What's Old?
This page gives all of us a chance to look back at some old stories, pictures, cartoons, etc. BWA members take a look in your drawers or that box in the closet with all those old paddling pictures. Send them in to the webmaster or if they need scanning contact me at the bottom of the page link and I will see if I can help you. Take a little time now and remember the BWA in it's early days!

The BWA 2005 Spring Paddling Clinic

Clinic Photos

Photos by Rich Beal (Clinic Student)
For More Clinic Photos By
Rich Beals go here:
www.pbase.com/richbe/bwaclinic
For more Clinic Photos by Don Spangler Click here
For more 2004 Clinic Photos by Don Spangler Click here

Matt Walker making it look easy

A boof on upper Seneca Creek

Setting up at Guerilla on the Green River

Upper Seneca Creek

The Green Narrows

Kent Kirchner C-1 Paddler and
first President of the BWA
Ed Puterbaugh July 1979
Charles Andre & John Davis paddling C-2 on Elkhorn Creek
MIke Molnar, Ocoee 1988

Tim Miller and Valerie Askrin Lower Gauley
Karen Moore Upper Gauley 80ies
Sam Moore Upper Gauley 80ies
BWA C-1 paddler John Lovett on the Upper Gauley 80ies

BWA Friends at Chilhowee overlook on Ocoee River trip in 1982.
Early Kentucky Paddlers on the Big South Fork om the early seventies.
Longtime BWA Paddler Ben Culberson paddling the Red River in the eighties.
Ben Culberson getting on a surfing wave on the Red River.
Early BWA member Stan Slater running Citigo Creek in Tennessee circa 1980.
Stan Slater doing enders on the Ocoee in the late 70ies
Terry Weeks, Cynthia & Barry Grimes, Sam Moore at Iron Ring circa mid-eighies
Stan Slater on Grand Canyon Trip 1981
Jatate Expedition

Sam Moore & Dave Weiland trying out a dugout canoe

"The limestone towered some 1000 feet over my head. A silver mist rose above the horizon line. Below lay all my greatest hopes and fears. With a white knuckle grip, I paddled over the edge. The canyon of the Jatate had swallowed me."

From an article by Sam Moore about the 1984 Jatate Expedition
Don Spangler running a rapid of the Jatate River in the Chiappas of Southern Mexico
Steve "Tubbo" Morgan 1985
Jan Atlee Cartoon for Beuren Garten's 60th Birthday in 1997

Thanks to the “Old Guy”.


So I’m floating down the BSF the other day and I got to thinking, (not one of my strengths). I really want to say thanks to all the old guys in this sport. I would go out on a limb and thank some individually but I’m afraid I’d forget someone and start an e-mail war on the list serve. Anyway here I am floating down the river in a nine foot long boat and thinking it’s a little too long when it hits me that THEY opened up this sport in boats 12 and 13 feet long. This makes me feel silly thinking my boats too long for such and such creek.

We all owe a lot to THEM. THEY fought the early wars of access, gear development , boat design, and all the crap it takes to stay with boating for the long haul. Think about what THEY had to do to go boating. There wasn’t any miracle fabrics to stay warm. No fancy dry tops, dry suits, poly pro, fleece, stay dry, stay warm, fancy fufu stuff like we have today. These guys went out on the cold days and boated anyway. OK so a few bit the dust from hypothermia but they kept going out. Now granted some of THEM, OK maybe most of them, drank a lot and maybe THEY didn’t know THEY were boating, but THEY still paved the way for the rest of us. THEY paddled boats that looked like pencils sharpened on both ends made out of stuff called fiberglass. THEY even paddled big long canoes made of birch bark and canvas and, oh, maybe I’m getting carried away. There is a bunch I’m sure I’ve been thinking that will not get into print, and some real heart felt stuff that I feel but didn’t down on paper or keyboard or whatever, but Anyway I would like to take a moment to say thank you to each and every one of you guys and gals who loved white water enough to take the risks, brave the elements, and stick with the sport long enough, so that I can come along, years later and enjoy the benefits of a truly wonderful sport with a truly wonderful group of people.


