Johnny Misadventures

Well with such low water this season....and still kind of recovering from shoulder surgery it was time to get out and do something different. Meagan and I headed south out of the city on Friday, very slowly through Montreal rush hour and into New York State. We headed south of Lake Placid to Giant Mountain where we were going hike in and set up base camp. Due to that slow up in Montreal we didn't make it there until after dark. The night came down to sleeping in the Jeep.

The next morning we headed up Giant Mountain. The weather was brisk and damp but once you got moving you could be in a shirt. As we approached summit snow started to fall. We added layers and kept moving. Soon we were almost knee deep in snow in some spots. After the long hike in we hit summit. The view at over 4000 feet was amazing. Complete white out blizzard!

We came back down and spent one more night in the Jeep before driving through Lake Placid and to Scarface Mountain. The trail started out easy with some nice spots no no real climbing. A bit after an old house foundation and a rusty gas tank the climb began. Long and gradual at first. Then the last bit was pretty much straight up!

All in all it was an awesome weekend. We ate the best raisin bread ever from this litter dinner.

John

Where is all the water gone?

2010-04-08T00:16:00.001-04:00

Well this has been the most unreal spring ever. The Ottawa is down to zero already. There is no creeking to be had any where and the water is surprisingly warm! Mathieu Coldebella came in from France (where all the water is) on Thursday so we headed out for a Baby Face session on the Ottawa Friday.

After a hard day of paddling and the realization that we were in the Valley late Friday night on Good Friday with no food we decided to come back to the city. The city brought drunken longboarding on for the night.

After a day of rest and recovery (from the hang overs) we headed to Hass Hole from some play with Laine. It was a fun chill day.

From GarbApril2010

Then back to the Ottawa for some Baby Face and Garb!

John

From GarbApril2010

(Next 3 photos by Mathieu Coldebella)

http://maps.google.ca/maps/mpl?ie=UTF8&moduleurl=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.ca%2Fintl%2Fen%2Fhelp%2Fmaps%2Fstreetview%2Fmapplet.html&mapclient=google&layer=c&cbll=51.064277,-114.101255&panoid=I59w6hyUrHAgz_hj1zL-WQ&cbp=12,26.39,,0,10.83&ll=51.063798,-114.102952&spn=0,359.980795&z=16

Johnny

Start of 2010 Season

2010-03-27T20:34:00.000-04:00

From PumphouseWithLaine

Well spring is here. Which means time to get the boat out again. The winter was long with surgery but the shoulder is feeling good. I will be back paddling the good stuff shortly. But for now, I am stuck at the pump house.

It was Laine's first time at the pumphouse in her new boat. So we just cruised down and had some fun. Thank you to Meagan for taking the photos!

From PumphouseWithLaine

From Love the Rock

Rain playing in the Snow

2010-01-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

Go go go!! RainInTheSnow

Rain and I headed to the park today. It was a good time with lots of running around and jumping in the snow. I can't wait until spring but I guess we have to enjoy the winter well it is here! Rain is now over a year old! Crazy to believe. I got her on December 27th 2008! Back then she was just big enough to fit in my hand. Now shes 35 pounds!

From RainInTheSnow

Crash RainInTheSnow

Winter Photography

2010-01-07T10:25:00.000-05:00

Into the canyon export

Well we are almost there. Half way through winter. My shoulder is healing up nicely and I can not wait to get back in my boat. Anyways here are some photos I have taken so far this winter. I thought I would share. Enjoy

John

Christmas in Ottawa export

Lights! export

War Monument export

Empty export

The Edge export

Blue Chill export

Down and Down export

Looking for waterfalls export

The classic Ottawa photoexport

No Need export

No Tail MudLakeMeagan

Bird MudLakeMeagan

Life After Surgery

2009-12-03T17:45:00.006-05:00

Hello!

I figure I would throw up a post of life after shoulder surgery. It has certainly cut into my boating time along with the new job. The surgery was about 3 weeks ago now. My shoulder has healed up nicely and I can not wait to get back into my boat. Although I have a long winter of physio and strength building in front of me I am still looking forward to planing my next adventure. Any ideas anyone?

From Grahame Hamilton

So with my time back here in Ottawa I have been using it working my new job at MEC and taking photos of some of my friends paddling. Here are some shots from Hogs Back Falls and Odyssey wave on the Ottawa.

