Date: 2005-06-14
From: Tent, Shenandoah River Campground

To: Tent, John's Land Shenandoah River
Miles today: 21.0

   Wow! What a day. My canoe has been christened Near Death. My river name is Hell Bent and Pilgrim's river name is Bend Over. Of course there is a story behind these names.   Today's near death experience happened before noon. We started the day off with the 1st portage of the day. Nothing like dragging our canoe filled with all of our stuff a good 300 yards. Shortly after the portage we hit a rock in the rapids.    When I say hit a rock, I mean HIT a rock. The canoe went sideways and slowly tipped me out. I was briefly stuck under the water, kind of held down by the canoe. But a few seconds of my flailing frantically about AND my life jacket brought me to the surface. I was knocked a bit down river, maybe 20 feet and managed to grab both paddles. Of course my glasses were gone.    That's when I saw the canoe. It was wrapped like a pretzel around the rock we hit. The middle of the canoe was popped out pointing up river. The ends of the canoe were pointing down river and filled with water. Pilgrim was standing behind the pretzel canoe. I managed to make my way to within 8 feet of pilgrim. All I could do was hand a paddle to him so he could try to pry bar it off of the rock. No such luck.    So you might think this was a hopeless situation. BUT. There was a store to resupply at after the portage. Pilgrim and I didn't stop. Troll wasn't sure if I had stopped or not, so he passed the store by. All of the other 4 canoes stopped at the store. When Troll caught up with me, he was annoyed that neither of us had stopped at the resupply point. So Troll and Oblivious were canoeing near us (with troll bitching at me) when our pretzel pin happened. He and Oblivious picked a better path through the rapids than Pilgrim and I did. So troll was available to help. Strangely enough watching me almost die made him forget the missed resupply opportunity.   My Troll made his way up river took off his kilt and made his way out to us. He and Pilgrim managed to get the canoe off of the rock. It came out looking like a camel. There was this mostly floating canoe with a big f***ing hump in the middle. I had to float down river to the shore. Troll and Pilgrim managed to stand in the middle of the canoe and flatten the canoe hump into something actually resembling a canoe again. These old town discovery canoes can certainly take a licking.   The day continued. Bassline got worn out and dehydrated. This meant we had to stop, drink liquids and nap. Napping is good. There were water fights. There was a 2nd portage. Way nasty and over a steep rock field. Their canoe tossed TDS and Hot Crotch out just because. Portage #3 wasn't bad. We just had to pass the canoe under a low bridge. We all maneuvered under a v shaped tree trunk in the middle of the river.   That brings us to cows. Remember the cow landmines from last night. Well cows seemed to line the shores of the river today. Lots of cow shit and piss. Cows don't seem to be as stupid as previously thought. They go and stand in the river to cool off. Strangely enough, when hikers see a herd of cows in the water, their thoughts turn to cow tipping. But cows won't let you get close enough in a canoe to try a tipping. They do however stampede when someone attempts to splash them with a paddle. Boy does that make Oblivious giggle and giggle. Cool critters seen today were a skunk on the shore and a bald eagle.   The day ended with a stop at the canoe outfitters land. We were all wiped out. It was a long day.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.