Halfway through my first season kayaking I got a painful dose of reality about my abilities
www.sparkpeople.com/mypa
ge_public_journal_individu
al.asp?blog_id=3506672
The experience I had in 2010 was so traumatic - my first bad day on a river ever - that it was crazy how fearful I became. It took a month for me to really get my nerve back.

I did get my nerve back and went on to run more rivers that year.

I lost my second season to a snowboard injury.

I'm happy to report that this past weekend I returned to that river and ran it twice. There were a couple of combat rolls, but no swimming. And despite my disproportionate fear on the first run, I hit most of my lines and had a very good time, with good friends.

Here are some websites about where this took place:
www.zoaroutdoor.com/dryw
ay_ataglance.htm

www.americanwhitewater.o
rg/content/River/detail/id
/681

I've run harder things since then. But THESE PARTICULAR rapids had kicked my butt and assumed a terrifying status in my memory that was far out of proportion for my current experience and abilities.

I'm so glad to have run them again, and established for myself that I now have the experience and abilities to run them. It's like exorcising a monster from out of my closet or under my bed.