BRT Insights - WW Kayaking & Hiking

Newsfeed Basics - 1 What is a newsfeed?

Newsfeeds are a convenient system for accessing and reading a wide variety of frequently updated content on the Internet (i.e. news, bulletin boards, blogs, etc.). The best and most modern content providers on the Internet make their news content available as newsfeeds. Newsfeeds are a "pull system" - subscribers get only the newsfeeds that they have requested and they can read them at their convenience. Newsfeeds are less contaminated with the spam, popups and other unintended consequences than many of the other online news sources.

Newsfeed reading systems enable you to gather the newsfeeds you like into one central location. Then you can quickly see what is new and interesting in all of the newsfeeds to which you are subscribed. These newsfeeds can be read either through your web browser software or through special newsfeed reader software.

How to recognize when a site offers a newsfeed ??

Look for small rectangular graphics, often at the bottom of the page. Originally, these were small orange boxes that identified the format used to create the newsfeed.


(The sample graphics above are not hyperlinked.) On a page where newsfeeds are available these graphics will be hyperlinked to the newsfeeds. If you click on the graphics you will see just a page of unreadable code because your web browser software alone cannot display the newsfeed in a readable form.

How to subscribe to a newsfeed ??

Get the Internet address for the newsfeed by right-clicking on the graphic (Mac equivalent = Ctrl-click), then click on Copy Link Location. Then paste the location for the newsfeed into whatever system you choose for viewing the newsfeed (see upcoming article).

Recently this has proliferated with additional graphics that represent various systems used to read the newsfeeds. On a page where a newsfeed is available clicking on these graphics will take you to the Internet sites where you can register for a free account and subscribe to the newsfeeds that you want to read. (These sample images are not hyperlinked.)


The next article in this series will describe some of the systems you can use to read these newsfeeds.

Future posts in this series: Tips for Bloggers.

Tags: rss, atom, newsfeeds, aggregation.

Labels: blog

Chili Bar Run, SF American River, kayaking Feb 25, 2006

JimH, BobL and I drove up to Coloma, set shuttle at the Hwy 49 bridge and drove up to Placerville for put-in on the Chili Bar Run. There were a few rafters and a couple of other kayakers getting ready, but once we got on the river we had the place almost entirely to ourselves on an unusually warm, sunny winter day with great flows. (El Dorado County, California, United States)

I found myself boating with The Wave Sport team including JimH (EasyG 60 kayak), BobL (Z kayak) and me (Frankenstein kayak). The river flow was 2000 cfs when we put on, but was rising all day, so we got up to probably 2500 cfs before we were done. I caught more eddies in Meatgrinder Rapid than I did on my last trip up there earlier this month. Maybe I'm getting some of my timing back, but my boating stamina is still much less than it used to be.


Photos by JimH - mouse over for captions.

Surfing at Maya Rapid was great. The wave was long enough for long boats to play without burying their bows. The back side of the wave was high enough for short boats to stay on the wave easily. Jim really got a lot of good rides there. The wave below Maya Rapid was also great - Bob & I got a lot of good rides on that one.

We ran into MikeF and Hilde just below Maya Rapid. They did some surfing while we had lunch at First Threat Rapid. At this flow First Threat was a longer, deeper and wider version of the wave at Maya Rapid. Mike was especially impressive with his front surf and spin moves. Then MikeF and Hilde blasted off downstream. Jim did some surfing at First Threat after lunch.

We all portaged Troublemaker Rapid on the left. The rocks sticking out from river-left are breaking down and becomming more of a sieve hazard than they were in the past. There are some boatable lines through this rapid, but if you miss your line you may not like where you end up. Looking back upstream I noticed that the channel straight down on river-right was wider than it was last time when I saw it at a lower flow. Next time I'm going to check out the right side up close and maybe run it over there.

On the way home we stopped in Rancho Cordova for dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory and some shopping at California Canoe & Kayak.

Tags: kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling.

Please click on the comments link to add your thoughts (see next line below).

Labels: trip

Publicise Your Blog - 4 Register with Technorati

Technorati is a leader in cataloging the blogosphere and in building communities of blog writers and blog readers. If you want to attract more readers to your blog, then get into the Technorati system ASAP.

Publicity Strategy

1. Register yourself and your blog at Technorati.

2. Whenever you write a new post for your blog include the code for any Technorati Tags (= keywords) that relate to the subject of the post.

3. Immediately after uploading new posts to your blog you should ping the Technorati site. Then Technorati will visit your blog and look for the new content you have posted.

4. Links to your new blog posts will appear very quickly on the Technorati pages corresponding to the tags you have embedded into your blog posts. Very cool!!

5. Hopefully some people will find your blog and start reading it. If they are really clever they might subscribe to the newsfeed from your blog to keep informed whenever you post new content on your blog.

Previous posts in this series:

Tips for Bloggers.

Tags:

weblog, weblogs, blog, blogging, blogs.

Labels: blog

New access point adds 3 mi of whitewater on the Cache Creek Rumsey Run

Bill Tuthill describes the Cache Creek Rumsey Run "from Yolo County regional park to Rumsey bridge. .... putting in at Buck so-called Island extends this trip with 3 more miles of good whitewater." (Yolo County, California, United States)

Yolo County Dept. Public Works says that the County Road 40 access from Hwy 16 to Buck Island closes every year in mid-Oct and reopens mid-April (county bulletin - road closures). Call 530-666-8775 for current road conditions.

