2016 Highlights Ken and Cheryl
K & C do a mix of paddling...mostly by ourselves, some with TCT and occasionally with some other groups. We got a slow start on paddling this year... a long cold spring, a long hot summer that was at times too breezy to be out on the lakes, and then a near drought that dried up the rivers. Our paddling mileage was down considerably this season.
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__I got out 5 times with TCT this year ( Cheryl 3 times ) plus a couple of meetings.
__The Riverfest was fun. I paddled and Cheryl helped with the release forms. I was impressed with how well organized the club was and how many members turned out to help. I paddled all afternoon. One passenger was a rather large gal that had never been in a canoe. She probably had a hundred pounds on me so the bow was somewhat low in the water. She started paddling and switched sides without changing her hand positions. I stopped and explained how to hold the paddle, switch sides and how to reach out and draw the paddle straight back. She immediately started a near perfect bow paddle. And strong!! A definite highlight. I also made my debut with my vintage 1971 Grumman Whitewater canoe... all 80 pounds of it.
__The overnight Clarion trip was enjoyable even though I acquired a small crack in my hull.
__I got to the July Mahoning River event which was a new section for me.
__K & C did the Moonlight paddle and ended the year at East Branch Res on that wonderful mid-November paddle.
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__On our own, Cheryl and I got back to Grayson Lake in KY for two days of paddling. Always a spectacular place to paddle with hugh rock cliffs, overhangs and waterfalls.
__ Along with a group of hiking friends we helped with a 3 mile Tusc River cleanup. Canoes and shuttle were courtesy of Ernies in Massillon. Notable was that we had a hard time finding trash to collect.
__In July we hooked up with a local group in Knox County and got in an 8.5 mile trip on the Licking River through Blackhand Gorge. It had been 25 years since we paddled there.
__August...We had a couple of rivers in mind to paddle (for our Paddle Ohio pins) but most rivers were too low. After storms put some water down in SW Ohio and raised the Little Miami River we quickly loaded up and headed south! We hired a shuttle and got in a 10 mile paddle. The river was low and dropping. We bumped a few rocks but had a nice trip. Overnight the river dropped 2 inches and would have been a very long walk. While in the area we camped and paddled at Stonelick Lake State Park and the next day at Cowan Lake State Park. It was miserably hot and hard to sleep. We paddled in the morning while it was a bit cooler. At Stonelick in the morning haze we discovered the shore was lined with spectacular displays of Swamp Mallows. These 6+ foot plants have 6 to 10" blooms in white, pink and red. Cowan Lake is noted for it's large displays of American Lotus and as luck would have it we were there at just the right time.
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-Ken and Cheryl
ps added a few photos K & C Highlights 2016
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