Hammer Factor – Episode 42, ‘Olaf Obsommer, Epic Rants And Paddling Colleges’ from The Hammer Factor

Welcome to Hammer Factor 42, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”, calculated by an enormous supercomputer named Deep Thought over a period of 7.5 million years. Unfortunately, no one knows what the question is.

Let us begin.

Intros: Louis, John and John

Louis time:- how was the new OR? Weed and women or more of the same?

I saw these two articles related to OR. Care to comment on these?

–

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/public-land-politics-mark-denver-debut-of-outdoor-trade-show/2018/01/25/6b172406-0230-11e8-86b9-8908743c79dd_story.html?utm_term=.c465577749e0

– https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2018/01/26/u-s-sales-outdoor-equipment-slump-consumer-habits-shift/1068537001/

Viewer Mail:

Greg Schwendinger

Hi guys, I enjoy the Pods and appreciate your efforts to bring in a wide variety of topics. I’ve got a question that I think is above the pay grade of pretty much any other kayaking panel: How do you keep your tubes of Aquaseal from drying up? thanks from Greg at Mayan Whitewater in Guatemala.

Lydia Wing

Hey squad! Thanks for putting out great content and thoughtful conversation. I’m curious if you’ve discussed looping in a regular female co-host to join every episode. I like the ‘take-over’ episodes and all, but I feel like the conversation can be more dynamic and organic by having a diverse group of co-hosts regularly. I like that the current hosts have been in the industry for a long time- retail, design, competition, expedition- and surely there are some females that can add to that conversation. I think it would be cool to seek out an OG female boater who could regular join the podcast with the current crew.

Thanks for all that you do! I enjoy tuning in for each episode. Salud!

Michael Gallimore

Hey guys! It was great to learn about river systems and whitewater from Dr. Phillip Prince. Thank you for share such scientific expertise that explains whitewater and how it exists in different ways. I am wondering if you all have seen the new bill introduced by the Governor of West Virginia to allow logging in West Virginia State Parks? It would be great if you all could bring it up on the show to spread awareness and could potentially inspire listeners to contact representatives concerning the issue. It would be great to hear Louis’ expertise on the issue. Thank you very much, Michael Gallimore

25498064_10214253888197032_7660020779481099016_n.jpg

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/legislative_session/conservation-groups-oppose-bill-to-allow-logging-in-wv-state/article_6632305a-bff5-5631-a836-e517b0acbe17.html

Andrew Palin

Hey y’all, I was just wondering what you all think the best place to go kayaking and get a college education is. I heard Louis throwing around Bellingham (Western Washington) but also places like Cullowhee (WCU) and Clemson sound sick. Maybe it’ll just be a rehash of last weeks discussion but I’d be interested as a high school student to hear your opinions.

Mike Goglin

hey fellas, i love the show. i have a few things i would like to hear about and some guests i want to hear from. 1) i live in southern oregon and the klamath dam removal is “kind of a big deal” i don’t believe you guys have even mentioned this monumental event. 2) i remember when google earth came out and how it blew my mind as far as exploring rivers. how do you think it has changed the sport? 3) Exostosis or surfers ear is a real problem among boaters. lets here from an expert. 4) Chris Korbulic is a southern oregon local and one of the most prolific paddlers in the world but is less visible than others. get him on! 5) Also HEE HAW Jones. are you still pro? whats it like to be pro? 6) and this….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQR1651I1g8

Tim Kennedy:

Message Body:

First off, I really enjoy the podcast. It’s provided an incredibly entertaining (and educating) echo chamber for my views on boat length, paddle length/offset, (questionable) validity of whitewater SUP, environmental concerns, and many other topics. As a sales rep, listening to show really helps with the windshield time. Keep fighting the good fight!