Using Buck Island Campground as a put-in and/or take-out may turn out to be a great spring/summer resource for kayaking (Cache Creek area maps - South section - download map as PDF). The campground has some shiny, new bathrooms. Plan on packing out your trash and bringing your own drinking water. Call the BLM office in Ukiah for more information about facilities available (Phone: 707-468-4000).

Putting in at Buck Island and taking out at the Low Water Bridge would make a nice daytrip, overlapping with the standard 6 mile Cache Creek Rumsey Run. I'll be interested to kayak the section above the Bear Ck/Cache Ck confluence at spring/summer flows. In the past I've only paddled this section at winter flood flows of 3,000 to 10,000 cfs. Kayaking this section at summer flows of 500 to 800 cfs will be like exploring a new river. Because it has a reliable release for irrigation this extra 3 miles on Cache Creek will be a great addition to our limited list of summertime whitewater river runs.

Taking out at Buck Island Campground may also extend the season on the Cache Creek Wilderness Run, either by enabling a shorter daytrip to be completed at lower flows and/or by enabling an overnight trip to be done.

As soon as they reopen the County Road 40 Low Water Bridge crossing over Cache Creek lets go up there and check it out!! Let me know if you are interested to join the exploratory boating trips.

Tags: kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling.

Labels: trip

Stretching for Kayaking, Rafting and Canoeing

Warming up and stretching are critical, but often neglected parts of paddle boating. Upper body flexibility and range-of-motion are important for good paddle technique. It is possible to just jump into our boats and work out the kinks as we head down the river or onto the ocean, but I find that stretching before I dress for boating is the most effective stretching routine to set me up for a great day. On kayaking trips when I haven't done a good job of warming up and stretching before getting on the water I often waste much of the morning feeling stiff and clumsy until my body warms up and loosens up from boating.

Stretching has been a big part of my active lifestyle. This includes kayaking, soccer and the mid-week fitness program that has enabled me to keep playing my favorite sports at an age where many others have retired to the couch. As we get older we all lose much of the flexibility that we had as kids, but a little time invested in stretching can help us all to maintain greater flexibility. Stretching is helpful in the morning before boating, after lunch, and at the end of the boating day. Stretching can also greatly relieve the stiffness the next morning after the big boating trip. Strength training shortens our muscles, so stretching is important to maintain flexibility and range-of-motion. Stretching and strengthening are also important parts of recovering after an injury and getting back into your favorite activities.

Stretching Guidelines

Warm up a little before stretching.
Use continuous pressure to stretch in the resistance zone.
Don't push or pull so hard that the stretch becomes painful.
Hold the stretch for 20 sec. for small muscles in hands and arms
Hold the stretch for 30-40 sec for large muscles in legs and torso.
Breathe and relax other body parts while stretching.

Stretch Before Dressing for Boating

The most important stretches for paddlers are in the arm/shoulder and torso areas of our bodies. Arm/shoulder muscles move our paddles into position and then torso rotation is the powerful motor that powers our boats when we paddle with proper technique. Stretching my hamstrings (muscles on the back side of the thigh) is also critical for good comfort and performance when I go kayaking. Here are some of my favorite stretches for boating.

Shoulders 1. Put your elbow under your chin, use the other hand to push the elbow around towards the opposite shoulder. To intensify the stretch rotate your shoulders in the same direction that you are pushing. Repeat with the opposite elbow.

Shoulders 2. Lift your arm up and put your wrist behind your head, use the other hand to pull the wrist towards the opposite shoulder. To intensify the stretch bend your torso to the side in the direction that you are pulling. Repeat with the opposite wrist.

Torso rotation. Sit down with one leg straight out in front. Bend the other leg, cross over the straight leg and put foot down outside the knee. Use the elbow to push on the bent knee and rotate away from the straight leg. Repeat on the opposite side. Stretches lower back, side of hip, and neck.

Hamstrings/lower back. Sit down with both legs straight out in front. Grab your feet and pull your nose towards your toes. To intensify the stretch do each leg separately.

Stretching in the Boat

Sometimes I'm already in my boat when I realize that I forgot to stretch. Its never quite as good to stretch after the pfd and drysuit are on but this is better than nothing.

Hamstrings/lower back. Kayakers can lean forward and pull steadily on their front grab loop. Canoers can lean forward and pull on a thwart or gunwales. Rafters can reach down and touch their toes while seated in the boat.

Shoulders 1 & 2. These stretches can be done at any time (see above).

Torso rotation. Rotate to place a paddle blade outside the boat in front of you, then push on the top hand to use the paddle as leverage to get a strong steady stretch of torso rotation.

Books on Stretching

See my book reports on stretching. Every body is different, so check out the books to find the stretches that will help out on your body's tension spots.

Tags

kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling, rafting, canoeing.

What is Your Pre-Boating Routine ??

Please click on the comments link and lets discuss your warm-up and stretching methods.

Labels: technique

Stretching for Paddling Boat Trips (book reports)

Stretching in the Office

By Bob Anderson. Stretches that you need while sitting at your desk or at your computer turn out to be many of the same stretches that are good preparation for sitting in our boats all day. This great little book covers lots of stretches that are useful at work or at play. (**** - my rating 4 stars out of 5)

Desktop Yoga

By Julie T. Lusk. This book describes stretching and relaxing using yoga methods. It provides more of a whole body approach including some philosophy of wellness and lifestyle. (*** - my rating 3 stars out of 5)

Stretching

By Bob Anderson. This is the big book on stretching that covers all parts of the body and stretches for a very wide range of activities. (***** - my rating 5 stars out of 5)



Tags: kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling, rafting, canoeing.

