Take Me Down to Paradise City

Writing has been boiling in my blood for a long time, I only regret that it has taken me so long to realize that I have this passion for the word and just fucking love putting things down for people to read; even though no one reads this shit but me...fuck me. Talked with Ducky tonight and she said the Mule and Mini-Hulk may not make it this year, which is shitty because that means the FNG's have twice as much shit to haul up the Fucking-Hill. I will still my obligator three or four trips...pretty much brining up my tent and other personal gear. The group shit is reserved for those that are new. Yeah I know I may seem like a lazy bastard, but I have made that trip up and down that hill more times than anyone else, so I figure I have paid my dues. One thing I have been thinking about is the slides that Ducky has done on this blog. I think they are really cool and do an ok job at chronicleing the trips, but we need more from some of the trips that have happened since the start of this blog. Now that I have high speed internet I'm going to be a picture freak and shot a lot of shots this year so I have a selection of six hundred fucking photos to choose from. I'm also going to give my email to all the people and have them send me twenty of their fav pics that they take. I would assign this task to Ducky since she is suppose to be the resident photographer but she is really busy this year with "WEDDING PLANS" to be bothered with this piddly details. That is ok Ducky because we wish you and Shawn AKA Spuds the best. I want to do something a little different this year on the trip, but I don't know what I should, or the group should do. I mean this is going to be the sixteenth year so I want to start to do something that is a little different. I want to be able to leave something for other people that canoe this river to see, to know, to remember the River Runners. I would like to leave some kind of a ledger or something for people to sign or something so when we make it back the following year we can see who was all there, or the General and I could come back in the fall to collect what we left to see who has all been there. I just need to figure out how to do it so the ledger can be safe from the elements. That is something I'm gong to have to ponder and figure out. I will post on Facebook and here when I come to a solution. I suppose whoever is reading this is wondering about he title of this entry. Well do me the Paradise City is the great outdoors. The world in which we live. Our planet and all she has to offer us in the way of adventure and experience. She is a deadly beauty with no remorse, however for the few that choose to tame her, she can be a sultry mistress. The key is to never lose the element of respect for what she can do in the blink of an eye. We found that our first hand the time we set that field a-blaze. We took one of the most basic elements of survival, the flame of fire, and forgot our respect for her and she turned on us with a vengence. We were very lucky she didn't take any lives and all that was lost was a few small trees and a field full of dead grass. On a side note, this trip is going to be interesting this year because it will be the first one that we go past the spot we burned since we burned her. I think we have been a little gun shy to check it out or tackle that part of the river since it happened. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see the Doons again. That magical place of my youth that holds so many of my favorite memories of my past. Paradise City! We are going to leave a plaque this year with all of our names on it and the web address for this site. The General and I left some last fall, but no one has checked this blog out so I'm guessing no one has found them yet, at least that is what I hope. What I want is for people to learn about this trip, comment on the blog and/or join the trip every year. It has been a proven fact my me and a few others, the more people we have on this trip the funner it becomes. I would love to see ten canoes in the river one time and a shitload of people have a grand old time just relaxing on the river. Not everyone can be a River Runner, but we do have a few openings. What I would like to do is get eveyone together that has done this trip in that past for the twentith trip, well barring one person because there would be the risk of a drowing, but I won't go into that. That would be so cool, but I doubt I could get everyone back together for a trip like that, however, it would be epic. That may have to be something I try to put into the works. And hell, we would have such a shit load of FNG's, ther regular Runners wouldn't have to do shit. Damn it is getting late and I have some other things to do. I hate leaving becuase I have discovered the JOY of writing so much that it is something I want to do full time as long as the ideas keep coming...there is a lot to write about...I just have to keep my mind open and digest what I see to turn into a story or essay of what I think and/or feel. There is more power in the written word than any other weapon or natural force in the world. Words touch, inspire and change people; sometimes it is for the better and sometimes for the worst, but the undisputed fact remains...words change people's way of thought. I want to get in on that shit. Maybe one one person reads what I write, that is ok, as long as I have an affect on that person then it is all worth it. Until next time I will remain...Crazy Joe...LOVE PEACE AND HAIR-GREASE...love ya all.