2nd Half Plan

Ok, the last time we talked we had made it to McKnight Branch five miles down the river.  That will be Campsite #1.

Here's the map for the second half of the trip (still paddling right to left on your screen).



Given our more "mature" approach to river miles, and the fact this will be two nights instead of one, it seemed unlikely we could camp at the big gravel bar island again.  But it turns out that for the very same reasons we may end up in that general vicinity the second night. Not making any promises, but that could be Campsite #2.  It's definitely a good one:

Here is the current roster based on the info I have:

Rob
Skip
Tim
Josh
Pete F. Feldman
Myers
Phil
Dave Coviello
David Fox
Kirly

Vernon is a maybe.  Mullowney will be out of the country



And here is a Public Service Announcement:



https://fox17.com/news/local/tdec-warns-not-to-consume-bass-found-along-east-fork-stones-river-in-rutherford-county

Of course, this only applies if we catch enough fish to make a dinner so...

Stones River Plans - Part I

Ok got the logistics worked out I think.  Our total trip will be right around 20 miles.

In 2004 we put in at Goochie Ford which was a low-water bridge. The locals called it "The Slab."    Zoom in on the map in Mullowney's hand at our Brown's Diner planning session and you can see all the notes for that trip.

Apparently we paddled 13 miles to the big gravel bar island campsite.  And since that was our first (and last) one-nighter, that means we also drove from Nashville and ran the shuttle that day.  Adult sized serving!

We are older and wiser now and will probably do our river miles something like 5-10-5, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. 

Since 2004 , there have been two interesting developments that make it likely we will put in about a mile upstream from Goochie Ford at Readyville (pronounced REEDY-ville). 

First reason: The Slab at Goochie Ford is not a slab anymore. It's actually a low bridge now, which is different from a low-water bridge.  The former you can paddle under (appealing), the latter you portage over or around (less appealing, and probably why we put in there last time).

New Goochie Ford Bridge

The second positive development is the mill at Readyville.  https://www.readyvillemill.com/
Click on history.  Since we were there last it was purchased, restored, and reopened as an operating grist mill. Just like the glory days of Rat McFerrin.  They open at 9:00 am on Saturdays so we can buy our dry goods that morning. 

Bonus fact from the history of the mill:  the Stones River did not get its name from the stones in the river, or from The Stones, but from Uriah Stone.  Uriah did have some big stones though.  He was not afraid of creditors or Indians:  http://vagenweb.org/lee/UriahStoneMA.html

Actually maybe he was afraid of Indians: https://www.dnj.com/story/news/local/2014/11/15/harbers-history-lesson-river-carries-stones-legacy/19104745/

Bonus reasons for putting in at the mill:  they have given us actual permission to launch there, and we don't have to clamber over all that rip-rap at Goochie Ford with our heavy canoes and cast iron.  Really the only reason we won't is if the water is too high to get the canoes under the bridge at Goochie Ford.

Either way our first night will be somewhere after the confluence with McKnight Branch (traveling right to left on this map):

I'll preview the second half of the trip next week.

Spring 2019

Spring trip gonna be April 5 - 7.  That's pretty soon fellas.  One month from tomorrow, in fact.

Our hopeful/probable destination is the East Fork of the Stones River.  In Rutherford County just on the other side of Murfreesboro.

Depending on how you measure it, the Stones was the first river that we did as a real canoe club.  Exactly 15 years ago in the Spring of 2004.  That was the trip of the first Osso Bucco and the beer pigs, and led to the adoption of some of the first RRCC regulations, especially new rules on medical marijuana and concealed carry.

It also had one of the best gravel bar islands we've ever camped on...



We can't guarantee it will work out to stop there again because river access points have changed in the last 15 years and we have not been able to scout them because of high water and flooding.  But there are many good gravel bars like it along the way.  We will for sure stop and have a toast.

We will also pass the old site where Brown's Mill used to be.  When we did it in 2004 the mill was gone but the remains of the dam were still there which created some excitement for us getting through.








Below is a surprisingly in-depth video about the mill and the removal of that dam in 2014.  It's excellent and is mandatory viewing if you're even thinking about going on this trip.

Basically, they blew up the dam just for us.  So the least we can do is go float it again.