PLEASE HELP 9/27 PINNACLE STATE PARK WATER CLEAN-UP!!!!

[Lupe]

Yo rec boaters! Where are all the other Central Chapter folks who enjoy floating the Big and Little Maumelle around Pinnacle Mt State Park??? I know there's a lot of us in the Little Rock area who love these waterways, and if you've paddled them, you also know they've got a whole lot of trash in 'em. Please consider coming out this coming Sat 9/27 and helping do a trash pick up and get a free lunch cookout done by the State Park.

More info here:

http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/mb/vie ... f=1&t=9967" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Please come out for a beautiful day on the water helping make these waterways even more beautiful by getting rid of ugly trash!!! I'm trying to get a plan of action together for the day...it will help to know if any other yakkers/canoers/canoeists will be able to come!

Hope to see a nice turnout on Saturday!!!! I think the Park is getting a lot of volunteers to do the trails and grounds clean up...let's get a nice group out to clean up on the water, too!

Cheers,
Heather aka Lupe

[DeBo]

I'll be there with the Sandpiper.

[Richard]

I have a scheduling conflict for this weekend but I will be on the Buffalo River cleanup next weekend. I would encourage anyone who can to make it to one or the other or both.

[Shark Attack]

C'mon Richard, admit it. YOU'RE AFRAID OF THE SNAKES!!!
I can bring a jon boat if needed & there is a launch somewhere.

Wes

[Karla]

I may try to come in my canoe. Not sure if Gary will make it.

Karla

[Lupe]

UPDATE:

Okay - here's our plan for Saturday. Meet if you can at 9am at Pinnacle Mt. State Park at the picnic area/ball field area. We will get trash bags/supplies from the Park Dept. there, and in the morning we'll go over and clean up around the Big Maumelle launch area, and set some shuttle vehicles down at Barnett boat ramp. At noon we'll enjoy the yummy cookout provided by the Park, and then after lunch we'll do the 4 mile paddle down to Barnett. There will be 2 spots along the way where we can leave the bags of trash we collect for the Park to pick up later.

Wes - I think for this one, just bring your kayak/canoe and we'll all paddle together. We're talking with the Park staff about possibly doing another concerted effort at trash pick up on the Little Maumelle again later in the year during cooler weather once all the aquatic vegetation dies back. We'll see how we do on Saturday, but I'm thinking there might be several trashy areas that will be hard to reach due to all that aquatic vegetation, so if we all feel we can't do a very thorough job at this time, then we might plan another effort for say December/January and at that time maybe use some jon boats as well. If we do that, we might even see if a local news channel could come along so they could see how much trash comes down some of the side channels from West Little Rock - sort of a public awareness/educational thing. It's something I've been thinking about since last year, and the Park sounds interested in partnering with us on something like that.

Anyway, I think we'll have a fun day. It's a really pretty area (even WITH the trash)...and we'll leave it looking even better! Bring your sunscreen and bugspray! Other tips: bring gloves - even latex/disposable gloves are good for picking up the trash...I'll try to bring some extras. If you have a pocket knife you can put on your pfd, that can come in handy for cutting out old fishing line, too.

See you all Saturday morning!

[lalyle]

Looks like a job for . . . Surfdawg and Surfpup! Reckon we'll show up with the tandem and/or rec boat. I still have never paddled downstream on the Maumelle, though I've wanted to for 30 years. Yesssssssssss!

That's "sssssssssssssssssssss" as in "ssssssssssserpents". For those who are worried, they seem to be small to average around the State Park. Down at the confluence, around Two Rivers, they're monsters!

[Shark Attack]

Well, I guess I'm going to have to pass. What I thought was a bad case of poison ivy from working in the woods last weekend is actually shingles.

Wes

[Lupe]

Oh man, Wes - sorry to hear that! I know 2 people who've had bad cases in the past year...what a bummer. I hope you heal up FAST!!!

Lyle! Glad you and the pup will join us! And as for snakes, with Debo along I'm sure we'll spot quite a few!

Here's more specific directions to where we are meeting at 9am:

Take Hwy 10 (Cantrell) West from 430 about 7 miles.
Turn right on Hwy 300 North.
Go about 2 miles and the entrance to the park will be on the right.

See you all in the morning. For anyone coming who doesn't know me, I'll be in the silver Subaru wagon with the camo canoe. See ya!

Cheers,
Heather aka Lupe