Epic Paddle Blog

New Year, New Attempt

2017-01-02T14:37:00.002-08:00

I told my wife I wanted to do a winter kayak launch. She thinks I'm crazy.

The fact is, I miss my kayak in the winter.

I am going to attempt to blog about each kayak trip we take this year, and see if I can keep up.

Stay tuned...

"I suck at blogging"

2016-09-06T19:26:00.001-07:00

Obviously, I haven't been keeping up very well with this blog; and I just checked in with the wife (she of the photographic memory) and she can't remember all of the times we've been on the water!

I know we did "Kayak and Coffee" a couple times.

I know we went once with a church group.

I know we went once with our high school class (reunion.)

I know we did French Creek for the first time this year with OARS.

We caught at least one Full Moon Kayak at Two Mile Run.

Maybe I can do better next year...

First Paddle of the Season: Lake Wilhelm

2015-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Took the kayaks to Lake Wilhelm on May 3. The weather was great and so was the float, although we realized we're pretty out of shape after a hard winter with no excercise.

Looking forward to more excursions this year!

Our Adventure on the Swamp

2014-10-05T14:33:00.001-07:00

Read about our latest adventure here.

(I was too lazy to do two posts. Sorry.)

New Season, New Opportunities

2014-05-10T00:31:00.001-07:00

So, it's the start of a new boating season for us, and I hope to get in some quality time on the water.

I thought I would start with a post about our recent trip to Japan.

While in Japan we visited a large park with a relatively small lake. It was obvious the Japanese like boating, as they waited patiently in line to rent a boat and then joined a throng on the water where, I'm sure, maneuverability was limited at best. We opted to just take a few pictures and not join the folks on the water due to the crowd.

Woodcock Lake

2013-08-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

This afternoon we headed for Woodcock lake for a few hours of relaxation on the water.

Getting on the water turned out to be less than relaxing. We were not familiar with the boating facilities at Woodcock and so could not figure out where to go to launch our kayaks. We finally Googled Woodcock and discovered the only boat launch is in side the Colonel Crawford Park

Allegheny River

2013-07-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday we paddled the Allegheny River from Oil City to Franklin. 2.5 hours on the water. The river was kind of boring - water very slow moving and even a little brackish in places.

There was one place where it got pretty shallow and fast moving for a short distance. We had to dodge some big rocks and that got my heart pumping just a little. We made it through OK so all is well that ends well.

Vacation - time to hit the water

2013-07-26T12:56:00.002-07:00

I'll soon be on vacation; looking forward to some time on the water! Will post an update as events happen.

2013 Memorial Paddle on the Allegheny River

2013-07-16T20:12:00.001-07:00

We joined the Allegheny Canoe Club for a memorial paddle down the Allegheny River

Paddle down the Allegheny

2013-07-15T06:25:00.001-07:00

We were invited to join the Allegheny Canoe Club on a paddle down the Allegheny River from Tionesta to President on Saturday.

Beautiful day, wonderful company; our first "river outing" in the new Kayaks. We saw an amazing variety of water craft, most were much sleeker (and more expensive) than ours, but I was encouraged that we were able to keep up!

We paddled down the river to the bridge at Hunter Station for lunch, then continued on down the river. We left our friends at Kibby Island - they were stopping and we had to "paddle on" as we had another commitment to make - but we will definitely be doing this again!

Photo Galleries fixed

2009-12-11T18:42:00.001-08:00

The photo galleries have been fixed. If anyone has any photos or stories to share, please do.

Fun things to do with canoes in the winter.

2009-12-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Warning! Warning! Some of these videos contain some pretty dangerous stuff. I am not recommending you try them. Just showing them off.

Found this neat site.

2009-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

There is a large list of canoeing terms listed on this site. I just thought I would share it with all of you on this weeks blog post.

