What's the story behind Cindy's Hole?

[Ryan Viser]

Usually rapids or features that are named after someone have quite the story behind them. Curious as to what the story is behind Cindy's? We stopped to take a short lunch break there on Monday, and I sat staring at that god awful looking hole underneath the undercut rock on the river right side of the drop, thinking to myself, "That looks like a HORRIBLE place to end up". I'm guessing the story involves that hole....

[Cowper]

Cindy swam there, and it was ugly.

But you guessed that, right? Rapids with a "name" in the name, usually refer to the most memorable carnage of some early run or first descent of the creek. On steep creeks, they might refer to the first known successful run, so don't assume it was carnage unless someone admits to it.

I was at a party many years ago, chatting with a nice woman, when the subject of kayaking came up. I probably mentioned Richland or something. At which point, she told me, "I'm Cindy, THE Cindy..." Turns out she wasn't kayaking any more, but she knew this particular rapid quite intimately.

John B, Tommy, or Stewart may have been there; I'll bet someone who reads this board was, so maybe they'll remember the day better than I remember the party chatter (probably with some involved, so my retelling lacks details).

[shelbyjohnson]

That drop is also known as "Bill's Thrill" for the same reason as Cindy's The Bill was "Bill Groom" from northwest Arkansas and most all of the seasoned Fayetteville/Rogers paddlers still call the drop "Bill's Thrill."

[Hawk_GT]

Took an extended ride there many moons ago....
Tommy graciously gave me a bow rescue after a waaaay too long ride in that nasty hole. I owe that man mucho

[tomcat]

I was there when Cindy took her ride but no juicy story comes to mind....just a bad line that ended up with a swim. I think it was 1979...which was one of the wettest Springs I can remember....we were either at the Tot or Richland (with BIG water) almost every weekend that whole Spring from Feb thru June.


Hawk....is that you Todd Richardson (you're the brother of Earl....correct?) I remember that day when I got my bow to you in the hole.....something that is much harder to do nowadays in the shorter boats.

[Hawk_GT]

Yep...Guilty as charged!

Thanks again for dragging my sorry butt outta that hole!

[tomcat]

Yep...Guilty as charged!

Thanks again for dragging my sorry butt outta that hole!

hey doode....where'a been? Do you still paddle?

Where's my beer?

[Hawk_GT]

Tomcat,
Don't get to paddle as much as I used to, or would like to.
Brother made me an offer I couldn't refuse on a new Pyranha Recoil at the end of summer last year. Replaced my Perception Amp that made my legs go numb after about 30 mins. Haven't had a chance to paddle the recoil yet though.
All of my cold weather gear dry rotted from 15+ yrs of non use.
Thinking about trying to get out this weekend.

Where's my beer?

Name your brand

[tomcat]

Tomcat,

Where's my beer?

Name your brand

I like free cold beer. You just hang on to that beer until I see you at a river in the future. Glad to hear you're gonna get back out.

[Cowper]

I was there when Cindy took her ride but no juicy story comes to mind....just a bad line that ended up with a swim. I think it was 1979...

Thirty years to think about it, and that's the best story you can come up with? Man, you're going to lose your right to sit in the campfire circle and tell river lies!

Choose a couple from the below list, add a few of your own, and try to do better next time:
She circulated back into the hole and went under ___ times!
She must have been in there ___ minutes!
Her lips were beginning to turn purple...
It was really cold that day, and...
After she finally flushed out, her boat stayed in the hole another 30 minutes!
She lost her paddle, I gave her mine and had to hands-paddle the rest of the run, including Lower Screw Up, where I almost got

[tomcat]

I was there when Cindy took her ride but no juicy story comes to mind....just a bad line that ended up with a swim. I think it was 1979...

Thirty years to think about it, and that's the best story you can come up with? Man, you're going to lose your right to sit in the campfire circle and tell river lies!

Choose a couple from the below list, add a few of your own, and try to do better next time:
She circulated back into the hole and went under ___ times!
She must have been in there ___ minutes!
Her lips were beginning to turn purple...
It was really cold that day, and...
After she finally flushed out, her boat stayed in the hole another 30 minutes!
She lost her paddle, I gave her mine and had to hands-paddle the rest of the run, including Lower Screw Up, where I almost got

You musta been there....it happened just like that. Yea, that's the ticket. I went straight home to tell my wife, Morgan Fairchild....who I've seen necked. Yea, that's the story.

[Cowper]

That's better! I knew we'd both start remembering details if we just tried!