2007 North Branch of the Armada report(s)

[PAC]

Overall a very god weekend... highlights included...

o It was great to C old faces and new ones as well!
o Watching folks take their skills to a new level by taking there paddling up a notch - and doing it well!
o Expecially nice to see ladies in OCs and Cs.
o Still amazes me how nice everyone is and how positive they are!
o Cing skill sets that have improved from last year to this (I wish I could be included in that.... ) was very impressive.
o It was also cool to see some open boaters ripping it up in the holes... smiling and ripping on demand!
o Squirt'n with Jim is always interesting (learning from the master), frustating (not being able to pull it off) and fun!
o Trying new boats!
o Talking boat and paddle design with the best (PS Composite, Shaggy, Jim Synder & Keith Backlund).


No low lights - everything what good! Even a eddy swim in Mike's master cut was worth a chuckle!

Hoping to C everyone again (and maybe some more folks) at next years event! Adam start planning for 2008 and for that 10 year special you mentioned for 2009!

Paul C.

[Mike W.]

Another great Armada, in spite of the weather forcast!
- Great to see most of the regulars & all of the new faces. Y'all come back now, ya hear?
- I joined the Armada swim team! But I wasn't the only one
- My first run on the Lower Yough! This is a great run. I'll be back
- Those Shaggy boys sure can paddle. I don't think I'll do their boat justice, but that aint keeping me from getting one Martin & Gwyn, it was great to meet & paddle w/ you. I'm REALLY looking forward to my Sith
- Giant thanks to PAC for arranging awesome tours this year w/ PS Composites & Jim Snyder.
- Jim proved w/o a doubt that I stink at squirting. I got my belly button wet & he went head under for a looong time Makes me wonder what he could do down here...
- Great quotes:
"I'm not coming out of the boat" ha ha ha famous last words
"If you try you'll probably do better" Yeah, this one was directed towards me
"It paddles like a bloody ironing board" *w/ an English accent
- Last, but not least Maven #1 has made it's way to Dixie

Can't wait till next year!

[sdbrassfield]

YES i lost my winkie ring.

Jeez, I just knew I would get a response like this...

[squeakyknee]

Good to see you all again. Great to meet the guys from Shaggy designs, really like the Pagan ALOT. wish I had brought more $$$..
Marshall and I skipped out on the Yough and PS to run the Narrows and drink some beer (shoulda run the Yough and drank some beer, oh well..) we camped out for a couple of hours at Facination Alley( and quite a few brews) and then went to catch everyone in Albright. Thanks to PAC for letting me paddle his Acrobat again, great fast,fun boat
Weather being not too ideal for the raft we opted to put Marshall's friend in mu Zephyr and take him for his 1st solo trip on the NBP Saturday morning. Jay did a great job for his 1st time in a whitewater OC-1! one swim from a rock trip-up.
surfed a couple times at the putin and headed on down to settle old scores at the surfing ledges..
I caught a good surf in the second ledge with Marshall and Jay bearing down on me. as Marshall got to me I surfed away to let him in. As was the cause last year we collided and I was washed out of the wave.(last year I knocked him out so all's good)
Lunchstop was a great time as always. got to play in my Wheelboy and Zephyr as well as Martin's new Pagan and his sith as well as Marshall's Bigboy.
Thanks to everyone who let me paddle their boat

Lessons learned this year:
1. always choose the lower Yough @5ft over the Cheat Narrows at any level!
2. a 1/4 keg hold more beer than you might think..
3. payback is a beeotch

[sbroam]

Was cleaning up tonight and found this image from an Armada past :

[img]http://lh4.google.com/image/scott.broam ... Bomber.jpg[/img]

http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.broam ... 0433755058

Was that really 5 years ago??!

[Brendan]

the tranmission fluid transfusion! I remember that well- the truck just sort of stopped on a long uphill a few miles outside of Ohiopile. Luck was with us and a good samaritan ran Bob up to the auto parts store and back he came with a case of trans fluid and a few bottles of leak stop. It actually worked!! ( although it required a few stops to replenish the fluid). I remember being a bit on edge all the way back to Richmond just waiting for the thing to seize up.

Bob tells me he has plans to get the orange beast tricked out for next year.

Sorry to have missed this years event but certainly hope to be present for the next one.