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

Thu Sep 6 12:56:20 MDT 2012

Just a quick pitch for my Swiftwater Rescue for River Professionals on  
the Rio Grande (and Rio Chama).  We'll offer the training each month  
April-July, 2013.  Hope to post here soon on the Rio Chama Flow  
Optimization Project.

Steve Harris
Rio Grande Restoration/Rescue SW/Far-Flung Adv
HCR 69 Box 3-C
Embudo, NM 87531

home/office: 575-751-1269
fax: same
Mobile: 575-770-2502

steve.harris39 at gmail.com

On Sep 6, 2012, at 12:37 PM, Marcel Bieg wrote:

> 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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