Tubthumping

The WTB finally has those sought after distress and character marks that only come from taking an instrument on the road. The cars behind Kirk on I-24 almost had some nice distress and character marks too.
























~

Could there be a more forlorn sight than Rob C. standing in the driveway in his business suit watching us leave on the trip?


When we got out, a raw north breeze picked at out clothes and grayed the surface of the big lake, and Hale said, with a kind of satisfaction, that it was a hell of a time to be starting a canoe trip.

Hale had been going partway down the river with me till business and his wife's opinion got in the way. He glared at the equipment stowed and tied into the canoe.

"I wish. . ." he said, and didn't finish. He said: "You call from One Eighty. Maybe I'll drive out and float with you a couple of days."

I said: "I'll call. You won't come."

"There won't be any ducks," he said. "You saw those on the hatchery ponds. They don't like the river when it's high."

"All right," I said. Getting in, I collared the pup to keep him from scrambling ashore, and pushed away. Hale yelled something as I swept into the bubble-hiss of the rapids. It was fast but smooth, and spewed me into a a long flowing pool below. With only enough paddling for steerageway, the current carried me swiftly the mile and a half down to the sharp turn of the Flint Bend and around it, under the cliffs.

Goodbye to a River, p. 14





Apparently Rob's wife also has an opinion about the RRCC Packing List. So I guess this message wasn't from you, Ann:

-------------------------

From: notifications@scribd.com [mailto:notifications@scribd.com]
Sent: Mon 10/13/2008 8:30 PM
To: RRCC8572
Subject: [Scribd] Daily Summary

Hi RRCC8572, Here's your daily summary of what's happened with your Scribd account since you last checked out the site.

------------------------
curtis901 added your document "RRCC Packing List" to their list of favorites

about 7 hours ago

-----------------------

You received this email because you are receiving a summary of what happens to your Scribd account, no more than once per day.

Twenty Miles

And it felt good. As Josh happily observed from one of his three camp chairs Saturday night: "It was an adult sized serving."

Now that we have put the canoe back in Canoe Club it's time to put the river back in Rebel Rivers. For the 2000 Piney River trip we made people join the National Organization for Rivers in lieu of paying dues. Since then the RRCC has switched endorsements and urges you (just short of requires you) to buy a ticket or a table to the Harpeth River Jam which is Saturday, October 25 benefitting the Harpeth River Watershed Association. There is already significant overlap (i.e. more than one) between the officers of the HRWA and the RRCC. When you buy a ticket you'll become an HRWA member too. Plus free food, a concert by someone whose name is Rivers, and you won't have to beat the beers out of the ice with a canoe paddle.

Here is the link you need. http://www.harpethriver.org/events/jam But you still have to pay your dues.

From Put-In to Take-Off

Forward Ever Be Thy Watchword

Time to go. Got a real good feeling about this one.




All the canoes are up so nothing left to do but hitch our pony to the wagon.

P.S. We shopped all over for just the right black, rubber trucker tie-downs because they look so easy on a trailer. But after trying them out there's no way they can be trusted to secure a 17' boat 12' off the ground at 70 mph. So sixteen trucker's hitches later all eight canoes have become one with the trailer.


For those special top row spots we picked the battered, borrowed green canoe and the Grumman. The former is no loss if it gets skimmed off the top. The latter will just leave a canoe-shaped hole in every overpass between here and South Pittsburgh - and still be in good shape for paddling and kitchen counter duty tonight.

Proof we were right about the upstream/downstream thing

This is the gauge farthest upstream. It's at about River Mile 45 (our put-in is Mile 48 and our Friday night campsite is Mile 46). Notice it's already turned down.

This one is way down the river at Mile 24 (four miles below our take-out Sunday at Mile 28).


Time to stop worrying about the gravel bar/water level/weather and start worrying about Tim's beer calculation for a two-nighter.

So what does this meteorological miracle mean to us?

We can't be completely sure because the USGS picked a very unfortunate time to start shutting down their gauges.



Just a week ago we were watching the flow table and wishing we had 100 cfs but they've taken already taken that reading down.

Nevertheless, it is safe to say we will have plenty of water. Any running aground you do will be the result of your own navigation or alcohol consumption.

There is even a possibility we will have too much water. Not a safety concern, just a slight worry our Friday night gravel bar may shrink. Or disappear. The second night won't matter since we're up in our own private cow pasture. And that's the right order to do it in because the upper stretches of the river will flood sooner, less, and recede quicker than the downstream parts. We may have timed this perfectly. And no matter what we should have a great ride on Saturday.

However, the rain will probably affect the water clarity and could have an adverse effect on our fishing and malacology pastimes.

POP QUIZ

Q: What are these?

Purple Wartyback
Tennessee Pigtoe
Rainbow
Pheasantshell
Slippershell
Threeridge
Elephantear
Plain Pocketbook
Wavy-rayed Lampmussel
Pocketbook
Flutedshell
Round Hickorynut
Pink Heelsplitter
Rabbitsfoot
Pistolgrip



A: Are they...

a) Fifteen new nicknames for the fifteen members going on this trip?
b) The sushi rolls Jim is fixing for hors d'oeuvres Saturday night?
or
c) All of the freshwater mussels found in the Middle Sequatchie?

~

Fall Colors

All you jessies who still want to get a canoe on better do it soon. Only two spots left.

Chattanooga Weather

The RRCC cloud-seeding project in the Sequatchie Valley is right on schedule. Showers on Wednesday, tapering off on Thursday, clear this weekend:




In the event that this rain does not materialize, we are now willing to at least consider the possibility of switching rivers. In spite of all the steadfastness and stubbornness expressed to the contrary.

Watch the sky. Then watch the gauges.

And don't forget your fishing license if you need to get it renewed.





















~

A Sirius Problem

Rob Cannon's satellite radio is available but does us no good. All SEC games are now on XM. Does anyone have or can borrow a portable XM receiver so we can listen to Vandy play Bowl-Eligibility State from the river Saturday? This is an essential item on the official packing list. Our only other options are either make a Club purchase or plan on floating the Tibbee River outside of Starkville. So who has access to one?



Josh says get your dues in. $150 for returning members. $200 for first-timers.

Feed Your Head