Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Mick's Roast - formerly known as the 2009 HydroTherapy Session #5

July 2, 2009 was to be the scene for the 5th and last HydroTherapy Session for 2009 and then afterwards a very special event - Mick's Roast.

The river level did a nose dive overnight, but we had it covered; first stage - a down river race and then second - a freestyle round on either the small wave next to Sullivan Hole or in Sullivan Hole or ..... BOTH! Combine the scores for the winners of the beginner, intermediate and expert classes.

The HydroRX Mobile Alert System worked overtime to contact and assure everyone that the session would indeed be happening. The media coverage was there too (Facebook, Out There Magazine, IEWW, personal emails/texts and a call to Pres. Obama).

Everything was in place after careful (cough, cough) planning.

Once the keg of ice cold Kokanee arrived and was set upon it's snowy place (see the photos below) at about 5:45 PM, the fate of this night's HydroRX Session was sealed ........ PARTAY, DRINK BEER and ROAST MICK!!!! Since there is water in beer this seemed appropriate. So to make a long story short, this HydroTherapy Session was a bit different than the rest. Sure, about 6 paddlers got in the water while the rest of us watched, cheered and drank beer from Billy and Teri's backyard. In the end - like every other HydroRX Session - everyone won!

Mick brought tons of photos and memorabilia from two and a half decades of paddling and later was presented with a few "old" gifts from his paddling buds - Brook and Herr Boater, and then received a broken AT2 paddle afixed with a "Mick's Roast" sign, a "poor man's Happy Thruster" and finally the "Death Star" - a Jackson AllStar kayak modified with a gravity lounger recliner on top, complete with seat belt!

It was a really fun party for Mick. I'll shut up now and let Kathy's photos tell the rest of the story.

Push play in the middle of the photo screen below for Mick's Roast slide show (it's almost like being there but without the hangover). For maximum effect, there's a full screen button in the lower right hand corner of the player.



1 comment:

mickster said...

Alls I kin say is it was a blast, thanks so much for all the fun. great pics, great friends, great river we play on/in. I am truly blessed to have been involved in the sport in so many ways over all these years. My lifetime membership in AW remains in effect and I will continue to support the sport and our rivers for years to come. count on it.
Seeyaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Mickster