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Terry Challenges The River Gods by Riverscum (Tom Young) |
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It was a rainy Sunday on the North Fork American River. Terry and I loaded up and drove over Donner Pass in a steady rain, pondering whether or not we should bag it. Lunch and a cold one did sound good, but then we would have to admit to our friends that we were dumb enough to drive to Colfax just to see for ourselves that it was indeed raining! We had called our friend Chuck and tried to talk him into our North Fork adventure, to no avail. Chuck informed us it was raining and wasn't up to it, it had rained all night, and it was forecast to rain all day. Our childish attempts to embarrass Chuck into changing his mind fell on deaf ears. I guess calling someone a Candy Ass Wimp, Panzy, etc., doesn't work once they reach emotional maturity, and have made a well thought out decision. Maybe this will happen to Terry and me someday?? Well it did rain all day, and we did boat the river. |
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As we pushed off the intensity of the rain decreased somewhat, and Terry and I were enjoying the constant slaloms and drop offs through granite boulders that are the North Fork. That's when it happened! Somewhere in the Class IV drops and chutes below Chamberlain Falls, Terry taunted the River Gods! As I went river left over a drop, Terry went right and yelled "Come on! It's time to challenge the River Gods." I immediately looked around for the bolt of lightning I knew was coming, but all was quiet, at least for the moment. Now I knew Chuck was right to stay home. I shouldn't even be around Terry today. For I feared that when the River Gods struck, I could easily end up as a twisted hunk of collateral damage.
I didn't have to wait long. It took just a few moments from the utterance of the blasphemy to the deliverance of retribution. The very next drop, Terry went far left into a large, but makeable pour over. Makeable that is, unless the River Gods just say 'NO!' I looked back upriver in time to see 14 feet of Cat tubes standing perpendicular to the foam below. As the Cat gracefully settled onto its backside into the churning water, I heard Terry utter something undecipherable. Hopefully he was asking forgiveness from the River Gods. About 3/4 of a mile down-river, I was finally able pull Terry's boat into an eddy. The River Gods marked Terry's boat on this day. A lost oar lock, lots of new dents and bends on an already 'river experienced' frame, and a crushed hi-back seat.
As a near hypothermic Terry made his way down-river, I wondered if the River Gods were through with him. After all, insolence like a direct challenge from an experienced boater is not something the River Gods take lightly. Sure it's different when you're a snot-nosed rookie and the River Gods are providing a little guidance, but this was a matter of respect. Sure enough, the River Gods had one more lesson for Terry. The Staircase is the last of the big rapids on this section of the North Fork. As I made the last cut at The Staircase, I saw that same blue Cat wrapped around the last set of rocks at the bottom of the rapid. These Cats are wonderful boats. If this had been a raft, we'd be coming back in few weeks when the water drops to retrieve it. I've rarely ever seen a Cat with one tube held completely under the water. It's quite a sight. |
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Later, in a tone as close to humble as is possible for Terry, he muttered, "Well a flip and a wrap. I guess I pissed off the River Gods today!" . . . . .Tom |
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Terry's response to Tom's story "Shucks, After so many great days with the river, I only wanted to enhance the adventure. How come Tom didn't include the fact that both events were preceded with a great surf? The wrap surf would have been the best if I had floated out to the right and not to the left directly into the rock. Besides, I could have endured the loss of the oarlock and my watch. And the swim down the freezing river was refreshing. It was the later outbreak of poison oak that is really kicking my ass!" |
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| Chuck's response to Terry's Challenge of the River Gods: "Terry! Your response makes Tom's story even better! It's obvious the River gods openly accepted your challenge when you let fly the "C'mon! It's time to challenge the River Gods!" Maybe they're done with you for now, then again. . . . |
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