Glossary of Canoeing Terminology

I hope you all have been enjoying the weekly posts. Please feel free to visit the blog and comment on posts you see and enjoy. Also, if you would like to write a post please feel free to do that as well, and let me know.

TIPS FOR A FUN AND SAFE CANOE TRIP

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Beginners should not take young children their first time out.

No Flip flops! Old sneakers or true water sandals only should be worn.

Bring along a dry change of clothing.(leave in car, change when you return)

Bring along a thirst quenching drink (i.e. water, iced tea, lemonade) in a non-breakable container. Alcohol should not be taken on the river.

Carry food and clothing in a watertight container tied to canoe.

Allow sufficient time for swimming, picnicking, resting.

Keep off private property.

Respect fisherman and don't cross their lines.

Use litter bags and leave only tracks behind.

Use an eyeglass strap for your eyeglasses or sunglasses.

Lock valuables in car.

Wear your life jacket at all times.

Show respect to others on the river.

Protect yourself from the elements (sun, storms).

Enjoy the wildlife and wildflowers, but leave them behind.

Do not leave canoe or equipment unattended.

Do not overload your canoe.

Do not stand up in your canoe.

Dress for the water temperature and be prepared to get wet.

Taken from http://www.canoepa.com/tips/

Naming of Parts—Canoes

2009-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Naming of Parts—Canoes

By Tamia Nelson

Canoes come in many different shapes and sizes, and they've been made of all kinds of materials, from paper to concrete. No matter how much they differ, though, they all share certain bits and pieces. We're going to look at some of them here.

To begin with, what makes a canoe different from other boats? Good question. But it's not an easy one to answer. In fact, I won't even try. I don't have to. Farwell took a stab at it a while back. If you're curious, check out his article. (See the first entry in Further Reading, below.) For the moment, however, let's just assume that we all know a canoe when we see one. And now let's name some of the parts.

Take a look at the illustration below. It shows a tandem canoe. A tandem canoe is one designed for two paddlers. Solo boats are intended for…well…solo paddlers. Simple, eh?

Surprised? You didn't know that a canoe could have so many parts? Happily, many of them are self-explanatory. How hard is it to recognize a seat when you see one, after all? But look closer. The two seats aren't the same. One is wider than the other, and it's set further back from its end. What's going on?

Here's the skinny. Many—but not all!—canoes are symmetrical: the front end of the canoe is the same shape as the back end. But paddlers aren't symmetrical. Our front ends don't look much like our back ends, do they? And the two paddlers in a tandem canoe have to face the same way. (You can try paddling facing in opposite directions, but I don't recommend it.) When two paddlers are seated in a tandem canoe, therefore, they both face the front end of the boat, or the bow, and the bow paddler has to squeeze his legs into a narrow, tapered space. So his seat has to be pushed back. The paddler in the rear of the boat—that's the stern—has a much easier time of it. She's got all the room in the world for her legs. So her seat can be closer to her end of the boat.

If the seats are placed right, the result is a well-balanced boat. Canoes are usually happiest when they're trimmed, or balanced, more or less level. That makes sense, doesn't it? In a solo canoe, therefore, the single seat is usually placed just aft of midships. Translation: it's just behind the middle of the boat. That makes for good balance and easy paddling.

Take another look at the illustration above. You'll notice that the canoe in the picture has three thwarts. Thwarts stiffen the canoe and prevent the sides from pulling apart under load. Not all canoes have three thwarts. Some canoes have two; others, only one. A few really large canoes have more than three. It doesn't matter how many thwarts your canoe has, though, just as long as it has enough.

Now look at the cross-section—the sketch that shows you what you'd see if you cut a canoe in half. (Don't try this with your boat!) You'll notice the term tumblehome. No, it's not what the jolly voyageurs did when they'd drunk too much double-distilled rum. Tumblehome refers to the inward slope of the sides of the canoe, up near the boat's gunwale, or top rail. The gunwale—it's pronounced "gunnel," by the way—also acts as a structural support, just like the thwarts. It defines the shape of the boat, in other words, and it helps hold that shape under stress.

