Bad stories

[canoe]

Reading about Fish and co. stories on Boss hollow got me thinking about times I wished hadn't happened. These go back a while, so bear with me. 1. 1st ever trip. Buffalo, gruman canoes, swore I'd never paddle with Pam again. 2. Cossatot, super low levels, again in rented Gruman canoes. Walked the entire river, dragging boats with full ice chests, hot summer day, the Falls were below tubing level. Swore I would never paddle again. 3. Decided I would paddle again, had bought an OC-1, bitterly cold day on Piney at big level, partner had never paddled before, swam at Mother in cotton clothes. Swore i would only paddle again in warm weather. 4. A few years later, on my 1st trip east, Big South Fork of Cumberland. Big water, none of us had ever done the river before, Kayaker dislocates shoulder in the Gorge, we put it back in place, just as the only commercial group on the river comes thru, and rafts him out. Swore I would never jump on a flooded river that I didn't know without raft support again. 5. Two days later, paddled Watuaga in OCA, along with Stewart Noland, Mike Galbreath, Kenny Holmes, and a rafter of kayakers. Swore i would never run Watuaga again. 6. A few years later ran Watauga again, at a big level, really stresfull day, ended at dark thirty after multiple aurguments about whether to quit or not. Swore not to put on Watauga again at big levels. 7. Tiny Piney, Rhea county, Tn. Putin is a drainage ditch that falls 800 ft in 10 miles. You can almost see the takeouut from the putin. Finished after dark, By walking the last 3 miles in pitch black(can't see your hand 2inches in front of your face). Local Rescue Squad is walking the trail to find us. Walk back in the next day to get our boats. 8. Watauga again, guy tells friends that he is going tio make me swim. He swims, I don't. 9. Russell Fork, Friend drowns. 10. Russell Fork, drowning, involved in rescue. 11. Ditto. Swore I would never run Russell Fork again. And still haven't. I have more(esp. out west, but want to hear your stories. Dale

[eubie]

Dale, you really should consider writing a book. DVB could help you edit.

[Fish]

Told you I wouldn't want to try to top your stories, Dale. Someday maybe I'll get to do those runs.

- Fish

[RandyJ]

Sometimes, experience is what you get when you get what you don't want. I don't think I want to be as experienced as Dale is. :shock: But I say that with much respect.

[Greg Parker]

Me and my little brother spent the night at the top of the Esses washed up on a boulder in an aluminum canoe. Had never been to the to before and it was so big the falls was all one rapid taught me new respect for big water. I now carefully consider water level difficulty and the capability of paddling partners before venturing onto more difficult runs.

[ARzach]

That's heavy stuff. I'm beginning to question Fish's sanity when he tells me over and over that we should go do the Russell Fork. Sounds awful...

[canoe]

More bad stories. I think I will try grouping these to specific rivers, creeks, regions. 1. Big Devils Fork, had never been run, My crew were working on "ahem", cleaning it out for a 1st descent, when we noticed that on the weekends we didn't work on it, there had been someone else in there doing our job for us. Never crossed paths, but had a fair idea who it was. Finally, the day had come, my buddies and I were at Hill Cemetary early morning, I had my boat off and started to drag to putin, when I noticed my buddies were still sitting in the truck. Long story short, we ran Richland with the putin flush with the bridge. We get to campground, beat, and Pam is standing there shaking her head."What?" I ask. She replies, Cowper, Lance and those guys just left here to put on BIG DEVIL's FORK. I didn't even speak with my friends for a long time after that. 1a. Big Devils was up after a big wind/rain storm. By that time I had more runs on BDF than anyone. The road down to Hill cemetary was chock full of downed trees. We spent a long time cuttin out the road, I was in a non-gortex dry suit, and was drenched, tired and dehydrated. Noticed a vehicle at the end of the line, but no one ever got out to help clear the road. Putin late, the boaters in the last truck putin with us, said they had never run it before. I had a couple of minor swims on BDF, when one of these guys paddles up to me and says I have no business on the creek. kinda made me mad. We run BDF falls at dusk, boggie down to Richland, which was huge. Suddenly, look around, and find myself by myself, no yakers anywhere to be seen. Swim out of Cindy's hole after dark, self rescue, Park my boat on the bank and start walking out on river left. Pam later tells me that when the yakers got to the campground and they realized I wasn't coming, everyone hustled to load their boats and come looking for me----except for a couple of guys who said, "aren't you going to load our boats too?". Once everyone got laoded they started hiking up the trail to find me---except for a couple of guys who stayed in the truck(GUESS WHO). Anyway, everthing worked out and Pam fed--EVERYONE. She's one nice woman. Dale

