A certain mixture of whimsy and derring-do is required to shove off down (or up) the New or Gauley River with scant protection aside from a helmet, life vest and one�s compatriots. It�s a choice that could be so easily avoided, but that wouldn�t make sense to the proud and colorful characters who have long been shooting these rapids, some of the most popular and treacherous in the country. Here, Jay Young, a raft guide turned writer, leads readers through the local lore and history of the rivers, where�much to the delight of those brave enough to face these rapids�the ordinary almost never occurs.