Red River - Dec. 17 & 18

[Butch Crain]

From Hwy 41 put in north of New Boston, TX 20 miles downriver to a private takeout.

Historic Spanish Bluff site is 6 miles from put in.

Camp on a sandbar Saturday night, with the requisite awesome bonfire.

BYO food and drink, but a lot of sharing usually takes place.

Mostly Ozark Society members so far, plus me & my 8 year old grandson - definitely a family oriented group.

[Butch Crain]

Richard, when you're camped on a 100 acre sandbar, it makes the whole cathole/rocket box debate a moot point.

Anyway, I believe you already have a little sand from time to time

And don't get me wrong, I dig the Buffalo. It's probably just because I've been on the Red more, but the most brilliant moonrises and sunsets I've seen float camping have been on the Red.

We may only see a fraction of the eagles y'all see on the Buffalo, but 10 times every other kind of wildlife. The section we're doing is known to have at least a couple of cougars.

[kbuech]

I learned of the Red River trip earlier today from fellow ACC member Harlan Hughes (though Harlan will not be able to make the trip himself).

I am interested in joining you. My friend Joe Cooper Rolfe is also interested. I would be using my LiquidLogic XP9 kayak, which is well-suited to kayak-camping. Joe Cooper just bought a solo kayak, but has more experience in canoes. He wondered if you would suggest a canoe over a kayak to him for this trip.

Also, about the planned put-in:
It looks like it will be at the following spot (I'm driving from Farmerville, LA to join you). Would you look at the following map below and let me know if I have selected the right destination?
And what time do you plan to launch on Saturday? And to finish on Sunday?

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Thank you!

Kurt Buechler

[Butch Crain]

I'd suggest the canoe just for payload's sake unless Joe has a large rec kayak.

You've got the right spot, but I'd suggest going back to Farmerville through Magnolia - puts you within a block of Burge's Bar-B-que in Lewisville.

The tentative plan is to meet at the whataburger on US71 on the north side of Shreveport at 6:30 am and leave by 7. Go straight to the put in and set shuttle from there. Probably all hit the water by late morning.

[kbuech]

Thank you, Butch. See you next Saturday. And thanks for the tip on our return trip to farmerville. Loves me some BBQ!

[MikeBeebe]

Kurt, if Butch don't mind my cutting in here, you might try backyard BBQ there in Magnolia. You won't beat his ribs! Just saying... Butch, I've got to get my schedule straightened out so I make the red river with you real soon.

Mike Beebe

[Butch Crain]

always open to good advice...& ribs. Is backyard open Sunday afternoons?

Mike, there's talk of doing the section from the private landing where we're taking out this time down to Index - about 30 miles - in January. Some of us will have done about 200 miles of the Red after that trip.

I'll keep all posted. Hope you can make it.

[ROBERT GEORGE SCHARNHORST]

whats the weather going to be like down there? if i can make it, what time will u be at the put-in?

[Butch Crain]

should be at the put in around 9, set shuttle and start paddling by 10 or so

temps mid 50s, no precip predicted, low near freezing Sat night

[Butch Crain]

sunny days

chilly nights

huge sandbars

plenty of firewood

good company

river was rolling

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."



grandchildren are a wonderous thing

[Richard]

Grandchildren are a blessing. When you get to share experiences with them in the outdoors it is even better. I am taking several of mine to Blanchard Springs Caverns tomorrow.
Uh . . . well, part of that will be outdoors :)

[Butch Crain]

Richard, my grandson was a joy to behold - we made camp by 3:30 and he proceeded to draw all over the sandbar w/ that stick he's holding (wish I had an aerial photo of before & after), stoked the campfire until bed time and was up w/ me at 5am getting it going again. I hope he can always hold on to some of that.

Missed you on the float- hope you & yours enjoy the "indoor" day.

[Eric Esche]

Sorry we missed another great float. Don't have any grandkids yet, but other peoples kids, grandkids, and dogs have added another dimension to many of our ACC float trips that we would have been poorer without. Glad you got to make this one with him and hope we get to meet him someday on another trip making more memories.

Eric Esche

[Richard]

It wasn't a river, it wasn't overnight.
But it was with the grandkids and did involve being outdoors. The indoors was spectacular.

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[okieboater]

yup, for me, it is grand daughter playing basket ball. Not boating but still a lot of fun!