Life in the Ville

Well as my visit on the East Coast is now coming close to its end, I want to toss up a few shots from the time I spent here. With out much water to go around...not even the Green. I have been getting into some new stuff. Skating, working???? I know, but sometimes duty calls. However, I have been putting in tons of hours on finishing my film from Chile Dashboard Empanada, as well. Here are some of the places and faces that have made my last few weeks memorable.

These are some good boys...we all gathered together and helped Shane clean out the old design shop for Liquid Logic. Left to Right... Adam Bixby, Jonathan, Myself, Candace, Randall, Pete, and Josh.

Woody Callaway celebrating his birthday Demshitz style with some bagged wine.

Casa de Callaway take out of the East Coast's most famous creek run.

Shane saying goodbye to the birthplace of so many good designs and times with a few hard swings of a sledgehammer.

Killing it in our basement room on town mountain here close to the center of the city. This movie is gonna be the shit.

Skating up Chattanooga on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to everybody for treating me so well out here...and for one last hurrah the world premiere of Dashboard Empanada is going to be next Thursday the 29th at the Asheville Pizza Brewing at 9pm. Come on y'all lets party a bit before I head back out west. Thanks for everything Asheville, until next time. Photos by Candace Sanders.

Later E.G.

The Beast in the East

After my arrival to the East Coast and fired up from a season of hucking in Chile...I was still on my game and ready to continue my kayaking. The first thing that came up with the warming weather and rains was the Cullasaga...This run gave me a good taste of just how steep and scary these east coast river can get. I was really loving the volume and safety of my Jefe Grande on this run that's for sure. Take a peek, we had Pat Keller as our guide so things were fast and blind as normal. jk.

The Putin falls of the Lower Cullasaga river, a nice back set for a stout steep hike in.

The first drop of the ever so steep and manky Saga.

Pat getting back in the game...need less to say he didn't loose much style.

That's the look when you know you did something right.

Getting through the crux of the Cullasaga.

Isaac launching out of the crux of Eclipse on the Cullasaga.

Isaac styling a nasty rapid on the Saga. Either you pick a big undercut hole or a siphon?

After a run of that river it was time to head north to get up to the Watagua river and have a nice little race with all the local boys out there. Most of the top boater were in long boats (Green boats, and Tornados) but I just kept to my nice Jefe and did just fine I thought...I ended up in the 7th overall with a time of around 35 minuets I think. I was some good times out there and another new river for me to enjoy.

Everybody all smiling before the brutal 30+ minuet race down to Stateline falls.

We had to start above this really tight bridge and duck under the thing to get the race going...it was a good thing to be up front at the point.

Mark Miller boofing through the big hole at Hydro rapid on the Watagua.

Right next door to the Watagua is its brother the Elk river. Ever since I was a little kid watching videos I always wanted to get out here and run the putin falls of this river. To me it looked like the perfect 50 footer. So with some rains and a bit of luck we got to the Putin and found a good enough flow to go stouting.

Standing at the top of the drop, checking my line out one last time.

lining this one up was the most difficult part for me...it is dead flat above and the lip is pretty blind.

Looking down the barrel to the landing zone.

Sitting enjoying the view after I ran the drop. The falls was totally good to go and soft for me...after a winter of hucking in Chile this felt like the normal routine for me.

Then we have been bouncing back and forth when it rains to get a lot of runs down the Raven fork, which is my favorite river out the side of the Mississippi. Everybosy pretty much knows about this river so I will keep it short. It's like 700fpm and has tons of quality slides and drops. It's like the dirty sister to the Rio Nevado in Pucon...enjoy!

Look at the steeps in the Raven fork, it is quite a nice river.

Coming down to Anaconda falls at the top of the run.

This rapid is called Harges's drop...he must have gotten a bad beat down. Tricky turning boof, with a nice or a not-so-nice line through it.

EG to the rescue...why the drop got its name.

Catching a break in the snowy depths of the Raven fork gorge.

Maybe my favorite drop out here...Big Boy as the Natives call it...scholars maintain that the true meaning of the words were lost thousands of years ago. Ok...you get it! It's a very nice place to spend the day hiking and kayaking around.

And...really....whats a Southeast update without some of the most famous river in the area...THE GREEN!!!!!!

Getting groovy on the Green.

What's the old saying...??? "Spanking" the Monkey.

I love all these river and I have gotten to paddle lots out east now. I have been known to be a west coast boy all my life, but the last two years I have spend a month out here running around and I have to say...the whitewater is really good. I hope you guys enjoyed the awesome shots by Candace and a few words. I will be here for another two weeks and then I'm heading to the Columbia gorge for some what of a home coming tour.

Later E.G.

Raven Fork Video March 30th

I know I'm behind on updates, as I have gotten 4 Raven fork, 1 Elk, 1 Green, and 2 Watagua runs in already, but I'm working on it. Here is a sweet video that Myself and Gareth shot on Tuesday the 30th of March out on the Raven fork. This was my second day in a row out there and the sun was shining bright...so we shot some really nice video. Here is Gareth's edit to the day, make sure you watch the whole video to see Gabe singing at the end it's quite good. Enjoy...

Ravens Fork Spring Update from Gareth Tate on Vimeo.

Love this river...it has become my home run here in the East Coast. It's like the sluty sister to the Rio Nevados in Pucon.

Later E.G.

Evan & Isaac on the Nevado POV

Flashback from the past a bit more than a month ago in Chile....Love it...Check it out!

Todo Rio Nevado with Liquidlogic from Isaac Levinson on Vimeo.

Later E.G.

Dream Result; Intro & Premier

I just saw that Rush threw this up on the Internet for people to get excited... check out this video, as it is the start to the best kayak movie of our generation. Up there with "Good to the Last Drop" and "H2Hoe". I hope you enjoy this taste while I'm putting together some sick shots from North Carolina.


