Empire Promo

The Empire Project is a concept that I recently came up with when I had some time in between projects. I wanted to go bigger than I have before. I make a lot of short videos and put them on the web for others to enjoy, but its always been retrospective. I always capture what happens and try to make something from it. I changed my tactics and have come up with a goal to make a film featuring the finest whitewater of New York, the Empire State. I want to make something that strays away from your typical "kayaking porn". I realized that this is impossible to do alone, so stay tuned for introductions as well as blog posts and trailers along the way.

- Danny

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: JOHN VARGA

Black Fest 2010

Black Fest is something that I look forward to every year. I will go right out and say that there is absolutely no summer kayaking festival that can match this event. Good playspots, awesome river, waterfalls, fantastic music, boatercross, floateo, and more. If you have never been, well, I feel sorry for you.



On Friday night, Tom Vickery and Brett Finlayson, claimed a rafting first descent on Great Falls in downtown Watertown.Carly and I took the Topo Duo down for her first time in Poop Chute.
Little does he know, Mike LaFlair (yellow magnum) is about to be landed on by Phil LaMarche and Al Baker (blue Topo Duo).
These boys know how to win a floateo.The pool bus was not only a big hit in the floateo, but it made its way into the Gramps and Tramps party.Start Making Sense (Talking Heads tribute band) put on an amazing show, as always.
Big shoutouts to Bagel, Duggan, and everyone else at Hudson River Rafting. I have yet to find a place that is as hospitable as these guys. Also, big thanks to Kenny for letting me steal all of his wonderful pictures.

Double Double!

Part 1: On April 30th myself, and other Team SPED members made our way out to Utah for a week of paddling on the Green River. It was an exciting week to say the least. We almost lit Utah on fire. Started a VIP club. Saw real life polygamists. We were arch hogs, ate like kings, and stayed in an executive suite. When you have the third floor to yourself, your kind of a big deal. The full length Green Movie will be coming out this summer, so keep checking in.
The crew gears up and gets ready for our safety meeting and departure.
Uncle Jimbo "The Hotrod" Dobbins and our favorite foreigner, Kim, paddle under the towering peaks of Utah. Welcome to the club. Great times, great views.Arches national parkWe were all tempted to add to the Pyroglyphs, but that could result in some jail time.

Only one way to get in. If you have to ask your not allowed.

Part 2:
Bottom Moose
It is always a good day when you spend it on the Bottom Moose with Team SPED. We met a new friend up on the Moose and welcomed him into our wolf pack. Nate, Mike, and Andy got three laps on Saturday and we showed up that night to hear about the tragedies and triumphs. Apparently lap three was a train wreck, the whole way down. Paul and myself fired up the middle line at Magilla, check out the video.

Paul getting his boof on at Ager's Falls

Scouting the middle line

"Nasty" Nate with a big boof off the left line at Magilla.

Finally Spring!

We thank the river gods for all of this water, and can only hope for more. Paul and I have set our sights on finding and running new waterfalls. We have taken a look at tons of new creeks and waterfalls and firing up some first descents. Filming as much as possible, but everyone is going to have to wait for this footage, it's too good for youtube!
We saw this drop on our way home from Deckerstown, and we were stoked to see it with plenty of water.

Me boofing the second and third ledgesPaul styling the first and second ledges

This was a great week for kayaking, Paul and I also got a first descent of Silver Lake Creek in Letchworth State Park. It was a two stage waterfall with a big boof in the beginning, and an almost vertical drop with a huge flake in the middle. Then we headed over to Ithica for Merry Christmas Gorge!We were so happy to finally be in the water, its been a long winter.