I ask the rest of you to thank an old fart when you see one and tell THEM just how much of an impact THEY have had on our lives. OK I’m done.

Dave Allnutt

Bowlines July/August 1999

The Mystery Weekend


Food Cooked and Served the way "Mom" should have. A highlite of a most unusual and amazing weekend. (late 70ies)

Let to right:
"Dad" Weilland, "Dr. Danger" Weeks, "Chief" Kulka, Gladys Breeding, "Dandy Don" Spangler, Wayne Catron, Charles Andre,"Whitey" Thomas, John Davis

ELKHORN CREEK TRAINING PARTY
12-17&18-1976

It's getting close to Christmas now and the general feeling was to try and stay close to home-. Is Elkhorn Creek worth paddling at 6 inches? Sometime in the future I may give it a no, but for those of us who wanted out to brush up on a few things, it was heaven. Starting in early afternoon and getting off at dusk,there wasn't much to any of the rapids at 6 inches. But, we combed every inch of what was left, playing around for almost an hour in a few spots. If I can remember, there were around 7 or 8 boats each day.
The diehards,
Beuren Garten
Buck Hunter
Scott Meyer, Jr.
Willie Johnson
Dave Moccia

Forget your name?
Add it here __________________
John Hall
Mickey Fulp
Greg Thomas
Gary Klier

BWA BEGINNERS CLINIC, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL
(May 1981 Bowlines)

Thirty-five students and an odd lot of instructors gathered this past weekend (May 9 & 10) to conduct the 3rd BWA Beginners Clinic. The river gods couldn't have bestowed better weather on us If they all had worked in unison. Saturday was perfect with sunday following close with only a few peaks of sun interspersed with an overcast day. Our clinic couldn't have picked a more beautiful camp site either. Located in Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg, Tenn., It was secluded scenic and near our clinic river.

The clinic was divided Into open canoeing and kayaking with three kayak subdivisions: beginning , novice, and intermediate. The beginnings kayakers and all open boaters spent both days on the Emory River between the confluence of the Emory with the Obed and Nemo Rapid. The Intermediate group ran Clear Creak and the novice group paddled Emory down to Camp Austin. Our only point of concern was with the water level which was rather low (340 cfs at Oakdale) but enough to teach all the fundamental strokes, maneuvers and techniques involved. An excellent student-teacher ratio, one-to-one In some cases, combined with the weather. Excellent cuisine and a cooperative, eager group of students made this a total success.

A vitally lmportant aspect of such get-togethers is the hedonism involved. Utmost In priority of thedonism Is the food. If I wrote till doomsday I couldn't adequately express our appreciation to Dave Wieland for his gracious donation of the food (ribs. slaw, salad, corn and drinks) as well as a huge grill. The quantity and quality was unbelievable. Thanks Dave.

Also due thanks are Tubbo, Reneé Le Don and Barbara for preparing the food. As usual Tubbo and Reneé are excellent cooks especially with the from a master food preparer like Barb. Thanks to all! Among other rituals that took place this weekend were several highlights the lynching of Don’s Blue Hole twenty feet up a tree by a mob of wildeyed, cackling mad men; the revenge lynching of Sam’s spare step van tire up another tree, the special effects by Jim Beam and his Wild Turkey; the frequent roaring off of the Donmobile and the airborne "Flying Blue Pole" stunt and aerobatics display on U.S. 27.

Special thanks are due to Beuren for his time and effort as head Instructor in preparirg an extensive lnstructors guide Handbook and organization of the Instructors to Mike for his work and ability as the Clinic Director. The success of the clinic points directly at Mike. To John Davis for providing Channel 27's facilities for an organizational meeting place and to everyone who donated time, money and expertise.

---- contributed by a person who knows
who the Bluegrass Paddler is.

BWA Group
Grand Canyon
November 1981
Jan Atlee art featuring the BWA's famous "Women in Rubber" that performed at both BWA and other paddling events in the eighties. Members are in retirement now.
More artwork by Jan Atlee for the "Women in Rubber".

