Family Time at Moose Fest.

Dave’s brother enjoying the popular “wheelie” line a Knife’s Edge

I have come to view the people that I paddle with as my extended family.  The Moose River Festival held near Old Forge New York every October is like a paddling holiday where the whole family gets together.  The simplicity of the weekend is what makes it feel a little more like Thanksgiving than Christmas.  Come to Old Forge, go kayaking, and hang- out with old friends.  It’s so simple and so important.

Dave dropping the classic “Agers Falls”

Family breakfast time back at casa de Danny Mongno

This year’s event was a polar opposite of last year’s.  The mass carnage, huge water, and heavy rains were barely a memory.  The 2012 version saw optimal flows, a laughable amount of crashing, and a perfect blue-bird day on Saturday.

Local Adirondack Paddler Matt Schmidt owning the boof at “Knife’s Edge”

I was delighted that a strong Demshitz posse made the trek, complete with almost the entire Fusilli family.  Unfortunately Dave’s dad was forced to work the weekend away.  Dave put on a great show on Friday night, showing a deep selection of video edits from New York, New England, and all sorts of other far off lands like Tennessee.

The Patriarch of the Moose River, Chris Koll celebrating his 31st year of paddling the Bottom Moose.

Paddling ensued under a perfect blue-bird sky on Saturday.  The ramp at the put-in offered some early excitement with jeremy breaking his paddle in half before he got anywhere close to the first rapid.  We casually cruised downstream amidst the crowd, stopped briefly for some chili courtesy of Blake from NRS, and finished out the run with big smiles.

Jeremy in mid-air with a broken paddle. A great way to start the day.

Demshitz love the Moose

Moose Fest. was also host to the 4th and final race in the King of New York Series.  The format for the final was a mass start LeMans style start (out of the boats) from Agers to Crystal.  An excited crew of fifteen lined up for the epic battle of strength of strength, skill and stamina.  Geoff Calhoun ran away with the race and the overall title.  There was a fierce battle for 2nd place between myself and Jesse Willenski, which had us running through the final rapid side by side.  In the name of our safety I yielded to Jesse’s small lead and accepted my 3rd place fate both in the Moose race and in the overall series standings.  It is clear that this event growing.  The continued support from a wide selection of industry partners will ensure the success for years to come.

Me, taking my ceremonial swig as the 3rd place finisher in the King of New York series as Danny Mongno from Werner paddles and Kenny Unser, event organizer anxiously wait to announce the winner. Photo: Brian Murhpy.

A part of what makes Moose Fest, so special for many of us in the Northeast is that is signifies the winding down of the paddling season.  Very soon we will be trading our boats skis or snowboards, and spending a lot more time gathered around the warmth of a wood-stove.  This season certainly had its ups and downs for me.  It started with me wondering if I was going to be able to keep my shoulder in place, and a wild unintentional multi-sport European odyssey.  The middle saw one unsuccessful misadventure in Quebec and one wildly successful one with new friends a month later.  The end of this season was tragic, as I lost my good friend Alan Panebaker to the river.  Through it all I had the support my extended paddling family, and for that I am eternally grateful.

My friend Alan Panebaker