CHRIS ARVIDSON

words and art
 

For some unknown reason in 2010, every damn time I got in the river I managed to dump myself and go for a swim. And mind you, that's no mean feat in a kayak. Well, maybe EVERY time is a slight exaggeration, but not much...

But Wednesday, the first day of the National Committee for the New River's first day of the 2011 Expedition, I managed to stay upright the entire float. I almost bagged it on one little rapid/rock, but managed to save myself at the last minute. George was watching me and I think he was disappointed not to have to fish me out. I'm pretty clear that the reason it almost happened was the River Gods were warning me -- right before it happened we were talking about (and making fun of) people who come out on the New River with us and whine the whole time. All whining and bitching was noticeably absent on Wednesday -- keep your fingers crossed that this state of affairs continues throughout the Expedition. Read More 

Staff road trip! I drove up to West Virginia the other morning, right before the weather turned back to fall and summer finally got left behind. With me went Carol, George, Courtney, and Twelve Grain from the National Committee for the New River staff. It was a Courtney organized clean up affair. I was the designated driver, not because of heavy alcohol consumption, but because I had the car the we'd all fit in that day.

We met up with NPS rangers from the New River Gorge National River, a new area VISTA worker, and got wet and dirty and nasty pulling tires out of the river and off the shore. We ended up with three rafts full for the day.

What, I ask you, is the deal with people dumping tires in the river? They don't belong! Is it a Southern thing? I sure didn't see any in the Betsie River in Michigan a few weeks ago? Read More 

OK, I'm not sure if this will work, but here's a short video I made of Day 5 today. There's one on You Tube of Day 4, too. I am starting to get dangerous with this stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safz5pG3we8

Things are going well...knock on wood... only minor hiccups  Read More 

Last Friday we hit the North Fork. George and Ben and I put in at the bridge off Deep Ford Rd. and went down to the bridge at Hwy 16. I went swimming, too, not on purpose... and it was cold, my friends. Trying to scooch in off the bank, ooops, put the nose right on in and filled up the boat in nothing flat.  Read More 

It's just a bit past 8 p.m. National Committee for the New River's New River Expedition will be starting in just 12 hours.

I'm the "Advance" person for the trip, which is really just a glorified term for "gopher." I'll be schlepping kayaks and canoes on my trusty Subaru "Snowball," making sure the folks on the water have lunch, get picked up, get to where we're staying at night; I'll take pictures, do video, meet media people, and handle arrangements for the events we're having with our supporters and partners along the way, and hopefully have a chance to take a shower and change my clothes here and there.  Read More