Enjoy the Introduction to the movie by Rush and Tyler.

Check this movie out...Buy it at Dreamresultmovie.com It is worth every penny you pay. As well check out Rush's new LP...he has been working on his musical talent as well and is getting quite smooth these days. There are premiers all over the world going down this spring...catch one and party with some of the best partier/half-kayakers in the Biz, they know how to get down. Join me a week from today in Asheville, NC the 1st of April at the Pizza Brewing Company for a good time and viewing of this film.

Later E.G.

Goodbye Chile...

How can such an epic trip down in South America come to an end? Well a huge natural disaster is one way... a 70 hour bus ride is 2 ways... a huge stout... and last but not least a terrible awfull sun burn is the forth. I got all of those things after my personal best trip down to Chile, of all times. We were finally leaving Pucon for good on our way to Lima Peru, when all of sudden shake shake shake...shake shake shake...shake the bus!!!! 3:00am on the 27th of Febuary an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck. I'm sure everybody has heard about this thing, so I will make it short. We spent an extra 12 hours getting to Santiago and witnessed one hell of a torn up place. Here are some photos Candace shot form the bus...










Once we passed Santiago things were smooth all the way to Arica Chile, where we sat for a few days to relax and play in the ocean before our last leg of the trip up to Lima. It was a great long trip up through the Atacama...the worlds dryest dessert. I really hate to say good bye to my favorite place in the world, but I know I will always be back someday soon. Here are some stats and favorite things about my Sep. 2009 - Mar. 2010 trip to Pucon Chile;

Best Boof- Salto De La Muerte, Rio Desahue.
Best Drop- Salto Palguin, Rio Palguin.
Best River- Rio Nevados
Best Animal- Perra Chica
Best Crash- Rush Sturges Salto Bonito, Arg.
Best Bender- New Years
Best Food- Pollitos del Disco
Best Sub-trip- Tour De Stout

Well thats that...Have fun out there and I will see you guys down in the Southeast..well I'm already here in Asheville running the goods, so just stand by for some photos and stories.

Later E.G.

21st Birthday Palguin Huckfest

It was a monumentous day in Chile...little Evan Garcia was finally turning 21 years old. I have spent my 17th, 19th, 20th, and now 21st birthdays in the city of Pucon. This one was no different than the rest because it doesn't matter how old you are down there, you can always go to the bar and order a beer. On the other hand this one was a big one for me, because now when I get home, I can continue my South American bender...not really though?

So with an early start at 3pm I headed into town to get a crew ready to go up and run a stout on the Palguin. After about an hour of waiting I ended up with Isaac and Todd Wells, a WCKA kid who got the day off to paddle something big with me. We got to the river and went straight to the Middle to park and huck the big boy. Candace set up for some nice photos and off we went.

"This is a scary place to be" -Rodrigo Tuschner 2006

Stout 10 and the boils of the pool above the biggen.

2...1...Oh yeah baby...2 for the price of one!

All fired up we went one by one and had some good line off the beast...I'm not proud to say that my second swim of Chile this year was on my first run of the day. My skirt blew and I had to take a quick dip in the cold waters. I wasn't gonna end my day like that so I walked back up there and ran her again.

Isaac looking right about perfect with his paddle out of the way and no where to go but down.

First run of the day and a picture from the bottom of the beast.

Some beautiful light on the stout10. Good work man....

Todd Wells getting his paddle toss just that much more dialed in for this spring in the PNW.

Seal Lanch into the pool, the more chill way to enter the 70 foot freefall.

T-in' up the stout for run number 2 of the evening.

We all ran the stout two times to make sure we got our moneys worth out of the Palguin on this day. With that all said and done we headed back into town to get our party on!!!! It was my big day!

The volcano was quite the septical on the way home from the Palguin...so much so we stopped for a time lapse opportunity.

We all gathered at Lj and Jared's house in town and had a nice little night of eating and drinking before hitting the bars in town. I don't remember all the night events, but it was a good time.

A little asado celebration at the casa cafe in town. Stouts, meat, pisco, beers, cake, and good friends made this birthday one to rememer.

Photos by Candace Sanders!

Later E.G.

Summer hights: Salto Mariman

Summer was in full effect one sunny February day in Pucon...we were doing our norm and hanging on the crowded beach drinking tap beer. Myself, Levinsjoo, and Candy, when all of the sudden we were swept with a burst of motivation! To the ever so classic Upper Trancura river we went. Joining us was my 57 year old father still paddling class IV!!!! and Ian my brother. The short drive out of town, was longer than normal due the shear amount of people coming in to the city.

Isaac busting a backie at the beach trying to impress some chilean chicas near by.

Myself, Isaac, and Ian scout the big ass rapid. The entrance was a bit easier than the time before with Aniol...but still stout none the less. Big holes, big waves, and big water feeling make this drop a lot different than the normal Pucon stout.

Isaac fired it up first...different line than we scouted but it went really well...so it was the new line for the day.

Stomping a really nice big boof, cleaning the rapid.

Getting through the entry that messed me up the time before...the time with much more grace.

Myself really givin' it all I had...this rapid scares me in general, not to mention last time I ran it I had a bad line.

Out and away from the hole going a bit further right than Isaac.

I caught the blowout from the hole coming off the rock in the foreground of the photo, and salmon jumped way up and out of the pit.

I kid you not I landed pretty close to this spot in the photo...it was a sick huge rapid and a great redemption line for me.

Thanks to Candace for the photos!

Summer 2010 in Pucon has been one to remember in this region of Chile. The water was good all season up to this point and it just keeps raining and keeping our classics going. I still have a few more good Chile update to put up along with some video clips...keep up to date cuz now I have Internet.

Later E.G.