I was delighted to hear you guys discuss the pros and cons (mostly cons) of paddling in Colorado. I started paddling in the Southwest PA/Northern WV area, but relocated to Colorado about 25 years ago. I concur that the rivers here are mostly “manky”. Compared to many other regions, CO does not offer the most attractive location for residence for a diehard paddler. The season is short and concentrated. The water is cold. The stand alone features, eddies, and pools are few and far between on most rivers here. However, the flows are relatively predictable (compared to the SE) due to being snowmelt or dam fed, and most runs are easily accessible (compared to the Sierras). Furthermore, the best thing of note about CO rivers is the lack of crowds. There just aren’t a whole lot of boaters out here, compared to the Eastern US, and the continuous nature/lack of pools tends to keep the groups on the water spread out. Having spent Gauley Fest weekend on the Upper Gauley some years, and stayed in CO and paddled Gore Canyon on other years, the difference between the two is (literally and figuretively) miles apart. It’s the difference between paddling a run with thousands of people and having to find a gap in traffic, or having an entire run to you and your crew without seeing another soul. (Depending on your mood and/or social inclinations, you may prefer one over the other.) *And, the Big South is one of the best runs in the state. Because it is the closest we have to drop/pool, I can see why it appeals to eastern boaters. Vallecito is arguably the best mile of whitewater in Colorado.

On an unrelated note, I have assembled quite a quiver (collection?) of vintage boats. Let me know if you want me to do a boat review or comparison of some outdated long boats or play boats to modern designs. Here’s the list of what I have:

Perception: Sabre, Eclipse, Dancer XT, Corsica, Wavehopper, 3D, Slasher C1

Phoenix: Slipper, Cascade (two of ’em), Savage, Wildfire

Dagger Outburst

New Wave Sleek

Savage Scorpion

Hydra Dragonfly II

Prijon Loisach WW boat

Also, with all of the past discussion about “extreme” racing, how about we talk about the WKF. Was it good or bad for that segment of the sport?

Thanks for all you do.

Sincerely,

Tim Kennedy

Corey Spoores

Message Body:

Hey First time Caller Long Time Listener……

For Weld,

Im New to the art of slalom, talk to me about the pros and cons of a slalom specif paddle for like g-power or some that werner makes, and what make a good slalom blade and why.

thanks guys keep it up

Corey, NM

Jake Cooper

Message Body:

Hey fellas,

‘Twas a few episodes ago that you guys were discussing paddling crew names and the formula for creating such titles.

Louis shit all over Dem Boyz Media Cartel.

While we certainly respect the opinions of elderly persons living on the other side of the country, it didn’t sit particularly well with us. It did get us thinking, though. What would Geltman suggest we be called? We want to know. In fact, we demand to know, and if we like it, we might use it.

Cheers,

Jake

Chris Danielson

Message Body:

Love the Hammer Factor. Listening makes me want to buy IR gear and run the Green or Upper Yough in a party Braaap with a 200cm paddle of some experimental offset. Don’t even want to hear what you guys think of our local New Mexico rivers and creeks though. It’s already hard enough to get people on the river without listening to whining about flat-water, cold or mank, especially with BV and the and the Ark gleaming like Eldorado a few hours north. People up there paddle every day, even during the week!

On another note, where can we find the boat reviews that went out via the newsletter? I’m having trouble getting the links in old emails to work. Can you guys repost them somewhere accessible?

Love it, keep it going,

Chris

John Harding

Message Body:

I want to thank you guys for hitting offset and length so hard again and again. It finally beat some sense into me! Just got my new 202 cm 45 degree shogun and am loving it. It’s perfect for laying treats!

Now to Celebrity Guest Olaf Obsommer

Great CandK article on Olaf!

https://www.canoekayak.com/photos/into-the-tian-shan/

This is the heavyweight battle we have been waiting for. Louis vs. Olaf. It doesn’t get any better than this on the HF. Olaf is a highly decorated expeditionary kayaker, filmmaker and event producer. Below is a short list:

Surviving all my big adventures since 1988,

1988 first road trip in the Alps

1989 first time Corsica

1994 Réunion Island

1995 FD Shire River in Malawi, lots of Hippo and Croc attack´s

1997 3 month Norway with an old 7,5t fire service truck

2001 first time The Grand Canyon of the Stikine at 500 cumecs, we called it surviving paddling

2005 Slave River Northwest Territories

2007 Pakistan Indus the Rondu Gorge + Gabun the Ogooue Ivindo river

2008 Greenland

2009 Siberia, 2 weeks self support in the Sayan Mountains

2012 BIKE2BOAT Norway

2013 BIKE2BOAT Alps

2013 again the Grand Canyon of the Stikine with 44 years age

Rants Raves

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