Labels: book

New Put-in for the Bear Creek Whitewater Run into Cache Creek

Today JimH and I did some road scouting. We stopped at the grocery store in Winters to get some stuff for lunch. I also picked up some great beef jerky for snacks. A light dusting of snow on the Coast Range and the almond trees in bloom in the Capay Valley made it a great day to be out and about. Not too many big birds around today, but we saw at least a dozen different kinds of little birds while having lunch overlooking the creek.

There is a new put-in point for the Bear Creek Whitewater Run into Cache Creek (Colusa County, California, United States). Cowboy Camp is on BLM land on Hwy 16 about 1 mi south of the Hwy 20 intersection. There are 2 toilets, lots of free parking, and convenient river access. There is not currently a sign on Hwy 16 marking the turnoff into Cowboy Camp, but the toilets are visible from the hwy.

Distances on the Creek:

Cowboy Camp to First Bridge - 2.3 mi
      class I and class II warmup section
First Bridge to Second Bridge - 1 mi
      Ursa 1, Ursa 2 and Ursa 3 Rapids class IV/V
Second Bridge to Cache Ck confluence - 2.7 mi
      class III/IV and ending with class II

This great whitewater run is quite pretty despite the proximity of the road. The road is very lightly travelled and is not visible from the creek over much of the run. The flow on this run spikes up quickly after a winter or spring rainstorm and then goes down quickly, so it is difficult to catch this creek at an optimum flow.

Tags: kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling.

Labels: trip

Frankenstein kayak by Wave Sports (review)

SPECIFICATIONS

Hull type: displacement
Material: cross-linked polyethylene
Length: 9 feet, 9 inches
Width: 24 inches
Weight: 35 pounds
Volume: 57 gallons
Paddler weight range: 120 to 190 pounds

BOAT CHARACTERISTICS

Stability: 1             (ratings 1=low, 5=high)
Ease of Rolling: 5
Maneuverability: 3
Hull Speed: 3

WHITEWATER

River Running: 4
Playboating: 2
Steep Creeks: 1
Big Water: 4

BOATER LEVELS

Beginner: 1
Intermediate: 4

For my first kayak review I decided to practice by writing about the old, trusty Frankenstein that I has been my primary whitewater kayak for many years. I have paddled enough other kayaks over this time to provide some perspective. The Frankenstein has carried me through many miles of paddling on many types of class 2 to class 4 whitewater. Surprisingly, it was promoted as a rodeo kayak when it first came out. The Frankenstein is entirely unlike the rodeo kayaks of today, but it has many virtues in other boating areas.

The round-bottom displacement hull is relatively tippy and unstable, but it rolls back up with equal ease. This instability also makes it easy to get the kayak up on edge and use the modest rocker of the hull for good maneuverability. The soft edges down the length of the stern provide nice controlled maneuverability, and don't tend to grab and stick unexpectedly when engaged. The Frankenstein snaps into eddies quite nicely for a kayak of its length.

The length of 9 feet, 9 inches is very long by today's standards, which provides a kayak with good hull speed, good tracking and good ferrying characteristics.

The Frankenstein is very good as a river running kayak, with its nice combination of speed and maneuverability. There is enough space in the stern for a gear-hound like me to carry a breakdown paddle, first aid kit, lunch, drinks, throwbag and a few items of warm clothes in reserve. It also works very well in big water with the hull speed and good volume in the bow, but it does need to be paddled aggressively in big water to prevent the low volume stern from being squirted unexpectedly.

The Frankenstein is OK for playboating (bow surfing, enders and other vertical moves), but it needs a relatively long wave to avoid burying the bow. The Frankenstein is not good as a creekboat (too long, too pointy, too little volume in the stern).

The Frankenstein is too unstable to be a beginner kayak, but intermediate paddlers with good skills in edge control, balance, brace and roll will find this kayak very good over a wide range of whitewater conditions. Thanks again to the friend who sold me her old unwanted kayak. I'm not planning to resell my Frankenstein anytime soon.


(photo by JimH)

REFERENCES

Outside Online Buyer's Guide, Spring 1997.
Rodeo Kayaks - advnet.com.
The River Intimate - Away.com.

TAGS

kayaking, paddling, whitewater, rivers.

Labels: equipment

Reviews - Equipment for Whitewater Kayaking (subtopic)

• Sunscreen and Other Strategies for Protection Against UV During Outdoor Sports. • Canon PowerShot A490 - digital camera.
• GPS Receivers and Mapping Methods for Photography while Travelling.
• Repairing Your Polyethylene Kayak or Canoe by Welding or Patching.
• Waterproof Digital Cameras for Paddleboaters, Hikers and other Outdoor Adventurers.
• Photos & videos on whitewater river paddleboating trips - are you serious about photography?
• Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 waterproof camera.
• Float Tubing Equipment for a Fun Day on the River.
• Garmin GPSMap 76S is a useful tool for outdoor exploration 02sept2008.
• Taking photos while kayaking whitewater rivers is really challenging 28july2008.
• New cameras in the Olympus Stylus waterproof camera series - 1030SW & 850SW - 12june2008.
• Make sure your sunscreen is safe and effective 25may2008.
• Dashboard GPS Map - Garmin StreetPilot c530.
• Sun Block - More info and more recommended brands - BruceH Insights.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock 70 SPF - Product Review.
• Kayakers, Rafters and Canoers Need the Best Sunscreen Protection.
• Choose a good sunscreen & use it well.
• Olympus 720SW waterproof camera.
• Repair cracked kayaks with duct tape and a hair dryer.
• Kayaking Equipment Purchase Directory.
• Frankenstein kayak by Wave Sports (review).

Back to: BRT Kayaking Homepage. | Sitemap.

