|
| | Summer, 2005
Ryan, Chris and I drove over to West Virginia to do some whitewater rafting at
New River Gorge National River. Weather was perfect for camping.
Click on any
picture to enlarge (best viewed in 1024 x 768):
Ryan volunteered to
Base camp at
The night we arrived this View from the
do most of the driving.
Ace Adventure Center
huge spider had set up his bottom.
Almost
I enjoyed being the
web at the front of
looks like a face!
passenger for a change.
our tent.
Ryan checking out
the We
decided to check out some of the
WV Miners had to chisel
spider. I know Chris
was local sites including a
mine ride down into
and blast through solid
tempted to push him into
an old coal mine in Beckley, WV.
rock just to reach the
that web!
layer of Coal.
  
Miners would fill a one
Our mine guide
Typical Miner Quarters Then we drove up to the
or two ton coal car
had been a miner
Yes, that's the whole New River Gorge
Bridge
which was pulled to
for many decades.
house.
to look over the river we
the surface by mule
Miners live a tough
we would be rafting down
life
 
New River Gorge
Ryan and Chris in This is whitewater?!?
Why But rafting would wait until
a rare smile
when I was young ...
tomorrow morning, so it was off
to exciting "Mystery Hole" where
the Laws of Gravity don't apply!
Spoooooky !
I should have replaced Hawks Nest State Park
"Don't let go Chris starts
those old brakes!
"Come on up, the view Ryan! " I
always
down the trail
is great!"
give useful advice
like that.
Wild Frontiersman?
Was it a No
idea. We just Ed
trying to smile Sure you made
nah ... just a city boy
mistake for like the spikes on him
and pretend this it up there, but
on a rock
Chris to be
hike isn't killing how ya going to
this trusting?!?
him
get down?
The next morning we
Don't believe that Ed in back. Chris is
And this was a fraction Ryan looks on as
started rafting down
look of confidence looking into the camera of a
second later. Ryan his brother gets
the New River. Chris
and doesn't see the is
slammed with
hammered by rapids
grabs an oar and leads
wave coming over
whitewater and Chris
us down the river
front of the raft
about to get a dose
This is my favorite
This is one second There is a 20 foot
tall Chris gets ready to
Our raft mates: Laura
pic. Notice how we are
later
boulder called swimmers take the leap
and Sierra
all laughing ... except
rock that you can jump
Ryan & Chris who see
off into the River. In a
what is about to
moment of temporary
hit them
insanity, Ryan does a
flip from the top |
Last Updated: Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 8:30
p.m. EST
