The best weekend ever usually consists of a long day on my bike, a solid day on the river in my kayak, and a big ol' BBQ with some friends. This last weekend was exactly that... the best weekend ever.

The Northwest Creeking Competition is to paddlers what Sea Otter is to mountain bikers. A much smaller event, the creeking comp. is in it's 7th year, and as organizer Luke Spencer, puts it,"...the NWCC is a thriving 2 day event and one of the biggest races in the country! The event boasts 2 amazing race courses on both the East Fork of the Lewis River and Canyon Creek. The event headquarters is set at scenic Sunset Falls Campground where participants can enjoy a great view of racers negotiating beautiful Sunset Falls, enjoy a great BBQ, music, and share stories...

The Upper East Fork of the Hood is a continuous class IV river located on the Northern slopes of Mt. Hood. It takes a lot of rain or a fast snowmelt in the winter/spring months to bring the water level up. With no gauge to check the level, it's hard to catch when it's in, which is usually only once or twice a season. Earlier this year, it rained for 4 days straight, and we rallied south along highway 35 to see the river at a perfect flow. Enjoy the photos, however, apologize for the lack of on-water pictures...