Now that Double2D is incorporating the DragoRossiUK website we have first instalment of Ted Piper’s recent adventures in Corsica and Italy…
Here is what Ted has to say:
I have been quiet for the last year since my return from New Zealand, this is mainly due to the fact I have been playing in the hills. Returning to England at the start of May 2008 I had the pleasure of being sat next to three very attractive Norwegian girls for the ridiculously long time it takes to fly home from the other side of the world – this could only leave me with one option, get home, repack and fly to Norway!
Three months of playing with Norwegian fossens later I got the last ferry back to England feeling rather broke. A bit of work here and there over the very British winter season saw me scrape enough pennies together to plan the next adventure – seeing as I missed the Europe season last year I had a hankering to head back for some play. At the start of April this saw me heading for Corsica.
Photo courtesy of Pete Moss
On route of course there is some fun to be had, first stop was Lyon for a play in the sun.
Photo courtesy Lisa Bearpark
After Lyon we hit the Central Massive area for a day or two’s playing on the rivers.
So then it was time to head for the ferry and play with our destination, we headed straight for the kayak session gathering, which saw boaters from as far a field as the states making a show for themselves to sample the delights on offer.
Choose your camp spot well and be treated to a morning show on the beach.
One of the main reasons for kayak session holding a gathering on the island was to raise awareness of kayakers on the island and that we too travel far and wide to enjoy the delights on offer – one of the best (speak to some and they will say the best) rivers on the island, the Rizzanese, has the final stages of its damn being built as you read and next year will be under water for ever. Kayakers joined for a days paddle of this river along with the locals.
The locals gathering who oppose to the Damn and the following is just a small sign of how the generosity and local hospitality goes on the island which was very nice to see half way down a river.
The rain set in heavily on Corsica so we retreated for the more sunny climates of Italy.
The Plan was to head for the steep creaks of Val Sesia but to get there you pass through a mountain range, thanks to the power of text messages guiding us, we were told of a river that needs rain to get it going, a nice grade 3 – 4 was up our street, I forgot my camera on the river but if you look on a map maybe you will find it so here’s the river name at the take out.
So then on to our destination of the mighty Sesia valley, we arrive with a full tank of Diesel. Due to a faulty alternator back in Corsica costing a lot of beer tokens when the diesel runs out, we have to head home due to lack of funds – so in just over 2 weeks this is what we get up to.
Here are some more pictures from Ted’s adventures in Italy:
Special thanks to Lisa Bearpark, Ian Jones, Pete Moss & Ted Piper for letting us use the pictures 