2013 Summer Tour Wrap Up

I left home in North Carolina on May 22nd.

Myself, my dad, and my brother

After a 22 hour drive, we arrived in Buena Vista, CO, on the morning of May 24th. 

The drive...

CKS Paddlefest was the first competition - I competed in Junior Women and in C1.

Second place in Jr. Women - 420 points

Second place in C1

While in Buena Vista, I slept in the back of the car with the backseat folded down. Fairly comfortable.

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The second weekend (May 31 - June 2) was the Lyons Outdoor Games. I again competed in both Junior Women and in C1.

First place in Jr. Women - 420 points

Third place in C1

Sleeping arrangements were the same in Lyons as in Buena Vista - backseat of the car!

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During weekend number three (June 7 - 9) the GoPro Mountain Games took place. 

I met a personal goal, and ran a lap of homestake creek; a class V steep creek, and probably the most technical creek that I've ever run. 

Stoked!

I competed in the Pro Women's division at the GoPro Games, due to their lack of a junior's division.

Third place in Pro Women - 400 points

Sleeping arrangements in Vail were much more comfortable, because we shared a hotel room with some other team Pyranha guys. I even got to sleep in a bed for a couple of nights!

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Weekend number four (June 14 - 16) was FIBArk, as well as my 17th birthday. Again, I competed in Junior Women. 

First place in Junior Women - 366 points

While in Salida for FIBArk, I managed to get a hardcore eye infection. I went to see a Doctor on Saturday morning before competing in finals, and was told that it was from the grit in the river water and my contacts. The doctor gave me some antibiotic eye drops, and the eye infection was looking better within the next couple days.

The most attractive photo of me in existence

Three or four days later - thank you antibiotics!!

For FIBArk, we set up camp down in East Salida, and I slept in a tent! My Shiva acted as a camp chair, and for my birthday, we were up late, watching The Avengers.

It's like a sofa, but multi-purpose!

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On June 16th, I got into an RV with three other kayakers, and rode to Cascade, ID.

My view for the drive... I read the entire first two LOTR books!

We made it to Cascade on June 18th, and had a few days to train for the Payette River Games at Kelly's Whitewater Park - weekend number 5 on the road.

And goof off around town in Cascade, of course

I entered three divisions at the Payette River Games - Women's Freestyle, Sprint, and Boater Cross. 

I took 10th place in freestyle, with 100 points.

I made it to the semi-finals in boater cross.

I took 6th place in sprint, with times of 12 minutes 31 seconds, and 12 minutes 19 seconds. 

Waiting with the boys for the shuttle to begin sprint

While in Cascade, I got the privilege of sleeping in the back of a truck on an awesome paco pad with one of my best friends. 

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I left Cascade for McCall on June 23rd - a month and one day after leaving home.

On Wednesday, June 26th, I flew from McCall to Boise to Denver, and began the drive back to North Carolina with Adriene Levknecht.

Our flight from McCall

North Fork of the Payette from the plane

The town of Cascade where the Payette River Games were!

Adriene and I made it back to North Carolina at around 2 pm, EST on June 27th. A very successful trip!

This last month has been amazing. I've gotten to do so many ridiculous things, and made such awesome friends that I don't know how I'll survive without them. 

Best friends ever.

Luckily, it's only around two months until World Championships, near my home in the Nantahala Gorge. Time to start training!

I owe a gigantic thank you to everyone who has helped me out in some way this summer...

My parents, Dad especially, for driving me out to Colorado, and allowing me over a week on my own in Idaho. 

Thanks to my sponsors, Pyranha Kayak, Astral Buoyancy, Immersion Research, Watershed Drybags, Rapid Straps, and Terravida Threads. 

A big thank you also goes to Jackson Kayak, as well as Dane and Kristine Jackson, for helping me get out to Idaho, and bringing my kayak back to the south east for me.

My last thanks goes to Adriene Levknecht for enduring me for the entire drive back from Colorado to North Carolina! 

I've been away from home for over a month - 36 days - and it's been as fantastic as could be, but I'm stoked to start preparing myself for the upcoming World Championships.

It's crunch time.