Labels: equipment, subtopic

Purpose Statement - Blogging about whitewater kayaking in California

1. Whitewater river boating. Express my passion for kayaking and my esteem for whitewater paddlers and oarsmen who choose other types of rivercraft.

2. Networking with friends. Keeping in touch with old friends and finding new friends who love whitewater adventures.

3. Stimulate conversation within the whitewater community. PLEASE click on the comments link at the bottom of each blog entry and add your comments in response to things that are posted on the blog.

4. Resource for class 2, 3 & 4 boating. Create an online resource for beginning and intermediate level paddlers.

5. Basic boating skills. Organizing and expressing my thoughts about the full range of individual and group skills needed to be safe and have fun on the river.

6. Focus on California whitewater. Covering my home base in California and wherever else I am lucky enough to go paddling.

7. Blogging about blogging. Chronicling my experiences in learning how to make the best blog possible.

8. Guest authors welcome. Friends who don't (yet!!) have their own blogs are strongly encouraged to send new information for posting on this blog via email or via the contact form.

Labels: blog

Publicise your blog - 3 register in online directories.

Registering your blog in online directories and search engines will make it easier for more interested readers to find your blog. Directory registrations provide two types of benefits to your blog. The directory will create a hyperlink to your blog on one of their pages and this hyperlink may bring some traffic of interested readers to your blog. In addition, having more hyperlinks pointing to your blog will increase the rank of your blog in the search engines which may also lead to more reader traffic coming to your blog. There are dozens of online directories that specialize in cataloging the blogosphere.

A. Get some content into your blog

Get some content into your blog before trying to register it. Many of the higher ranking directories will decline your application if your blog doesn't have enough unique content to offer. Encourage your friends to post comments on your blog. Their comments add content to your blog. Post some comments on other people's blog sites and include links back to your blog. This buzz of conversation will also help to make your blog more interesting to the editors of the directories. (See previous post on blog publicity via hyperlinks.)

B. Set up a personal account

Some directories require that you set up a personal account before you can register your blog. Be prepared to give your real name and email address. Plan on creating a username and password for your account. Some directories will send you an email message with a link you need to click on to activate your account.

C. Register your blog

The more directories you register with the better! Some will register your blog instantly, while others will take weeks or months. Getting registered first at some low ranking directories will help you later when applying to the higher ranking directories. Some directories will require that you place some tracking code or a link back to the directory on your blog.

Various directories will require you to submit different types of information about your blog. Prepare these keyword-rich items in advance. (See previous post on blog publicity via keywords.) Expect to submit some or all of the following information:
* Blog name
* Blog URL
* Blog description
* Keywords
* Date when your blog originated
* URL of your blog's newsfeed (RSS, XML, Atom, etc.)

Don't stress if a directory declines your application. Just reapply in 6 months when your blog has more content, better content and more incoming hyperlinks.

D. Put a traffic meter on your blog

If you want to measure the results from all this effort you can register with an online traffic service, place some code on your blog and then the service can record how many visitors come to your website over time.
http://www.webstat.com/
http://www.statcounter.com/
Keep in mind that some of the directories will visit your site frequently using robots to check for updated content, so not all of your traffic will be human visitors.

(keywords: blog, web log, register, registration, directory, directories, traffic)

Previous posts in this series:
Tips for Bloggers.


Tags: rss, atom, feeds, aggregation.

Labels: blog

Here is a list of directories where people can register to gain more publicity for their blogs on the Internet. The list is ranked based on Google PageRank (10=high, 0=low). Getting your blog registered at the higher ranking directories is more valuable to you. High ranking blogs may be more selective, take longer to respond and may be more likely to refuse your application if your blog doesn't have good quantity and quality of content and lots of incoming hyperlinks. My advice is to get your blog registered at some of the lower ranking directories before applying to the high ranking directories.

Updated Oct 29, 2010.

Technorati PR8 Blog Catalog PR7 IceRocket PR7 Globe of Blogs PR7 Blogdigger PR7 Gigablast PR7 BlogoWogo PR6 LSBLOGS PR6 BlogHop PR6 Eatonweb PR6 We Blog A Lot PR6 Weblogs Yahoo PR6 Blog Flux PR6 truthlaidbear PR6 BlogTopSites PR6 requires code Search4Blogs PR5 BlogTree PR5 Syndic8 PR5 Bulletize PR5 requires link BlogFinds PR5 Blogniscient PR5 via email Resource Central PR5 Blog Directory Bloghints PR5

juaxoo PR4 Blogsearchengine PR4 Bloggernity PR4 Bloghub PR4 Blog Rankings PR4 Glitter PR4 Team Skaffe PR4 Blogarama PR4 Free web directory Pegasus PR4 yourwebloghere PR3 Blog Search PR3 Blog Universe PR3 canoeingandkayaking.toplisted.net PR3 FreeWD.Org PR3 Thales Directory PR3 Directory Top PR3 Outdoor Directory PR2 DirectoryRecreation.com - The online recreation directory PR2 Directory Find PR0 Outdoor directory PR0 Outdoor Blogger Directory PRN

Notes:

a) Install the Google toolbar in your web browser to measure the PageRank of all blogs and websites that you visit.

b) Some directories require that your blog contain a hyperlink to the directory in exchange for the directory making a hyperlink to your blog.

c) Some directories require that you place some html code on your blog to help them keep updated whenever you make new posts on your blog.

d) Some directory applications are done via email or blog posting, but most are done via web form.

e) Some directories register your site almost instantly, while others take days, weeks or longer.

