2009-07-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Aww...Katie made me a birthday cake: Pan fried pound cake, fresh berries, and cream cheese!!

I had a very nice birthday. Karyn and Nat came and rafted, and then we all headed down to Canyon Doors for a little chillaxin by the Gauley. Then we came back and cooked some of the veggies that we bought in North Carolina when Alissa and I went down for the 4th of July!

My birthday dinner: Fresh green beans, couscous, baked chicken, fried okra, and hierloom tomatoes in balsamic vinegarette!

Part of the Costa Rica crew reunited at Beauty Mountain in WV !!

It was super great to have Karyn and Nat visit. Scotty took us all out to Beauty Mountain. It was a great Costa reunion! Nat and Karyn got to experience a couple of nights in the Hexagon (my cabin on the guide deck).

Surprise Mom and Pops!! Outside the new house in NC!

Alissa and I went down to Asheville for the 4th of July. She had never been to western NC, so I figured she needed to go before she headed back to Arizona! We drove in after work on Friday, and stayed in the house on Howard Heights in Waynesvegas. We spent the day on Saturday wandering the streets of Asheville. We got some great fashions at a couple of thrift shops in West Asheville, poked around Mast General, Alissa found some beads for her jewelry makin' at a few of the bead and gem shops, and then we met up with Hunter and Logan for dinner, Shindig on the Green, and fireworks.

A funny pic from Shindig on the Green on July 4 in Asheville, NC

This one cracked us up...I have no idea how I got this kid at the perfect moment. They had a couple of great kids games at Shindig, and this one, the kids crawled in the other side and came out this end. Apparently, this kid lost her friend in the bouncy thing, and decided to check up on them.

Logie and me at Shindig!

It was great to see Logan and Hunter again. It just so happened that Hunter was up from Alabama, and he came over from Hendersonville and chilled with us all afternoon and evening, and Logan came over after work. He had just come back from Costa Rica, so he had his rugged furry face on. Haha.

Sunday morning, we got up and headed up to Cashiers to see the fam and the new house! It was beeeauuuutiful! We stopped by the Cashiers Farmers Market for some veggies and peaches, and then headed back to WV. Hopefully, I will get back there soon!!!

"If You're Going to Live by the RIver, Make Friends With the Crocodile...

2009-06-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Drover checkin out the Dries on the New River, WV

So I decided that I would keep a blog for my friends and family back home who keep calling me and asking what I am up to. So many calls makes me way confused, and I always feel bad when it takes me a few days to get back to everyone! Life up here in West Virginia is wild and wonderful (and yes, thankfully they have changed the signs back to "Wild and Wonderful West Virginia" from "Open for Business" at all the state lines).

Paulie, Alissa, me, and Luke ready for a day on the Lower New River at 11.5 ft!!

The water has been high this year, ranging from 1 foot to 12 feet above normal summer flows. In the picture, you can tell that it is flooded...makes things very interesting! We ended up flipping our Elan (12 ft, 2 tube boat) at Thread the Needle. The bow came up and over, dumping all of us into the hole at the bottom. It was great! We had quite the adventure that day. The floor and center tubes of our boat kept deflating.

Sunset at Dispatch at North American River Runners

I have finally moved into a place on base, and it is really nice to just walk out my door and be at work...it also means that I am back to communal living, which I rather enjoy...except for sharing a kitchen that stays pretty nasty 95% of the time! Our base is beautiful! I live on the Guide Deck in a hexagonal cabin...tres chic. I have a bus, but they are trying to figure out where to put it, since the woods are pretty crowded these days!

Kickin butts and takin names at the Songer Olympics

Katie, Jo-Beth, Kate, and me! 1st place!! Only all female team!

A group of us went over and participated a couple of weeks ago in the Songer Olympics. There were three events: a rafting obstacle course, duckie race, and tug-o-war! We were the only all-female team, and after some ridiculousness at the obstacle course, we were in 5th place. The duckie race put us up to 4th place, and we pulled it off in the tug-o-war with a victory over a couple of all male raft guide teams. It was great. We won 2 nights in their cabins at the end of Gauley season...so we're havin a partay!

Gettin ready for a little boatin at Summersville with Pat and Alissa...corndogs to start!

I took Pat and Alissa over to Summersville Lake for a Claddling trip (climbing and paddling). Neither of them had been in a kayak before, so it was fun teachin them some "skillz to pay the billz." The day started with a couple of corn-dogs...a staple, it seems, in these parts, and we finished with a couple of beers out on the Guide Deck back at NARR.

Making shadows at Canyon Doors on the Gauley.

(Me, Robyn, Fortney, Luke, and Kate)

For Brian's 30th birthday, a group of us went down to Canyon Doors on the Gauley River. The water levels were high, and we brought over a cake that took Natalie and I 2 hours to get down to the river...but it made it all in one piece... what you must understand is that the road down to the river starts as a one lane (you pass on shoulders) road, and then turns to dirt (with potholes). It was amusing to say the least.

A little Deep Water Soloing at Summersville Lake with Luke, Zack, and Chris.

I have spent several of my off-days down at the lake in Summersville, which is a 20 minute drive from where we are at NARR. Not much can beat a day on the lake...though Miranda just let me know that there are car-sized carp and catfish in the lake...scary! There is some great climbing all along the sides of the lake. It is the same river that releases in the fall for Gauley Season!!

Yetti at Rivermen with Pat, Zack, me, Katie, Drover, and Natalie!

Another great thing about this area is the live music. Being around so many recreation companies means that there is always something going on, and I work for the company with the best people in the world, so of course, there is always a good time to be had!

I am looking forward to my birthday this week. I am either going to hang out around here or go to All Good festival with Luke! Should be a good time no matter what!

Peace and chicken grease! - Martha

Where Water is Boss, the Land Must Obey

"If You're Going to Live by the RIver, Make Friends With the Crocodile...