Great Arkansas River Cleanup - Sat Sept 6, 2014

[Cowper]

Come out and join the Great Arkansas River Clean Up in Little Rock. Here's what we know:

MESSAGE HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR OUR NEW MEETING PLACE 8/28/14

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/17046889297727 ... =1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saturday, Sept 6 9AM to 12PM
Cooks Landing (on Cooks Landing Road going to Big Dam Bridge, NLR side, aka, River Left)
N34.80107 W92.35555

Last year we had a great time, and worked most of the day, missing the "lunch" event. Sounds bad, but we got a pile of trash big enough to cause rumbling among event organizers and possibly some annoyance with the Little rock folks who had to pick it all up at the boat launch. And we won the ACA National Photo contest for that weeks clean ups. (At no extra charge, Crash and I were publicly "called out" on the ACA webpage for not wearing our PFD's while paddling a hot tub.) This year we will probably quit "early" and join the others for lunch.

We're bringing out some bigger boats to support carrying larger items, and to keep off-loading whatever smaller paddle-powered craft can get so that you'll have room for more. Or just show up, and we'll shuttle you to a shoreline in need of attention and then come pick up whatever you collect. We might even swing by and offer you a cold beverage once in awhile. (Please bring your own PFD, even if you don't bring a boat.) You might also want to bring a piece of string to tie around our finger; at quitting time we'll keep picking up people until we run out of strings.

And just for grins, during the clean up, make a mental note of how many items WOULDN'T be there if our state had a container deposit law.

[maggiepowell]

I shall be there.

[Deuce]

Come out and join the Great Arkansas River Clean Up in Little Rock. Here's what we know:

MESSAGE HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR OUR NEW MEETING PLACE 8/28/14

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/17046889297727 ... =1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saturday, Sept 6 9AM to 12PM
Cooks Landing (on Cooks Landing Road going to Big Dam Bridge, NLR side, aka, River Left)
N34.80107 W92.35555

Last year we had a great time, and worked most of the day, missing the "lunch" event. Sounds bad, but we got a pile of trash big enough to cause rumbling among event organizers and possibly some annoyance with the Little rock folks who had to pick it all up at the boat launch and won the ACA National Photo contest for that weeks clean ups. (At no extra charge, Crash and I were publicly "called out" on the ACA webpage for not wearing our PFD's while paddling a hot tub.) This year we will probably quit "early" and join the others for lunch.

We're bringing out some bigger boats to support carrying larger items, and to keep off-loading whatever smaller paddle-powered craft can get so that you'll have room for more. Or just show up, and we'll shuttle you to a shoreline in need of attention and then come pick up whatever you collect. We might even swing by and offer you a cold beverage once in awhile. (Please bring your own PFD, even if you don't bring a boat.) You might also want to bring a piece of string to tie around our finger; at quitting time we'll keep picking up people until we run out of strings.

And just for grins, during the clean up, make a mental note of how many items WOULDN'T be there if our state had a container deposit law.

Lunch? We don't neeeeeeed no stinkin' lunch! We're gonna do something WAY better than that! Stay tuned.

[Cowper]

OK, but let's compromise - can we quit before sunset? (NO, I'm NOT getting SOFT, I just want to entice a couple of more participants.)

[Deuce]

Yes, we'll definitely quit long before sunset. Gotta have plenty of time to grill some cased meats and enjoy a frosty beverage or two.

[Chicago Bob]

No I think a lunch is necessary. Some groups I go with have several lunches during a trip. BOB

[Cowper]

I think Deuce is working on a lunch plan... he just meant we don't need somebody else's stinkin' lunch...

[Deuce]

The Cowper is right, but what I have in mind will transpire closer to senior citizen dinner time, so it would be prudent to bring some snackies. I secured commitments from three new participants last night.

[Cowper]

Deuce is just talking smack about lunch. He's actually secured Central Chapter funding to serve a free lunch to those who come out to help. We've got a partial head count already, but RSVP's via a brief post here or an e-mail or Facebook Message to Deuce (aka Luke Coop) would be helpful in making sure that we don't run out of food, and don't buy too much and then waste it.

[Shark Attack]

If we catch a carp while we are out will Luke grill it up for us? If I can get my jon boat to start I'll try to be there.

[Cowper]

That would be great Wes. So far, I think many of our folks who would normally paddle are planning on snagging a power boat ride, because we can cover more shoreline that way. But we're already in danger of having more hands than needed on each boat, which causes a point of diminishing returns on what can be collected because it concentrates too many at one spot.

NOTE: If you are planning to ride the barge or another boat, please wear stuff that you can get out and wade the shoreline in! The bigger boats can not directly access much of the trash, you have to wade out there to get it!

[Deuce]

I guess I can grill a carp but I prefer buffalo. Now, if you get us a grinnell it's on! I'd like to clarify my intentions regarding grub so there's no confusion (or at least no more than usual). Cowper, if I'm on a completely different page than you thought I was speak up.

What I have in mind is not lunch as such but a late afternoon cookout. I figure we'll knock off between 3:00 and 4:00 and head for a sandbar where we can beach the boats. We'll grill up some dogs, enjoy a few beverages and have a great time fellowshipping, then we'll break up the party when everyone's ready to call it an evening.

I plan to bring a 120 quart cooler and anyone so inclined is welcome to put beverages, etc. in it. It will be on the barge which will be involved in the cleanup so you'll have all day access to whatever you put in there.

********ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL NOT BE EATING AT LUNCH TIME********* unless consensus is that's a bad idea. We don't meet til 9:00 which IMO means we won't even be in high gear until around noon. So, I repeat, bringing a snack would be prudent.

[maggiepowell]

I was under the impression that is was 9am to noon, not 9am until 3 or 4. Will there be shuttles back to Cook's Landing before late afternoon?

Anyway Cowper, if it is alright with you and others I think my best contribution would be to be stationed on one of the larger boats to help off load trash. I don't have any waders plus I think wading around in unstable muck would not be good for my ankles.

Mags

[Cowper]

ADEQ proposed 9 to noon. Luke and I were thinking of going longer. I don't want to go too long, since we're going to the Caddo to do it all over again on Sunday.

One possible target area is several miles upriver, where the tornado went through. There are rumors of refrigerators and other items worthy of our attention. This is subject to change via discussion tomorrow, but if we are 5 miles upstream at noon, we might not be able to take someone back to the boat ramp right at noon. Since Luke was planning to cook later (assuming we find a sandbar), stopping at noon would also cause you to miss the social hour.
But if everyone really wants to quit much sooner, we'll go with that, maybe start cooking by one or two.

The ankle thing is easier. Of course we don't want anyone to injure themselves; just come and help however much you feel you can.

[Deuce]

Yeah, I'm completely amenable to the group's will.