[Awclist] Reports on past events and Upcomming meetings and events ext...

[Marcel Bieg]

Hello Adobe Club Membership.

 

I am very excited for the upcoming year and pretty stoked on the fact
that we squeezed every ounce of fun from the 2012 paddling season,
considering the extremely low water most everywhere. For those of you
who got to enjoy the fantastic flows on the Chama, all I can say is
"right on" and it looks like it will stay at about 600 till the end of
September. That's what I call turning a low water year frown upside
down. Many of you still have trips planned around the southwest this
fall. I have heard of folks hitting West-water, Ruby Horse-thief and
Deso-Grey and I know a few of you including myself still have Grand
Canyon trips to run in 2012.

 

To all of you thanks for making 2012 such a success so far and adding so
much fun to every event,  which I feel is what this is all about.

 

I wanted to take this opportunity to report on the past paddling events
of August and remind everyone of meetings and events that are still
coming up.

 

Upcoming Events and Meetings:

1.       Don't forget about the AWC Member Meeting on Monday September
10 at 630 PM at the MCM Elegante hotel on Menual just east of
University. The topics for this event will be "Meet the Board". This
casual meeting will allow for a face to face forum with several of the
board members; allowing you, the club body to bring forth any ideas,
concerns, issues ext..... to the board's attention and allow the board
to inform you about current plans, events and directions.

2.       4 Corners River Sports end of the year Demo and Gear sale in
Durango. Visit http://www.riversports.com for more information, this is
scheduled for September 8-9.

 

Past event reports:

So August was an incredible busy month for paddle sports, which was a
surprise considering the low water. There was something going on every
weekend and even a few meetings I attended during the week. This is all
great to hear as it means paddle sports are alive and wanting to get
more of us out there enjoying all our water ways, lakes and oceans have
to offer in an  environmentally responsible way. Here a is a quick
recap.

1.       Weekend 1: We had the AWC Jr Clinic up in Pilar. This was a
great success with a huge turnout. I think I already sent out a
different report on this one so no deed to say much.

2.       Weekend 2: we had two separate paddling events going on this
weekend:

a.       The Heron Lake Paddle Symposium brought out many instructors
from San Juan College OLER and around the state, Vendors like 4 Corners
River Sports and others, and New Mexico State parks all offering a wide
range of clinics, lectures and competitions. Happy to say our own Leah
Harper won the Sea Kayak race for the second time. The event went really
well and lots of folks came out to take part. The event even had a
Ukulele band playing on Saturday night. I highly recommend every one
take part in this the next time it happens, usually every other year.

b.      The second event was a class that I taught for New Mexico Kayak
Instruction. This was a level III ACA Coastal Kayak class held on
Abiquiu Lake. The Core of Engineers is doing a fantastic job promoting
paddle sports on Abiquiu and came out to watch the class each day. They
were very happy to see 8 students and 2 instructors working through all
aspects of paddling in the touring environment and praised the AWC and
NMKI for their educational efforts. If you are looking for a good place
to paddle this fall please check out Abiquiu and represent the NM
paddling community.

3.       Weekend 3: Offered a Playboat clinic held in Durango through
New Mexico Kayak instruction. Myself and David Childers (Also a Board
Member) where the instructors for this class, the second playboat clinic
offered this summer by NMKI. The class was a blast and all the students
improved by leaps and bounds. Several have already bought themselves new
play boats. The class was held in Durango and even with it running about
250 CFS the play was excellent. Lots of surfing, loops  and cartwheels
were there for the taking. The plan is to offer this class at an even
bigger venue come spring. Perhaps Pueblo or Pagosa Springs.

4.       Week and weekend 4: This week saw three events:

a.       Tuesday August 21 I went to a river trails proposal meeting in
Aztec. This meeting was specifically designed to discuss the development
of a river trail system that would be established on the Animas river,
possibly starting in Durango CO and running all the way to Kirtland NM,
just below Farmington. This would be approximately 65 River miles. The
meeting was put on by Attila Bality from the National Park Service and
several  government and city folks from Aztec and Farmington were
present including some private business owners and nonprofit folks like
Chris Phillips from River Bend Engineering. The meeting was positive in
general and put forth many ideas. This may be a project that the club
will become involved in at some future date for sure.

b.      The second event was a ACA Level IV Swift Water Rescue class put
on by San Juan College OLER. I was the instructor with Scott Burchfield
and we had 7 students all learning a multitude of river rescue skills on
the Animas river. It felt great to back on my home town section teaching
in the warm water of the animas and even the low water made for some
exciting and fun rescue scenarios. Most all of the students in the class
were from out of town and we had a bunch of fun paddling up in Durango
after class. I personally feel that SWR is a crucial and required part
of river running and I encourage everyone to get in a class come next
spring or even this fall if you can find one.

c.       The third paddle sport event was a Intermediate kayak class
held on the Race course, was put on by NMKI and taught by Kelly Gossett
and David Childers (Board Member) from what I hear the class was a blast
and the water worked perfect for their goals.

 

Anyway, that as quick a over view as I could make it. I am sure there
were several more events going on but these were the ones I has first or
second hand reporting about. I hope to see all of you on Monday. We have
many topics and issues to bring to light and I hope you all have some
ideas and feedback for your board.

 

Thanks so much for your time.

 

Your Club President,

 

Marcel Bieg

San Juan College, School of Health Sciences

Director, Outdoor Leadership, Education and Recreation Academic Program

4601 College Blvd

Farmington NM 87402

Phone: 505-566-3113

Fax: 505-566-3790

biegm at sanjuancollege.edu

www.sanjuancollege.edu/outdoor

 

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