I apologize in advance for the length of this trip report, but I'm coming off of one of the best weekends ever, so I decided to go into a little more detail than I probably should......
And this might give a little bit of a different perspective than Hanley's trip report, since he wasn't scared to death.............

Friday afternoon/night: I was nervous but not too bad. Big crew heading to WV. Lots of friendly faces, levels look to be pretty good. We're hoping for 1800 cfs on the Gauley. Hanley is going to lead the way--and that guy knows the freaking Gauley. As the afternoon and evening progress, people start dropping out like flies, and the water starts to climb. I'm still not too worried because I figure we'll just do an Upper New trip on Sat and wait for the level in the Gauley to drop on Sun.

Sat a.m.: The crew is formed. Mark Dossett, Hanley, Jeff K, Dave Martin, and me. Whoa! I'm the weakest paddler. Which in a way is good. But, there are no outs. I start to get really nervous. Like I can't eat and look a little green, nervous. The last time I had checked the gauge, the G was running 3600 and was still going up. I hold back vomit. I try to play it off. But I'm green so it's pretty obvious. I should note that I am terrified of big water. Which is why I love creeking so much.........

So, we mull over our options and Hanley decides we should do the middle first to see if I can handle it. And to gauge how I feel. We set a car at the middle take out just in case. I leave all my dry clothes in that car.

We get to the put in. My nerves have calmed. The water is high. Still around 3500. But I knock off several rolls and say "f*ck it, I'm all in for the middle, let's go."

Middle: is great! I feel pretty good. Hanley got me to drop into a rather large (in my mind gargantuan, but after running the rest, it wasn't too bad) wave sideways so I could get side surfed and then spit out. I do this. And it's crazy and chaotic. And I flip. And then I roll right up. Great exercise. It's crazy down there, but I can hit my roll. Good. Shooweee.

Everything is fine and I'm feeling pretty good. Woods ferry comes up. I'm following Hanley. My contacts get flushed into the back of my eyeballs on the first wave. I can't see sh*t the rest of the rapid and follow Hanley's orange boat down. He had given me a good description of what to avoid when we got near the bottom (julie's juicer) so I at least knew not to be river right. So, I do just fine, but it scares the sh*t out of me. I really couldn't see. It takes me pulling over for 2 or three minutes to get my contact situated again. I’m glad I felt so good running it, but am scared about the rest of the day and my vision. I try to shake it off, but decide in my head, that I will not be running the lower.

Everything else goes smoothly. We get to Backender. Hanley decides that I need to run the meat of this and square up to the monster wave at the bottom because he wants me to get a feel for the lower before I get on it. I do this (seeing Hanley flip right ahead of me). And I almost die........................not really, but..........holy sh*t I got my innards knocked out of me. I got flattened. I have never been so violently flipped in all of my year and a couple months of paddling. It's so strong, I can't move my head because water is under my helmet trying to rip my head from my neck. I set up and try to roll. nothing. I do it again. nothing. I swim. damn it. damn it. damn it. I hate swimming. but, it's pool-ish no biggie. I gather everything up and get back in and we get to bartlick (? is that the name of the take out for the middle?). I'm all ready to bail. And then something in my mind, this crazy person, says, "Bethany, the beer won't taste good right now. You need to do the lower and the beer will be better." Additionally, we had seen no one else on the water at this point, and it was a beautiful day and I’m surrounded by guys that are totally willing to get me down the lower. Hanley mentions a couple of sneaks and a portage and I say "let's go before I change my mind............"

LOWER G:
I, following Hanley, opted for the river left sneak around Koontz's flume. Peering over into 5 boat hole made me a little nervous, but I think I could run the main line next time around.

I didn't have any problems with the next several rapids, but either at Canyon Walls or Junkyard, I made it through a wave hole, but started getting sucked back in. I paddled and paddled and never went anywhere. Mark D. saw what was happening and bumped me out. That was a weird feeling. I didn't like it. It happened again on Sunday. Which made everyone think that my Java is too big for me. I don't know that I agree.........

Upper Mash was such a hoot. It was more technical. I like technical.
Lower Mash. After my beat down at Backender and after the description from Hanley and the others, I decide to portage (mainly because the pool at the bottom is rather swift and pretty manky). When I get to the bottom all the guys agreed that I could have run it. No worries though. It was my maiden Lower voyage, I'll catch it next time.
The next several rapids go really well. Heaven's gate was perfecto. My line was spot on between the gates. I loved, loved, loved Stairsteps. The wave in the second Stairstep was the largest wave of the day--bigger than Backender, but it wasn't a breaking wave. It was a fun, fun, fun, "I'm on top of the mother effing world wave." I loved it!!! Then we got to Pure Screaming Hell. And I walked it. Again, the guys all said I would not have had a problem, but I didn't feel it. I was doing great and I probably should have pressed myself, but at this point I was tired. I had just had a combat roll somewhere above it (wasn't paying attention and got knocked over when I was clearing water from my eyes) and was a little slow coming up, so I said screw it, I'll hit it next time. The rest of the trip was a riot!!!!!!!!!!

We paddled the flat water out. I was grinning from ear to ear. And the take out beer never, ever, in my life tasted soooooooooo good.

Cliff Note New River Dries: It was gorgeous. And challenging in some areas. And we saw only two other boaters. I really enjoyed it.

Conclusion:
What a fantastic weekend! I was so mentally and physically exhausted. I am so tremendously lucky to have had such a good group of guys with me. I don't know that I would have done it any other way. Hanley, Jeff, Mark, and Dave......THANKS so much. I can't wait to get back out there with you all!!!

bethany

I wouldn't be so down on yourself for choosing to walk a couple of rapids Bethany. You were able to modify the run nicely and keep yourself in your comfort zone. I'd be less likely to want to paddle with you again if you were reluctant to walk around stuff that might be over your head.

I could go on a diatribe here about great portages I remember. I personally have absolutely no shame about hiking around a rapid that the entire party is running. If it doesn't feel right, if it's not your day on that rapid, hold your head high and take the walk of pride.

Also, for my money, the walk around Lower Mash was probably a good idea. It was a short walk and as you said, there really isn't a great recovery area right below. At that point in the day, that short walk really made a big difference between you just surviving the run and you having fun.

In any case, I'm very glad you enjoyed the weekend. It was a good time and place to be stepping up your game on some bigger water.

Hanley

That sounds awesome Bethany! Way to go! You will be ready for the Grand Canyon before you know it.

Brent

Bethany:
Thanks for the great trip report! You really paint the picture.
It seems like Hanley is all about the roll: Getting you flipped to practice rolling. Sounds great. I love to roll, but I hate to flip, the logic of which is a bit like Linus' in Peanuts: "I love humanity; it's people I can't stand." But now I know what to expect next time I follow Hanley down a river. You've got a lot of courage, Bethany!
Chris S

Chris Schardl

I don't think it's courage Chris! It's an insatiable desire for whitewater. I don't really know how to control it. At this point, my only choice is to keep going with it. Hmmmmm. What to run next? And after that?

I don't like spending time upside down. But, realistically speaking, it's gonna happen. So, I think some of my mentors (Hanley and Bubba) attempt to put me in those situations so I'll realize that all I have to do is roll back up. It's tough love. The more I do it, the better and more natural it feels. And the less scary paddling is. So, don't shy away from following Hanley!

And many thanks to Hanley for sharing his birthday with us. You could have run the New at a stomping level or run the Upper G, but instead, you showed me down the Middle and Lower and I really appreciate it. I can't wait to go back!!