[JPTolson]

Many thanks to Mike Danko for leading the club's ice breaker trip up and back from Canoe City on the Mahoning. The timing was perfect! After a rainy and blustery morning that was not conducive for paddling, the rain stopped around 1:00 pm as everyone unloaded and launched their boats. It was the start of a beautiful two hours on the water. We were treated to fast moving clouds, peaks of blue sky, and even a couple interludes of bright sun to warm the nine paddlers and one cute and well-behaved canine who turned out.

We made it about a quarter mile up Eagle Creek before a tree across the water sent us back to the Mahoning. The scenery was especially pretty looking up the Mahoning at the confluence with Eagle Creek as the bright bark of several sycamores on the river bank stood in stark contrast to the gray shades of the March forest.

From there we paddled another half mile or so up river to the Nelson-Moser Road Bridge before turning around to head back to Canoe City. No sooner than most of us left the water at Canoe City around 3:00, the temperature began to drop, the wind picked up, and the sun no longer peaked through the wintry-looking clouds. Mike had picked the best two hours of the day's weather for the run!

There were six kayaks and two canoes on the trip paddled by Steve Preston, Linda Preston, Lora Phillips, Stan Shiderly, Tim Harker, Mike Danko and Jessica Hoffart and Torrey, J.P. Tolson, and first-time TCT paddler, Sean Bruderly, who peeled off from the group mid-way through the trip to paddle up to Swift Park. It was a decent turnout considering the unfavorable weather that morning. Club member Ray Novotny pleasantly surprised us with a visit as we were packing up our gear and holding a post-paddle ditherfest in the parking lot.

The water level at the Leavittsburg river gage was approximately 2.63 feet.

It was another great day to be on the river!