Get Well Soon, Jeremy

 

 

 

 

"It's wrong, it's wrong how you done me."



Get Ready

Tim, Josh and the Swedish Chef have rescued us from an all-Vienna-Sausage weekend.  Announcing the new menu! 

Dinner Friday Night

Organic North Carolina Brats

Oven-Baked Yeast and Flour Artisan Rolls

Champagne Dijon Mustard, organic choucroute, pickled concombre relish

 

Saturday Breakfast

Continental Breakfast

Fresh Fruit and Kenya AA Arabica Coffee Service

 

Saturday Gravel Bar Bloody Mary/Screwdriver Bar

 

Saturday Lunch

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and with all the fixings

 

Café Du Monde Coffee Concentrate Shooter Bar

 

Dinner Saturday Night

 Big Daddy Pan-Seared Filet Mignon

Caesar Salad with homemade croutons and Something Special Dressing

Open fire loaded baked potatoes

 

Sunday Breakfast

 

Organic Sausage and Fresh Baked Biscuits

_______________________________________________

Great job guys, way to step up. 

In other business:

We'll meet at Pinewood Canoe and Camp sometime Friday afternoon or night, after accounting for stops at various Hwy 46 holes-in-the-wall.  Here's the roster:

Skip
Tim
Josh
Jack
Mullowney
Vernon
Rob
Floyd

That's some hardcore troubadours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got canoes on the trailer for everybody except Mullowney who will bring his own.

Josh, don't forget the XXL Ice Mule for the big experiment!

Read Me

Important announcement, fellas.   We're changing up the trip.

We've got a lot of guys with time pressure at both ends of the weekend, and of course we're seriously understaffed in the kitchen.  Combine that with unpredictable water levels and an unscouted section of river...I just don't think it's the right time for a 25-mile Bold Adventure. 

We're going to keep it in Hickman County, but when we get to Centerville we're going to fake left and go right to the Piney instead of the Duck.    There is a section downstream of our 2006 Piney River float that we have not done so our streak of never repeating a trip will remain intact.  To refresh your recollection, here's what the upstream looked like in the spring:

 

Now picture that in full fall color.  Should be quite nice.

This will also affect our schedule.  We are only going to spend Saturday night on the river.  We will have a Friday night option for anyone who wants to go up and camp at the put-in, and we will wait for the Saturday guys there the next morning.   So Friday night will be at the Pinewood Canoe and Camp, which is a small, commercial campground right on the river (see bottom right of link). 

Because of the relaxed schedule and distance (only 6.5 total river miles), it's the perfect time for "wildly enthusiastic" cooks with "extraordinary initiative" to just skip the sous chef stage and start trying out their menu ideas.  Therefore, the "On Your Own" Order is hereby lifted and we will post the new menu as soon as they let us know.

Red-lining a River

Everyone's been asking about the rain and the water levels.

 

Yesterday it broke throug the bright red "NWS Action Stage" line, which is new to us.

 

 

 

  Vernon has got boots on the gound at Leatherwood for an eyewitness account.  Here's the image he sent:

 

If you look closely in the bottom right corner you can see the Nine-Man-Log that finally got washed off the island upstream at Cedar Creek.

Next to the Nine-Man-Log you can see the pig bones we left on the gravel bar at River Mile78 last fall, and beside that are Mrs. Cooper's dentures, Mike's aluminum foil shin shields, a bottle of Old Grand-Dad, about twenty guitar picks, one of Floyd's orange dildos, the missing coffee percolator, Kirk's C-PAC machine from Big Swan Creek which is an upstream tributary, and Rob's bait casting rod from the Piney, also coming in upstream. 

Here's an update from the Kitchen crew: 

From Phil:

Hey - I'm gone to Belgium from 4-12th, then backpacking in the Cascades 15-20th, then have a client in town 22-24th. I'm not gonna be much help this fall on preparations. 'Course I'll work my fingers to a nub once we're out there.

From Rob: 

As a Sat arriver, I am going to cash in some goodwill and shirk all meal planning and pre-trip grocery duties. 

Like Phil, I will eagerly do any and all cooking-related chores asked of me once on site. 

I do promise if you get me a menu I will make sure the appropriate Dutch ovens as well as all the club cooking gear in my possession gets delivered to skip's before your Fri departure.

From Jim:

Bad news gents. I'm out for the trip. I've got work related stuff Friday, Saturday and Saturday night that I can't miss.

Here is the updated menu:

Friday Lunch

On your own

Friday Dinner

Imported Sheboygan Bratwurst on Genuine Brat Rolls.
Sauerkraut and German Mustard
Kettle Chips

On your own

Saturday Breakfast

Kaffekuchen

Coffee
Juice

On your own

Saturday Lunch (Tim)

Hattie B's Cold Hot Chicken with Sides

Tim's Famous Bloody Mary and Screwdriver Bar

On your own

Saturday Dinner

Tom Kha Kai

Spicy Caribbean Beans and Rice (Cristianos y Moros)
Vietnamese 5-spice Chicken
Sesame Green Beans
Gulab Jamun

On your own

Sunday Breakfast

Conecuh Pigs in Blankets

Coffee
Juice

On your own

RRCC Departmental Reports

First, from the Kitchen (and pay special attention to anything that says "On your own" or "members are responsible for"):

Gentlemen,

I'm proud to announce that Tim Niarhos has been named Sous Chef for the upcoming Fall 2014 trip. As you know, Tim has worked tirelessly and without complaint for years as the beverage manager and lunch purveyor. This year, Tim has shown extraordinary initiative and is being elevated to this new leadership position, on a trial basis.