Labels: blog, directory

Chili Bar, SF American River, kayaking Feb 12, 2006

We had sparkling clear air and great views of the snowy Sierra on the drive up to Coloma. Erica and I drove together to the SF American River (El Dorado County, California, United States) based on my assumption that there would be lots of boaters there to join up with for shuttle. Oh well, that's not the first time I've been wrong. Fortunately we tore ourselves out of The River Store just in time. We met Steve & Christine at the Hwy 49 bridge, introduced ourselves and joined in their shuttle. It turned out that we were probably the only boaters who set shuttle from the bridge today. We saw 2 other groups of 3 kayakers each, 4 boogieboarders and 2 rafters on the river, but ours were the only cars at the bridge at the end of the day.

Unexpectedly I found myself boating with Team Dagger. Erica boating in her Dagger G Force 5.9, Steve in the Dagger Kingpin, and Christine in a Dagger ???. With the river flowing at 2200 cfs I got tossed around a little in Meatgrinder Rapid and a few other places, enough to remind me again how out-of-practice I am from boating so little the last couple of years. So boating in my trusty old familiar Wave Sport Frankenstein was definitely a big help in having fun and getting me downriver with some style and control. Fortunately I had resisted the urge to try out the playboat that I borrowed on Friday. This was definitely not a demoboat flow for an out-of-practice boater like me.

Steve, sometimes Erica and occasionally Christine were surfing up a storm in all the usual places. There was some epic surfing at First Threat Rapid especially. I got in a few good surfs on a great wave above Meatgrinder Rapid and on the great wave just below Maya Rapid, but I spent most of the day boating very carefully to make sure that I stayed out of trouble and didn't run out of gas before takeout.

We saw lots of Canada geese and occasionally some ducks. And then there was that giant eddy-shark that grabbed Steve's boat at Third Threat Rapid. The canyon walls were covered in nice fresh green grass, making it one of the prettiest times of year on the river.

Troublemaker Rapid is definitely more troublesome than it used to be. Two of us portaged, one ran it on far left and one ran on far right. I've never cared for unusually tough rapids at the end of an easier river run anyway.

On the way back to Davis Erica & I stopped for dinner at Thai Style Dining in Cameron Park - highly recommended! Mild seasoning was very fine, but maybe next time we can try medium hot. Then on the final leg of our drive home there was an incredible blazing red sunset with dramatic clouds to finish a glorious day with a flourish!

Tags: kayaking, whitewater, rivers, paddling.

Please click on the comments link to add your comments (see next line below).

Labels: trip

Forums provide a place online where the paddleboating community can discuss a wide range of whitewater-related topics. (Updated Jan 14, 2009.)

• Back to front page - Whitewater Blogs & Forums Directory.

Boof.com - PR5 California.

Canoekayak - PR4 international.
Playak - PR4 international.
BoaterTalk - PR4 international.
Northeast Paddlers - PR4 northeast USA.
rec.boats.paddle PR4 international.
Mountainbuzz - PR4 Colorado.
Teton Gravity Research - PR4 Wyoming.
Paddling.net - PR4 international.

Local Paddler - PR3 location ??
ukriversguidebook - PR3 UK.
allaboutrivers - PR3 USA.
Rapids Riders - PR3 Minnesota.

River Guides - PR2 USA.
WAV Paddling - PR2 Canada.

ProfessorPaddle - PR1 Northwest USA.

Dreamflows - PR-ND western USA.
Washington Kayak Club - PR-ND Washington.
Latta Outdoors - PR-ND USA.
My Kayaking Buddies - PR-ND USA.
Okanagan WW Kayakers - PR-ND Canada.
Kayakwest Forum - PR-ND Canada

More Blogs & Forums on White Water River Paddle Boating:

• ww kayaking personal blogs - PR4 to PR3 > PR2 to PR1 > PR0.
• ww rafting blogs, flat water paddle boating blogs.
• ww organization blogs, ww business blogs.
• ww photoblogs, ww videoblogs & ww socialblogs.
• ww forums & ww bulletin boards.

Forums and bulletin boards are the online community discussion tool that preceeded the blogs. Many forums have been updated with many of the same features available on the blogs, so this Whitewater Forums Directory is now linked as part of my Whitewater Blogs Directory.

PR = Google PageRank (scale from 0 to 10). The PageRank value has its limitations, but it is a quick, easy way to estimate the online popularity of a web page. (Publicise your blog via hyperlinks.)

More information:
• Whitewater River Kayaking & Rafting Directory - BRT Insights.
• Whitewater Topics at BRT Insights - Sitemap & Site Search.

Tags: kayaking, paddle boating, rafting, canoeing, whitewater, river.

Labels: blog, directory

Publicise your blog - 2 hyperlinks.

The quality and quantity of hyperlinks that point to your blog from other blogs or websites are important factors that search engines use to rank your blog. The exact formulas they use to calculate rankings are their secrets, but many of the factors that go into the search engine rankings are known.

PageRank and Link Text determine the quality of an incoming hyperlink.

A. Google PageRank.

PageRank is Google's system for evaluating the quality of webpages based largely on the quality and quantity of hyperlinks that point to the pages.

Other blogs and websites earn their PageRank by the number of incoming hyperlinks pointing to them. Then when sites make hyperlinks to your blog you get more rank benefit from links on pages that have earned high ranks. One incoming link from a high ranking webpage counts more than multiple links from lower ranking webpages.

The best way to learn the PageRank of the webpages you visit is to install the Google Toolbar add-on for your web browser software. Then the PageRank of every blog or webpage that you visit will display in the toolbar.

