And The River Comes Up Again
We are re-living 2008. I arrive at a course and paddle it. The course is fun. The water level changes a little bit, but the course is good at all levels. Then, as the race approaches, the rain begins. The Dora Baltea flooded in 2008, forcing a change in the classic course and postponment of the masters world championships.
This week, it started raining at around midnight Tuesday night. It rained all Wednesday, and ’til 6:00 am on Thursday. The river trippled in volume, and this morning we awoke to a flood. Huge trees were washing downriver. There were no eddies, and the water was up in the trees. The organizers postponed the team classic race that was supposed to be this afternoon, and the river was officially closed. We paddled on the lake in the rain, did laundry, ate croissants, and went shopping. Now, we wait.
If the river drops enough, the team classic and master’s world championship will be held tomorrow afternoon. The river has to come down a long way, and it might not be low enough to race…It could be a very full day, or a day filled with more waiting.
