A Clear Choice?

We had a lot of rain last week, and the river is high which would normally not be a problem because its on its way back down and would look good for Friday.  But the forecast says 100% chance of rain the first half of this week.  Like there's 100% chance of anything, but still that does not bode well.   I am 99% sure that the Red will be at peak flood stage right about the time we are supposed to get on it. 

So I'm going to introduce Plan B.  We'll still watch the Red River gauges carefully and maybe even do some visuals from the bridges, but everyone needs to read this because we probably won't be on it and my proposed Plan B is very different.  

I say we go to the Big South Fork area and float the Clear Fork river.  It has been on the RRCC bucket list for a long time and requires wet weather, which is good, but that also means its not a big slow river like we've grown accustomed to.  In fact, it would be the most technical river we've ever done.   I'm not going to use the word "whitewater" because real kayakers would be bored on the Clear Fork.  Let's just say there will be times you're going to have to set your drink down.

I have floated it solo and did not think it was bad at all, but just so you can reach your own conclusions, here are descriptions from three different float books in the RRCC library:

 

 

I don't know why that last one is sideways.  Turn your head.

We would do the first two sections:  the twelve miles from Gatewood Bridge, past Peters Ford Bridge and take out at Brewseter Bridge.   We would NOT do Brewster Bridge to Burnt Mill Bridge so you don't have to lay in your tent the first night wondering how you're going to "keep your skull intact" on "Decapitation Rock" the next day. 

Here are the reasons I think we should do it (assuming the Red is too high).   Number one is it's gorgeous.  It's got the classic east Tennessee look with mountain laurels and big boulders and bluffs that we have never seen by canoe and never will unless we do a river like this.  Remember how the drive to the Current River was really long but we all recognized afterward that if we never did the drive we'd never have paddled in a cave?   And the Clear Fork is just about the only one like this we ever will do, because the rest of them really are whitewater.  

There aren't many pictures on the internet (which is itself a good sign) but here are a couple:

 

Number two reason:  at the same time the water level is going to be just right on the Clear Fork, we happen to have a small but solid group of 8 men instead of our usual Mardi Gras parade of 15 canoes.

Number 3:  the daytime temperatures are supposed to be unseasonably warm.  That really lowers the stakes in case somebody gets wet, which I honestly don't expect.

We can also take some easy precautions without cramping our style:   just make sure everything's bagged up, leave behind some of the frivolous things (like accordions and kegs of beer) and lash down the important ones.   We could put two people in each canoe if we want, but I don't think that's necessary for everyone.  Personally I'm excited about the idea and while it might be a little more bold adventure than lazy float, you know I will never take us down a river where there is any unreasonable risk or I think it's not safe.  

All of the literature says the Clear Fork is a good canoe-camping stream.  I did not scout it for that purpose the one time I was on it, so I have no notes and don't really remember gravel bars at all.  It's in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area so they may say that because camping is legal (and scenic).   We will find a cozy campsite, even if Phil has to hack one out of the rhododendrons. 

 

Editor's Note:   by the time I finished writing this it started raining.  So there's your 100%. 

We get to have another gear retirement cermony on this trip.  Tim's wood gunwales that came off his
Wenonah, and the wood deck plates, will need to be burned in the social fire at solemn moment the first night out.   Just like the Jap guitar and other equipment that we have retired that way. 

It was implied, but we probably should have said more clearly, that in addition to taking people out on Saturday if they need to get back, we can also pick up late arrivers who have a conflict on Friday night.   The bridges work out well for that the Red is only a little over an hour away.

In addition to your usual reminders about BYO-plate, cup and silverware, on this trip you should bring a bowl and soup spoon   Those are orders directly from the head bourguignonor.

Also, breaking news.  Vernon decided to be a river man, as we knew he would.   If you are coming into Nashville, bring the trailer by and leave it in the driveway.

 

Here is the river plan.

We're going to float the section from Tennessee 161 down to Hwy. 41 in Adams, Tennessee.   Here's the aerial photo (we will be traveling right to left):

Our goal is to be on the river by noon Friday the 11th and we will paddle 6.5 miles to mouth of Buzzard Creek, which is shown on the photo above as the first red dot.   We have canoed the Red dozens of times on day trips, but never for overnights.  However, we have copious notes over the years preparing for just this moment.  Based on those and the satellite photos, Buzzard Creek should be a great first campsite.  Here's the close up:

Saturday will be 8.0 miles (four hours of paddling if you try as hard you can to slow down) to a nice bend with islands about 1/2 mile above the Bell Witch Cave (far-left red dot above, and close-up below):

Sunday paddle is about two miles.  Seventeen total miles Friday to Sunday.
  
Note:   this is not going to be a jon boat trip.  So if you cooks intend to be carrying any large mammal carcasses you'll need to hack them up ahead of time.    Also, the put-in is definitely 4x4 only.   It's only a short distance to under the bridge so people in cars can walk, but gear needs to be in the big trucks or the trailer.

_______________________________________

Letter from Pete F. Feldman:

Alas, it is no dice that I'll attend the Spring campaign down the Cerulean River. In fact, I might not even be able to attend the French Quarter Fest as I could very well be getting a$$raped that weekend at a new job I took at a more upscale restaurant than where I last saw you that beautiful New Orleans November day. Real top down management, daily humiliations are meted out generously to everyone, the chef is a funhouse mirror of the father we eternally disappoint.  And if that isn't enough, I got summoned for jury duty on April 11th - never mind that I'm not even registered to vote down here. Though not from apathy, I tried twice online, but neither a New York license nor a US passport are considered sufficient identification.

 Anyway, hope you men have great weather and an awesome trip 2 weeks hence. God willing, I'll make the Fall trip, which hopefully doesn't conflict with the Breeders' Cup, run on the first Saturday of November.

 

The pigs head is prized at the new job...

 

 

 

 

Preparations Are Being Made

Tim is going to be proud paddler with the new gunwales he's installed in the Wenonah:

Josh is stepping in for Jim Myers who will miss the Spring trip to rest a bad case of Rotisserie Elbow.  To ease the transition from last year's amazing all-day pig roast, Josh and Rob will be slow cooking venison bourguignon which is French for "it all looks the same on the other side."

Also, we're not encouraging this, but if anyone is going to miss the trip because they have a Saturday night conflict, we can work it out to drop you at a bridge Saturday like Josh did in his tuxedo at Totty's Bend.

The Not-So-Red River

We did some bridge scouting today and the river looked good.  Really good.  From now on it shall be called the Cerulean River.

Click them:

 

 

 

Borderline

Daylight Savings hit the RRCC hard this year.   We set our clocks forward and overslept by two months.  So now it's almost time for the Spring trip.  We'll be leaving Friday morning, April 11 and returning Sunday the 13th. 

The cooks are way ahead of us and are already asking for a head count.   So far the following are confirmed:

Skip
Rob
Tim
Josh
Phil
Ian
Mullogna

We need to hear from the rest of you.  We know Pete F. Feldman has a choice to make between the French Quarter Fest and canoeing.  And Vernon has a fraternity reunion he is thinking about.   Hopefully they'll both be on the gravel bar with us and Pete can tell Vernon what the difference is between frat boys and river men.

As far as destinations, about once every third year or so we start thinking about the Red River.  So there's a good chance we're going to try for that next month (and then probably end up on the Duck).   The Red is on the Tennessee/Kentucky border between Clarkville and Springfield:

In fact, the most likely section we would do includes a stretch where we will be paddling across the state line three times in less than three miles:

So plan to keep a bottle of Kentucky bourbon on the starboard side and Tennessee whiskey to the port, because you'll have to change drinks four times in about an hour.