PageRank is only part of the system that Google uses to determine where your blog will rank in its search engine results. Google is currently the biggest and most powerful search engine, so many of the smaller search engines follow Google's lead. Thus, even though PageRank doesn't tell the entire story, optimizing your PageRank is worthwhile if you care about earning higher rankings for your blog.

B. Link Text.

Link text is the text that people click on to activate a hyperlink (often blue text with blue underline)(on this blog hyperlinks are orange text with orange underline). Incoming hyperlinks are more valuable to your blog's ranking if the link text contains some of the keywords that describe the content of your blog. Thus, "joe's blog" is poor link text, "joe's whitewater blog" may be better link text, and "joe's whitewater river kayaking adventures" might be the best link text.

Get more incoming links for your blog.

C. Link Quantity.

Incoming links from websites related to the topic of your blog are what you need. The more the better!! How do you get these incoming links? Register your blog with online directories and search engines. Ask all of your friends to make a link to your blog on their blogs or websites.

D. Your Comments on Another Blog or Forum.

Bloggers have a unique opportunity to create links back to their own blogs when they make comments on another blog, forum or discussion board. Make sure that your comments contain a good keyword-rich link back to your own blog. Links from highly ranked sites are worth more to the ranking of your blog than links made on a low ranking site.

Other posts in this series:
Publicise your blog - 1 keywords.
Publicise your whitewater blog - 3 register in online directories.

(keywords: link, hyperlink, link text, blog, web log, forum, discussion board)

Tags: rss, atom, feeds, aggregation.

Labels: blog

California Whitewater River Guides Directory.

(updated 27nov2008)

• Dreamflows. 210 gauge or estimated flow sites on California rivers (North Coast, Central & South Coast, Sacramento Valley, Sierra West Slope, Sierra East Slope). Extensively linked to real-time flow data, whitewater guides, topographic maps and weather sites.

• Eddyflower. Flow data for 78 locations in California and lists a total of 257 river runs. Also lists additional gauges and river run locations in 41 other states in the USA. Listing of River, Section, Class, Location, Gauge (USGS only), Flow (in cfs), Level rating & color coding (Unknown, Too Low, Low, Medium, High, Crankin).

• California Creeks. This site describes 160 river runs on California creeks and rivers, along with a few runs in other western states.

• American Whitewater - Rivers in California. 289 whitewater runs in California. Some runs are thoroughly described, while other runs have only minimal descriptions.

• Whitewater River Guides - BRT Insights. Describes over 100 class II, III & IV whitewater runs in California. Trip planning resources including whitewater descriptions, flow data, maps, local weather. Links to guidebooks, trip reports, photos & videos.

• OregonRafting.org. Describes whitewater runs on 6 California rivers and other rivers in Oregon, Washington & Idaho. Trip reports and photo gallery.

• awetstate.com. 48 whitewater river runs in California and 4 in Idaho.

• caliriver.com. 9 California river runs and others in the western USA.

• c-w-r.com. Describes whitewater runs on 20 California rivers.

More about: Whitewater River Kayaking Directory - BRT Insights.

Labels: directory

Sitemap (subtopic).

Subtopics covered in BRT Insights Whitewater Kayaking.

Kayaking Techniques. Kayaking Trip Reports. Reviews - Books, Videos. Reviews - Equipment. WW River Conservation. WW River Boating Guides. Food & Drink for Outdoor Recreation. Fitness for Kayaking. River Philosophy. Hiking Trip Reports. CA Hiking Trails Directory.

WW River Kayaking Directory. Equipment Purchase Directory. Kayaking News Directory. River News Directory. River Flows Directory. WW Blogs & Forums Directory. WW Forums Directory. California River Directory. (recreation & conservation websites) California Hiking Trails Directory * Personal & Community Hiking Sites * Statewide & Regional Parks & Hiking Areas * County Park Trails & Hiking Areas * Wiki Hiking Pages * Hiking Groups. * Hiking Photos Tips for Bloggers.

Web brt-insights.blogspot.com

Back to: BRT Insights - Whitewater River Kayaking Homepage.

Labels: subtopic

Whitewater Kayaking Techniques & Skills (subtopic)

I encourage all new paddleboaters to take whitewater boater training classes with a qualified instructor and to continue their learning by joining a whitewater boating club to participate in river trips with experienced whitewater paddleboaters.

• Whitewater Rescue Manual - New Techniques for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters - 1995 book review.
• Use the Buddy System for Safety Teamwork on Whitewater River Paddleboating Trips.
• Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Kayaking, 2004 - book review.
• Essentials of River Kayaking, 2004 - book review.
• River Tubing Skills, Techniques and Safety for your Float Tube River Trips.
• Play Daze, kayak playboating instructional video, VHS 1999 - review.
• SOAR - Skills On All Rivers: Intermediate and Advanced Kayaking Technique, VHS 2000.
• Essential Boat Control, whitewater kayaking instructional video, VHS 1996.
• How to get started in whitewater river kayaking.
• Kayakers need to operate upper body and lower body independently.
• Forward Sweep Stroke - Kayak Paddling Technique.
• Video Feedback for Whitewater Kayak Skills Training.
• Kayak Surfing Techniques 01 - Movie.
• All Braces Should be LOW Braces.
• Common Kayak Paddling Mistakes.
• Forward Paddle Stroke for Propelling Your Kayak - Animation.
• Sweep Stroke for Turning Your Kayak - Animation.
• Principles of kayak paddling strokes.
• How to hold your kayak paddle.
• Boating Clubs for whitewater river kayakers.
• Basic training classes for whitewater river kayakers.
• Basic Paddling & River Safety Skills for Class II Whitewater Kayaking.
• Perfecting your forward paddle stroke.

