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Pancake and I took a weekend trip to do some paddling, pedaling, and bouldering around Indiana.  We started at Cataract Falls, according to RiverFacts.com, Indiana's only Class V stretch of water.  It's late October in Indiana and it has been rainy so we were hoping the water would be up.  Neither of us had been there so we didn't know what to expect but we had the GoPro's ready and I'm determined to inflate my glorified inner-tube of a kayak and take it down this one mile strip of rip roaring waterway.

My wife and I took a trip in 2007 to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  This was an R&R trip after the birth of our first daughter but we did take some time to explore the park and scout bears (we game up goose egg).  The landscape is beautiful and we had a great time but I'd still prefer the shorter drive to the Smokies for mountain excursions.

While in McGaheysville, VA, we did take a day for a 7 mile paddle down the Shenandoah River.  As far as any rapids go, it is only a category II and in some places the current is so weak you have to paddle your ass off to cover any distance.  The best part about this kayaking route is the scenery.  It is an absolutely beautiful and serene stretch of waterway; lined mostly by trees and rock and mountains in the distance.  Other than paddling around small Midwest lakes, this was our first kayaking trip.  Lisa loved it so much we have since invested in our own kayak and are planning some trips down the road.

As your raft drifts in the current you tuck in your feet, ready your paddle, and listen to the rumble of the rapid below. As your pulse quickens you begin to feel your heart beat in your ears and the faint taste of iron fills your mouth. This is pure adrenaline. This is why you came. The sound of the rapid, like a runaway train, grows louder and closer as the current quickly picks up speed. Your raft enters the rapid and your guide shouts commands as if they were a half-mile away. Paddles fly in a frenzy as water crashes the bow of the boat and surrounds you from all sides. Crashing through a giant wave, your stomach is entrenched in your throat on the ensuing natural water slide.More waves, seemingly endless water and paddling. Suddenly the water calms, your guide quiets as smiles and the sense of accomplishment abound. You share a paddle high-five with your crew, and look downstream, ready for more. Have fun..Go Rafting. Gauley Dates 2007Twenty-six miles, 668 foot drop in gradient, more than 100 rapids. Simply put, the Gauley River is world-class. Defined by big, steep and technical rapids the Gauley River is enveloped by rugged mountain scenery and divided into two equally impressive sections, the Upper and Lower Gauley. Songer Whitewater offers a wide variety of full-day and overnight Gauley River adventures including some of the most hair-raising high adventure trips commercially available. Are you ready to accept the challenge of the Gauley River? Feel the adrenaline-rush and sense of accomplishment of running one of the most famous rivers in the world. Reserve your Gauley River adventure today.