JP, unless there is some fantastic twist of language that can make bouncing hips and head off of boulders in ice cold water and flinging snot all over the river while nearly suffocating in some stupid hole sound as appealing as sashaying across a warm ski lodge with a Faceplant in your hand, then I don't think we will have to worry about hordes of eager people descending on PNW rivers just yet. :)

 

1 - Interview Sam Grafton. If you're doing a write-up on kayaking in Washington state, and you didn't talk to Sam, then you lost.

 

2 - A handful of guys just got back from South America. They didn't get paid to go on this trip, it wasn't sponsored, they went to have an unbelievable experience, and judging by the photos they all came back changed men (and with fiesty mustaches). Talk to Scott Weidlich (Fish on PP).

 

3 - Talk to Darren Albright and Ben Hawthorne. These guys are very driven in another aspect of boating that many like me are totally unfamiliar with, the downriver race. Not only are they two of the most solid boaters you'll find anywhere in the world, but they do it while being fathers and full time employees as well. I think your readers would be stoked to see the kind of glory that can be achieved even if you aren't paid to be pro athelete (WA Boater and Fiddleyak on PP).

 

4 - Talk to Jeremy Bisson. This guy is living the dream (technically in the state of WA). He's living on riverfront property that Oil Magnates would start foreign wars over. And I think he might possibly be crushing the sickest boofs you'll see. He paddles the little white 4-5 times per week, and cooks a wicked egg scramble for his weekend visitors. (Not sure if he's on PP)

 

5 - Talk to Dan Patrinellis a.k.a. the Greek Llama. This guy is a character. He hasn't been paddling class 5 as long as some of the all stars around here but you wouldn't know it, he's out there getting it done wth the best of em'. What's cool about Dan is that he's taking the time to document a lot of what's happening on the scene, and putting together some high quality films at the amateur level. (don't take the Llama reference seriously, its not that kind of flm..) (Tiziak on PP)

 

For me, an article about any outdoor sport that trys to put it into singular focus is less interesting. To each his own. For instance, that Grinch guy got some negative props for his post on playboating, for obvious reasons, but for a lot of people his comments may have been spot-on. If its fun and what you like, who's to say you aren't a sicko?

 

The biggest thing I've learned from my brief time in WA is that there are a ton of characters out here. They've all got their own story, but we all share one thing: we know that when we're on the river, heading downstream, its game on. At that point, nothing else matters. Except safety meetings and drinking your booty beer, those are pretty important.