Straight out the Warehouse in Asheville...Dinver, crushing the boof line at funnel
Over the weekend I helped out at Mountain Man Outdoor Supply Company’s Paddlefest in Old Forge, New York. Dinver, Tony G, Jeb, and myself sold some kayaks, represented Pyranha proudly, and even got a chance to go kayaking.
Jeb Hall laying the Shiva down at Double Drop
It occurred to me that the guys and gals who work these types of events as part of their job play a major role in supporting the sport of kayaking as a whole. Â They are the ones getting new paddlers fired up about their first piece of equipment, helping the masses choose the right boat, and it is their voice at the other end of the customer service line helping to troubleshoot problems with gear so people can get back on the water as quickly as possible. Â Often times assuming these vital roles means less time on the water despite their passion for paddling.
Danny Mongno loving the evening sun at Fowlersville. Â Photo: Nicole Conger
The next time you see one of these folks out on the water be sure say hi, and maybe even say thank you. Â Their contributions to our sport may be more significant than we realize.
Dinver dropping Fowlersville
It was pure joy to get to paddle with Dinver, Jeb, and our brother from another mother Danny Mongno after the event on Saturday.  A bunch of us summoned all the motivation we could after working in the hot sun all day, and met up with another group of rowdy raft guides from Watertown to form a mega-crew for a run down the the Bottom Moose’s “first 4.â€
The mega-crew paddling off into the sunset
It was a little challenging getting our gear together as many of us came to the event extremely ill-prepared for paddling whitewater. Â In the end we pulled it off flawlessly and to top it all off we even managed to get a couple of pretty ladies to drive our shuttle.