John

Catching the ball (Photo by Greg Moore)

Bryan doing it! BryanHogsBack

Grahame looking epic Previews

Ian (insert your comment here) NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

Grahame rocking out NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

The wave from above NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

Warming Up NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

Ian back looping NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

Grahames line KayakPremiereAndHogsBack

From Garb

Ian and Phil NovOdassyWave2009-11-07

Thank you Seals Skirts/Season Ender!

2009-10-20T21:00:00.000-04:00

From TurkeyPaloozaGullRiver

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to Seals Skirts, my newest sponsor. My new skirt arrived in the mail shortly after I arrived back in Ontario so I took it out for a test drive on the Gull. It is great! Easy to get on, super dry and fits great. It is one sweet deck! Check out the Seals site here! I would also like to thank all my sponsors for helping me out! It was by far one of my best seasons and I wont ever forget it for sure!

In other news, my season is officially due to...guess what???? Yeah...you got it...shoulder dislocation! It happened Sunday at the Gull River in Earls Hole! Thank you to Dennis for driving me to the hospital! And I guess I never thanked Grahame for picking me up at the hospital this spring...so thanks Grahame!

My surgery is coming up very shortly now. Hopefully it goes well and I will be back on the water shortly!

Johnny Misadventures

From TurkeyPaloozaGullRiver

Fall Photography

2009-10-17T18:02:00.002-04:00

Here is some of my fall photography...enjoy

Johnny

From Fall09Shots2

From FirstWideAngleLensShots

From Fall09Shots

From Fall09Shots2

From TurkeyPaloozaGullRiver

Jeep in Google Street View

2009-10-13T10:14:00.000-04:00

Well thanks to my friend Adam he found the Jeep in Google Street View sitting in Calgary! Check it out!

From Pictures

Immersion Research

2009-10-09T20:15:00.002-04:00

Immersion Research posted a quick update of my summer stories with a few great photos. Check out the article at ImmersionResearch.com

"October 7th, 2009"

Road Trip 2009 – All across Canada

I had one of my greatest summer ever as far as paddling and progression goes. It started off with another shoulder dislocation early in the spring. I decided that driving to Fort Smith NWT would be the best way to keep my mind off boating well I drove.

The drive from Ottawa was long. But when I got to Fort Smith and saw the Slave River my shoulder started to feel good. I got so lucky to catch the right water level for a wave named Roller Coaster. Maybe one of my favorite waves now. After the Slave went into flood and no one knew what waves where in. It was to high for the high water features! The month on the Slave was amazing for me. I think it is a must paddle river for any play boater!

After a month on the Slave I headed south west to BC for some creeking. The creeking was amazing. And really really really cold water. I was glad to have my IR drydeck to keep me dry and warm there. It was my first time paddling glacier run off creeks. I got a chance to run a lot of epic BC runs. Tight, steep, continuous is the norm out there. It was a blast.

After that I headed for Skookumchuck. Such an amazing wave. It was my first time in salt water. I learned that I can only left blunt with my mouth open so I kept getting huge mouth fulls of salt water. Not good tasting at all!

I am back in Ottawa now and going spend every day paddling before going in for a shoulder surgery this fall. Wish me luck. Plan is to hit the physio hard this winter and be stronger than ever for next season!
Thanks for all the help and great gear IR!
John Rathwell
http://johnnymisadventures.blogspot.com

Photo's

2009-10-01T08:35:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone,

As I sit here looking to kill some time before my surgery I decided to through together a little mosaic of some of my favorite photos from my trip.

Johnny

Amazing Trip

Last Paddle of the Gull this Season

2009-09-23T13:05:00.001-04:00

Hitting the meat

Well I got in my very last paddle on the Gull this season with a few of my friends. This river in Minden Ontario is so much fun. I learned to paddler here and always enjoy coming back. It just improves your technique so much paddling there. I am off to the Ottawa River now though! But here are some Gull photos!

All photos are by Patti Johnson! Thanks Patti!

