We’re not neighbors. We live in different towns; on different sides of the mountains and across state lines. We live hours and lives apart. We have our own careers. Our own families.
Unless we live in Cashmere or Leavenworth or Hood River, we don’t really know what it’s like to bump into our kayaking buddies as we walk home from the take-out.
We don’t go to city hall meetings together, or watch each other’s kids compete in basketball games.
But we are still a community—a group of people coalesced by whichever river happens to be running at the time. We see each other—some times intentionally, often times serendipitously—on the river and because of the river. We have a little time to sip a beer or eat some Mexican food before heading back down the highway toward home.
Quite often, especially during the spring and early summer, the thing that brings us together, scatters us throughout the mountains like pollen—each seeking his/her own ambition: Steepness. Big water. Playboating. Riverrunning.
Once in a while, however, a festival consolidates us on a single river. And for a day or two, we have the time and the justification to simply mess about with our friends.
We’ll have that opportunity tomorrow. I am hoping all of you—whether you plan to compete or not—will show up and enjoy the Skykomish River in what I believe is its most beautiful state.
I also hope those of you who don’t like to race or who have never raced will give it a try. Maybe you’ll hate it—I doubt it. But maybe you’ll find that you loved the experience. Maybe your run will have you thinking about whitewater in an additional way. And maybe, you’ll find yourself wanting to do it all over again.

To register: http://www.paddlermagazine.com/news/news-articles/a-whitewater-race-in-august.html

Video: http://www.vimeo.com/5415332

If you do plan to come tomorrow, here’s some stuff you’ll need to know:
RACE TIMES:
Upriver: 10 a.m.
Downriver: Noon
Boulder Drop Sprint: 4 p.m.

Registration for the Upriver Race, for the Ironman and Future Divorcees divisions will close at 9 a.m. (Some exceptions might be made). Registration for the Relay division and for the Boulder Drop Sprint will be open until 11 a.m.

RACERS should be at the Riverhouse in Index at least one hour before their respective event. If you are a relay team member, you’ll want to be there sooner.

VOLUNTEERS should check in at the Riverhouse 90 minutes before the race/leg to which they are assigned.

PARKING: Please park at the Big Eddy take-out/finish line and carpool up to Index. Wave Trek will be providing some shuttle service for the events.

FOOD: will be provided by the Riverhouse with a suggested donation throughout the day. Those guys will be slaving away so please don't stiff them.

Each competitor will receive a couple of raffle tickets for at least two beers. If you don't drink beer or are underage, you can use those raffle tickets for the raffle.

RAFFLE TICKETS: will be sold at a rate of three for $5. Those will get you the chance to win some pretty cool gear, such as Predator’s full face helmet, Kokatat’s Gore-tex drytop, Snap Dragon’s Kevlar sprayskirt, ExOfficio’s funk-fighting underwear (we could all use a pair of those).

If you are registering on-site, please bring cash or checks. We can do credit cards, but it’s a pain.