Not all canoes have tumblehome. Some have sides that slope outward. This is called flare. And some are straight up and down. (A few sophisticated canoes have flare, tumblehome, and straight sides in different places along their hulls. Isn't fiberglass wonderful?)

Now let's get to the bottom of things. The fore-and-aft centerline of the bottom of a canoe is the keel. Some boats have completely flat, or straight, keels, but most lift a bit at the ends. This lift is called rocker, and it makes boats easier to turn. Canoes with straight keels want to go straight. Canoes with a lot of rocker want to turn. Flatwater paddlers like straight keels. Whitewater paddlers like rockered boats. Different strokes….

Take time to get to know your canoe, and to learn the names of its parts. But remember, the most critical part of a canoe is the big hole at the top that lets in all the water. You want to keep that part high and dry! 'Nuff said.

Original website http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?9

How to Canoe

2009-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

* An excerpt from: Enjoying the Upper Meramec: a guide for floaters with basic canoe techniques described.
Editorial committee: Jim Jackson, Sandy Primm, Carol Springer.
1980 The Kansas City Star Co.

(Reprinted by permission of Carol Springer).HOW TO CANOE*

Keeping your canoe moving downstream is easy on the streams of the upper Meramec region. You just have to keep the boat pointed in the way you want to go, and let the river do the work. Yet, experience has shown this is not as simple as it appears.

The trick is to get a good start: make sure that the person sitting in the front has enough leg room. (Last summer a friend of ours spent her first float paddling the bow position in a reversed canoe. She had 4 inches of leg room for the trip, and not a very good time.) Generally the person in the front paddles straight forward and the one in the stern also provides forward umph, but is responsible for steering and not tipping.

We might as well face one big issue right off - keeping the canoe steered property can be a source of friction in relationships, platonic or otherwise. Floating can be as challenging as hanging wallpaper. While each couple will have to figure their own way of getting downstream, we suggest that the person in the back worry about the steering and the bow paddler try to provide gentle reminders that a rock or whatever is dead ahead. The bow person makes the best lookout.

The forward stroke is the same for both bow and stern paddlers. Of course there's all kinds of fancy techniques you can learn, but you should know that the upper hand on the paddle grips the handle on top, and does not hold the thing like it was a golf club. The lower arm, holding the paddle's throat - does most of the work, so you might switch paddling sides once in a while to keep both arms evenly exercised.

To turn the canoe, the stern paddler can do one of two things. He or she can do a forward sweep stroke which will turn the canoe toward the side opposite you're paddling on. To do this stroke, you reach the paddle out in front, but instead of pulling it down alongside the canoe, you reach out the blade in the water, making a 'C' shape as if stirring a huge kettle of apple butter. Pull the paddle in as far behind you as you stuck it out in front, then lift it out and do another if necessary. A quicker way of turning is the reverse sweep. It is based on that same ‘C’ shape in the water, but do it backwards, so the paddle is moved toward the bow. The stroke, if done with a fair amount of force, is usually so powerful that it's necessary to do only halfway. Just take the paddle out of the water when your arm holding the throat of the paddle is fully extended in the middle of the stroke. It's best to use these reverse sweeps when a quick turn is necessary.

Even on straight stretches of river, keeping the canoe going straight isn't a simple matter. The easiest way to go straight is for the two floaters to have their paddles on opposite sides of the canoe and both paddle straight ahead.

If you just paddle like that, the canoe ends up going off to one side, right? Okay, to prevent this, the stern person should do the 'J' stroke every second or third stroke. This is probably the trickiest stroke to pick up: you do about three-quarters of a normal stroke, then instead of bringing the paddle straight back, you give the blade a one-quarter turn outward to put a tiny reverse sweep on the end of the stroke. That makes the hook of the 'J'. It'll take a bit of practice to get this one. If you are too frustrated and can't seem to see how the 'J' stroke works, you can always both switch paddling sides every five or six strokes. But that's a hassle.
The only other stroke the sternperson must know is the backwater. It's simply paddling backwards. It will stop you, but not on a dime.

