Spring Time Goodness

The beauty of California seems to surprise me year after year. Sometimes in life to find adventure and fun, the easiest way is to utilize what is close by. For me I have been fortunate to come from such a great place and have made a good community around the rivers of California. This Spring I started out early in March in search of whitewater in what most people call a “Bad or low water year”. No matter how bad or low snow pack is, it is always good to see friends and there is always some gem around you just need to search it out.

From the return of the Tour de Sueños in Mexico, I spent about 2 weeks with the family in San Diego with visits to La Casa en Baja . I got to spend some time with the Bigness and get some work done at the house and enjoy the surf as well. Eager to get back in the kayak I headed North to meet up with Chris Madden. On the drive north I made a stop at the Kaweah and my buddy Johnny came down from Kernville to boat and give me some new gear I purchased. This season I invested in some new gear that cost me a bit, but well worth the investments. Stoked on the new Kokatat dry suit, paddle and the Shiva-the yellow beast.

It was good to meet up with Chris who was quite fired up and had been doing some good winter boating. He gave me a chance for a bit of a warm-up since I was feeling a bit rusty from no kayaking since December. We hung around for a few days at the Madden compound enjoying some quality time with Patso and Tim, Chris’s parents. The first run before we went for our first little mission was laps on 49 to Bridgeport on the South Yuba and a Gorge run on the local South Fork American. It was good to get on the water again and be paddle with friends.

The first mission from the Madden compound was Spring break for Chris’s brother, Drew on the Tuolumne. We headed out in the afternoon without Drew and met up with Thomas Moore in Groveland and rallied up to the put-in of Cherry Creek proper to drop a car and head up the road to hike into Middle Cherry which starts a few miles upstream from the put-in to Cherry Creek. The run had some quality drops on it and went through some beautiful country. The following days consisted of Cherry Creek laps and then finished up with meeting up with Drew and doing a super chorbel 3 day self support kayak trip on the main Tuolumne.

No sooner than a few hours after getting off the water was Chris pacing the parking lot with cell phone in hand and making plans for the next river drainage. The next stop was to meet up with some All Outdoors folks who where taking some rafts up to the Middle feather for a 3 day river trip with some really good people. This section known as “Devils Canyon”, will be a place that I hopefully return to many more years. The river is loaded with tons of class IV rapids and multiple class V rapids as well. Chris and myself ran out in front of the rafts reading and running many class IV rapids and getting out to scout some of the bigger ones as well.

When we got to take out we went for a short walk to check out the South Branch, which is a tributary coming in just below take-out. On our last night on the Middle Feather it had rained throughout the night so the river came up about 800cfs and also caused the tributaries in the area to come up as well. At take-out, South Branch looked liked a good flow, so we made out next stop the put-in to South Branch. We spent 2 days running the steep creek with good flows on our first day and a bit lower on the second. Both the Middle Feather and South Branch were PFD’s (personal first descents) for myself and held some ultra classics drops and rapids.

The Sueños continued the trip to the North Coast to do some boating on the Trinity and the Cal Salmon area. We drove up to the Cal Salmon after getting a lap in on Burnt Ranch and the night brought a good constant downpour of rain. A friend of ours, Evan, claimed that he had a buddy who had a house near take out and we would not have to camp outside in the rain. Well like a many good plans on road trips, things just tend to change. So there we where at 10:30pm at Jimmy’s house with no Jimmy around and still plenty of rain coming down. We left to head up to the put-in of the Nordhiemer section on the Cal Salmon to camp. When we arrived we where stoked to see a camp of rafters with tarps and easy-up shelters set up with a raging fire and hooting wildly.

　

Some of the best things about the river are the people you meet along the way. We met an amazing group of people and hung at there camp for the next few days. They had all the good set-up for a multi-day raft trip; tarps, kitchen, tables, chairs and beers for all. It was a great 3 day weekend hanging with these guys and getting laps on the Cal Salmon at some juicy flows.

The return of the North Coast trip brought us back to Lotus for a few days before I parted ways with Chris to go to the Kern for a wedding and some chorbel time with friends. I met up with Becca and enjoyed a good celebration for Tom and Amanda’s wedding then ended up sticking around and teaching guide school for 4 days on the Kern with KRO. It was good to be back in the homeland and see some of my favorite people and enjoy a beautiful river even though it was a bit on the low side.

　

After a good time on the Kern, Becca and myself headed up to Groveland and packed some gear to head into upper cherry creek for a few days of camping in the backcountry. The hike was amazing and was really good to camp out at Flinstone camp for a couple days of sunshine and chilling. Its amazing that for how many people live in California there are still places where you can go and be all alone.

