore with my goggles, or like i'm doing the wrong extreme sport - take your pick

so i'll try putting the two videos on in another blog - might take a bit they're slightly large

Arizona Mesa Mission

well on Saturday i got my mission call and opened it with the fam (sorry Jon that you were busy). I am going to serve in the Arizona Mesa Mission and i'm reporting to the MTC on September 3rd. I will be speaking English, and so i'm pretty pumped

Where in the world?

Hey everyone,

Ben told me i should and so i will - i'm asking the question: "Where in will I serve my mission?" just comment on this blog.