So if you do have to stop, it may be best to hop out - making sure the water's not too deep - and hold onto the pointer (the line tied to the stern or bow) so the canoe doesn't go off without you.
The one special stroke the bow person should know is the 'draw stroke' or 'pull-to'. Both names describe it well: you stick the paddle deep in the water as for out directly opposite from you as you can.

Then pull it in, mainly with the lower arm, to you. The draw stroke takes you towards the side you do it on. You'll need to do left or right draws when rocks or riffles or trees come up. The stroke moves the bow over quickly but does not turn the stern as well, so the person in back had best be ready to also do a draw stroke, or a sweep, when the person in the bow finds it necessary to do this maneuvering.

Canoe Paddling - Focus on the Basics

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Canoe Paddling - Focus on the Basics

by Steve Salins
first appeared in Canoe Journal 2005

No matter how practiced a canoeist you are, you can develop bad habits, or “bugs” in your paddling stroke. Let’s review the basic principles of pulling a canoe forward through the water so we can better enjoy trips to come.

One thing that “bugs” me is canoeists who lean forward as they paddle. I wonder if Mom ever taught them to sit up straight. They should. Power and performance in a canoe come from the back, not from leaning forward, and not really from the arms, either. Sit up straight, let your body paddle the canoe, and you’ll find all kinds of untapped power flowing into your paddle blade.

Head up
How do you sit up straight? One way is to start at the top: stabilize your head. Visualize your head moving neither forward or back, nor side to side. A stable head encourages body rotation with each forward stroke. That rotary motion of your body is done with your back, which is more powerful than the strongest of arms. Furthermore, a stable head keeps your body centered in the boat, so your canoe maintains an even keel. A straight posture also allows you to relax; it’s tiring to lean forward all the time. Relaxing in a canoe is a good thing, whether you are moving with purpose or just gunkholing. When you sit straight, relaxed, and with a stable head, you can look around and paddle with more efficient power. Ask a friend to watch you paddle. Does your head stay in one place? If so, good!

Arms Locked
Next, focus on the arms. Power comes from strong back muscles as you rotate; consider each arm to be a connector between your back and your paddle. That’s not to say your arms don’t move; they do. But if you want to learn how it should feel, lock your arms, elbows tight, and take a couple of practice strokes. Even standing on shore doing “air” strokes with rigid arms, you can tell how your body must rotate to complete a stroke (remember, your head stays still). Your back rotation around your spine is your engine; your arms connect the engine to the paddle. Take that same feeling in the canoe with you as you paddle. There’s the body rotation you seek.

Sit up straight, reach up high to place your paddle in the water, choke up the lower hand on the paddle shaft, and finish up with a relaxing rotating flourish to rewind your engine.

Grip Hand High
Now that you’re using your body (feels strong, doesn’t it?), help yourself by allowing your grip hand to rise high as you reach forward with the paddle. No mealy arm-action stroke for you—reach that upper hand high and plant your blade in front without leaning forward. Sound contradictory? Here’s another trick to make this work: move your lower hand up the paddle shaft a bit (choke up). Adjust your lower hand so it remains just above the gunwale throughout your paddling motion. Instead of leaning forward to extend your blade, let the lower portion of the paddle shaft do the extension for you, while you stay centered in the boat. You paddle with more authority and increase the range of your paddle blade. No need to lean forward to grab water; it will come to you if you let it. You will feel the difference when you paddle, and if you find your lower hand slipping back into old habits, wrap a few turns of skinny duct tape where the lower hand should be to help remind you.

