NBBC Men's Rafting Trip - April 1997

The Journey

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Powering Through Jaw apid

Well we finally went on our rafting trip to the Chattooga River after several months of planning and preparation. We should all thank Vann Jones, Ron Lentz, and especially Mike Sullivan for doing all of the work that was required to organize this effort. In the end all of the work and effort payed off and the trip went almost exactly as planned. The weather was wonderful (although I was a little concerned with the sub-freezing temperature early Friday morning), the water level was perfect, and the accommodations were excellent.

Following is the list of men that went on the trip:

Mike Sullivan, Vann Jones, Ron Lentz
James Rhames, Harrison Sutcliffe, Kerry Ball
Steve Pritchett, Damon Smith, Jon Mark Vernon
Larry Murrell, Mike Red, John Seidensticker
Cedric Charles, David Cothran, Jerry Willman
David Burleson, Jeff Stith, David Fannin,
Monte Vincent, Ken Zchappel, Paul Cothran
Jerry Williams, David Outlaw, Rick Larrea, and John Hall

The Journey

We started off bright and early on tax day, April 15, and pointed the vans toward Gadsden, AL. Gadsden is the hometown of both Jeff Stith and Vann Jones. After 12 long hours we arrived at Jeff's parents house and were treated to a special viewing of his siblings. Mr. Stith's Ostriches Jeff and Vann's folks, along with another couple, were so very kind and had a dinner prepared for our large group. After dinner we all split up and stayed in the homes of several different members of their church. The next morning we got up bright and early and headed toward Helen, GA by way of Chattanooga, TN and the Ocoee River (where the Olympics Whitewater venue was). But first we did a little bit of sightseeing in Gadsden and went by Nocalola Falls. After viewing the falls and taking some pictures we headed toward Chattanooga and then on east toward the Ocoee River. The Ocoee River was the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics Whitewater Venue and we had decided to check it out. Naturally, since we had a church van on the trip, we had to make the obligatory stop to repair a tire. Somehow David Cothran had heard the tire leaking air as we drove along the Ocoee. I think that they must have been altogether too quite in that van if he could hear a slow leak in the tire while they were driving. Either that or he has bionic hearing. At any rate we eventually ended up at our rendevous point, Anna Ruby Falls near Helen, GA, to meet the other members of the rafting crew. We hiked up to the falls and then went in the Helen to look around and have dinner. Then we headed on in to Clayton, GA and on up to Black Rock Mountain State Park where we would be staying for the next two nights. We arrived just in time to catch the sunset. It was a beauty.

Nocalola Falls	1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics Whitewater Venue
Olympic Whitewater Venue Visitors Center	Anna Ruby Falls
The View of Clayton, GA from our cabin's balcony	Sunset on Black Rock Mountain

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