Back to: BRT Kayaking Homepage. | Sitemap.

Labels: subtopic, technique

Whitewater River Kayaking Trip Reports (subtopic)

Every trip is an adventure of one kind or another !! California white water is some of the best in the world !!

• Navarro River Water Trail Proposal - Class I/II Whitewater, Mendocino County, California.

2010 Kayaking Paddleboating on California Whitewater Rivers.

• Sacramento River kayaking - Anderson to Balls Ferry class I-II 08oct2010. Guest author KenD.
• Shirttail Run, NF American River, kayaking class II+, 11june2010.
• Shirttail Run, NF American River, whitewater kayaking class II+, 15may2010.
• Carson River whitewater rafting & kayaking access improvements 27april2010.
• C to G Run, SF American River, kayaking class II+, 23jan2010.

2009 Whitewater Kayaking & Playboating on California Rivers.

• Waterfall videos from MF Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park 30june2009.
• C to G Run, SF American River, kayaking class II+, 19sept2009.
• C to G Run, SF American River, kayaking class II+, 06sept2009.
• California River Flow Gages at Risk from Budget Cuts 04aug2009.
• Whitewater Rivers that Run all Summer for Paddleboating in California 26july2009.
• Electra Run, Mokelumne River, kayaking class II, 18jan2009.

2008 California Whitewater Adventures in my Kayak.

Trip Reports 2007 - Whitewater Kayaking Exploration.

Trip Reports 2006 - Kayaking on California Whitewater Rivers.

Back to: BRT Kayaking Homepage. | Sitemap.

Labels: subtopic, trip

Reviews - Books, Videos, Websites & Software (subtopic)

Whitewater river kayaking is a paddlesport that we must learn by getting out on the river and doing it! Fun, safety and performance on the river can be improved by learning many kayak paddleboating skills, styles and strategies in advance.

Jump down to: Books, Videos, Websites & Software.

Book Reviews

• Hooked on Hiking: Northern California: 50 Hiking Adventures.
• American River Canyon Hikes - trail guides for Auburn State Recreation Area.
• Wildflowers of Table Mountain, Butte County, California.
• Hiking to Waterfalls in California - Books.
• Whitewater Rescue Manual - New Techniques for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters - 1995.
• Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Kayaking, 2004.
• California River Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
• Essentials of River Kayaking, 2004.
• California Surfing Guidebooks & Travel Guides for the California Coast.
• Ocean Surf Kayaking Skills - paddlesports books & videos.
• The American River: North, Middle & South Forks, 1989.
• Sierra Whitewater - A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of California's Sierra Nevada, 1974.
• Down the Wild Rivers- A Guide to the Streams of California, 1972.
• Paddler's Atlas of U.S. Rivers West, 1993.
• Klamath River Access Guide - From Road to River's Edge, 2004.
• West Coast River Touring - Rogue River Canyon and South, 1974.
• Canoer's Guide to the Wild and Scenic Middle Klamath River 4th edition, 2006.
• Ann Dwyer's Easy Waters of California North, 2000.
• Kayak: The New Frontier, second edition 2007.
• Canoeing and Kayaking Instruction Manual, 1987.
• California Rivers and Streams: The Conflict Between Fluvial Process and Land Use, 1995.
• America's Wild and Scenic Rivers - National Geographic Society, 1983.
• Performance Kayaking, 1990.
• Western Whitewater From the Rockies to the Pacific, 1994.
• The Bombproof Roll and Beyond, 1993.
• The Best Whitewater in California, Third Edition 1998.
• Paddling Northern California by Charlie Pike, 2001.
• DeLorme Northern California Atlas & Gazetteer 6th edition, 2003.
• DeLorme Northern California Atlas - Road Maps for Kayakers.
• Stretching for Paddling Boat Trips.
• California Whitewater - A Guide to the Rivers, 1995.
• Kayak - Animated Manual of ... Whitewater Technique, 1986.

Video Reviews

• Videos vs. Photos for Documenting Outdoor Adventure Trips.
• Muir Woods National Monument - Walk in the Redwood Forest Cathedral 29may2011.
• Ode to the Club Boater - whitewater river kayaking carnage video by tgerencer1.
• Play Daze, kayak playboating instructional video, VHS 1999 - review.
• SOAR - Skills On All Rivers: Intermediate and Advanced Kayaking Technique, VHS 2000.
• Essential Boat Control, whitewater kayaking instructional video, VHS 1996.
• Full Circle, kayaking action video, 2001 - review.
• Grand Canyon Adventure - 3D movie playing at IMAX theatre in Sacramento California.
• Mystery of the Nile River - IMAX movie review.

Website Reviews

• Use Google Street View to help plan your road trips and outdoor activities. • Webcams for Parks and Hiking Trails in California. • Waterfall Trails in Northern California USA.
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites.
• Wiki Websites for Kayakers, Canoers & Rafters.
• Road Maps Online.
• Topographic Maps Online.

Software Reviews

• GIMP is a Powerful, Free Software for Digital Photo Editing. • Pixtra PanoStitcher software for panoramic photography of river canyon landscapes.
• IrfanView software for enhancement of digital photographs.
• Topo! mapping software for exploration of whitewater rivers and creeks.

Back to: BRT Kayaking Homepage. | Sitemap.

