Buffalo this weekend?

[Trail Monkey]

Hey guys.. I don't post much around here but I do read the post. Just noticed this trip. Did any of you see 2 old fat guys an a woman with 3 dogs out from Kyles?... we were up there and did a couple of loops on the Old River horse trail and talked to quite a few people on the river. Yelled at a few from up top of the goat bluff as well lol. Wish I would have known you guys were going to be there.

Eddie

[Eric Esche]

Thanks to everyone who made this a wonderful weekend. I did take some pictures, but as ususal, it will be a bit before they manage to escape my camera, and I doubt they will be able to show or capture the joys of floating with caring folks on such great days with fabulous weather....

We really lucked out with the weather and the water. Roger got us a quiet campsite at Ozark Landing with nice neighbors - They shared fresh perked coffee with us Sunday morning, and we shared Stephan's Blackberry cobbler with the gentleman and his two daughters (when the girls had arisen later) after we had a good breakfast at the Ozark Cafe in Jasper. I had run out of time and room and energy packing prior to carpooling over with Mary and Stephan and did not bring any firewood OR cookies. Roger bought a couple of bundles of fine spilt hardwood and provided us with a very restfull "caveman TV" to stare at for the evening, before we each retired to our tents. We had played hard when not peacefully resting in eddies. Our group got strung out at times, but we left no one behind, and we got to spend more time examining the beauties of the Buffalo. The books say it was 13.4 miles, but as I told Stephan, he, Bob, and Stephanie probably paddled more like 27 playing so much. They had a right to be tired, but they were all still smiling.

Sunday was a shorter trip from Pruitt to Hasty, with about half the gang from the day before and warmer temperatures, 75-80F. More suntan lotion and no dry suits. Missed the Beebe's, Melissa, and Painter Bob.

Mary started out just cleaning "one" beach as the glare of beer cans reflections was just too bad to bear surrounded by such beauty. By the end of the trip we had one big mesh bag filled to overflowing and three more tires ("yeah, we can carry the third one") and Mary was thinking about how we could strap one or two on Stephanie's new Bell Canoe (NOT). I pointed out it was not really a "clean up trip", and we still had some shallow places we might have to cross, and we did not pick up the 2 or three more tires we might have gotten "easily" with just a little digging or swimming. We left behind 8 tires for another group to get. All but Stephan got to see a chocolate brown mink and we all saw a lot of green turtles on both days. Turkey vultures were circleing in several places, but no eagles seen this weekend.

This weekend was Mary's first trips on the upper Buffalo and my first from Kyles to Ozark. WE will be back when the water levels allow, and hopefully with such good company.

Susan liked the coffee cup I brought her home from the Ozark Cafe. Four of us liked the saying so much, we bought cups to take home. "Drink Our Coffee! Do stupid things faster with more energy!" Ozark Cafe, Jasper, AR. Those of us who are right handed did not see the first part immediately, as the coffee cup has the "Ozark Cafe" part on the side facing you when you pick it up. Laughter spread across the table as someone read the back of the cup, and showed it to the rest of us.

Think we have 2 more paddlers who are addicted to the Buffalo and maybe trips with the ACC in Stephanie and Melissa. Here's hoping they get to bring their friends with them on future trips with us. Their smiles and positive attitudes will be a good addition to any group they paddle with where ever they paddle.

For those who missed this trip, you missed a great one, but there will be others. I missed several trips this winter, and it always pained me as I was missing both the people and the beauty.

Eric

For future consideration, I would recommend that we remember these 2 trips. With unloaded canoes day tripping, we might have bumped a rock here and there, but no one had to get out and walk anywhere. Water on Kyles to Ozark was about 2.6 on the Ponca gauge (low end of ample). It would have been necessary to do some walking to do it even 3 to 4 inches lower, but we had a very nice trip at this level.

Pruitt to Hasty was at about a 5.1 to 5.0 level on the Pruitt gauge. Where 4.8 is considered the low end of "ample" water, I think we would have had some grounding outs with 3" less water.

[Clif]

Had my eye on this trip. Would have joined you guys were we not about 30 or so miles downstream with Shark attack and co. Also had a day for the books.

happy trails

[Eric Esche]

Glad to hear y'all got on the river and that you had a good trip - Think anywhere would have been pretty this weekend.

Eric

[mohawklady]

Hey Eric and company, we were also out on the Buffalo Sunday with a group of 13 from the Ozark Society,, we paddled from Spring creek to buffalo point. We had trash bags as well, filling them with empty cans as well as a park ranger/interpreter Mike Simpson,... Jon and I pciked up two tires as well. When we got to Water Creek Jon and I were ahead of the group and paddled up the creek aways, and saw two otters about 2 ft long. Nice flow on the river, did paddle much, just coasted with the flow mostly.....Pam

[Richard]

WOW! I really wanted to be with yall. At the same time I had a great time at the Ozark Society spring meeting. It is really frustrating when two things you really want to do happen at the same time. I just talked to Rodger. I am so glad you all had such a great weekend. Even if I could not be there to enjoy your company.

[Wildwood]

Sounds like I missed out on a good one! My plans were changed, but I ended up floating the upper North Cadron for the first time. That was really good, since I only live a mile away. Floated from Hwy 356 bridge to the end of Bluegrass Road. Water could have been a little higher.

Sunday I went with DeBo and Cowper's group to paddle the Wattensaw Bayou. Interesting. Fun group.

Sorry I missed your trip, sounds like a blast.

Half-Fast Jan