First Season (year): 1991
Favorite Class: IV
Favorite Runs: Chattooga, Tellico, Ocoee, Nolichucky, Cheoah, Animas, Rio Grande, Cache Le Poudre, anything in Texas that is running
Yes, for reasons beyond my control or comprehension I live in hot, flat Houston Texas (it's my wife's fault - she's a sailor). Why do I paddle whitewater? Because it's there of course. Well, it's not exactly "there", rather for me it is "way over there", but I love it nonetheless. Actually the closest spot for me is only an hour from my house at Hidalgo Falls on the lovely (muddy) Brazos River. It's not the Chattooga, but at good levels it has numerous play spots and occasional big water. That is where I learned to paddle whitewater and now I try to ply that trade whenever and wherever I can. My dad has a house in Clayton, GA so I end up at the Chattooga, Ocoee, etc. quite often. I started paddling after he bought the land because I would go sit on the rock at Bull Sluice (Georgia side) and watch all the boaters go through. I was burned out on biking and kayaking looked like a fun thing to do, so here I am 17 years later. If anyone finds themselves in the Houston area (THE HORROR!) look me up and I'll take you to all the hot local spots (it won't take long). Paddle On!
Bruce Litton
P.S. Because of the SouthEastCentric nature of this board I thought I should add the following (for self-preservation when I am there): My Mom and Dad were born in Knoxville and Stearns, KY respectively, and they both attended UT - Tennessee (I attended UT - Texas). We have a "Litton Cemetary" where my grandparents and other relatives are buried in Oneida, TN on Litton Rd., and Litton's Restaurant in Knoxville was started by a relative (although it is no longer owned by the family). I was born in Atlanta and spent much of my childhood in Chattanooga roaming the battlefields of the Civil War (my grandparents lived on Missionary Ridge and Signal Mountain). The area around Chattanooga is very special to me as I've explored alot of it, but that was before I was boating (I wish I lived there now). I go boating in the Southeast quite often and every time I go I feel "at home". I still have tons of relatives all over AL, GA, SC, NC, TN, but more than that, it feels like where I belong. God willing I will get back to God's Country some day soon.
Bruce Litton
P.S. Because of the SouthEastCentric nature of this board I thought I should add the following (for self-preservation when I am there): My Mom and Dad were born in Knoxville and Stearns, KY respectively, and they both attended UT - Tennessee (I attended UT - Texas). We have a "Litton Cemetary" where my grandparents and other relatives are buried in Oneida, TN on Litton Rd., and Litton's Restaurant in Knoxville was started by a relative (although it is no longer owned by the family). I was born in Atlanta and spent much of my childhood in Chattanooga roaming the battlefields of the Civil War (my grandparents lived on Missionary Ridge and Signal Mountain). The area around Chattanooga is very special to me as I've explored alot of it, but that was before I was boating (I wish I lived there now). I go boating in the Southeast quite often and every time I go I feel "at home". I still have tons of relatives all over AL, GA, SC, NC, TN, but more than that, it feels like where I belong. God willing I will get back to God's Country some day soon.
