55th running of the Red Moshannon Downriver Race(Pic heavy)

Joel Bolden · Mar 27, 2023

This whitewater race is run on the last Saturday of March....weather be damned. This year the water was at Class III level, the highest it's been since 2009. The race starts at the Peale Bridge at Flatrock, Pennsylvania and ends at the Rt. 53 Bridge: which is 7.5 miles. The weather was fairly decent this year; 44 degrees with light rain. Last year was freezing rain/sleet/snow. I used to run this, but then they asked for a volunteer with a "real" camera to try and get pics of every boat in the race...and since I owned the only one I was the automatic volunteer. It's a phone/GoPro world among river runners. So for the last 5 years I've been sort of the official photographer.

There were 178 human contestestants(plus 2 dogs) and a fun group from California who call themselves "The Penquins" who visit races and clown around. I ended up taking 586 photos with my K3iii and posting 383 to the Race website...where they are greatly appreciated. The first photo is not mine, it's a shot a friend took from the race start; I was at the last obstacle before the finish line.

Jeff15 · Mar 28, 2023

Some good action shots... :encouragement:

jeffashman · Mar 28, 2023

This is a wonderful set, and shows a nice range of ages participating in the event. The Chutzpah award goes to the two couples in the open canoes! I can't imagine 44 and bare hands, I wouldn't be able to feel the paddle after about ten minutes of that.

smoke665 · Mar 28, 2023

Nice set.

Back in college, running the Jacks Fork, and Current River in the Ozarks were just about an every weekend every during the spring and summer. I took DW on her first ever ride, all was good until we hit the first drop off, I think she screamed for a mile. Our last river run in a canoe, she not so politely informed me she wanted her "own boat'. We've had kayaks ever since, though we haven't run any whitewater in a few years, we did kayak with the alligators down the Peace River of South Fl. a couple years ago.

terri · Mar 29, 2023

Terrific set! Lots of action and great facial expressions. You did a great job.

These folks are some real diehards. I agree with Jeff, bare hands trying to grip that paddle doesn't look comfortable, plus the danger of going in if you get into trouble - too much for me!

My idea of river fun was shooting the Hooch in Georgia. Let's just say it was a different vibe.