| Jerrod's Knee Cluster Fuss |
| Written by Spence Lycan |
|
Mr. Probe, leading two Rookie First Runs on the Upper Tellico River, managed to pin horizontally, in the middle of Jerrod's Knee Rapid, in those trashy rocks immediately below river-left's Chute Drop, just below the Pig's Knuckles. Marlo, Maryland Sam, Ranger John and Emily were impressed. My last instructional words (in the eddy above) were "When you do the drop, get right quickly. Just follow me." I dropped, slopped straight ahead and horizontally pinned. Just following me, the nearest Rookie munched into same rocks, ending up on one. After a fussy interval, I got off upside down and managed a quick roll. Maryland Sam roped Rookie river-right to dump water, then ferry to the river-left bank and climb out, firmly impressed with my probative skills. Ready to complete our journey into the actual Knee Cap, half of TVCC was already there, folks standing on boulder rocks, three or four ropes were out, more folks in their boats, all were grinning and talking, just another beautiful day in the Kneeborhood. I gesticulated with hand paddles, hoping for a river signal to either stay or play. Brunter finally points at us, so we chug down, glimpsing Mikey river-left, near but off sot. Finding no beer, we continued down to Middle Bridge. Mikey soon appeared with said sot in parking lot. We slud down to Turkey Creek then re-ran the Upper to Middle Bridge. When the Tellico River wears ice on a clear sunny February day of fifty degrees, it might be Bestest Winter Paddling. Or was it that White's Creek trip? Or Alabama's Little River Upper Two section? Or Sinks to Elbow in the Smokey's Little River? Or the Cheoah River at 1200? Or the Piney River? Or the Bowling Alley section of North Chickamauga Creek? Or Ski 'Bama at Mentone? Winter in Greater Chattanooga gots lots of happy happy play play. |