Johnny

Bruce Running the Dam GullWithBruceAndPatti

First Drop GullWithBruceAndPatti

Looking down the river GullWithBruceAndPatti

Bruce lining up Whitehorse Falls GullWithBruceAndPatti

Bruce getting ready for impact! GullWithBruceAndPatti

Impact! GullWithBruceAndPatti

Happy to be home GullWithBruceAndPatti

Running the dam

The Story Behind the Jeep

2009-09-21T16:00:00.003-04:00

First Getting the Jeep

Well I have told many stories of myself and some of Rain from this road trip. But I have not told any about the Jeep, so here are some interesting facts about it!

- 1995 Jeep Cherokee
-Purchased in Maple Ontario with 160 000 km
-Driven 20 000 km on its road trip!
-Furthest Northern Point - Hay River on the Great Slave Lake Northwest Territories
-Furthest Eastern Point - Montreal Quebec
-Furthest Western Point - Tofino, Vancouver Island on the Pacific Ocean
-Furthest Southern Point - Maple Ontario where I bought it
-Lived in by me and a dog for a summer

Repairs/Stuff I broke
-Rear Brakes
-New Floor
-cracked windshield 3 times!
-broke something in the transfer case...no more 4 low really
-sexy new shifter nob!
-no more 2,3,4 setting on the fan, just low and high!
-near rear hydrolics on the hatch
-2 burnt out head lights (at the same time for awhile)
-Probably more stuff...I just can't remember!

Love,
The Jeep

No Dam on the Slave

2009-09-19T22:46:00.003-04:00

Here is a video that my friend Jacqui Whitehead made about the Slave River when I was there. The Slave River is one of the best (if not the best) play rivers in the world and it is currently being threatened to be dammed. Check out the video and join the fight in stopping the Slave from being dammed!

Slave River 2009 from Jacqui Whitehead on Vimeo.

Thanks for the great video Jaqcui!

Johnny

First Decent of the Otter Slide on a SUP

2009-09-16T21:13:00.002-04:00

SUP on the OtterSlide GullStandUpPaddling

Today at the Gull my good friend Jaye talked me into doing the first decent of the Otter Slide on the Gull on a stand up paddle board (SUP). It was interesting. A rapid I have ran 1000's of times in my kayak and never thought of it being hard until I was standing above it on a board! SUP is an old Hawaiian form of transportation they used to surf ocean waves and such. Lately it has been slowly becoming more popular is a river running tool.

After my run Jaye made an attempt as well. We both has our stumbles and scary moments. It is a lot more difficult then it looks!

Johnny

From GullStandUpPaddling

Gull River

2009-09-15T22:12:00.005-04:00

Jump! GullRiver8.55

I finely got back to southern Ontario and headed straight for the Gull River in Minden Ontario. The river I learned to paddle on and spent so much time on. I love that river. Here are some pictures.

Johnny

All photos by Jonas Haarlammert and Martin Bessmann

From GullRiver8.55

Boof! GullRiver8.55

The Long Road Home

2009-09-15T08:12:00.003-04:00

Prairie Road TheLongRoadHome

The adventure home has been a long one. It started at 6 am Pacific time in Vancouver. When I got just out side of Vancouver I picked up a couple hitch hikers and gave them a ride into Banff. After Banff I gave another hiker a ride into Calgary. Then in Calgary I picked up a couple German hitch hikers and they are still with me!

I drove Vancouver to Medicine Hat for 14 hours that day! It was insane. Something like 1200km. I was ready for a switch so Martin from Germany took over. I figured if he could drive 240km/h on the Autobon he would be okay at 120km/h on a straight flat boring ass prairie road (the prairies are so boring). We finely arrived in Winnipeg after 26 hours of straight driving. From there we went to find the Sturgeon Falls Wave but couldn't. We did find an old guy and had a beer with him on his deck though. Later that day we made it back to Ontario where we camped the night near a lake.

The next day we drove into Thunder Bay where we stopped at Mary Ellen and Al's place. They offered us beer, a great dinner and beds. We were all so thankful for it. The food was amazing. I can't thank Mary Ellen and Al enough for their hospitality. This is the second time they have put me up now! Thanks!!!

After some sight seeing in Northern Ontario like Kakabeka Falls, Winnie the Pooh and so on we finely made it into Sudbury where we sent the night with my sister.

Today's mission is short and easy. 325km to the Gull River for a paddle!!!! I can't wait!

Johnny

German FriendsTheLongRoadHome

Creepy Hitch Hiker TheLongRoadHome