BUFFALO RIVER-FEB 6-8-Update 4-Hwy14-Rush- Pictures

[Richard]

Updates will be posted on this first posting of the thread.

Update4: Pictures
Webshots degrades the quality so if you want original let me know which ones.
http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/570003321jgrReA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Update3: Camp Friday night at Rush. Vault toilet, tables, fire rings. No water, No fee. Be on the alert for new blow downs and ice spots. Boats and gear need to be at Hwy 14, offloaded and ready to run shuttle by 11am.
Plan to launch at Noon. Allen Rittman will already be camped in the Bice Bend area. Where ever he is, that's where we will be Saturday night.

Update2: WINDY ! ! ! FRI noon thru SAT afternoon. Calming down Saturday afternoon.
Temps will be pleasant Highs 60s, Lows mid 40s
http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/ ... O&state=AR" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... eadDay.y=9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Update1: Looks like we are going to have our pick
Upper (BOC) http://www.buffaloriver.com/riverlevel.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Upper (Ponca gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/uv?cb ... o=07055646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Middle (Hwy 65 gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=07056000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Lower (Hwy 14 gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00 ... o=07056700" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Who's going:
Bob Stout, Dave Reid - canoe
Allen Rittman, Charles & Cooches - raft
Eric Esche, May McPhan - canoe
Pam & John Elwood - canoe
Painter Bob - canoe
Danny Wilson, Jeremy -canoe
Richard & Rich Bernard - canoe

We will have a waxing nearly full moon. Water levels determine where.

By now you know the drill. Arriving Friday is optional. We shuttle Saturday morning and do most of the paddling on Saturday. We try to be off the river and headed home by noon on Sunday. Sitting around a campfire Friday and Saturday nights and enjoying each others company has become a tradition.

Questions and suggestions are welcome. You may post them here or email Richard at rmmcfadden@yahoo.com

Some things you need to know. We have never had a problem but just so everyone knows on the front end:
1. For liability purposes this is not an ACC/Ozark Society sponsored activity. You and only you are responsible for your own actions.
2. This is a family friendly float. Children are welcome.
3. Alcohol is not forbidden but drunkeness and abusive conduct is.
4. If you use "fowl" language or need to smoke, please do so away from the group.
5. Treat others as you would have them treat you. Maybe even nicer.

On the floats so far, we have been impressed with how well everyone has adhered to #5. That is one reason we keep going back.

If you have never been, we look forward to meeting you on the river.

FOOD:
Because of the various arrival and departure times of participants the simplest approach to meals is for each person to be responsible for his/her own. That does not preclude participants from getting together and pooling efforts. It also does not preclude pot lucks. So if you want to get with others to plan meals thats good. If we decide to pot luck a meal or two that is fine as well. But the responsibility lies first with the individual.

Breakfasts and Suppers will be at camp. Lunches will be on the river.

This has worked well so far and creates the least hassle. And we can gather around the campfire after dinner. Campfires have been great.

If need be, we will have a kitchen tent set up with tables for food preparation.

GEAR:
Each person is responsible for providing their own food and gear appropriate for the weather and water conditions. If you are just getting into canoe/kayak camping and are lacking some items please let us know. So far no one has been turned away because of lack of gear.

Note to self: don't forget tent poles this time.

[painterbob]

i'm in... i may be paddling a tandem...

[Bob Stout]

Richard,
Dave Reid and I may join you with my big tandem -- depends upon weather (don't like wet & cold together). Looking at the gages right now for both Hwy 65 & 14 -- looks pretty close to a bottom scraper for both gages.
Bob

[Eric Esche]

I'm tentatively in. I'll go solo or tandem, but would prefer tandem if we have any water to float in.

I haven't heard from my bow partner yet, but I did get a cortisone shot today and more/stronger meds for the disc problems, and something to help me sleep. I'll call Pam (Mohawk Lady) to let her know about the trip incase she is not surfing the board.

We will see how it goes at roll practice the next two weekends.

Eric

[GutIt]

I would like to toss my hat in the ring if I may be permitted.

But at this point I will have to toss it in under the Bail Clause! I'm still in the Wild and have to get home and check with the Boss and get the low-down on the Honey-Do status! I may have to downgrade those to Honey-Lets-Wait-And-See's! Seems strange how the Honey-Do's can fly when you are not the Honey Doing! Naturally I will let you know one way or another, Richard.

And speaking of flying? The NRD's are on!