From the 10th Anniversary Newsletter 1986
Survey Results

So here it is folks, the results of our survey. The typical BWA member is 34, paddles a blue dancer and is either currently or has been in the past employed by UK. Our typical paddler made their first whitewater roll on the Elkhorn, owns a 35 mm camera, a dog, wears seat belts end lives in Lexington. So what else is new?

Well . . .Occupations range from Physicians to Exotic Dancers to Drug Smugglers. The river most paddled by our members is the Ocoee. Though we've decided not to reveal the "biggest dud", and someone said, I understand Jerry Hey's sister-in-law is right up there", Sam Moore won hands down as "favorite dud".

In response to the question" what injuries have you had while paddling?" Many said "bruised or "hurt pride". However, one of our oldest members responded "knee, face, arms, bond, foot, fingers, car, nose, side, back, and shoulder”. Another, younger but certainly not more youthful paddler said “cut finger on pull tab.”

Our members have paddled many,difficult rivers throughout the world. Selected as the most difficult river paddled by a member is "Howards Creek at no wator with a chain saw” with "'The River of the Mind a close second.

Though we all have different ideas about what is the best paddling vehicle, we liked someone elses" and "P.I. Helecopter with wet bar" best.

Among outdoor activities in which we participate (other than paddling) were power lounging and partying and of course partying.

Duct tape certainly has been put to good use by members of the BWA. Some of uses are: to join two halves of my bashing suit, reinforcing pipe bombs, water proofing a baseball hat, fixing a radiator hose, t o shave with and to silence a barking dog.

I’m pleased to report that most of us don't any Michael Jackson albums. One person did say that he used to have four but traded them for two Barry Manilow and one Slim Whitman. This person went on to suggest that if we need any MJ records we need only to ask Spangler.

According to the survey, we’ve all called in sick at one time or the other to go paddling except one person. His reason: “I dont have a job.”

Only one person said she’d ever gone paddling with Sam Moore when he didn’t yell at her. Seems like it was on the Colorado in ‘81 - “He was too busy swimming.”

Though peach schnapps was our over all "favorite", I think I agree with the response"whatever Don is carrying."

Few hearts were broken when John Lovett married and one of our California even replied by saying “No, I’ll catch him the next time around when he’s richer.”

Most admired paddlers "whomever I'm following through a rapid", "Don Spangler - he’s easy going, not afraid to portageand a great cook", "Karen Moore - she puts up with Sam”, and "Frank Loudermilk - photogenicity - I could see slides photos, and videos of myself for hours" and "for an old man, he has the most high tech gear I’ve ever seen. "

We aren't certain but believe, that the longest swim taken by a BWA member was “The English Channel".

The earliest any of us ever actually "put on the river to paddle" is reported to be 6 : 3 0 am (Barry) and the coldest air temperature endured to paddle was 11 degrees. (If you want to belive that). BWA members selected 102 degrees as the perfect temperature setting for hot tubs.

Topping the list of favorite paddling restaurants were Mildreds, Gladys Breedings, and Don Spanglers house. Many of us think rafts should be outlawed - except to carry gear for decked boats. But one person responding to our survey said adamently “No! What would Don do?”

Few of us still own our "first" boats. So where are they? One was “sold to a dud in Florida”, "one was sold to a little old lady for bird watching”, another is hanging in a shed in Katmandu”, and still another is “in Jim Byrne’s back yard”. The rest it seems are “at the bottom of the river” or “are in several pieces floating down many rivers”.

Well, for now that’s it on survey results. But stay tuned for more in future issues of Bowlines.

Carole Bryant


BWA Group
Selway River
Idaho 1983

On Swim Stories:
“The difference between intermediate and expert boaters is thier excuse.”
Rich Lewis

Rich Lewis

Potters Falls
Crooked Fork Creek
Tennessee
Spring 1987

Bow Lines August 1978
Class VI... Pass the Gravy!

