DBP MAGAZINE ONLINEEditor-in-Chief "Chicago" Mike Toughill is co-founder of Dirt Bag Paddlers and former Peshtigo River Manager at Kosir's Rapid Rafts in Wisconsin. He's been Wallacing since 2003.
EDITOR’S DESK- Spring has been extremely fruitful here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin on the Peshtigo River. After a weak winter, Mother Nature has rained with abundance! The original Dirt Bag Paddlers call Kosir’s Rapid Rafts in Silver Cliff, WI home, and it’s been an epic 2017. DBP Admin Ray Booth has been back after […]
Back in April I was challenged by our Editor-in-Chief Chicago Mike Toughill to do a cleanup on any river of my choice. Naturally I chose the Nolichucky Gorge. Not only is it my home river, it happens to be my favorite river. Eight miles of beautiful gorge wilderness. Some of the prettiest scenery that East […]
“I see a raft,” Mary said. Ah, yes, the express trip, I thought. One company there runs two different put-in times, and the trip that doesn’t get a lunch puts on much later. This was it, people looking to go rafting fast and cheap. They were into their first of nine miles of constant paddling. […]
Pesh Fest was great this past weekend! High flows on the Peshtigo and the Midwest kayaking community enjoying every minute of it. This was the 2nd annual installment and it was the best so far! The Peshtigo was running around 29 inches the whole weekend! That is the highest I have ever seen it and […]
So how did Mad Goats Kayak School come about? It’s a long and exciting story of love lost and love found, the ups and downs, and the highs and lows; but most of all, it is a story about creating a life worth living, striving towards your goals and creating an authentic business, which represents […]
It’s a near moonless night, and the company I keep is not of this realm as I sit here. I am joined by many who have once walked and lived in this place as well as those who have joined them in a more recent time. Whether you believe in spirits or ghosts or just […]
Big winters create big runoff. Whitewater rafters are looking at epically high water! Because increased flows dramatically change rivers and require a redoubling of our ongoing efforts to keep our trips safe, I thought I would share some thoughts about high-water safety: –High-Water Rigging and Gear: Consider rigging a flip line across the bottom of […]
EDITOR’S DESK: Associate Editor Taz Riggs takes us back in time to the Chilean classic in part 3 of our monthly series on the Bio-Bio River. Enjoy! When I first came to the Bio-Bio, I considered the river to be within a wilderness. By first aid and rescue terms, we were more than two hours […]
We were just crossing the eddy line and paddling out into the main current when I felt a sudden blast of air, actually, multiple jets of air–blowing up! One by one small holes appeared around us in the tubes of our boat! Pssst! Pssssstt! Pssssssssssst! The boat was deflating under us. In the din of […]
There are many things in this world that do not make sense to me. Politics, women, life in general. The river though, now that makes sense. It is as complicated and as simple as anything in this world. Confusing as it may sound, just think on it for a moment. Rivers are the veins of […]