The trip was advertised as "Paddler's Choice' and the votes were for Big Laurel Creek. It's normally a treat to catch Big Laurel up in the summer, however it has been above minimum from late June until the present. The level was about 5 inches on the painted gauge, a great level. It was still a treat. .A picture is worth a thousand words so Les Case's video must be worth a couple million. http://youtu.be/Di8c4-xdK4Y
What's going on in the video – after initially checking the gauge
Sunday's trip was, once again, democracy in action. The vote was predictable; on Sundays people want to be on the road home earlier. French Broad 9 is closer, short shuttle, and a moderately short paddle (4.1 miles).
From a trip coordinator standpoint Saturday's trip on the Noli (Nolichucky) was about as easy as it gets. The vote to choose a river was unanimous for the Noli. Our carpools met in two locations and arrived at the Noli Gorge Campground almost simultaneously. Shuttle drivers were pre-arranged and ready to go before we were changed and geared up.
