Sloane and I took a trip to the Adirondacks at the beginning of September to attend an amazing wedding with some friends from Sloane's college. Although we were too early for any fall colors and the sun hid from us most of the time, the Daks still offered up some incredible scenery.
Fog and stars on Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks.
This amazing spot on Fourth Lake belongs to our gracious hosts, the Genovese's. They were kind enough to let a bunch of us crash at their beautiful lake house, right down the road from the wedding venue.
Sunrise over Fourth Lake.
First light on Fourth Lake.
Fourth Lake from the summit of Rocky Mountain.
Hung over - yet motivated - wedding party at the top of Rocky Mountain on the morning of the wedding.
The bride and her maids, so many phones.
The boat house at PAOWNYC's main house, the wedding ceremony was held on the first floor of this awesome lodge.
The main lodge at PAOWNYC, the wedding ceremony was held in the great room on the first floor, overlooking the lake.
Second best use for a kayak, beer cooler.
An incredible old wooden boat in one of PAOWNYC's boat houses
One of the many beautiful homes at the PAOWNYC compound.
Stormy skies over Fourth Lake on the afternoon of the wedding.
A communal canoe I found after a short hike into Sis lake, Inlet NY.
A peak of blue sky on Sis Lake, Inlet, NY.
I was lucky enough to paddle everyday we were up in the Adirondacks. I got some paddle boarding in at the Genovese's camp on Friday when we arrived. On Saturday I demoed a sea kayak at an outfitter on Fourth Lake after our morning hike, paddled a kayak around the lakefront of PAOWNYC before the ceremony, and paddled the communal canoe after a hike into Sis Lake on Sunday before heading back south. The following weekend I made my way to western Maryland to paddle the Upper Yough on Friday before heading to West By God Virginia for the East coasts biggest paddling party - Gauley Fest.
Long exposure of National Falls on the Upper Yough.
A shredder skirting the meat of the hole at National Falls on the Upper Yough. Dave, Zack and Gary wait for carnage.
An open boater above National Falls on the Upper Yough.
Post run beverages at the take out for the Upper Yough.
After an excellent run down the Upper Yough, Dave, Nate and I got on the road and drove 2.5 more hours south to the Gauley river, in Summersville, WV. On Saturday the three of us made our way down the lower section at a snails pace, surfing all the goodness that is the lower Gualey and briefly paddling with lots of folks we know.
Setting shuttle for the lower Gauley river.
Lunch (sheetz!) at 5 boat hole, on the lower Gualey.
The massive boulder on river right of Koontz Flume. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere close when this sucker came off the cliffside.
Nate making movies.
Dave surfing 5 boat hole, about to get some company from my friend George.
Relaxing rock above Diagonal Ledges surf wave.
Diagonal Ledges wave.
Samatha eating the wave at Diagonal Ledges, Mike sitting back and enjoying the lack of water in his face.
Nate rocking the air keyboard to some doors on the way back to the put in.
Lost? follow those kayaks.
We had an excellent day on the lower Gualey, and after a long night of eating and drinking we were up early for a trip down the much more intense upper section. It was my first time in a kayak, as well as Nate's - so we opted to leave the photography gear on dry land. I'll have to wait until next year for some footage of Pillow and Iron ring rapids. Thanks to the incredible river knowledge of Dan and Ethan Gore, both of us had great runs, with zero swims. Dave was a different story, that fella owes a few booty beers..... We were off the river and back to our cars by 3 ish, I stashed my wet soggy gear in the VW, said goodbye to the crew and started the 5.5 hour drive back to reality.