Book excerpt: 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 ones compatriots. Its a choice that could be so easily avoided, but that wouldnt 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, wheremuch to the delight of those brave enough to face these rapidsthe ordinary almost never occurs.