Pine Creek Virgin

So I was on my way to CKS for the weekend to demo some kayaks. Lake creek was at a silly low flow but Pine Creek was at a pretty healthy 700 cfs, I figured I better man up and hit that S*#t! So I called around to my "posse" but I got nary a response back. I understand that my crew is sometimes scared to fire it up with me, but hellfire, this is Pine Creek boys! Just then, my good friend Marjolicious called and since she had never fired up the "Pine" she was all "excited" and "excited" to do it. There was one glitch, She was boating with the Girls tomorrow and I had to meet them first before I could rally with there crew. I guess to see if I was cool enough or something.
Well Marjolicious made me meet them at Benson's in Salida the night before and introduce myself. She mentioned that her crew was pretty cool, but that I had to really impress one of them in particular. I guess their friend is kinda shy, reserved and quiet. she wasn't really accepting of some new guy joining the posse. So after a couple of the best beer I do love, I strolled on over and had my work cut out for me.
This is how I ROLL!
press play and crank da volume


Oh ya, after some sleeping in and resting up and a breakfast of pancakes, strawberries, blueberries, giggling and text messaging I had
My new POSSE!
left to right
feeling alright
Kateclaw, Marjolicious, Jpeg, Gretsum


Happy ladies are the bomb


Kateclaw trying not to flirt


Marjolicious flirting, and yes, she is single!


M focused


Jpeg can't help but flirt


Kateclaw and Marjolicious scouting Da "hole"


Marjolicious expressing concern that I would only mother duckie them down to just above the hole. Since Pine Creek was running at such a high level, I thought it would be my best interest to get out above the hole and direct them through the last couple moves with a Megaphone while my buddy Atom shot photos from the rim.


I'm not privy to what was said during the team meeting, but i think it was something like "I gotta Pee".


So just when we got all fired up to fire up the "Pine" someone from Salida had to come on down and get a beatdown in front of us. "uncool Holrider". Hot Dam!
press play


Pine creek kayaking beatdow from atom crawford and Vimeo.

So We gotta mention for the sake of safety, It is best when you art da rope handler, to position yourself at river level, not 10ft up on a boulder. This can cause a Super Man effect on ones person when said swimmer grabs hold of the rope and you suddenly become airborne. Just a friendly safety tip!


I recommend watching this awesome collection of Pine beatdowns

As we pull out of the eddy above "pine" rapid, Marjolicious says to me, "heartbreak is a bitch" I say aahhhh, ya, okay, so? She replies, you know what is worse than heartbreak? I say, not having any cold beer? No she replies, catching on fire while barbecuing. Nuff said. We enter the rapid. That's me in front before I get out above moonpie to direct the ladies.


M firing up the leadin


M momentarily distracted (more about that later)


M doing the cool moonpie ride


Arms raised in triumph, Marjolicious fired it up and hot dam she friggin fired it up. Ya!


Kateclaw also got distracted


Kateclaw surfing. She hung in there and surfed longer than any boy woulda and made it out upright.


Okay, now we can get to the true reason of the Salida boys swim. He was on line, but he happened to glance left while coming down the tongue above moonpie. He was greeted with this shot of Gretsum setting safety near the hole. Yup, true story!


The real reason why Marjolicious and Kateclaw went into monnpie hole. They also glanced to thier left and saw--Yup, Atom and I found some lovely ladies just chilling on river left. They had beer.


The Posse at the take out. Thanks ladies, I had an awesome time and if anyone ever gets a chance to meet and paddle with this great crew, they are awesome, fun, sexy and a total blast to be with and they fire it up in all aspects! Oh ya, they feel naked with out this.


and last but not least, They whispered in my ear, as I headed back to Barbados, it is easier to fire up da S*#T, after some AD
Press play and pump da volume


And in the name of preserving rivers, My fellow cougar killer Paul Gamache is about to try something kinda outrageous. Whether or not he survies, American Whitewater will benifit from it. Please check it out and help out. Later, Ron Burgundy