The Salmon River lived up to it's reputation this weekend, It took what it wanted and gave up very little. Three boats sank two were recovered, And as of Sunday afternoon one was still at the depths of its grip. The family and I arrived at Riggins on Thursday afternoon, Along with Jesse, Lynn, Dave Provost his wife Heather and their son Brett. I was anxious to see what the river had in store for us this weekend. My brother-in-law Jason Mouser and his wife Candi with their daughter Haliegh would arrive on Friday afternoon. I hopped in the truck and began to scout the river for the best places to get some great footage. I ended up choosing Race Creek, The riffles located below the hotel(Salmon Rapids Lodge),and the nortorious Time Zone plus a little bit of Tight Squeez. Jesse was not driving this race so he headed to Race Creek to film glass wave. My brother-in-law Jason would go to Time Zone and film under the bridge. The boats looked good coming down and up from where I was from. Jeff Bradley#42 (Poor Boy Racing)was driving hard coming up from the Town Riffle. He got some serious air as he entered from below the hotel the set of riffles I was filming from. There was a long pause with no other boat in site. This is usually bad news since the boats are started at one minute intervals. Bad was the case for the Wocket#16(Raven Racing) the boat ended up doing a barrel roll/corkscrew and landed upside down in Time Zone. I was completely sickened when I heard this news of what had happened. I noticed that a helicopter was circling above what must have been Time Zone. I can't really put into words what kind of feelings were going through my head at the time. Everything just began to slow way down for me. I ended up jumping in my truck and raced to Time Zone, I ended up some how getting behind Jesse towing the trailer on the highway. I followed Jesse past lightning creek and into the pits at the lower end of the course. I entered a motorhome and saw Lynn who was still running on pure adrenalin. I asked if she was okay and she replied"Yea I'm alright just a little sore." I can't believe how close I came to losing one of the greatest mother-in-laws in the world!!, Or another good freind Dave Provost. These people do truely become your extended family over time. Jesse will elaberate more on this. I ended up filming legs 3 and 4 at Time Zone. The boats were catching some serious air while I was there. I ended up getting nozzled by either Brodie Miller or Dwain Longfellow on the downleg through Time Zone. I would like to thank the people from Coos Bay for lending me their sweatshirt to dry off my camera so I could finsh filming Time Zone. I lost audio on two boats though. Dwain caught some huge air, took a hard right, up the bank, off the rocks and back into the river, Never letting off the gas. Made some true believers of the 50 foot saftey area also! Jason ended up filming the first leg up of Time Zone. He got Richard Grant and his wife doing a 360 above Time Zone and pulling it off. Got their bearings and down through the riffle. Jason then moved upriver to the rough water below Race Creek. He got #55 Revelation hitting a green roller also making a hard right and striking the bedrock shelf. Coming to rest on the other side of the river and sinking in about four feet of water. The guys paddled most of the way across the river. Isitworthit took some impressive lines and made them stick. I got them on film when their luck ran out and hit a couple of good size rocks at Time Zone. I believe their was an onboard camera on the boat when this happened. I forgot the drivers and navigators names(sorry), But that fellow can drive and I have video to prove it!!!! Sunday I missed the first two legs of the race. I ended up going back down to Time Zone to film the final last two legs of the race. After that we headed for a bite to eat,said are goodbyes, And headed back to Oregon. It was great seeing Richard Grant his wife, Kirt Jewkes and his wife,I sure hope that Kirt is able to retrieve his boat back fromthe Salmon. Jim and Diana and kids. Most of these people I only talk to on the page. It was great to put a face with a name. I also got to meet James(Xerophobic) again and Dale (Whitey). The #16 (wocket) had the Salmon coming out of it all the way to Grant's Pass. I also got footage from begining to end on the recovery of the wocket. It might take sometime to make a video, Since I have 7 dvd's of footage. I will start by making the recovery video first. Man that was one heck of a weekend!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28njyl07if4
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