06
Jan
Last week I was able to get the new Molan out and about. Â I fit in the medium Molan very well. Â I was able to where shoes in the boat at 6 foot and 170lbs. Â The boat was very easy to through around and looped with ease. Â I think you all are going to be very excited about this one. Â Here is a video I made from the day!
30
Dec
Here are some impressions of my time in Chile. Up to know I travelled from Santiago down to Pucon, and had an awesome time on the chilean rivers with friends out of Germany. It was also a great pleasure to meet and join Adria, Leland and Jeff on the Rio Claro. We did a lot of hike in runs, so I was glad to use pyranhas portaging system, but even more glad to hire horses ;-).
23
Dec
Andria and I have made it down to Pucon WITH OUR KAYAKS!!, and had some great adventures along the way. Here are a few pics from the Rio Claro – you can read the full trip report at www.RiverGypsies.com
Leland’s 3rd paddle stroke in Chile – 7 Teacups on the Rio Claro.
Jeff Robinson on the first big drop in the 22 Saltos on Rio Claro.
Andria on another great drop in the 22 Saltos.
Full trip report at www.RiverGypsies.com
23
Dec
Santa Per running the slide
LarsG Boofing.
Christmas tradition is cold as usual in Norway. With minus degrees we still need to go out kayaking on baby x-mas day. A very happy christmas to all of you, from us here in cold cold north.
20
Dec
Happy Holidays everyone!
Last week Graham Mackereth flew in to the states with the new boat from the UK. My brother Casey and I drew the lucky card to test the boat out first. Yesterday we just got home from a great week of playboating in the new Molan on rivers all across the southeast and the mid-atlantic. Typically I don’t playboat very much, especially in the winter, but I couldn’t resist a chance to hop in this boat despite temperatures in the 20’s and forecasts for snow. The Molan has proven to be everything we hoped for in a playboat – predictable, easy to throw around, loose, easy to take into the air, very forgiving, and most of all, extremely comfortable.
I haven’t been this excited about a new playboat design in years – maybe this boat will get me back in line at the local playspots. Anyway, the new Molan is on its way to shred a playspot near you and I’m back inside out of the cold for a bit!
Enjoy the photos and the video.
Eternity Hole, NC
Photo by Casey Jones
New River Dries, WV
Photo by Casey Jones
Air blunt on the New River Dries
Photo by Casey Jones
Full Molan album at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=145326&id=500041783&l=a9136a51f8
First Impressions of the Pyranha Molan from Chan Jones on Vimeo.
19
Dec
What’s up kids!
I hope that you are wise. Because I soon arrive !
After a long and difficulf work. It’s time for me to leave the workshop. HO HO HO !
But this year, because of the crisis. I are not able to change my old reindeers. The snow is not every where… I decided to make my world tour in magic kayak !
I am at the moment in Pau to obtain my magic kayak driver licence with Eric Deguil.
Fortunately that i passed a good part of the autumn to cut some wood.
My arms are strong !
Molan, new Burn, and Rebel are in my back.
All presents are in my host.
Immediatly take off !!!
18
Dec
 Ian Garcia going large as usual in Argentina Salto Bonito.
What an epic season it has been here in Patagonia… and it has only just begun! Extreme kayakers from all over have been trickling into Pucon Chile looking to huck their meat, and no better place to do so. With high water here in Pucon and all over Patagonia the meat hucking has been set at an all time high. And of course with all the hucking that has been going on inevitably there has been some ridiculous carnage. Check out my blog update on the Demshitz.com blog
10
Dec
With Gauley Season loooong gone and the leaves off the trees in Virginia I thought I would post a little photo essay of the local action we’ve experienced in late summer and fall. After two years of drought conditions, Nelson County and the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia are finally getting the rain love.
Spring started off with the 3rd annual Goshen Race on the Maury River in Virginia. This mass-start race is as grass-roots as it gets – as in no registration, no fee, no classes, and all Glory. There is reliable carnage (the only “prize” this year was a red speedo bathing suit for the swimmer. It was unclear whether the speedo was new or pre-owned). There is always plenty of trashtalking too. There were less than two dozen racers this year due to short notice from the race committee, but this race is about to pop – I expect a huge turnout in 2010. The 2-mile stretch of river is a beautiful course with not much flatwater. I took first this year but I almost felt dirty about it – the Speeder almost seems like an unfair advantage (almost!). Keep your eyes peeled for info on next year’s race.
The Speeder stretching it’s long sexy legs through Devil’s Kitchen:
We invested some time in May giving the local runs a thorough chainsaw flossing.
Eric and Gordon working it out:
This turned out to be time well spent when the goods ran for most of June.
It took some folks a while to dial in their creek-o-meter: A little too high…
…a little too low:
Almost there (that had to hurt):
Just right:
Once the “434” crew got back into the swing, we starting firing it up in bulk. Seemed like every day had boating of some sort, and every weekend was a “creekend.”