From hiking Becca continued on her own little suenos trip up North and I was back to kayaking. I met up with Chris again and we made the drive south to the Kaweahs with Kiwi Gordy and met up with a crew of paddles down south. We spent a few days at Three Rivers, boating something everyday and getting our boof on. I really do love the Kaweah drainage and it is probably some of my favorite boating around. From the Kaweahs we headed North to Dinkey Creek which is a super steep tributary to the Kings and consist of multiple huge slides and waterfalls, epic overnighter. To start off May and celebrate my birthday we did a 2 day trip on the South Merced and I finished up back here in Groveland. Now I am hanging around and getting into the working scene with All Outdoors up here on the Tuolumne, and have got my first few trips. Spring Season has been great and my love for California continues to grow. Life is Good.

Curt on the perfect 20ft @ Dinkey Creek



Chill out time below Nikki Kelleys @ Dinkey Creek



Chris @ South Silver

Thomas @ South Silver

Gordy @ East Fork Kaweah

 

Me @ Dinkey Creek photo: Curt Lamberth

Hiking toward Flinstone camp @ Upper Cherry Creek

 

 

 

Another kayak video edit I put together from Mexico goods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=238csyXE0oY

Last days in Mexico.

The end only seems to be a part of a beginning. Finishing up a trip lets me look back and realize how good life really is. Mexico was amazing and will always be amazing. The last few months we have been living on the beach, staying with good friends, taking trains into large canyons away from the coast and hanging with family. At the beach we were posted up with Kiwi Dave and his family, trying to get my shred on with little Pols and keep in training with Dave. It was refreshing to have a good spot to chill out at and always good to enjoy home cooked meals and cold beers with some good folks on a daily basis. With the surf lacking a bit some days did feel a bit Groundhogish but there were a few sessions that pushed out some gems.

For the last few weeks in Mexico my parents joined for some of the Mexy adventures and made the drive North with Becca and I. After living out of a tent or the van for a few months it was nice to have my parents along and actually stay in some beds in hotels for a change. We cruised around Puerto Vallarta area for a few days staying in Sayulita and Chacala relaxing and getting a little waves here and there. From there we made a visit to Jose and family in Aticama.

We arrived to Jose’s house with tears in our eyes as we embraced Jose and his family, remembering his wife and mother to all, Petra. Petra passed away a few months back and this was part of the reason my parents wanted to join us, so they could visit Jose as well. When we arrived Saturday afternoon and after a few hugs and tears, we were again brought to sadness to hear that Jose’s father had just passed away the day before. The family would be attending a funeral in a few hours for Jose’s dad at there local church then they would take the casket over to the small cemetery by the beach to bury Grandfather Perez.

With the end of his life and the remembrance of a great man the following day we attended a wedding for one of his sons who was about to start his new life with his bride to be. It went from one tragic day to a day of celebration and joy for the new couple. I think Jose and his family were blessed to spend a few days with my parents and us before we continued North.

Our last adventure of the trip was a visit into the land of the legendary Tarahumara people in the copper canyons. We stayed a night in the town of El Fuerte and left the van for a few days to take the train up into the copper canyons. The next few days were spent doing some day hikes around the canyon and waking up to stunning views from our hotel that overlooked the Urique canyon. The copper canyons were amazing and it gave me a desire to want to come back and do a bit more exploring, maybe in times of “lluvia” and with a kayak.

The drive back to Arizona took us 2 leisurely days to get into Phoenix were we spent the night with my aunt Vicky before heading back to San Diego. It is always a weird feeling to return from a long trip and be back in the States but I am also excited for this upcoming spring and summer to be able to play in the great outdoors of the West. Once again Mexico has provided us with so much beauty and I cant wait for a return…

Well that return only lasted about 2 days, we went back to the Casa in Baja for another surf and to work on the house. Now the truck is packed with the new Kayak and camping gear and Tour de Suenos will start in Cali real soon. Hope you enjoyed the travels and the collection of photos. Nunca dejas de vivir tu sueno!



A few fun waves



Always good in the Barrel.
 

 

Family photo with Jose.

The train heading into the copper canyon region.

 

Tarahumara selling some crafts along the train route

 

Video of first kayaking stuff

I am back stateside now and uploaded a short video of some fun from the first few rivers. Enjoy

Sunsets, Sunrises and Discos

Starting from a few days before New Years we have been living the chorbel beach life at Rio Nexpa. Life here in Mexico always tends to be relaxed and easy living. We posted up on the beach, closest spot we could get to the point. Part of me was a bit hesitant to camp pretty much right in the open but it has turned out to be just the right place. With the tent set up under the palapa, outdoor kitchen facing the ocean and hammocks strung up between the palapa, we found the perfect place to hang out for the month.

