Sun, 27 May, 2018 - Not wanting to go out of town for the holiday weekend, Hendrik and I looked for a paddling opportunity closer to home. River levels were low; however the weather forecast was for rain Saturday, so we set sights on Cedar Creek for Sunday. Ginny & Gary Quam would join us. It did rain, and the rivers rose – too much for Cedar Creek. Plan B had been the Rappahannock at Remington, but the rapids would have been washed out. Plan C: meet in Warrenton, drive to either the Thornton or the Hughes/Hazel, and take a look. First stop was the Thornton, where the RC gauge showed 1-2 inches of water. With rain a possibility, we decided to do it and not waste any more time. It started off a bit scrapey and continued that way. At “Prepare to Meet Thy God” rapid, Hendrik attempted to paddle through the center but stuck on rocks. I went river left and banged through, to be followed by Ginny, then Gary. Hendrik backed up, turned around and paddled through on the left. After a lunch stop, we heard rumbles of thunder, then a shower hit. But it didn't last long. Next, a repeat -- thunder, and rain began. However, this time it was not just a passing shower. Hard rain accompanied us to the take-out. After loading boats, Ginny & Gary headed home while I drove Hendrik back to the put-in to retrieve his vehicle. The gauge showed the river had risen about 2 inches. That level would have been good. In summary, the RC gauge (painted by Louis Matacia) is off by 2 inches for canoe zero, we paddled at a too low a level, we got drenched, and we all enjoyed the day.