compostable plastic bags and reusable totes made from recycled plastic

There is a lot of plastic floating down our rivers and into the great Pacific vortex.  We see it every day on our own rivers (water bottles, gatorade bottles…).  But how to get around using plastic?  We are trying to educate ourselves, and then share that information with our friends.

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee has an awesome chico bag that we sell in the store. It is made out of seven recycled plastic bottles.  And stuffs into a little stuff sac for easy keeping. A big change for us here at ERA is that this year we have switched from the plastic bags we always used in the store for purchased items to a compostable bio bag that will compost in 45-60 days.

We won’t change overnight. But we are committed to working towards a better solution!

The 2010 Junior Olympic competition will start up today at 1PM here on the Nantahala River.  There has been great energy surrounding the junior paddlers all week.   And our embedded journalists, Haley, Selena and Bryson Popp (aka: Team Popp) have been reporting on the events all week. Check out their blog posts about the 2010 Junior Olympics and the awesome participants who traveled from as far as Australia to compete this week.

From as far away as Australia, junior kayakers met up at the Nantahala for the 2010 Junior Olympic Week

If you are looking for some tips on outfitting your creek boat, check out Wave Sport’s post….

Awesome team work on the I Ain't Skerd Ocoee workshop

We weren’t skerd….we were FIRED UP!! Fired up was about boofing Whiteface, running Entrance (right side up), directionally rolling, making it “around the world” and attaining, taking a piece out of Broken Nose, boofing Double Suck and Flipper and TableSaw and Cats, and then surfing it up in Hell Hole.

Our I Ain’t Skerd day on the Ocoee was not about fear or what we didn’t want to do. It was about facing moves on the Ocoee that we wanted to do but maybe had built up some anxiety because of missing the move/not being able to successfully do the move/not wanting to mess up in front of others.  It was about seeing the TL’s (Maria and Juliet) miss a move and laugh about it; realizing it was okay to miss a move—in front of your friends—and still have fun.  It was okay to try things you had not tried before. And make it happen or not. But realize the next time there is no reason to not try it.  And having fun.  And looking at Maria with an expression of “I am going to do what?!?” And then successfully doing it! And laughing. And supporting each other. And backing each other up.

The I Ain’t Skerd workshop was about four awesome boaters and two trip leaders. It as so much fun we cannot wait to do it again. WE AIN’T SKERD!!!

If you are not directionally rolling on the river there is no better time than now to start working on it.  Make it your goal for this season.

Set up to directionally roll your kayak

Yoga for Helping the Roll

A while back Sharon Myers mentioned doing side planks. I didn’t know she was building anything with boards!  Turns out it had something to do with yoga.

I’ve been doing sit-ups & hamstring stretches for 30 years but have “total idiot” status when it comes to yoga.  Anyway, Sharon had started doing these things and said that it seemed to help her kayak roll in addition to being good for the back.  Now I’m paying attention. What she described seems to be the beginners level of side planks.  The knees are bent and the body is supported using the elbow rather than the hand.

Matt and the modified side plank

This way there is no lateral pressure on the knee, no pressure on the wrist & it’s easy on the back. I’ve added sideways leg lifts to my sequence also. Sharon suggested 3 sets, held for 30 seconds each time. I started with 15 seconds.

Adding Leg Lifts to Improve Rolling

I had been doing this for about 3 1/2 weeks and noticed that my kayak roll seemed to have a bit more snap without really any more effort. The rim was tapping my ribs with each roll. But then again, maybe it was just one of those “good” rolling sessions. Some better than others. This past Saturday on the Tuck, it was hot & I rolled to cool off. Bam. There is the rim in the ribs again. I’m starting to think this side plank stuff (along with sit-ups & stretches) has some definite boating benefits. Especially for those of us that are over 25.

Emily Jackson contributes to our discourse on the value of cross training running gates and running whitewater. Read on for Emily and the pros’ thoughts…

The 6th annual Nantahala Open was yet more fun with more competitors and more antics and more post-Falls festivities than ever. Thank you thank you everyone who shared time with us! Read more…….

It is always fun to take a look at the paddling disciplines and how they all mesh–specifically on how slalom and white water paddling can benefit from cross-training.   Canoe/kayak Olympic slalom athlete, white water instructor, river ambassador Wayne Dickert is the latest to add his feedback.  Read more…

The 6th annual Nantahala Open is this Saturday. And we cannot wait!
From Bryan Kirk heading up Team Wave Sport and Team ERA, to the all-day fun at the Falls captured on camera and video by Brian and Kelly, to the evening fun of fresh beverages from the Nantahala Brewing Company accompanied by the sound of some local blue grass music and a screening of the days’ footage at nightfall…. the Nantahala Open will again champion the fun that can be had in a non-competitive event at a favorite rapid where everyone is encouraged to participate—either running the rapid or walking around it cheering for your friends.

The event would not happen without the help of Team Wave Sport and our incredibly loyal event sponsors (all of whom have been supporting you the boater for the past six years). Prizes are overflowing and already include:
Cam Straps Float bags Dry Bag Paddle Bag Duffel Bag Throw Rope Co-Pilot Knife from Northwest River Supply (NRS);  WRSI’s  Helmet and 2 Hail Mary Throw Ropes; Shred Ready Helmets’ Vixen and Shaggy helmets;  Snapdragon Spray Skirts’ Flirt Skirt and WW Reinforced Skirt ; Stohlquist Waterwear contribution of one of their new Descent PFDs;a zipl line ride for two from Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours; a rewarding 50-min Spa service from the Nantahala Village and Resort; awesome schwag from Sweet Helmets; a huge collectin of tees from Fluid Kayaks;topped off by Nantahala Brewing Company’s frothy beverages…and of course Wavesport’s grand prize boat of choice.

If you still don’t know what’s going on, check the blog.

And come with a few extra bucks to buy extra raffle tickets (prize is the Wave Sport boat) because we want to beat last year’s $321.00 donation to Team River Runner!

Hope to see you on Saturday!
your friends at Endless River Adventures and Team Wave Sport