There was definitely reason to celebrate in West Virginia this past weekend. Of course I'm referring specifically to the 14th Annual Cheat River Festival that was put on by the Friends of the Cheat (FOC). I'm also speaking in the more general sense that it is shaping up to be a fantastic paddling season on the east coast.

One could hardly fail to notice the plethora of kayaks, rafts, and canoes on the roads along the southeast corridor of this country. And I would know as it took me 19 hours to make the trek from South Florida to my destination at the festival grounds in West Virginia. The anticipation built heavily as I passed cars donning a variety of different boats that were headed in no one particular direction. You see, everything is running right now and since the weather continues to improve there are endless options out there for every kind of boater.

On another note, I’m still sifting through the over 200 pictures that I took of the rivers, boaters, campgrounds, and bands during Cheat Fest this past weekend. I hope to get organized in the next day or so and get them on the site. So be sure to check out the Photos and Videos page on this site in the near future.