2nd Annual Black Friday River Clean-up - Caddo in Glenwood

[Cowper]

I have to start by admitting that we can't top last year's retrieval of the ski boat from the Saline, because I don't know of any items that "special" currently residing on a river gravel bar or backwater. But we do have one special target in mind that will take a little effort, a few miles of river that I think are relatively clean because DeBo and I hit it just two weeks ago, and then near the takeout at least two or three tires that I think would look a lot better sitting in a recycle pile than they do in the river.

The Caddo is a beautiful little river, and Black Friday is a good day to avoid the Malls and go to the river. (other days are also good days to go to the river, only the choice of words on what you are avoiding changes)

Our plans are as follows:

Meeting time:
10 AM, Friday, November 29, 2013

Meeting place:
AGFC Access in Glenwood, at N34.3207 W93.5419
Most GPS units including smartphone apps will accept lat/long as an address. If yours doesn't, enter it as 901 3rd street Glenwood, AR
If you prefer maps then type those coordinates into the address bar at maps.google.com
If you prefer to "feel" your way, go a hair more than 0.5 miles from where Hwy 70 crosses the Caddo, back towards Hot Springs (East), then turn right on 3rd street. It will look as if you are turning into a cemetery ('cause you are)

Shuttle:
We will figure that out starting at 10:01, when we see how many vehicles we are dealing with. I hope we will be on the water by 11 AM, and my best guess would be that we will be at the take-out around 4 PM, with everybody loaded up and ready to hit the road by sunset (roughly 5 PM). Those who stay and join for supper in Glenwood should expect to be headed home by 6:30 or 7; if you need to bug out earlier make sure we know that and we'll make sure your vehicle is one of those left at the take out.

River Difficulty:
Most books would call it Class I/II; at the level we will have most would call it Class I. There are several easy shoals. Total length is about 8.2 miles.

Appropriate Craft:
Bring what you got. Rec boats will be totally at home; kayaks are fine, but if you have both kayaks and canoes to choose from canoes typically are better for clean up floats simply because they hold more.

Weather:
Current Forecast (with 100% money back guarantee from the NWS, because they are NEVER wrong) is for 45 degrees and sunny at 11 AM (approximate launch time) rising to 50 and sunny by 1 PM. High of 52 is expected.

I think I've covered most of the usual questions, but if you have others, just ask! If you'd rather talk than post, try my cell, fiveohone four72 9zero38

[Chicago Bob]

See you there should be a great day. The bulk of the trash will be located in the first few miles and just above the take-out. BOB

[Lupe]

I plan to tag along...I'll be coming from Little Rock with one canoe on my car...I could possibly add another canoe or a couple kayaks if any others would like to join and are looking to car pool.

[Shark Attack]

If my head's not to sore from Thanksgiving festivities I'll try to make it down. Will text Cowper if I fail.

[Moniker]

Wish I could be there but I have to work.Since I don't hunt anymore I can count on working deer season weekends,but I do'nt have a problem with that becuase it makes my coworkers easier to live with.
They come back to work with the same attitude I have when I come back from the river.

[Chicago Bob]

Found much trash and my lost canoe and gear. Thanks to everybody for their help and concern. Living the dream. BOB

[Cowper]

What a great day with great people! Heather took the position of trip statistician, so I'll let her give the complete list of stuff we got, but I have to mention 3: another blue barrel , a shopping cart and 3 gallons of oil. Some photos:

A very happy Bob (really, whole happy group) at the put in...

Our first major acquisition of the day was this cable spool. First, we had to float it across the river...

Then, we had to roll it along the gravel bar heading upstream...

[Cowper]

Where it began the last leg of it's journey - a canoe ride back upstream to the put-in. One young man, the grandson of the property owner just downstream of the put-in came down to help us. (I think we disappointed him - he admitted he was really expecting to see us swim.)

A little more than a mile downstream, after some confusion caused by my bad phone connection, Heather secured permission for us to stage the second load of trash on a beach owned by Nichols Hole Cabins.

It was a good thing Michael towed my trailer down there!

[Cowper]

AND - I forgot to say a special "Thank You!" to Jeff Gannon, who stopped by on his way to Dierks to drive our shuttle. The time that saved us allowed more to be collected, and helped us get to the takeout before dark even with these shorter days.