-Please follow this LINK to the EVENT overview and photo gallery that I did for Canoe & Kayak Magazine.
-FULL Photo Gallery HERE on FB.
Allen Satcher 11/10/1982-8/7/2011
I met Allen Satcher for the first time in Banks, ID. He was friends with some of my boating friends that had all gathered to run the Payettes. The plan was a “mellow” run down the South Fork Payette on Saturday and then the much more challenging 15 miles of North Fork Payette on Sunday. Saturday morning plans changed and Allen and I found ourselves on the way to the put-in of the NF. We were game, but both of us hadn’t been in boats in a while and hadn’t ever run the NF. Super continuous steep big water river running is the name of the game on the NF and you need to be in the zone the entire run. The first rapids went well as we where following some super talented locals. In Nutcracker, one of the bigger rapids on the run, Allen got worked in a few holes and ended up swimming over the Nutcracker rock, really the worst case scenario in this rapid. Allen quickly swam to the right shore and self rescued while a few of us chased down his gear. I managed to clip into his boat and get it to the bank, which then required another paddler out of his boat to fully recover. Allen was super thankful for all the rescue help and quickly made the decision to walk off there. I always respected Allen for that, as many paddlers at his skill level would have put back on just to prove to others they could do it. Allen was confident in himself and his boating skills and knew that he was tired from the swim and that it just wasn’t his day on this river.
Allen and I have paddled a number of creeks together since and he worked for me at Next Adventure’s Paddle Sports Center for about a year. His smile always lit up a room. He was a solid guy and someone that will truly be missed by many.
Allen De Mayo was a gathering of people who’s lives were touched by Allen’s. It was an amazing experience to get together with Allen’s friends and family from far and wide and celebrate his life in true Allen fashion; in the wilderness, alongside a river, with beer in hand, a fire raging and the Shook Twins belting out quality tunes. A huge thanks to Lisa Skaff, Allen’s girlfriend, for making this amazing event happen. (More event coverage at CanoeKayak.com)
Miss you buddy,
Bryon Dorr
–OregonLive.com story on Allen’s Death
