i have a job now, the southeast is still in a drought. i could make excuses all day. i've actually got a green race post in the works. but that doesn't mean much to all of you content starved blog fans waiting for stories and photos to brighten your lonely nights.
the holiday season has inspired me to put together some photos from back in the day. all photos documenting the life and times of this blog star before the days of para la familia
you dedicated fans will recognize some of the same characters, engaging in the usual nonsense:
here's spencer 'spank the wet daddy' cooke. looking for trouble:
photo by mw
we'll start things off with a ol' classic: a little story i like to call, "two hooligans ditch their jobs for a western paddling adventure in a '91 Honda Civic"
photo by mw
no that photo (above) is no photoshop/cut-and-paste trick. i did actually drive my beloved scooter mobile west of the mississippi into the great state of colorado for a paddling adventure with my good friend amos 'the moose' shuman.
the story begins as all good paddling stories do with the main characters neglecting responsibility. in this case, amos was able to talk his way out of coming to work for a couple weeks while i successfully talked my way out of having a job for the summer all together. my boss, the legendary wally leoni of ocoee river fame, wasn't too happy with me when i called the day before i was supposed to show up for work in eastern tennessee to tell him that i was in Albuquerque headed in the wrong direction. oh well, amos and i had a whirl wind 10 day tour of the rivers of colorado. an experience i had never had before and will not soon forget.
amos and i drove straight to the vallecito river from asheville, north carolina (36 hours straight including some "minor" car trouble). this beautiful river is located just outside of durango, colorado.
here's my main man 'mos enjoying the rocky mountain scenery on his way to the river
photo by mw
you hike your way up the committing vallecito canyon, about two miles, then drop in to some crisp, clean colorado action.
'mos on vallecito at the rapid known as "fuzzy little bunny"
photo by mw
our first day in colorado, after three laps on the river, i begged amos to take a picture of me in my euphoric state of happiness.
the author. ear to ear baby.
photo by amos shuman
the next stop after we had our fill outside of durango, another classic near crested butte. a spot known as
oh be joyful
photo by mw
the author, fired, but not disappointed on colorado's classic oh-be-joyful creek
photo by amos shuman
amos at oh-be-joyful, enthusiastically avoiding a log jam
photo by mw
what a great trip. what great memories. what ever. once i got home to the blue ridge the fun didn't stop, because i was still unemployed.
the author collecting on some summer time gorilla:
photo by amos shuman
amos. summer greening as well.
photo by mw
here's amos on the same day at the green, taking it to a whole new level:
photo by mw
kayaking will sure make you a hungry, hungry, hippo:
amos, not taking any s*%& 'til he gets a sandwich
photo by mw
yonton mehler, taking on the challenge for greatest sandwich in human history:
photo by mw
yonton, enjoying the fruits of his labor:
photo by mw
again, mr. mehler, putting that energy to good use on a beautiful sunny, summer day on the ocoee river:
photo mw
see you again next issue. same blog time, same blog channel.
photo by amos shuman