Tired, battered, bruised, and slightly punchy ... the day is over with a little regret. Twelve miles through the Big South Fork Gorge at 3000 CFS! Great day! It's a long way home, but we have one more stop to make. Passing through Somerset, we all do an eddy turn into the parking lot at Joe and Ruth's. There never was any doubt about it. It's time to munch out on fried chicken and talk about pop-ups and Class IV water. This is a stop that we all have made many times; a scene that paddlers make every weekend. For the benefit of the novice in this rarely neglected aspect of whitewater boating, I offer this proposed Eastern Scale of Restaurant SuitabiIity, If you are a beginner, join an organized club and learn from the more experienced.


CLASS I

Service that is as slow as a long flatwater paddle. Many substances are barely recognizable as food products. These establishments are always offensive to both the olfactory and optical nerves and should be scouted thoroughly to detemine suitability for human consumption! Commonly known as "The Pits".

CLASS II

Junk food emporiums known for their quick service and excessive amounts of grease and fiber fillers. Unfamiliar places should be approached with caution and scouted for compatibility with individual digestive systems.

CLASS III

Eateries that are often nicer on the outside than they are on the inside. The menu is short and disappointing. Although the food is fairly good, there is never enough to satisfy anyone's appetite.

CLASS IV

Extremely difficult, long and violent menus that always require lots of skillful maneuvering in large inflationary waves. Scouting is almst always necessary and conditions often make recovery difficult. The food is very good, but a good "financial roll" is essential. Generally not attempted by boaters who paddle every weekend.

*Editor's Note
These places generally stare at people
in wet-suits!

CLASS V

Long and tantalizing menus that will not force a famished paddler to sell his boat in order to pay for a meal. However, these places are generally well known and crowded, and they are always running out of the more popular food items.

CLASS VI

The Ultimate. The pleasures of a Class V carried to the extreme, with no congested passages to find a seat. Most often of the "all-you-can-eat" variety that has plenty for all. Nearly impossible for the uninitiated. For teams of experts only, after close study and with all precautions taken! Easily recognizable by the pictures hung on the walls with duct tape!

Ed Puterbaugh


The more you learn about a whitewater canoe, the less you “get out” of it.......

Family Tradition
Dad's Supertruck Rules

The members of the family wish to protest the waste of the club funds to publish Mark Wilsons "boaters article". The author is not only "not a real boater", (I saw him try to guide a raft on the Ocoee), but now he is not a real boater at all! The only holes he surfed this season were not created by rocks on this surface.

Since we are qn objective family, we spent the entire boating season preparing the following article to replace "Real Boaters. If the editor does not feel this article is worthy of publication, simply send me the money it would have cost. I need to buy some wudka!

A PASSENGERS GUIDE TO THE SUPER TRUCK
Rule #1 - The shotgun rider is resonsible foroperating the stabilizer bar.

Rule #2 - Always leave a beer tab in the ashtray to turn off the manual optional dome light.
Rule #3 - Never load more than 12 boats, 8 passengers, and 4 rafts when driving the road to Cunard.

Rule #4 - Brownies are always hidden somewhere in the cab of the supertruck.

Rule #5 -Never offer the driver any illicit drugs. (He can’t smoke that shit)

Rule #6 - No duds allowed in the super truck.

Rule #7 - Only authorized personel may drive the super truck, and then only with an official "okey-dokey" from Dad.

Rule #8 - Family always has preference as to where they sit. (Front, rear or in a boat on top of the super truck.

Rule #9 - Shot gun rider is responsible for keeping the map to Gladys Breedings Restaurant.

Rule #10-Each passenger must provide one coffee pot full of wudka for Dad.

Rule #11-Always leave a fishin’ or huntin’ note to Bubba from junior on the windshield of the super truck. This will help to ward off locals and gangsters while you are boating.

Rule #12-Anyone caught not properly respecting the super truck can expect Pearl Harbor, no disqualification, steele cage, Texas Death Match, Loser leave town, and an attack from the super truck Hit Squad of the BWA Wrasslers.

A Signed the family. (Dad, Chief, Paulla, Lythia)
Mike Weeks,
Tiny Piney Creek
Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee
Mid Nineties

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