Follow Up
We’re nearly finished here. You’re sitting up, reaching up, and choking up. Now “follow up” to prepare your body for the next stroke. Whether you use a high recovery (vertical paddle) or a horizontal recovery (across your body), this movement should be the “relax” part of your stroke—while at the same time rewinding your torso to power the next stroke. I think a canoe paddle recovery is the “elegant” portion of canoeing. It’s one independent element that our double-bladed brethren don’t share, since their recovery on one side is concurrent with a power stroke on the other. For canoeists, a relaxed recovery is a moment to be savored.

And there you have it: sit up straight, reach up high to place your paddle in the water, choke up the lower hand on the paddle shaft, and finish up with a relaxing rotating flourish to rewind your engine.
I can feel it already; the bugs are leaving your forward stroke! Good paddling!

Did you take advantage of summer end clearance?

2009-08-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Dunhams and many other sporting goods stores were having their end of summer clearance sales on all boating supplies, camping supplies, kayaks, and canoes. I hope you all had a chance to cash in on this and get supplies for next years Epic Canoe Trip. I picked a few things to be ready. Some of it will also work for the Epic Hiking Trip that I hope will happen next year as well.

A "slightly less than epic" canoe trip

2009-08-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

On August 17 Paula and I finally got a little time on the water. It wasn't epic by any means, but it was very enjoyable. We floated down the river from Oil City to Franklin. Ryan dropped us off in Oil City and left a vehicle for us at the Franklin end so when we got out we could just drive home.

The day was beautiful and we had a great time. A few hours on the water can be very healing. I'm thankful we live in an area that has so many great places to canoe, kayak, and boat.

Tieing Knots

2009-08-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you maybe like me and can't remember you Boy Scout days from 16 years ago. You get to the island and go to setup you hammock or tent and realize you can't remember a square knot from a windsor knot.

Well I found a site to help with this.

Animated Knots by Grog™

TIE KNOTS THE FUN AND EASY WAY

This site shows you how to tie any kind of knot and what that knot is best suited for. I have added it to the side bar links for easy access.

Don't forget to tell your friends about EpicCanoeTrip.com!

Thought I would share on waterproof matches

2009-08-13T09:57:00.001-07:00

Since we had an Epic time starting a fire with wet matches, I decided to look up on how to water proof them. I know a lot of folks just carry a lighter (I did and it failed), but there is a lot to be said for good old fashioned strike anywhere matches.

This was taken from http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Waterproof-Matches
and you can purchase storm proof matches here http://www.emergencyresources.com/er_p11.html

If anyone know where you can still buy strike anywhere matches, please share. I haven't found them localy.

Make Waterproof Matches

Waterproof matches are generally expensive to buy. But you can make your own for only a fraction of the price. Listed below are a number of effective & proven ways to make waterproof matches that you can use when camping, backpacking, or in an emergency.

From Safest to least Safest Methods

All the below methods involve some risk. If you are a minor, do not carry out any of these activities, without the permission of a competent adult supervisor. The list is ranked from safest to least safest. .

Method 1: Use Turpentine

The BEST & SAFEST Method is to use Turpentine. (Turpentine has a higher "flash point" relative to Acetone, which commonly used in Nail Polish. Nor does it involve the use of flame as is needed in the Wax or Paraffin methods.)

Pour 2 to 3 large tablespoons of Turpentine into a small (Tumbler sized) glass.
Place the matches, (Head down) into the Turpentine and allow the matches to soak for 5 minutes. During that time the turpentine will soak into the head as well as the stem. All the water will be driven off by the turpentine.
Remove the matches and spread them out to dry out on a sheet of newspaper. Generally, 20 minutes for excess turpentine to be evaporated is recommended. Matches treated in this way remain waterproof for several months or longer.

Method 2: Use Nail Polish

Dip the head end of the match into clear nail polish far enough to cover at least an eighth of an inch (3 millimeters) of the stick below the head.
Hold the match for a few seconds to allow the polish to dry and then place the match on a table or counter so that the head is suspended off the edge of the surface.
Place a sheet of newsprint below to catch anything that may drip off.

