Cadron Creek Pickup and Paddle, Saturday 1-18-14

[Cowper]

It's that time again! The ACC's adopted mile of Highway 65 is in need of our attention.

We'll meet under the Highway 65 bridge over Cadron Creek at 10 AM. (Also known as the Hwy 65 Access for North Cadron Creek, according to the AGFC sign.) Areas needing attention include the highway shoulders on Hwy 65, and the area just North of the Pinnacle Springs bridge across Cadron Creek. After we "hit the high spots", I hope most will join us for the fun little run down Cadron Creek, maybe even picking up a few things along the creek too as we go. (I promise to not go crazy, just grab any easily reached items each along the creek, so we have time for playing, too!)

And of course, we can stop at either Joe's Pizza or Old Chicago on the way home.

Other particulars for those not familiar with the area:

Located about 5 miles North of Greenbrier, AR, on Hwy 65

Float length is about 3.3 miles, with several good play spots and good eddies to practice your skills on

Level should be between 2 and 2.5 feet, which is on the low end and suitable for beginning paddlers.

Bring a change of clothes if you don't have the typical winter boating gear.

Weather forecast as of Thursday night is that it will be a Sunny 52 degrees, but with some breezes which give us a windchill temperature in the low 40's. We can go with the group decision as to whether to eat snacks on the river, or just keep paddling to stay warm and then eat after the float.

Recommended things to bring include gloves and trash-grabbers if you have one. Debbie and I have one or two extras, but we won't be able to cover everybody.

[sig]

I think we may be there though we have supper plans with land lubbers.

[Lupe]

Me and Paddle will be there.

[Chicago Bob]

I'll be there is wrangle said paddle if necessary, and maybe pick-up some trash along the way. BOB

[Moniker]

Wish I could be there but have to work and it's way over the ten gallon gas limit .
I just noticed this new forum, .Thanks Lupe.Good idea.

[Waterman]

Cooper. I have to work today and will miss the cleanup this year. Thanks for organizing and have a great day. John

[Cowper]

Great day, and fun on the creek too ! We got 31 bags of trash and 6 tires with rims. Thank you to those who helped, and to those who offered moral support.

[Cowper]

A little more info - Special thanks to Victor, who showed up to help with a trailer even though he didn't have time to stay and float with us!

After the clean up, we floated the creek at about 2.45'. That's where we got the last of our six tires and one bag of trash. "Chicago" Bob of course did the honors of carrying that all down the river, since he graciously had chosen to bring his trash-hauling canoe instead of his play / WW canoe.

Other noteworthy items from the day:

John joined us, he is an open boater whose last ACC event was the 1996 Rendezvous. (He took almost 20 years off to go raise some kids.) Welcome Back!

Several of the play spots were a bit too low, but Lunch Stop rapid still had a very nice spin hole going. And if you are wanting to practice eddy turns, there was still plenty of water for that, and no dragging on shoals.

Harry was returning to kayaking after an absence of several years, and was joined by his fiancé Gina (this just happened the previous evening!). It was Gina's first time in a kayak on a river - No Swims!

Crash and Rachael (aka, "Monkey") had a good time climbing on the shark-fin slab rock that you see on the right bank about 2/3 of the way down this run. Crash slipped and managed to get wedged between two rocks, tightly enough that she actually requested some help getting out. In typical "Cowper" fashion, I of course just watched and insisted that she practice self rescue.

The Roaming Gnome Paddle found his brother hanging out under the Pinnacle Springs Bridge; Aly might post a photo.

And Aly got what I think was her first (or second?) ever river combat roll, kind of amazing given the "ice cream headache" cold water and lack of practice due to a very demanding work + school schedule last semester.

And yes, we even had four (?) swims (three caused by aggressive playing, so they semi-sort of don't count). The guilty may confess if they wish.

Bottom line: A Very Good Day!

[Tim Eubanks]

Big thanks to Cowper for putting this together and to all who helped out Carabiners for you guys at next meeting Wish I could have made it up there.