white water rafting obsession has begun

[ladybug]

i came to asheville nc this weekend to spend some time with good friends.  we went whitewater rafting yesterday down the nolichuckee river in tenn.  it was the most exciting thing i have ever done next to sky diving.  i can see the beginning of a brand new obsession.  i will post more when i get home.  we took a few pictures and i have posted them to facebook but have to figure out how to get them on here since they came from my blackberry.
ladybug

[jw]

I think I could do the river rafting as long as I wasn't too petrified  w/ my nails embedded in the rubber raft ........say a nice exciting ride w/o the possibility of a major dumping . As for the sky diving........uh uh no way Jose'................I don't even like driving over bridges  . Would love to see your pictures  .

[Bullfrog]

The Little River in Tennessee got me wanting to go whitewater kayaking. We talked about going back next summer bu I don't know what the river level is like in the summer months, we will have to check. I like scuba diving and thought we'd go to Cozumel next summer, but whitewater and a babin in the mountains sure sounds good.

[ladybug]

trying to get this picture biggger.  this is me after falling out of the raft three different times and at the end of the eight hour trip.  i am looking very happy, don't ya think?
ladybug

[lorraine1960]

look a hell of alot better then i would...

[kitfoxdrvr]

LB:

It can be an obsession, very easily!  I grew up paddling canoes on rivers and lakes, but a one-week kayak seminar on the Nantahala river my freshman year in high school hooked me!  I got really serious into whitewater canoeing and kayaking, and became a raft guide during college for the Nantahala Outdoor Center, mostly on the Chattooga river (remember Deliverance?  ).  Best job I EVER had.  My former company still does trips on the 'Chuckee, so I hope you went with the NOC!!!   

Steve

[MikeW]

Very thrilling, I'll agree.
Years ago, while living in Atlanta, we went up to TN for white water rafting - wonder if it was the same river?

I was lucky enough to get to do some in Costa Rica as well. Apart from the Toucans flying overhead, the main attraction there was that the water was warm. Such a pleasure.

Cheers,

Mike

[kitfoxdrvr]

Very thrilling, I'll agree.
Years ago, while living in Atlanta, we went up to TN for white water rafting - wonder if it was the same river?

I was lucky enough to get to do some in Costa Rica as well. Apart from the Toucans flying overhead, the main attraction there was that the water was warm. Such a pleasure.

Cheers,

Mike

Mike, that was probably the Ocoee, near Cleveland, TN.  It was the river that the Atlanta Olympics had the whitewater events.  The only natural river ever used for the Olympic Whitewater competition.  My favorite "play" river around!  I guided a raft trip on that river back in the early 80's and had a raft full of Miami Dolphin's offensive linemen.  I weighed about 150 at the time.  I had a tough time controlling that boat, for sure-long day!!!  But a great river.  Ladybug, you should do that one next, it is almost constant whitewater!!!

Steve

Steve

[MikeW]

That was it Steve - the Ocoee. It was my first time, and I loved every minute of it.

Cheers,

Mike

[ladybug]

we went down the nolachuckee river.