Our Humbling - North Fork Payette, Idaho

After our all out Huckfest in Oregon we proceeded with the obligatory bender in Eugene's BARmuda-triangle, one that will never be forgotten. The end result was 1 lost credit card, 1 police citation, 1 person being physically thrown from the bar, 1 person sleeping between dumpster, 1 person sleeping in a random persons front yard (miles from where we were staying) and one of the boys taking up accommodation with a fine local lady. We wont name names but it was a good night for all. From here Nick, Charles and Myself decided to head up to White Salmon to get a few days lapping the Little White. We got in a ton of laps, routing Spirit every time and took absolutely no photos. After reaching our point of content we decided it was time for boot-camp, which mean't we were heading to Idaho. More specifically, the North Fork of the Payette!

Nick Charging into 'Nut-Cracker' (p. Jordy)

With specific instructions from the NF locals I have the following to say about the North Fork, "it's horrible, the camping sucks, the locals will exclude you and there is absolutely no reason to come here". That said, it is by far the most life changing river I have ever been on. The 'simulated big-water' is all consuming, taking a lilly-dipping foreigner and converting him into a real paddler. Having spent almost 2 weeks here, paddling top-to-bottom pretty much every day I have to say it has been educational. Going from a gripped, wide-eyed and lost paddler to... well a little less gripped, often wide-eyed and semi-knowing where I am going. Both Nick and myself were brought back down to earth and had to adapt to this new-form of whitewater. Big moves, big holes and big enjoyment. Nick even topped it off by bagging 3 top to bottoms, and a middle 3 in a day, which equates to a vertical mile!

 Seth coming into 'Steepness' (p. Jordy)

 Nick getting right half-way through 'Nut-Cracker' (p. Jordy)

 Seth charging (p. Jordy)

 Me being engulfed... somewhere (maybe 'Disneyland') (p. Alison)

 Nick hucking the meat of 'Rock-Drop' in 'Jacobs Ladder'. (p. Alison)

Me leading Nick and Seth through 'Golf Course' (p. Alison)

Having learn't the lessons of the Payette we're ready to leave 'boot-camp' and move onto something else, potentially the goods of Wyoming and then BC. Who knows!