solo mission part 2:horsepasture river

Man i love the Jocassee drainage!It has some of the biggest and best granite this side of Cali.I still haven't been on the toxaway so probably shouldn't even talk jocassee ,but there is also the horsepasture, which i have run quite a few times and it is good!After a recent trip with Nate Rozell and a solo trip on upper snowbird,I wanted to go big,for me at least.Horsepsture seemed perfect:big hike,big rapids, commiting gorge,and i knew the lines!Going into such committing place all alone had me questioning my sanity and my skill level,but i was determined to do a hard commiting run,soul-o.Upon checking the gauge I realized i had a perfect flow and it began to set in that i was about to run the shit with no one around.I decided pretty quickly that this was going to be a speed mission,i felt if i focused on going fast it might keep my nerves at bay.Now all geared up mentally and physically,i grab my boat and start down the trail.A quick walk turns into a fast walk and then into a jog/trot and i was at the base of rainbow in about 20 minutes.I didn't waste any time gettin in the boat and firing of into the first series of boulder rapids,called ugly stuff,and my lines were smooth and crisp, I was focused.After a short wood portage,i began bombing nonstop through slab falls,the boogie boof section,stairrstep falls and the next boulder section to the top of corner pocket,where i decided to walk.Mad bombing continued on and even though i felt a little conservative,i felt like i was killin it.Next was the most gorged out section of the run consisting of three huge rapids that you can portage but once you are in you have to go through,no hiking out.Once upon a high water day,Jonathon Absher and i met up with three other boys who all decided it was too high for this section and tried to hike out but after getting cliffed out several times they had to return to river level and go through the gorge.they didn't get out till midnight!The level of commitment had me 100% focused as i flew off the bottom of the first rapid,Thrasher pike ramp A. i chose to sneak ramp b on the left,which is really sketch,probably just as dangerous as running it,but the idea of getting worked in the hole made it feel sane to go over there.The last huge rapid is called highway to heaven, and it felt like heaven on the other side.The first part is a long low angle slide that twists and turns for at least 50 or 60 yrds and leads right into the bottom,a steep chute onto a slide that is pretty muched walled in with a big whirlpool eddy at the bottom.This thing is big anywhere but it paddles pretty easy.I then resumed bomb mode through the last 3 or 4 rapids to the hike out point.I sat down for a moment and soaked in the surroundings,happy to be there,and then started my charge to the car.When the hike is over the adventure is over.I checked the watch,2 hours 38 minutes car to car,2 hours and 38 minutes i will never forget.peace