[Eric Esche]

Susan's got a Saturday morning meeting that weekend so she can't come, but bring your wife with you. Susan says she will loan any of her gear if your wife needs anything from boat to dry suit.

Eric

And Terry - you are always welcome to come join us.

I'll be posting it on OMP when we get closer.

[GutIt]

Well bummer, Eric.

I'm dying to meet Susan!

But thank you, sir. And please tell Miss Susan for me thank you as well. Janetlee has what she needs for any run (although I'm betting she would love to crank out a longyak while hubby-poo grinds the Chuckwagon down the river! In fact, I think it would be fun to see her & Miss Susan in a couple of longyaks together). I would love for her to come! After all, she is my #1 Boating Bud! (Hokay, she is contractually obligated, but I'll take whatever I can get!) She makes an excellent hood ornament/bow babe! And when she gets tired of doing that, she'll jump in the back, make me her bow bi***, and whack me in the head with her stick until I get a cross-draw that suits her! Which makes a good case for helmets! I love it!

But she is more of a day tripper in the winter months these days. She has paid her dues sitting in the truck with the heater blasting while her PFD zipper thaws after an invigorating sub-zero Class IV whitewater run waiting for her fingers to move again so she can drop her paddle!!! I can't really say I blame her! She's done it for over twelve years and done it well. But she has threatened to join us once the weather breaks a little for a 'nighter. In fact, once it gets a bit warmer we won't be able to hold her back! She has heard me talk incessantly about you guys and of course has seen your video. She is looking forward to it! I'll try to lean on her to get her out there, but I doubt I'll have much luck!

[Eric Esche]

well, make sure she knows that we have 3 sea kayaks she can take her pick of as well as the carbon fiber sticks to go with them if she ever wants to try one.

That goes for anyone else out there as well. I can't paddle 2 boats at the same time, so if I'm in the cargo barge, I'd be glad to loan out the spare boat.

Eric

[Richard]

Its cold now but there is hope. On this float, Imbolc will be behind us.

[okieboater]

Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples and some other Celtic cultures either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 2, since this is the cross-quarter day on the solar calendar, halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day. In Scotland the festival is also known as Là Fhèill Brìghde, in Ireland as Lá Fhéile Bríde, and in Wales as Gwyl Ffraed.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens is perhaps a precursor to the North American Groundhog Day. A Scottish Gaelic proverb about the day is:

Thig an nathair as an toll
La donn Bride,
Ged robh tri traighean dh’ an t-sneachd
Air leachd an lair. "The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bride,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground." [1]

Fire and purification are an important aspect of this festival. Brigid (also known as Brighid, Bríde, Brigit, Brìd) is the goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. As both goddess and saint she is also associated with holy wells, sacred flames, and healing. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months.[2]

[Eric Esche]

Sounds like a good excuse for a blow log and maybe some spirits to me!

Eric

[Richard]

No need to worry now about enough water. We just might have our pick of any section of the river we want.
Now if we could just get the weather to warm up a bit, it will be perfect.

River Levels:
Upper Buffalo:
BOC http://www.buffaloriver.com/riverlevel.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(Ponca gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/uv?cb ... o=07055646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Middle (Hwy 65 gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=07056000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lower (Hwy 14 gauge) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00 ... o=07056700" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Richard]

Noaa, TWC and Accuweather are all calling for temps in the 60s on Saturday. Slight chance of rain. All this is subject to change and most likely will. But it is looking very promising.

[Clif]

We gonna try to do a concert Friday night at Altell, but want to catch up Sat. As it gets closer and we see, we may come up Friday.

[Richard]

Nows the time to express your preference. I called the NPS. They said its still early to say what things will be like. They have not been able to run the river yet to see what obstructions might be there. Woolum right now is open to one lane of traffic. Still debris to be removed.

We are looking at Carver to Woolum. I read Thomas Hart Benton's favorite place to camp was just above Woolum. Each time I have passed by, I have thought that would be a neat place to camp. We might do that Saturday night. Allen Ritman is bringing his raft loaded with firewood for Sat night.

I am the decider when you don't so speak up.

Its still early but I have never seen such a consensus among Noaa, TWC and AccuW. Averaging the three . . .
Fri 59º with no chance of rain. Fri night 47º
Sat 62º with a small chance. . . Sat night 46º
Sun 62º with slightly greater chance

NOTE: I am bringing the dogs unless someone objects. I need to know fairly soon so I can adjust my plans accordingly.