Shredding

 "Ya' been out on the river?"

Standard greeting that we first heard probably forty+ years ago when we bumped into a fella' in the local hardware store. He apparently recognized us right off the bat. Waved and made his way right over to say hello. Bit of a smaller guy. Impish looking. Friendly as heck. Problem was, we had no recollection of the man. In between casual bantering centered upon the lower Yough river and the current weather and river conditions, we're rackin' our brain trying to place 'em. He was such an amiable fellow and came across as an old friend that we hesitated to ask his name. This scenario played out multiple times throughout the years to follow, either in the hardware or local grocery store. We talked the river a lot with 'em but never once asked his name. He always wore a ball cap embroidered with the logo of a local Ohiopyle rafting outfitter. Once he sported a cap emblazoned with the Mountain River Boat Works logo, at the time a small paddling shop we'd visited out of Scenery Hill, PA (as we recall). Another clue but still no recollect. 

A few years back we came across an on-line obituary and memorial concerning the passing of the inventor of the now legendary Shredder inflatable river boats; 100% manufactured right here in the USA in SWPA along the Yough river in Ohiopyle. We take a look at the photo accompanying the article of the late inventor himself, Tom Love. 

Damned if it ain't our baffling buddy...

(Internet Image/Airtight Inflatables)

Wayback image of Love river testing an early Shredder

We never got around to it, and know several paddlers who own 'em, but unfortunately have never paddled a Shredder. It grieves us to say settled right here locally.

Coincidentally we'd spoken to him once over the phone years back when trying to track down a few replacement inflatable thwart tubes for an old Campways/Riken river raft. We'd been given his number by Campways out in Los Angeles, CA. Shortly thereafter we blew out a seamed three foot section of the hull of the boat, so wound up not needing the tubes. Still had not (knowingly) ever met him in person.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Love's brilliant river boat.