Labels: book, software, subtopic, video, website

California Whitewater - A Guide to the Rivers, Third Edition. (book review)

by Jim Cassady and Fryar Calhoun. ISBN 0-961-3650-2-1

Cassady & Calhoun describe most of the main whitewater runs on rivers and large creeks throughout California. River maps and mile-by-mile guides are extremely helpful to know in advance the main features on each section of river, especially the first time you boat on a run. Careful readers will find hints about many additional sections of river, alternate put-ins, take-outs, etc. that are outside the featured runs but are worth exploring.

All of the runs described are rivers or major creeks, most of which are suitable for all types of whitewater boats (rafts, canoes, kayaks) when the flows are right. The recommended flows are rather narrow ranges. Kayakers can enjoy paddling many of these runs at much lower flows. Big water boaters can enjoy these runs at much higher flows, with appropriate adjustments in the anticipated difficulty of the runs. I have kayaked 30 of the 62 river runs described in the book, so there are lots more left for me to explore.

The book describes the old system of getting flow information via recorded phone messages. This edition was published just before our current system of getting river flow information from Internet sites was developed.

The pictures in the book are from back in the "Stone Age" when river kayaks were almost as long as sea kayaks. Oh well, go take your own pictures!!

As the only whitewater guidebook for California currently in print, this book remains a very valuable resource. Some parts of the book are seriously out-of-date, but when you get right down to it the rivers haven't changed very much. (*** - my rating 3 stars out of 5)

Labels: book

Tips for Bloggers (subtopic)

Making my first blog has been a real learning experience.

Blogging Basics

About My Blog and About Blogging.
Newsfeeds give choices about how you want to read the online news.
Read my newsfeeds for whitewater kayaking in California.
ClustrMaps show geographic locations of blog visitors.
Web 2.0 services make it easy to become an online author.
How to Post a Comment on BRT Kayaking Blog.
Why Post a Comment on BRT Kayaking Blog.

Newsfeed Basics

1 What is a newsfeed?
2 Reading Individual Newsfeeds.
3 Reading Multiple Newsfeeds.
Newsfeeds bring the online news that you want to read.

Publicise Your Blog

1 keywords.
2 hyperlinks.
3 register in online directories.
4 register with Technorati.
5 Comments and Discussion.
6 Thanks to the other sites that help publicize my articles 09april2008.
6 Outgoing Hyperlinks Help Your Blog to Earn Higher Ranks at the Search Engines.

-------------------------------------------------------

Blog Directory of Directories.

Do you need a blog ??

Back to: BRT Kayaking Homepage. | Sitemap.

Labels: blog, subtopic

Kayak - The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique (book review)

by William Nealy (ISBN 0-89732-050-6)

At first glance this book is just an entertaining comic book about kayaking. It also provides an incredible depth of knowledge about whitewater, and an introduction to individual and group skills needed to run whitewater successfully. Nealy's book played a very big part in my transition from a "crash and burn" beginning boater into the more skillful class IV boater that I have since become.

The descriptions of paddling techniques, reading the water, and river rescue provide many of the critical skills and strategies that whitewater boaters need as they advance onto more difficult sections of rivers. Nealy describes reading the water and strategies for navigating the water. This opened my eyes to the challenge of analyzing what the river is doing and making better choices about how to safely get down each section of river.

Nealy also introduced me to the "joy of flood" - big water boating techniques. I do like the precise, technical boating that we can do year round in California, but for those who have the skills and accept the risks boating on flood-stage rivers is an extra special treat during our rainy winter months.

Although written for kayakers, much of the information in the book is equally applicable to people running whitewater rivers in other types of boats (i.e. rafts, canoes, dories). Every whitewater boater should read this book. I give it my highest recommendation (***** 5 stars).

More about: Reviews - Books, Videos, & Websites for Whitewater River Kayaking.

Tags: kayaking, river, whitewater, paddle boating, rafting, canoeing.

Labels: book

Publicise your blog - 1 keywords.

Your closest friends and relatives probably learned about your blog via an email from you, but there are many others out there who might be interested in reading your blog if they only knew about it. Keywords, content, hyperlinks, comments, online directories and search engines are the main factors that enable interested people to find your blog.

It needs a community effort! The better we each publicize our own blogs, the easier it will be for all blogs to gain online publicity. Here are some tips for helping us all to gain more readers for our blogs.

A. Keywords.

Many people locate interesting blogs by searching for keywords in a search engine. Thus, it is critical to think hard about what main subjects you will cover in your blog. Make a list. Which keywords or keyphrases should the search engines use to decide when to put your blog into somebody's search results? The search engines are trying their best, but you have to help them out!!

B. Types of keywords.

Topic keywords. Be sure to include all of the keywords that identify your topic including variations on the words (singular vs plural, slang, acronyms, synonyms, abbreviations and common misspellings)
Geographic keywords. Be sure to include full geographic information in every post so the international readers know what part of the world you are writing about (e.g. county, state and country).
Audience keywords. Be sure to include keywords to identify the types of readers who might be interested to read each of your posts.

C. Online tools for choosing keywords.

Enter your topic keywords and these sites will suggest additional related words or phrases that might be added to your keyword list.
Keyword Suggestion Tool - digitalpoint
Keyword Selector - Yahoo Search Marketing

D. Where to use keywords.

Everywhere possible!! Repeat them as often as possible throughout your blog!!

• name of your blog


• titles and subtitles in your posts


• paragraph text in your posts


• alt text on pictures


• keyword list at the bottom of your posts


• hyperlink text (see future posts in this series)


• comments (see future posts in this series)

(In future posts I will write blog publicity tips on hyperlinks, comments, online directories and search engines.) See Tips for Bloggers.

(keywords: keyword, keywords, keyphrase, keyphrases, blog, web log)

Tags: rss, atom, feeds, aggregation.

Labels: blog