[canoe]

Bobtail. I've had migraines since Med School when I had my 1st, and threw up on my Attending Doc's shoes(a world wide famous guy), but had never had one when active. We put on Bobtail, everything was great until I started at the top of one of Bobtails more complicated rapids(can't remember which) just fine and suddenly, developed one of the worst HA of my life halfway down. able to eddy out on river right, crawled up under a boulder, and threw up for 2 hours. my buddies were on river left, and couldn't get to me, thought I was dead or near so. Finnally, stopped puking, ferryed over and tried to walk out, went 100 yards, and decided I was better off on the river. Told Tom Young to lead, and i would be right behind, closed my right eye, and followed about 5 ft. off his stern. Made it out with only one near swim. MRI the next day was fine. Dale

[knu2xs]

Dale, watching you run the Royal Gorge in Big Red, this was a very big part of my early paddling days. I can still picture what it looks like to boof 16 feet of ABS. Since then, I will have to agree, you have a definite talent for the epic.

Additionally, although possessing a propensity for the epic, few are better with a throw rope. Initially learning how to paddle by simply surfing in an open boat at Surfing Rapid on the Piney, Dale was a dead shot with a throw rope more times than I can count as I swam out of that boat again and again.

Thank you Dale. If it were not for you, I would not have pursued paddlesport as I have.

[Fish]

Dale, I remember being on Bobtail with you once when you swam in Bail Baby. Broke a couple ribs if I remember right. Then paddled out. I came back for ya on the takeout trail to help - there you were hauling your boat out, broken ribs and all.

That one didn't even make your top 10 list though! :)

Seriously, I've run a lot of stuff, but I can't keep up with you while you're paddling a tub with one paddle blade. Best boater in the state in my opinion.

- Fish

[canoe]

OK, I have to post this. Paul and Judy sent me about a year ago. It will probably mortify Joel and me too, But here goes .I think Joel was in the 4th grade when he wrote this. DALE BARTON. " Dale is probably the best boater in Arkansas. He used to be a kayaker but when he lost his boat running the Royal Gorge he decided to take up canoeing in his old beat-up 16 foot blue hole which fit his hefty but tall boater perfectly. two years after this man lost his kayak in the Gorge he went at it again that time in his blue hole. Amazingly he made it. The year after that he retired the beaten boat to get an M.E. whitch he took took down the Grand Canyon where he rolled it twice. If you want a real good ol boy he is definatly it! He drives an old cheverolet bronco whith his M.E. on it, all the time. He is always changing his phone number about every four months, so no phone silisation will ever get to that house! " Joel McCune. Ok guys , I'm going to have to quit remembering, since I can't think of any story or legacy better than JOEL. Dale dale

[canoe]

to joel hey is Pam we love you and thanks

[Ryan Center]

I always knew that Dale was a bad a$$, but earlier this spring I was camping out at his farm and he was telling stories of creeks he had run. Some of them I have never heard of. My hat is always off to Dale. I'm always reminding Sammy when he is running the creeks in his open boat that you are more likely to swim. And I'm always reminding him of the time Dale broke his ribs on Bobtail. Surprised that story hasn't made this list.

[canoe]

Remember breaking ribs on Bobtail, but more vivid is running Richland the next day and feeling ribs go crick crack. Told Cowper that if I gave him a specific signal, to come and run his knife just below my 6th rib about an inch, till air came out, and poke a tube from my airbag into my chest, to relieve a pneumothorax. Cowper wouldn't let me run LSU, even carried my boat around. It's good to have good friends.. Dale

[Ryan Center]

Remember breaking ribs on Bobtail, but more vivid is running Richland the next day and feeling ribs go crick crack. Told Cowper that if I gave him a specific signal, to come and run his knife just below my 6th rib about an inch, till air came out, and poke a tube from my airbag into my chest, to relieve a pneumothorax. Cowper wouldn't let me run LSU, even carried my boat around. It's good to have good friends.. Dale

Danm, and Fish cries when he pulls a little stomach muscle. :)