Last July, Kim and I paddled a two person kayak down the Gorge, a class III run on the South Fork American - I just got a copy of some photos. There are some pretty good ones, it's worth clicking all the way through.

Sometimes nicknamed a “divorce boat”, but we did OK. It wasn't all smooth sailing, but we made it through almost every rapid upright.

Kim and I had a great time running the river.

Check her out. Focus and poise.

Fun!

Paddle!

I'd promised Kim that we'd scout “Satan's Cesspool” a Class III rapid with a bit of tricky turn to make. That face in the back is me seeing the photographer, and realizing that we're there...

I haven't paddle the Gorge that many times, and I wasn't 100% confident we'd make it through this rapid without flipping. Nor was I 100% confident that I could roll the boat if I did flip. I wasn't looking forward to the possibility of Kim and I both swimming in a rapid, or dealing with that HUGE boat filled with water.

Uh - Oh!

I think I was trying to brace here and keep us from flipping.

Clearly, it didn't work.

Rolling a Topo-Duo solely from the back is tough especially in whitewater. I missed the first roll...

I made it on the second try. Right before Kim found the strap to bail out.... I love this picture...

Here's Kim, reacting with suprise that we made it up and happy that we didn't have to swim. Remarkably, she agreed to marry me just a few weeks later, and has expressed interest in going paddling in a Topo-Duo again. Imagine if I'd blown that roll. =>