We had an impromptu org meeting at Brown's last night. Here's what you need to know.
We will have a total of 8 rivermen for at least parts of this trip.
The following are full monty Thursday to Sunday:
Skip
Rob H
Stuart
Phil
Pete F
In addition, Mullowney will be on for two nights, Thursday to Saturday.
Vernon and Dave Coviello will be joining Saturday for one night.
On Thursday, I will pick up Stuart at the airport about 10:30 and we will go straight from there (with some supply stops). Anyone not riding with me and the trailer should meet us at the Williamsport Market and Deli which you will know because it is surrounded by five (5) cemeteries. Including a dedicated meth cemetery:
Or look for it's famous murals:
The Saturday guys (Vernon and Coviello) will join us on the river under the Natchez Trace bridge where the Gordon House rest stop is. Coviello will be launching a canoe, but Vernon will just trade places with Mullowney who is exiting on Saturday at the same place.
All of this - plus leaving an extra car at the take-out to get Stuart to the airport early on Sunday - will make the shuttle somewhat complicated. The good news is that because the river bends are unusually long and twisty and the road is unusually straight, the entire shuttle for this four-day, 25 mile canoe trip is only 10 minutes long.
Our paddle on Thursday will also be short - only one mile, which we can do in less than thirty minutes. So we'll have plenty of time to set up Proud Mary. Here is drone surveillance from the put-in to the campsite:
On Friday morning we will paddle past the previously mentioned 1822 Farm, which sells fresh meat on site. The owner looks and talks exactly like Old Man Willet, who you may recall had some of the best lines in Goodbye to a River (“Hit’s
a-snowin!” “Hit’s the only book they is,” “You’re a blowed Jew!” “Ought to
see him dressed up like Gunsmoke, Sundays,” “No-good piss ant,” “Looks like you’d
have more brains…horsin’ around a river"). His son is going to meet us at the mouth of Big Bigby Creek via four-wheeler and deliver two big dry rub Chuck Roasts and a Thor's Hammer for our Friday night entree.
Here's the full menu:
THURSDAY
Lunch - egg salad and/or avocado sandwiches
Dinner -
chickens a la Proud Mary, Big Daddy collared greens and wild rice
FRIDAY
Breakfast - tobacco and coffee
Lunch - chicken sandwiches
Dinner - 1882 Farm pot roast. Note from the chefs: everyone should bring a quart-sized bowl for this meal (in addition to the usual personal plates, cups and silverware)
SATURDAY
Breakfast - tobacco and coffee
Lunch - beef and horseradish sandwiches
Dinner - pasta with garlic, anchovy, capers and red pepper, sautéed Guinea greens, 7-Up cake
SUNDAY
Breakfast - tobacco and coffee
Plus Stuart is going to bartend and will be serving specialty cocktails each evening. It's going to be a good trip, Passengers.