Method 3: Use a Candle

Light a candle and let it burn down until you have a good amount of liquid wax (about a half of an inch or 1 centimeter).
Extinguish the candle.
Dip the head end of the match into the wax far enough to cover at least an eighth of an inch (3 millimeters) of the stick below the head.
Hold the match for a few seconds to allow the wax to harden slightly and then place the match on a table or counter so that the head is suspended off the edge of the surface.
When the wax has cooled, but not completely hardened, pinch the end of the wax coating (towards the stick), forming a tight seal.

Method 4: Using Paraffin Wax

Melt enough paraffin wax in a double boiler to be able to coat with wax about a half of an inch (1 centimeter) deep.
Wrap some twine or jute string around several matches from the bottom, to just below the heads of the matches.
Coat the bottom of the torch thickly in wax and the heads lightly. Make sure that there is a complete seal.
Put in water to cool the wax quickly. This makes a torch that can burn for 10 or more minutes.

Tips

Turpentine has a relatively high "flash point" in comparison to Nail polish, therefore it is the safest to use. Mineral Turpentine, Pine, or Citrus turpentine all have the same waterproofing capacity.
Turpentine effectively displaces all hygroscopically absorbed moisture content. So any wood stemmed matches (regardless of age can be used).
Do not use a plastic cup to sit turpentine in, as it may be melted by the chemical itself.
Decant the remainder of the unused Turpentine back into the original container.
Do not drink from the glass that you used to soak the matches.
If you don't use strike-anywhere matches, be sure to store a striking surface with your matches.
This should be done soon after buying the matches so that the matches don't pick up too much moisture from the air.
Even though the matches will be waterproof, it is a good idea to store your finished matches & stiriker patch in a waterproof container, such as a small 35 mm ffilm container, or any other sealable & waterproof canister.
The Nail Polish method is more volatile than Turpentine, but is better than wax that can more easily break or be scratched.
The candle method works best with wood stemmed matches. Do NOT USE with Plasticed or Waxed stems.
When using either of the wax methods, work as quickly as you can while still being safe so the wax doesn't harden.
If you do not have a double boiler, you can melt the paraffin wax using a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. You can also melt the wax in a pan on low heat, but this increases the chance of causing a fire.
The matches may also be completely covered with the wax to make sure water can't migrate up the matchstick.

Warnings

Turpentine is poisonous if swallowed. or inhaled intensely over a period of time.
Always use caution when working with fire.
Wax in its liquid state is very hot and may cause severe burns. It may also catch fire.
Nail polish (and wax) can stain fabric and surfaces, so it is a good idea to cover your work surface in newspaper. Nail Polish is also highly flamable. Nail Polish is also a known carcenogenic substance.
Paraffin wax is incredibly hard to remove from a pan. Use an old pan/double boiler or purchase one second-hand for this purpose. Alternately, use an old coffee can or #10 tin can set in a pot of water. Paraffin Wax is also highly reactive in the presence of introduced water droplets.

Things You'll Need

Sturdy wooden matches (preferably the strike-anywhere sort)
Candles, Paraffin Wax, Nail Polish or Turpentine.
A saucepan or double boiler
Tongs or fork to dip matches into wax
Newspaper or other table covering
Small glass tumbler.
Fire extinguisher or fire rug.
Life insurance.

Because someone asked about them....

2009-08-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

I found weight bearing carbiners. They sell them at Dunhams in the boat section. They are weight tested to 300#'s and cost like $3. If you wanted some that could hold more weight then that, you will probably have to check into climbing gear.

Also Dunhams has some kayaks on sale right for $249 for a decent one man job. Get ready for 2010 the Solo year!!