After consulting with Tim on this year's menu, we have come up with the following. While we were not able to use any of Tim's ideas this time, he was wildly enthusiastic and supportive throughout the complicated process of menu development. Perhaps this is an area that Tim can work on until next year.

Remember, club members are responsible for all their cups, plates, cutlery, water and adult beverages, though the kitchen will provide some special distilled accompaniments for Friday and Saturday dinners.

Rob, we will need the cook grate and Big Daddy for Friday night, a pot to heat soup, Big Daddy and two Dutch ovens for Saturday night and Big Daddy for Sunday morning. I also need to get the big Grub cooler, the tackle box and any other gear in advance.

Friday Lunch

On your own

Friday Dinner

Imported Sheboygan Bratwurst on Genuine Brat Rolls.

Sauerkraut and German Mustard
Kettle Chips

Saturday Breakfast

Kaffekuchen

Coffee
Juice

Saturday Lunch (Tim)

Hattie B's Cold Hot Chicken with Sides

Tim's Famous Bloody Mary and Screwdriver Bar

Saturday Dinner

Tom Kha Kai

Spicy Caribbean Beans and Rice (Cristianos y Moros)
Vietnamese 5-spice Chicken
Sesame Green Beans
Gulab Jamun

Sunday Breakfast (Phil)

Conecuh Pigs in Blankets

Coffee
Juice


Tim's reply: 

Thank you Jim for allowing me the opportunity to act as sous chef on a trial basis on the fall trip. Although I was disappointed that you were not able to use any of my ideas, it looks like you have put together a sensational menu.


From the Chief Mechanic regarding our alarmingly spacer-less jon boat:

There is another part that they are supposed to mail me, but haven't seen it yet.  I switched a spacer so it should work fine.  I flipped the old spacer around and it seems to be doing the trick.  Will get the new spacer though. 

Kirk also says we need to install it before the trip because it requires strange and foreign wrenches that we don't want to haul down the river.  So may need to meet at Brown's for this.


Our River Guage Engineer says:  

"It rained a lot. River's gonna be good."

Since Tim has been promoted out of the Beverage Manager position, here's a public service message for everyone.   For the first time since the camoflauge can in 2005, Anhueser-Busch has released a special edition Busch, this time called "Hunt for a Trophy", and just in time for the fall trip.   

Even though it has only been released in "Missouri and a few southern states," we here at RRCC.com have already found a local source.  So all you Jessies get out to the Thornton's at 714 Stewart's Ferry Pike and stock up before they're gone. 

 

Alternative Transportation

It looks like there are going to be several options for departure and joining the group this trip. 

True Friday Guys will leave Friday morning, October 4, for a full (by our standards) day of paddling. 

Phil needs to launch around 5 pm on Friday.  That means he's the first Night Rider to claim a spot on the Green Mule so anyone else who wants to arrive that way we are now taking reservations.  Phil probably would not be opposed to people showing up later than 5:00 based on the happy and tipsy condition he was found in at the put-in last time.

Your third choice is to come down Saturday morning.  Rob and Kirly are already doing this and it is a viable option but is not encouraged because, while the bridge we're rendezvousing at is suitable for picking up two- and four-legged passengers, there is no launching canoes there.  That means Friday guys will need to have enough boats or extras places in boats for anyone who joins on Saturday.   Not a huge problem, though, so if it's the difference between coming or not coming, by all means come on Saturday.  We just can't all do it.

So work out your schedule and let us know.

Also, a Thank You note from Vernon:

Just now saw the RRCC blog - thanks for spreading the word to my dire predicament. Please pass my thanks to all of the RRCC for their concern, and especially the Swan Creek Brotherhood(RRCC Special Ops) that was poised for action.

Drove in to Centerville this afternoon, and the river is looking mighty tasty!

-V

Next Up on the Duck

Here's the plan.   We'll start where we left off last fall at the Centerville city park and take out at Beaverdam Bridge.   Click the map.

The put-in, as you will recall, is easy, accessible and open to the public...

The take out is none of those things.

 

 

 

Beaverdam Bridge is at river mile 48 and the park is at mile 72.5 upstream.    So it's almost a 25 mile trip.   Shouldn't be a problem for a two-nighter (we did 21-miles in one day and low-water on the Sequatchie) but plan for a full day of padding on Friday (October 24).  Also, this section will be fully jonboatable.

Vernon's Sour Journey

Josh, in case you were one of the few people on the world wide web who did not get this, please forward a check post haste to LUGANSK, UKRAINE from the RRCC account so Vernon can get his sorry self back in time for the fall trip.

Fall Trip: October 24 - 26, 2014

When you can choose, October is the best month -- if, for that matter, you choose to go there at all, and most people don't.

--  Goodbye to a River,  p. 1.


After a detour to the Red River this spring, we will pick up where we left off last fall.   On the Lower Duck below Centerville:

 

Varmint of the Night

Josh and I have concluded that it had to be the Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron who, in spite of his name, could not outlast Rob for king of the night or even for dinner. 

"A nocturnal heron of the southern swamps and coasts, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron can also be found breeding along wooded streams northward to Indiana and Illinois."

Click on the link, then on "Sounds/Calls" and see if you agree:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-crowned_night-heron/sounds

You can also listen to "She's So Cold" from the 1980 album Emotional Rescue here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo34VhfcetU

According to the range map, the V.O.T.N. was just passing through when he stopped at Pussy Rock, so we were lucky to have him:

 

 

Great trip, everybody.  Here's the list I've got for the off-season.  Let me know if you think of more:

 

Short tripod chain

Dutch oven covers

Collapsible coolers (?)

Tow strap

 

We're likely headed for the lower Duck River to pick up where we left off in Centerville.    See you then.