The daily routine makes me feel a bit like I am living the retired life. Wake up with the sunrise, put on the coffee pot and either read a bit or journal while we drink a pot of coffee. The surf has had its days but most of the time a bit on the smaller side which has been good for my long board practice. This time of year is said to be the down season for waves but by no means is it a bad place to spend the winter. Another great thing about having our palapa camp right on the beach is that most surfers tend to pass right by our camp before paddling out and it has given us the chance to meet some really cool people.

Almost every morning Jonathan comes by with his 2 yellow labs and usually a fish or two that he caught in his net or with the rod. Then a few weeks into our trip local legend/ gringo expat Pabline showed up and he tends to enjoy a cup of coffee and talk story of the good old days in Mexico or some other travel story of days in Indo or some far off destination. But most the time Becca and I are able to enjoy the sunrise and coffee together before getting the energy to paddle out for a surf.

Afternoons are spent reading in the hammocks and usually that hunger for one of those great Licuados gets us to walk over to Chichos restaurant for a game of cards and a cold drink. I have also gotten some fun uncrowned afternoon sessions when my motivation is up after the card games and Licuados. Then my favorite time of the day comes in the evening when we break out that bottle of tequila and fresca and make those dirt bag margaritas for sunset.

After about a week at Nexpa our propane tank ran out of gas and forced us to head south to the city of Lazaro to try and refill the tank. With no luck because apparently the valve broke and to buy a new tanks does not seem like a good investment, we head to the market in search of the “Disco.” After a quick walk around and twenty bucks later we are heading back to Nexpa with our new cooking utensil. Since drift wood is in abundance the evening cocktails lead into a campfire and then cooking up a feast. We have made a bunch of good meals including; rice and enchiladas, pasta with veggies, teriyaki stir fry and pretty much anything we have around to through in the big disco.

Now as I sit here and write this blog we are enjoying some fun beach break barrels at the beloved Pascuales. Life is good.

 

 

 

 

At the Beach Amigo

So the kayaking part of the trip is finally over, I would love to find some more river goodness along the way but in ways of kayaks, all the boats where left to live on in Veracruz. No more kayaks, just surfboards, boardshorts and hopefully that fishing pole will come out soon as well. Since leaving Veracruz area about 2 weeks ago I made the long drive to Salina Cruz. My co-pilot, Becca, was on her own little surf/family visit in Nexpa and Puerto Vallarta so I was riding solo in the SuenosMobile. I got to Salina Cruz, home to legend right hand point breaks, only to find that this time of the year is mostly windy and small surf. So after a few spot checks I headed north to Hualtulco area to check a few other spots only to find some small beachbreaks.

Small warm water waves

After sleeping in the back of the van for a couple nights in the parking area of a beachbreak I headed up north to visit some new Italian friends, Rikki and Valeria, in the quaint beach town of San Agustinillo. It was nice not to sleep in the hot van and actually have a bed with a fan. My days waiting for Becca to return where spent surfing the nearby beachbreaks, bodysurfing some closeouts, teaching Rikki how to surf and enjoying the evening sunsets on the beach. It feels good to be back on the ocean, the relaxed chorble lifestyle is once again alive.

 

 

Always good days at the beach

 

When Becca arrived we spent a few days with Rikki and Valeria before heading north to Puerto Escondido. With not much surf on the arrival we opted out for some tasty Micheladas and burgers on the beachfront. After a good little buzz and a drift around town I decided to paddle out for a sunset session. While checking the surf it looked  fun, not crowded 3-4ft with peaks up and down the beach. But somehow when I walked to the beach with my board, everyone and there mom decided to go for a surf. After struggling to get a wave to myself, right when I was over the crowd I paddle back out for one last wave before darkness set in. There it was a good set with no damn boogieboards or old locals scrapping for the wave, just me and a perfect A-frame. I dropped in, stood up just as the lip through over me and gave a few pumps in the barrel before escaping through the doggie-door(before the wave closes out).



With no one out at Ventura I had some good practice

Trying to get up there

 

Not a bad tent spot

With a tough nights sleep out of the SuenosMobile at the end of town and not much surf in the morning we continued heading North. With roads in Mexico never taking as long as expected we only made it about 150miles in 6 hours of driving. But we were rewarded with some excellent camping and a fun right at this random beach we decided to drive down, Playa Ventura. I guess it pays off to drive down those random roads and see what is at the end. So after 3 days of surf, read, eat, chorbel we are once again on the road. This time still heading north into the better surf zones for this time of the year, Michocan. Now I am trying to stay dry with an ear infection hanging around and hopefully some surf for Christmas. Life is Good.

 

Pulling in a sandy closeout mess

 

Another Video update

http://vimeo.com/55830731

 

 

A Sweet edit that Chris and his buddy produced after Chris headed back to Gringolandia for the winter. It was great to charge with you mate, glad you came along for the Suenos Living. Watch out Spring, the suenos crew will be shredding Cali up!!!