SC BOLT is seeking freedom fighters inclined to participate in street theater, civil disobedience, or fight helmet tickets in court. If you are interested in learning more please reply. ~FF
1) Video: Ride with FastFred ascending and descending a steep mountain road
2) SC Property Tax Relief Hoax
3) 27th anniversary of the Battle at Kings Mountain
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1) Video: Ride with FastFred ascending and descending a steep mountain road
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Video: Ride with FastFred ascending and descending a steep mountain road
I'm working on adding some streaming video. Take a look at my first attempt and provide some feedback. For the time being while trouble shooting the video will be hosted on myspace.
To view the video visit http://www.myspace.com/bikerezine
And click the video link under my photo
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=19716675
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2) SC Property Tax Relief Hoax
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SC Property Tax Relief Hoax
Written by FastFred, October 10, 2007
It would seem the rich folk at the statehouse have hoodwinked us working folk once again.
I looked forward to seeing my property tax bill to see how much the additional $200 sales tax I paid would help my property tax bill. However I only got a $32.53 reduction to offset the $200 plus increase in my sales taxes paid increase.
I would like to see a bill proposed to repeal the sales tax increase and return to the old property tax system.
How did your property tax bill change from last year? Are you happy with the new law? Send your letter in on the subject.
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3) 27th anniversary of the Battle at Kings Mountain
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http://www.fastfreds.com/trips/kingsmountain227th/index.htm
Kings Mountain Battlefield: 227 years latter on October 7, 2007
Photos and article by FastFred Ruddock
Several bikers among other interested citizens attended the 227th anniversary of the Battle at Kings Mountain. Backwoods militia reenactors such as Rick pictured below gave hands on history lessons in an entertaining manner. I met Mark a fellow ABATE member who brought his family to the park to observe this important day in American history. Kings Mountain was the turning point in the American Revolution. The Overmountain Victory Trail Association marches the route each year. Ferguson wrote letters to the Overmountain men that only enraged them and pushed them to action against...
Full Story and Photos >>
http://www.fastfreds.com/trips/kingsmountain227th/index.htm
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Green River Race hits the big screen
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http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771003057
Green River Race hits the big screen
By Karen Chávez
Kchavez@CITIZEN-TIMES.com
October 4, 2007 12:15 am
ASHEVILLE — There are river paddlers, and then there are creek boaters.
There are rivers, and then there is the Green.
There are races, and then there is one like no other — the Green River Race. And now, all the extreme ingredients come together in one centrifugal, whirling force known as “The Green Race Movie,” set to premiere Friday night at Diamond Brand Outdoors.
The movie is a “narrative documentary” look at the extreme creek boat — or downriver — race that takes place the first Saturday every November on the Class V rapids of the Green River, known in kayaking circles to be the most extreme of extreme downriver races in the world.
A labor of love by local kayaker Chris Gallaway, the movie tells the story of the professional paddlers who attack the waterfalls and roiling rapids of this race each fall, as well as that of Gallaway’s own journey to prepare for and compete in the Green River Race for the first time.
Writer, narrator, director and co-producer Gallaway, 24, of Black Mountain, watched the running of the Green River Race for the first time in 2005.
“I fell in love with the race. I had never seen anything like it,” Gallaway said. “I felt inspired. It was a life-changing experience for me.”
Taking on the legend
A recreational kayaker and instructor at camps Merrimac and Timberlake in Black Mountain, Gallaway had heard tales of the Green — a mile-long, downriver race, otherwise known as an extreme race — on the potentially deadly Green River, along the Henderson-Polk county line.
The river’s boulder fields, narrow chutes, waterfalls and Class V rapids (the most difficult class of whitewater navigable by boats), attracted the best and boldest kayakers in the country.
The race, started by local kayaking buddies 12 years ago, is grass-roots all the way — no entry fee, no cash awards. Just the bragging rights heard ’round the kayaking world. It is so extreme, that it is even a strenuous sport for spectators, who must hike over rough, steep terrain through the Green River Game Lands for an hour just to get to a viewing spot on the river.
After watching the mayhem of the 2005 race, Gallaway knew two things: He wanted everyone to see this race, even those who couldn’t make that hike. And, he wanted to race the Green.
“There are a lot of people in Asheville who have heard about it but never saw the race,” Gallaway said. “It’s a world-class event. I felt the race deserved more coverage than it received.”
So he set out training to race, and to make a movie about his journey.
Armed only with a creative writing degree from Florida State University and a basic knowledge of film editing, Gallaway contacted Spencer Cooke of Effort Inc., a kayak video producer.
Cooke, 32, of Fairview, was also a kayaker who had competed in the Green Race twice. He wasn’t that interested in making a movie about the race.
“When I really became interested was when Chris sent me a trailer,” said Cooke, the film’s co-producer. “The music and his style of editing really grabbed me. Now, seeing the final project and watching his progress, I’m really impressed with how meticulous and thorough he is.”
Cooke believes that the movie’s music, the storyline, the narration and the stunning kayaking footage will appeal to a much wider audience than just kayakers.
“I think this has broad appeal,” he said. “A viewer who is not a kayaker and doesn’t understand the sport can really be entertained by this movie. (The Green River Race) has gone from a very local race to probably the biggest, hardest, most difficult extreme race in the world.”
Pat Keller agrees. And he should know.
Keller, 21, a student at UNC Asheville, is considered one of the best extreme kayakers in the world. He has competed in and won such elite races as the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, Colo., and the Teva Extreme World Games in Val Sesia, Italy. But his crowning achievement was winning the 2006 Green River Race, dethroning six-time champion Tommy Hilleke.
Keller and Hilleke both make appearances in the movie, as well as other local kayakers such as Andria Baldovin, last year’s female winner, filmed as they trained for last year’s race.
“I’m pretty excited to see it,” said Keller, who plans to attend the screening Friday night. “This is the coolest and the most intense kayak race in the world. It will be interesting to see how much affect it will have on spectators. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had 600 spectators this year.”
Keller said he and Hilleke both plan to race the Green again in November.
Lessons learned from whitewater
Gallaway said he will race again. Last year, he wasn’t sure even up until race day if he would go through with it. “I knew in my own mind I was pushing the limits,” he said.
But in the end, he did race. Out of the record-number 126 racers, Gallaway finished 63rd overall.
“It was amazing. It is a unique experience. It’s so physically and mentally challenging.”
Gallaway made the movie over the course of a year on a shoestring. Diamond Brand Outdoors, his only sponsor, helped with some expenses and provided kayaking gear.
Gallaway hopes to bring the beauty of the river and the race to more people by entering it in the international Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Asheville Film Festival and will sell the DVD.
After his training, racing and filmmaking odyssey of the past couple of years, Gallaway said, he has learned what the “right reasons” are to kayak.
“I was tempted to listen to ambition or ego,” he said. “But I had to remind myself that, for me, kayaking is about loving the experience of moving down river with other people and the excitement of seeking out the perfect line through a rapid. Like the race itself, the most important thing to me is ultimately the community in kayaking and sharing that awesome adventure down in the gorge with other people.”
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