2014 Paddling Year High Points and Low Points
 

TCT,
At the close of every year, I like to encourage members to summarize the high points and low points of their personal paddling season. Below are what I consider the best and the worst of my own paddling experience in 2014. Please consider posting yours.

High Points

Neshannock Creek – This TCT trip had all the elements of a picture-perfect spring river run–good current, medium water level, plenty of rapids that weren't difficult enough to distract from enjoying the scenery, gorgeous weather and beautiful spring vegetation. This was an outstanding trip.

River Fest on the Mahoning – What a pleasure it was to take so many people who had never experienced the Mahoning River on a short canoe ride. It was a real public service for TCT to step up for this, and it was a tribute to the membership see so many show up to make the rides run smoothly.

Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek (Teegarden to Elkton side trip) – This was a personal first descent from a spot where I had fished with my father as a kid, but I had never floated this section. So there was a fair amount of nostalgia associated with this trip.

Mahoning River (Lowellville to Edinburg) – I've always liked this run and the gorgeous fall weather, the medium water level, and a slight tail wind made for a beautiful trip this year.

Boat Counting By-laws – Though this may be running it into the ground, Ed Rigby's spoof on voter registration and applying it to boat counting on TCT trips was hilarious. Now we know who in the club to turn to for comedy writing.

Low Points

Keeping the Upper Mahoning Free of Wood – This continues to be a challenge. Keeping the river open through and/or around deadfalls can be both difficult and dangerous. Two deadfalls necessitated changing the Rotary to Swift Park run scheduled in September to an up and back trip from Rotary Park.

Struthers Dam – It always seems to produce some level of drama on the Y-town run. This year was no different with one bobbing swimmer in the hydraulic (easily pulled out), one partially submerged pinned boat (not quite as easily extricated), one stuck-on-rock boat, and one cracked wooden paddle. TO ALL INEXPERIENCED PADDLERS WHO MAY READ THIS: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN THIS DAM OR APPROACH ANY LOW HEAD DAM FROM UPRIVER OR DOWNRIVER.

Interesting that the Mahoning River seems to be our biggest challenge. Maybe that's as it should be as our home river. Hopefully this next year we can have more of our members join us in river clean ups and clean outs to help remove some of the Mahoning River Drama areas. Maybe we can even look towards opening up more of the Mahoning River to paddlers. West Branch? Warren to Niles? Niles to Girard? Looking forward to another Great Year!

1 I found a friend and myself paddle scouting South Branch Of the Blicklick Creek. While it has a couple Class lll rapids with several fun play spots, we had a couple of portages. The scenery was pretty good for the most part and I hope to get back, but the distance and the required water flow may make it difficult.

2 Showing fellow paddlers some new Quality H2O{Neshannock} is always a good thing. Hoping to expand your horizons further this coming year.


3 Meeting friends new and old that want share the beautiful scenery or the challenge of improving paddling skills.


4 I don't feel that I have a bomb proof roll, but about 9 of ten is pretty good.


5 Stern squirts and bow stalls are a blast, as is side surfing in a hole when you are not certain you can get out upright.




ON the down side I had a couple of inconvenient shuttles

1 In WV Matt and I paddled a ll-lll section of the New. The shuttle took an hour and one half to drive 12 miles. I took another route to finish the shuttle after the float.

2 AN early spring peddle-paddle on East Sandy Creek turned into a chore. After a fantastic solo I found myself pushing my bike about 6 of the 7 miles. the reason for the push? Three to four inches of heavy granular ice. Niether the put in or the takeout had ice on the bike trail.

The Mahoning River run in May from Lowellville to Wampum was a definite highlight. Water was really high from recent storms, and we just had to steer - I think someone said it was 17 miles, but it only took a few hours. We saw a few eagles and a heronry. The Chilly Chili run was also great - a beautiful sunny day right before a string of very gray, wet days.

Lowlight was the river cleanup on the Mahoning. Really, really buggy, lots of blockages (which, after all, is the point of a clean-up day), and somehow I managed to turn up a tributary and get lost with the kids. There was whining (kids), swearing (me), crying (one kid - and maybe me), and promises of ice cream at the end.

Thanks for welcoming us so warmly this year!

Oh! And the Allegheny River run, with lunch at the Allegheney Grille halfway. That was lovely.

Highlights:
I had 3 highlights this year. First, the trip on the Mahoning from Lowellville to Wampum. The water was high but very easy to paddle for someone new to this sport. Seeing all the life on that river was very uplifting--especially the eagles and the herons.

My second highlight was the trip that stopped in Foxburg. The day was just beautiful! I enjoyed the paddleing as well as the stop in Foxburg.

Volunteering for Riverfest on the Mahonning is also a highlight for me. It is wonderful to see so many people getting out on the river and using it--especially the kids. I hope the experience stays with them and that they will do things to help promote that river's continued growth back to being healthy water.

I had only one lowlight--a trip I did not do! The spring trip on the Neshannock seemed out of my skill range. I had been over the river to and from work all the week before and it was high and fast, and I knew it was cold. I didn't have the right clothes for the water conditions if I fell in and I was sure that my skills had not reached the level needed to handle the water successfully. But, one on my New Year's resolutions is to try more challenging water. This is the group to do it with! There are plenty of good and willing teachers. I just need to get myself out to buy the gear I need.

For me it was a good year of paddling!

The year's highlights must also include two of our unique trips.

The Moonlight run was under ideal conditions, full moon and clear sky. Add to that a great campfire and good food and company afterwards at Sue's place on the lake...doesn't get much better. Thanks Sue!


And of course the Chilly Chili trip. You've got to do this trip at least once. Paddling in a canoe or kayak in the winter on a cold day on colder water is an unusual experience. But it always ends with sharing good food around a nice fire with paddlers who are just as crazy as you are for doing this. A tip of the winter hat to Ed.

Looking back at 2014
 

What is nice about TCT it offers so many different paddling options with friendly people so you can do what interests you.

1. I went back to paddling a canoe, a smart move.
2. River camping trips on the Tionesta Creek and the Allegheny River with Jim
3. Solo paddling on the Shenango Lake with the Pack
4. Spring Grand River trip, the wave trains and outstanding views.
5. Chilli Run, great food and fun. Ed and Mike work so hard to put this trip on.

2014 Trips
 

High Points

Pine Creek - Side trip lead by Ed. Thanks again Ed!

Neshannock Creek - A great time by all!!

Beaver Creek - We have always loved this trip.

Private Trips

Lower Yough in a Shredder while on vacation. Video link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeWOo1mhUS8

Middle Yough - While on Vacation.

Raccoon Creek -(PA) We love this trip. I hope to make this a club trip in 2015.

Low Point

Not getting out as much as we wanted to, do to me being in school and homework.

High point- Safety class at Warren G. Harding
Low point- Only being able to attend safety class at Warren G. Harding! :biggrin:

Looking forward to being able to get that new kayak I bought last February out on the water this year. Looking forward to being able to actually attend Riverfest.

And I agree Steve, hopefully we get some more participation on cleanup days on the Mahoning.