Epic Canoe Trip 2009

2009-08-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well Epic Canoe Trip 2009 was pretty great. Chad and I were the only ones launching at Buckaloons. I had a broken hand so Chad paddled me down the river the first day. The water was moving fast and we saw some cool sights, but by the time I would get to the camera we had already zoomed by them. Time for a waterproof camera. We did manage to chase a herring for a bit, and then see a bank cover with like 15 turtles. Most of them got in water before I got the camera out.

The water was moving so fast that we reached the island in 4 hours without hardly even paddling.

JR and Shawn met us near the island in a motor boat and floated to the first island with us. They hung out for a bit while we setup camp and started cooking. They had things to do in the morning so the took off before dinner.

Chad taught me how to play Cribbage and we had good time catching up on what felt like years worth of stuff since we had last talked.

I had the Life Saver Bottle this year, which meant no hauling water and weighing down the canoe. Chad figured out how to make it run so he could chug 750ml at a time. :) In the morning Chad made an awesome breakfast and then we packed up and headed to the Tidiute boat launch to swap Chad for Joe and Matt. We showed up at the launch right as about 30 boats with lots of beer launched into the river.

We had this drunk floatilla in orbit around for a couple of hours. You could smell the alcohol with 100ft of them. It was bad. They were loud and rowdy and here they are already stopping to pee after being on the water only 30 minutes or so. These guys were already buzzing cause they turned right towards us a let rip.It started raining after a while and so we pulled up under a bridge to wait it out. Joe says you can sit in the eddy of the pillar if you get in there. I was impressed for a bit until I realized he was holding a stick under water to hold us there. He ended holding it with his foot so he could "talk" (he claims he can't tell a story without his hands). After checking out big nasty spiders under the bridge we headed on down to Tionesta. We shot the rapids and did some freestyle canoeing, slaloming downed trees and rocks and things like that. We got to Tionesta and bought some food and it was still on 3pm. Since there was only 3 of us we decided to keep going rather then stay at Millipede island. We looked at the GPS and saw some other islands about 2 hrs down river that looked good and off we went. We stopped at a couple islands along the way before finding one that had nice tree clusters for hammocks and some decent firewood. By this point it was raining pretty steady and starting to get dark. We started gathing sticks and cleaning up a camp spot and we hung a tarp to get out of the rain. This is when we realized that my light was rusted up and out of fluid and the Matts matches were soaked.

Joe found a big solid piece of rotten tree, and Matt found some burlap mixed in vasoline for flint that was in his pack. Joe put the burlap mixture on the piece of log and we got a bunch of wet, but very small sticks broke up for him. After trying a few of the wet matches, Joe finally got one to light. So with one match, we lit this nice fire. It was sketchy for a bit as we waited for the sticks to dry then burn. A little bug spray helped it along. :) Finally we had a good fire burning and drying clothes. EPIC!!

Sunday morning brought high humidity as the sun tried to bake of the rain from the night before. The extra paddling on Saturday paid off and we were to Oleopolus by 10:30-11am before it had a chance to get really hot and muggy.

All in all the small group was fun. It gave old friends a chance to catch up. We still had some epic times, and managed to make it fast, but relaxing run down the river.

We are thinking for 2010, everyone should solo (2010, SOLO see it just has to be). So if you have been waiting for an excuse to buy a kayake, this is it!

Thanks guys for carrying me down the river!! I had a good time! 12 years of Epic!

The Pedal Powered Canoe

2009-08-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

So after some more mods on the pedal canoe, I went to the lake to test it out again. It worked good until the crank came unscrewed and the whole thing fell apart and dumped me out! HAHA! I am going to make it a solid axle and get away from the crank piece. I also need to brace up the part the holds the pedals, the weld broke on that when it fell apart. All in all it was good. I will get it to work.

North trip Coordinates

2009-08-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Starting at Buckaloons. (from google)

Latitude:	41°50'21"N
Longitude:	79°15'21.9"W

Camping at first Island (from my GPS)
41 40.789n, 079 23.667w

Camping at second island (from my GPS)
41 28.681n, 079 27.986w