Kayaking - Yellow Creek

 Kayaking - Yellow Creek                                                                6.1 miles

2:20 moving time, 2:30 elapsed time, 2.6 avg, 6.0 max

Kayak - Red River, How to Read a River

 Kayak - Red River                                                                     11.4 miles

We've done the Red River numerous times so today I did something I've wanted to do for a long time.  I concentrated on photos that could help a kayaker know "How to Read a River."   If the photos look muted today, that's because I took the photos through a clear dry bag with my iPhone.

Soon after we started our paddle, we passed these 2 boats.
They're a good reminder of why it's important to be diligent on the river.
We've passed this canoe before and it has a hole in it, so it's not usable.

This kayak ran into something causing it to buckle and crack.
Definitely not usable!

Signs of trash or leaves up higher in the trees
show that the water was at a higher level recently.

When you see white water, look for a "V" in the water.
In most cases, the water will lead you right into the "V"
and that will avoid rocks. (hopefully)

Always look ahead for rocks in the water.
This one is easy to see, but some you may not see
until you're right up upon it.

The red arrow shows the path of the river and it gets 
narrower here.  Always take turns to go through
narrower passages.  Hang back and watch the boats in front
of you to see how they manage.  
If it's a particularly difficult passage and you're the first to go through,
you should wait at the other end to make sure the other paddlers get through safely.

In this narrow passage, there was a tree on the left and the water
was being sucked in towards the root system.  As the water is being sucked in, it
could also drag your boat in.  Do your best to stay away from that tree.  You'll
have to paddle harder in situations like this.

A 'strainer' is a pile of logs that collect in the river and can
cause river currents to be drawn into the logs.  In this case,
you want to stay away from the logs on the right and paddle towards
the left of the river.

When a paddler holds his paddle horizontally overhead,
you are to "STOP".

There's a rock up ahead and this signal means go "LEFT"
to avoid the rock.  In many cases, the rock will NOT be that big.

This signal means go "RIGHT".

Always watch the river.
If you see a rocky bottom, avoid that as your boat will drag.
If you get stuck in a section of the river that is shallow, you may have 
to get out and walk.  It's not always fun dragging your boat.

Here are some basic rules for kayaking:

1.    Don't drink and paddle.  They DO NOT mix.  Save the drinking for celebrating the end of your paddle.

2.    Wear a lifejacket at all times.  Even the most innocent river can have hazards.

3.    Dress for the conditions.  Before you get on the river, check the weather.  What's the temperature?  What's the chance of rain.  Look for the level of the water.  (Is it higher or lower than normal conditions?). If the water is cold, take extra dry clothes in your hatch or in a dry bag.

4.    Paddle in your skill level.  Think about the following.  How far will you be from shore?  Are there high waves?  Are there others around you?  If you're alone, give somebody your plan.  If you're new - do not kayak alone.

5.  Practice kayak re-entry.  If you're flipped and in deeper water, can you get back into your kayak?

6.  Put important items in dry bags.  When possible, put the items in a hatch or tie them onto the kayak. Especially protect your phone!

7.  Pack a whistle.  Many lifevests have whistles.  Only use them when necessary.

8.  Keep yourself hydrated.  Pack water and food if you'll be on the water for awhile.

9.  

 

 

Kayaking - Harpeth River

 Kayaking - Harpeth River                                          10 miles

Friday and the weather is fine! :) We also try to beat the weekend paddlers so off to the Harpeth River we went.  Beautiful blue skies.  The river level was at 2.37 feet and we didn't have any problems paddling today.  The most significant event was that as we started our route, a blue heron would fly a short distance ahead of us.  Then when we got close, he'd fly off again.  He did this for quite awhile.  I had my camera ready for photos of him when a blue heron swooped in from the right and I got a great photo as he crossed my boat.  

We stopped on this rocky bank under a tree for lunch.

Look at all of that pollen!!

Do we have a photo of us in front of this fall?
Yep, we do.

