Short Stop at the Payette
On the way up to the Slave River, Natalie, Conor and I stopped by the Payette. We played at Climax, and Conor and I did a top-to-bottom on the North Fork. It wasn't quite as sketchy as the first top-to-bottom that I did, a couple years ago with Natalie. That first time, we had no guide, had never done the section before, and only scouted one rapid. This second time, we had a guide, if you count running the stretch once as guide training.
But like I said, first we played at Climax. Here we learned about the many faces of Conor Flynn. Observe:
He makes those exact faces, plus one other one for the Left Blunt, every time.
This was my first day in the production Large Nemesis. I had been in the prototype for a while, and the boat performance had been perfected before the final generation proto, but there was a little more footroom in the production model, which was nice. Plus, the whole boat was just so shiny and perfect and new. I was very excited.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDnUJnzdIGKwjtS0tiF0fCEu1aj9DXEt5Tpj-jxQjKIphK_1m8s4uRqbqr7YYZVJi1o8UGdK5m1VWiXL0ZkyFblmNOAtQKxr0RX5TAnvNMWMqhxfbaLbS3YFyslntlOFtC7THyAehTiA/s400/leif_launch.jpg)
Natalie was pumped up for the upcoming slave trip, and ready to work more on her blunt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETIf73dAk-Ul5K_hjVzfOLBbhDUvVvQXQbzgjLoWbh0ag6i6mW1yl8PhQ3ZzOgl1dHIZC5Ogjnruq5arbncYI0IF_E1aR019W-U_JTUbH0Mhq8Kv9rJdbfJZ_0AxdjKgRo6LcsY8zhp8/s400/natalie_carve.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwQxcfuOEOUGm0zEE00IVe8Qe4e3kZYYKq8ZCR3G0K1bqqGlFy_FXM3VCVzZs_8sPEL2FzUp67lVKQyfSn0JEREtQgEpsgm-nS1l4QIffIKS-nDQNeEflt2R-amUJiUHmWJYxUfAqHto/s400/natalie_launch.jpg)
After a surprisingly frustrating session at Climax (it was very flushy), we headed to the North Fork Payette. The North Fork was very full on, and very fun. I can't wait until the next time I can go run that stretch. We met up with Orion (a friend of mine from Arcata) and we all warmed up with a Lower Five run. Then Natalie changed into shuttle-running gear (since she only had a playboat) and Orion headed to work, leaving only Conor and I to run the shit. I still can't identify a single rapid in the Upper 5 or Middle 5. I do remember a couple holes... some waves... a bunch of horizon lines...
But like I said, first we played at Climax. Here we learned about the many faces of Conor Flynn. Observe:
He makes those exact faces, plus one other one for the Left Blunt, every time.
This was my first day in the production Large Nemesis. I had been in the prototype for a while, and the boat performance had been perfected before the final generation proto, but there was a little more footroom in the production model, which was nice. Plus, the whole boat was just so shiny and perfect and new. I was very excited.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDnUJnzdIGKwjtS0tiF0fCEu1aj9DXEt5Tpj-jxQjKIphK_1m8s4uRqbqr7YYZVJi1o8UGdK5m1VWiXL0ZkyFblmNOAtQKxr0RX5TAnvNMWMqhxfbaLbS3YFyslntlOFtC7THyAehTiA/s400/leif_launch.jpg)
Photo by Conor Flynn
Natalie was pumped up for the upcoming slave trip, and ready to work more on her blunt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETIf73dAk-Ul5K_hjVzfOLBbhDUvVvQXQbzgjLoWbh0ag6i6mW1yl8PhQ3ZzOgl1dHIZC5Ogjnruq5arbncYI0IF_E1aR019W-U_JTUbH0Mhq8Kv9rJdbfJZ_0AxdjKgRo6LcsY8zhp8/s400/natalie_carve.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwQxcfuOEOUGm0zEE00IVe8Qe4e3kZYYKq8ZCR3G0K1bqqGlFy_FXM3VCVzZs_8sPEL2FzUp67lVKQyfSn0JEREtQgEpsgm-nS1l4QIffIKS-nDQNeEflt2R-amUJiUHmWJYxUfAqHto/s400/natalie_launch.jpg)
Photos by Leif Anderson
After a surprisingly frustrating session at Climax (it was very flushy), we headed to the North Fork Payette. The North Fork was very full on, and very fun. I can't wait until the next time I can go run that stretch. We met up with Orion (a friend of mine from Arcata) and we all warmed up with a Lower Five run. Then Natalie changed into shuttle-running gear (since she only had a playboat) and Orion headed to work, leaving only Conor and I to run the shit. I still can't identify a single rapid in the Upper 5 or Middle 5. I do remember a couple holes... some waves... a bunch of horizon lines...
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