Riverdancing

I received this via email and thought it would be great to share with the wider community. The author, Joseph Mitchener, said he'd be happy to have this on the blog. If you like his ideas, let us know in the comments!


Dear Jesikah Ross,

May 4th, I read the article "Up from the Understory" (in the Upcountry News) about your work in the Blue Mtn region of Calaveras County. Thought you might be interested in the sport of "River Dancing" which I introduced to West Point youth a year or two ago. For a dozen years or so I practiced this sport with others at Arroyo Seco River west of Greenfield, CA (in the Salinas Valley). One of the reasons I moved up here was that I saw a number of mountain rivers on the map. I expected at least some would be good fro River Dancing (running mtn rivers for time). Actually, I've been disapointed. Perhaps I've not explored them enough, but I've found few regions of the North, South, and Middle Forks of the Mokolome River deep enough to do much swimming. I feel any good River Dance should feature lots of swimming.

I live on the north crest of the canyon of the North Fork of the Mokolome. I'm just west of Defender Grade Road. Have a great view of Blue Mtn to the southeast. During June, July and August I frequently drive down Hwy 26 to the bridge over the Mokolome (N. Fork). There's swimming and diving in a hole just up from the bridge. Last year I started doing a River Dance from the bridge downstream to the old PG&E power station. When I started, it took a half hour. After quite a number of runs, my best time is now 14min 15sec. (My finish point is the cable that supports the warning signs not far before the station's dam.)

I've seen a few kids running the river. But only twice. As I told the West Point youth, seems like an elegant, classic exercise. If this region could get a reputation as a good place to do River Dancing . . . it would do wonders for our image. It would also attract a fair number of athletes who'd be spending money on food, drink, lodging, etc..

I propose that West Point should sponsor a yearly contest (in June, with a $1000 cash prize) for the fastest man and fastest woman River Dancers diving into the Mokolome (from the rock at the hole just above the Hwy. 26 bridge) and running and swimming (Riverdancing) to the power station and back. Every official adult entrant would pay a $30 entry fee.
At first the town (&/or county) might end up a little in the red. But after word gets out, I believe the entry fees will more than pay for the $2000 purse. I'm 62, and I guarantee I'll be there!

I also guarantee that if some such widly advertized Riverdancing event is put on . . . I will contribute $300, and help with the seting up.

At the University of Colorado I studied economics and finance. About a decade ago I went on a cruise to various Carribean islands. While the climate and vegetation were beautiful, I saw way too much poverty. I imagined what I might do to aleviate that poverty if I were to move to one of those islands. I really couldn't think of anything. That annoyed me. Back home, above the Mokolome, it occurs to me that a yearly Riverdancing Festival might be a partial solution for this region's lackluster economy.

If you have any further interest, please email me. I'll be happy to mail you a copy of the 94 page booklet I wrote, "RiverDance Rhyme". To read the rhymes you'll have to learn a different form of written English. But from the way you spell your first name, I think you'll like it.

Thanks for your attention Jesikah,

Joseph Mitchener