Femme 45 Disasters

Okay, here it is! The Femme 45 carnage collection featuring the best crashes of our kayaking misadventures. Don't try this at home . . .

More Film Fest Fun

Another girly entry from the PDXKayaker Film Festival. No...we don't have any fun. ;)

"Girls of the Gorge" - PNW style! from Heather Herbeck on Vimeo.

Thanks Heather for the awesome video!

F45 Carnage Teaser

It's that time of year again! The PDX Kayaker Film Festival is this Thursday, Nov. 17th!

Femme 45 entered a carnage segment this year!!! We've accumulated footage of all our biggest crashes into one entertaining bloopers reel, Femme 45 Disasters. Here's a quick sneak peak of the action:

Happy Halloween

Here's a video of my favorite Halloween tradition, a costume run down the White Salmon's Green Truss!

I look forward to this every year. Paddlers go all out with their amazing costumes and it's so much fun to see a colorful line of kayaks, wigs and capes charging down the river.

Big thanks to the Herbeck's for organizing and to Drew Eastman for the video!

Nature Connections

Drew Eastman and I recently had the opportunity to work with photographer Tim McGuire and his project to create images of people in their connection with nature. I was intrigued by his idea after reading this excerpt from his blog because I can completely relate:

"While I very much appreciate the variety, convenience, and creative energy of the city, nature has always been my “church”, so to speak. The moments in my life when I’ve felt the most “in the moment”, spiritual, and/or alive, have always happened while exploring the natural world. These moments are at the core of who I am: such moments motivate and inspire me as a person and a visual artist . . .

Those moments are why I get outside into the natural world. That is what inspires me and makes me feel alive and connected. I imagine it is the same for many others."

I have always had a deep love and respect for the outdoors, and as a kayaker I've found my strongest connect with the environment through water. There is something about the element that is motivating, thrilling, inspiring and calming all at once. I am definitely happiest and feeling most alive when I am on the river. It is a connection powerful enough to influence how I have chosen to live my life, so that I can always be surrounded by water.

This relationship is vivid in Tim's images of Drew and I, taken on the SF Snoqualmie River, WA. For more photos of HUMAN NATURE connections, check out Tim's blog:

http://timmcguireimages.wordpress.com/

Lava Canyon

Here's a bunch of photos from my fall hike up Lava Canyon. I started at the Lower Smith Creek Trailhead near Mt. Saint Helens. This beautiful trail runs along the rim of a cool gorge where the Muddy River drops over a lot of steep lava chute waterfalls. It's about 6 miles round trip. Man, I love where I live!!!