72 - 9/25/2011 - Upper Tieton

We only had 3 boats for this last run on the Tieton for the year. In the rapid below the lunch stop, I took the big hole on the left with a little too much left angle and flipped. I tested my theory about jamming the paddle under the seat and it did make flipping the boat over easier. I was back in the boat within about 15 seconds, ready for the next rapid. The catboater following me was more nervous about this than I was.

71 - 9/24/2011 - Upper Tieton

The flow was still very good on the Tieton, so I headed back over for another weekend. I took my IK again, and this time I was able to run the right side of the dam. I prefer this side because it's a steeper drop with a bit more kick. It's considered more dangerous by some people, but I've seen just as many flips on the left. The cable under the bridge was back up where it was supposed to be.

As usual, we got in two runs on Saturday, but there weren't many people on the second run. After the run, I went out to dinner and had the trout that I didn't get to have on Labor Day weekend.

70 - 9/18/2011 - Upper Tieton

We did an early shuttle and had a pretty good-sized group for an early Sunday run. The flow was still nice and high. There was a cable hanging a bit low over the dam. When I went over, I smacked it with my paddle. I found out later that a raft guide friend of mine smacked it with his head, and ended up with a few cuts and he also broke a rib when he fell onto the oar tower.

A friend and I worked hard to hit every hole in our kayaks, and near the end I hit one a little off-kilter. I flipped, and it took me three tries to flip the boat back over, and three attempts to get back into the boat. I finally got a little help from my friend, who held the far tube down so the boat wouldn't flip back over. I realized that my biggest problem was that I was holding onto my paddle and it was stopping me from using both arms. Next time I swim, I'm going to try to put the paddle in the boat under the seat before I flip the boat back over. That will give me a handle to help flip the boat and to help me crawl back in... maybe.

69 - 9/17/2011 - Upper & Lower Tieton

One thing about the Tieton is that I get to go to Wendy's. I know fast food is not great for me, but I don't get to have it very often, and I like Wendy's. I stopped for dinner on the way to the Tieton on Friday night, and got to the camp at around 8PM.

The flow this weekend was 2350, which is fairly high and higher than the weekend before. I got in with a group that wanted to do the long run down to Tim's Pond. I forgot to put my Discovery Pass on my windshield, but luckily I didn't get a ticket. The run itself was fun, but uneventful for me.

That night, we had a potluck for dinner. It got started a little late, and it sprinkled on us. One big difference this year was that we had lots of main dishes and very few desserts. This is the opposite of most of our potlucks.

68 - 9/11/2011 - Upper Tieton

The flow was pretty much the same as the day before, and we were able to do an early shuttle. I ran over the top of High Noon, followed by a commercial raft. I used their momentum to push me out of the eddy behind the rock.

I left after one run, getting on the road by noon and getting home in the mid-afternoon. The traffic was uncommonly light for September. There are usually a lot more people on weekend vacations in Eastern Washington.

67 - 9/10/2011 - Upper Tieton

The Zoo (courtesy of my friend Paula)

Normally, I would have run the Tieton on Labor Day weekend, but I had been going through a kitchen remodel, and I needed some time off from boating to work on house things. This day was the day of the first annual WRRR Tieton Costume Contest. We were to decorate our boats or wear costumes. I strapped an inflatable panda, rhinoceros, and tiger to my cataraft, and I ended up coming in 3rd place, winning a WRRR t-shirt as my prize.

The flow was around 2100, which is fairly high for the Tieton these days. In fact, it's higher than the peak the previous year, and usually the peak doesn't happen until the 15th, so flows would get higher. The first run went quickly, and several of us went for a second run in the afternoon. I had brought BBQ pork from a restaurant for dinner for some friends and me. Yum!