Trafford going down in a blaze of glory:
The fish likes it wet…
…and so do the ladies:
After the creeks dried up we kept up the “training” with some work-out runs in the Speeders on the Rio James. Like Sublime said, “Summertime, and the livin’s easy…”
The wetness has continued into the fall. Yesterday Trafford and I did an after-work session on one of the many Nelson creeks going off this week. I drive over Paul’s Creek every day on my way to work and it’s short length and super-steepness make it a primo apres-work option. Pauls Creek is around 800 fpm and everything is runnable.
 About halfway through Pauls Creek you get to two large slides.  “Chutes & Ladders” is the first of the the big slides. I’ve seen broken ribs, broken boats, tweaked shoulders, bloody knuckles, and stout blows to the head happen here. I’ve sworn-off this drop off several times now, especially at low flow (like yesterday). But for some reason I usually end up running it anyway. Yesterday I opted for the shallow but somewhat less-sketchy right line:
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A short pool leads into the next big drop.
Here Trafford drops into “Novelty” (aka, “Where’s Haynie?”):
The creeks are still running and more precip is in the forecast. Keep the boats loaded.
Photo creds to Trafford McRae, Gibson Barbi, Dave Perrault, and someone’s unidentified girlfriend.
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08
Dec
This last weekend saw the annual gathering at the River Dart Country Park for the 7th annual Gene17 weekend organised by Simon Westgarth.
Just one of Dartmoor's Classic run's the Erme
Three factors meant this weekend was always going to be a great weekend, all the usual suspects heading to the same location mixed with a (heavy) sprinkling of rain and Pyranha launching the new Burn.
Sara showing the 2010 Burn's slide ability
Saturday morning saw frantic activity around the Pyranha stand as the majority of UK Team P were picking up their new Burn’s to go play, with padding being thrown around and some rather desperate sharing of a rather rubbish screw driver everyone headed out to go and play on the various rivers around Dartmoor.
Jo show upmost composure in the gorge
Saturday night was spent catching up, partying through the small hours and wondering if torrential rain outside would give enough water for some of the more adventurous Dartmoor runs.
Enjoying the scenery
Sunday came with a very thick head, but, the rivers were definitely up, so off to play again.
Rich showing off his Boof
So what’s the 2010 Burn like? Well when I was told the Burn was going to get a once over, you could probably hear me scream the other side of the pond! It’s no hidden fact everyone loves the Burn. So how could Pyranha possibly make it better? Well the guy’s in R&D have listened to you lot and given you something you’ve always wanted.
One of the more 'surprising' rapids
The 2010 Burn is still all Burn, but on steroids, its quicker, quicker acceleration & faster in a straight line. It hold’s it’s line better in the white stuff, yet a quick paddle placement and it’ll change direction on demand. More rocker and more carve means you be boofing and flairing your way down the river but still get that crisp Pyranha signature carve across eddy lines. In short it’s a lot of fun, if you don’t believe me go try one yourself, they’ll hit the stores in the next couple of weeks…
Adam Carving round in the Everest
See you on the River
Ben
29
Nov
So… When Sam broke the news that our summer exploration of East Africa would be put on hold for a couple of major shoulder operations, I had to quickly find a new summer plan.
I can’t remember if it was my idea or if someone else put it into my head but I decided a thorough exploration of Siberian Russia might quench my desire.
Deciding that the best way to do this at such short notice was to find some Russians who already knew their way around, I came across Kayak USSR and Vasilii Porsev.
Kayak USSR run several trips in Russia and the former USSR from May to October and in return for my help and expertise on the river (and a little bit of cross-promotion; found here) Vasilii agreed to let me tag along for 6 weeks of the Summer.
My adventure began as soon as I landed in Irkutsk, with a 10 day self-supported expedition on the Kitoy River.
This incredible remote river, in the heart of Eastern Siberia, involved a variety of white water, ranging from class 3 to 5+, and a fair amount of physical endurance!
Above: Max Bilbow paddles the 15m fall on the Ehe-Gol
The Ehe-Gol and Beluty are tributaries to the Kitoy and incorporate some of the most amazing continuous creeking I’ve seen outside of Norway, making the full day’s hike in worth the effort.
The second part of this trip meant catching the Trans-Siberia railway to Novosibirsk and driving to Russia’s Altai region; a trip jam-packed with a huge variety of white water and shenanigans.
And angry fish.
My favourite Altai river (above) is the Majoy Gorge. 10km of solid class 4 and 10km of class 4/5 are separated only by a fantastically terrifying and committing class 5 canyon.
After a few days sessioning the Majoy, it had become, in my mind, one of those great home runs, comparable to Norway’s Aamot Gorge on the Sjoa River.
And even though shortly after the above photo was taken I managed to break myself sliding into the water, I was able to limp down the rest of the river to film Vasillii running the last big waterfalls of the trip… in his new Karnali.
This trip signals the beginning of production for Means of Production 2, expected for release during December 2010.
To get a more detailed insight into the Kitoy trip (and soon the Altai trip), visit www.maxbilbow.com.
That Kayak USSR cross-promotion again: kayakUSSR.com