Hiking - Onondaga State Park, Deer Run Trail

 Deer Run Trail.                 2.7 miles, 1:15

We had lunch with Richie at Rich’s Famous Burgers before he’d leave us to head back to St. Louis. It was his initial idea to go to lunch and he also claimed to not have his wallet - very fishy... we had burgers for the 2nd day in a row and they were fantastic.we left feeling quite full.

We headed back to the campsite and decided to do a hike and headed to Onondaga Cave State Park to Deer Run Trail. This trail is rated as moderate, but I would say it’s easy/moderate. The hardest sections were going uphill. The PT rail was well cleared and well marked. It climbs up a hill where there’s an overlook of the Meramec River with the bluffs below us . As we were descending, we saw a turtle on the trail and a deer off in the woods. So the trail lived up to its name - Deer Run Trail. We were sweaty at the end and conveniently, there were showers right there at the end of the trail. Scotty had 2 quick dry towels in the truck (it pays to travel with a Boy Scout). We each had another shirt in the truck. So we took. Warm showers, dried off, put on our shirts and wrapped ourselves with the towels! Now you may be wondering why we did this - we knew our tank in the trailer was almost full so it just seemed like the logical thing to do. Also, there was nobody on the trail!

I can’t say it enough, but after being active all day, it is SO SO nice to get back ‘home’ to our trailer! We played Phase 10, read, organized some, and had only light snacks after our big lunch. 

Overlook to the Meremac River.

Hiking - Meramec Caverns

 Hiking - Meramec Caverns (80 minute tour)

We woke to another overcast day with rain predicted all day (spoiler alert - the sun came out during the morning and it never really rained, just spit). So we headed to Meramec Caverns which had great reviews and they lived up to the reviews. The caves are commercially owned and cost $24 entry. They were opened to the public in 1933. There is a paved path and handrails along the entire tour. It’s a guided tour and he told about the history and the formations inside. Apparently Jesse Jane’s and his posse hid out in the caves, and through internet research, I learned that it was also a stop on the Underground Railroad. Two famous scenes were filmed here- one with Tom Sawyer and Becky, and another with Lassie. We saw stalactites, stalagmites, and these formations- soda straws, popcorn, and bacon. There was a homogeneous hall of stalactites which were protected by plexiglass. It was beautiful. At the end, we sat in rows and watched a movie of ‘God Bless America’ where the curtain was lit up and scenes were shown on the drape.  I thought $24 was high for a cave, but I have to say that I really enjoyed seeing these caves. Breathtaking!!

Spaghetti Hall

Popcorn Walls

Hiking - Bell Smith Springs

 Bell Smith Springs, Shawnee National Forest 2.2 miles, 1 hour 12 minutes

As we were driving to Garden of the Gods, I saw this sign to Bell Smith Springs. I looked it up online and saw reviews of a wonderful hike. I was lucky to get online as connections are spotty here. The drive to the trailhead was 9 miles over a narrow, winding and rocky road filled with potholes. At the trailhead, we met a couple and the man asked if we were hiking. He told us a bit about the trail and cautioned us to be careful. His wife had slipped on one of the rocks and fell into the creek. Her clothes were draped all over the car. I was a bit apprehensive about this Creek seeing that all of her clothes were drying. Nevertheless, we started our hike on the yellow trail. There are wooden steps down to another set of rock steps. (You know what that means - a hike uphill at the end!) And there was the creek with a path of rocks to cross. We watched a family of 4 come back towards us. They were cautious, but all made it. My courage returned. It wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. 😊 The water here is absolutely beautiful with the azure color seen in the Caribbean. There are several huge boulders in the water that make perfect reflections in the water. After taking photos and enjoying the view, we climbed another set of rock steps up the other bank. To the left of these steps is the natural bridge, but we didn’t realize it until we got to the top. The trail at the top follows the cliff above the creek with views at times of the creek below. We saw a ravine which was at the natural bridge. After walking along, we headed down and followed a trail close to the creek. This led us to the natural bridge and we then realized, we had walked by it at the start of our hike. This was an absolutely, beautiful hike and well worth the rocky drive off our path!