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SE Beginner Trip 2016
Hi everyone,We had a great time at the 49th annual MWC and the clinic is next weekend, which means Memorial Day Weekend and the Southeast Beginner Trip is not too far away. This is a fantastic opportunity for newer boaters and those who take the clinic to practice their skills on new rivers in North Carolina and Tennessee. Rivers often run on this trip include the Nantahala, Tuckasegee, and French Broad, among others.
We have 16 bunks reserved at the Nantahala Outdoor Center for the nights of 5/27, 5/28, and 5/29; the fee will be $20.30 per person per night. If you want to attend this trip, please reserve your bunk by sending payment (must be received by Friday, May 13) to:
MWA Attn: SE Trip Leader
PO Box 300099
St. Louis, MO 63130Please contact me if you are interested in helping organize/lead this trip.
Thank you!
Sarah -
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I have the following people confirmed for bunks at NOC:
Diane McHenry
Karen Kyle
Sally Haywood
Ryan Oelzen
Luke Oelzen
Grant Oelzen
Zack Gaines
Chris Gaines
If you are not yet confirmed, I have not received your payment yet. Payment may be mailed to the PO Box address listed in the first post in this thread, must be received by Friday, May 13. Or, you may bring payment to the MWA meeting Tuesday, May 10 at 7pm at Olympia Kebob House. It’s shaping up to be a good group for the Beginner Trip this year!! It’s not too late to join the group!!
Sarah
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According to what I know at this time, it looks like the women’s bunk house is full. We have 3 bunks left in the men’s bunk rooms, or 2 bunks in a couples room and 1 men’s bunk. I have not checked the mail since Saturday, so do not know if there are additional paddlers who have signed up but not posted. Please remember, I must receive your payment by Friday to reserve your spot. I’ll post bunk assignments once I have received everyone’s payment.
Sarah
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Since it is a long drive I would like to do something Friday and Monday also. Would you recommend getting a reservation for NOC for Thursday night or is there likely to be a paddle west of NOC Friday so it would make more sense to wait until we know water level? I don’t know how quickly the bunkhouse fills up in terms of a need for early reservations. Also is anyone interested in rafting the Ocoee on Monday and if so should we get reservations now. Do we know who the trip leader is yet? Thanks
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Howdy everyone, I am leading the Southeast Beginner/Intermediate trip again this year. I will have assistance from Gary Cooper. The rivers I was thinking would be good for the trip are: Friday-5/27 The Chatooga section III. This is natural flow dependant, so if it is too low, or too high, we will go on to the Nantahala. We are definitely paddling the Nantahala on Saturday, May 28. Sunday, May 29th we have the option to go to the Pigeon if folks would like that. The Ocoee will be on Monday 5/30. Let me know your thoughts on this thread.
Thanks, Di McHenry
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Di,
Since Dania is on injured reserve and can’t paddle, we will not be part of the trip. However, we will be in Ashville Thursday – Sunday. I would like to connect with the group at either the Chatooga or the Pigeon if it works out. If you don’t mind and are able, please post your plans as you know them. Also, my cell is 314-five 81- 812three. Dania’s is 636-six99-588zero. I assume Monday will be 10 am at dam 2?
Thanks,
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A small group is leaving Columbia on Wednesday evening and blasting to a hotel in Paducah. Thursday am we will head to whatever is running on or near the Cumberland Plateau, preferably BSFC, level permitting. Thursday night we will be staying north of Crossville, TN and Friday we will hit something local to the plateau or on the way to NOC. Tellico would be nice if levels come in! We shall see. Friday, Saturday and Sunday we will be staying at NOC but have made arrangements seperately from the group.
If anyone is interested in trying to meet up on Thursday for a paddle, hit me up.
Scott
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I guess since I showed up at meeting, I got volunteered to help, LOL should be an interesting weekend.
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I got a room at the Dogwood Motel at NOC for thursday night. I would like to do whatever paddle you suggest for friday. I do not know these rivers, I have never been to this area before, so will need directions (I can get to NOC – I mean to any specific meeting place or other river). I am relatively new to whitewater – mostly class II, some of the easier class III. I will need to know where to meet up Friday am.
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Karen, once it’s decided for sure what river we’re running Friday, a meeting time and place will be posted here. I’m personally hoping for a more forgiving river on Friday for all of us newer boaters to warm up on, and then ramp up the difficulty from there.
As far as reservations for rafts on the Ocoee, I know last year a group decided sometime Sunday afternoon to do a raft trip on the Ocoee on Monday and they were able to book it. It’s clearly better to book early, but it seems even if you don’t get it nailed down until you’re out there, you should still be able to make it happen.
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We do have 2 male bunks available if anyone is interested, please call me at three-1-four-2-two-1-eight-one 8-4 if you want to join the bunkhouse group. Those staying in the bunkhouses with MWA can pick up their room keys at the General Store (its across the street from the outfitters store). If you get there after the store closes, your packet will be next to the brochures outside of the store. The bunkhouse assignments are as follows (numbers are mine, not NOCs):
#1 Dan Bollinger, and guest (Saturday/Sunday only)
#2 Diane McHenry, Karen Kyle, Sally Haywood, Maureen Wilson
#3 Jon Henderson, Bob Henderson, Gary Cooper, Joe Marcineo
#4 Zack Gaines, Chris Gaines, Ryan Oelzen, Luke Oelzen, Grant Oelzen, Jason JonesThis is a club trip, so please remember – if you are not an ACA member and you paddle with the group you need to sign a waiver and pay a $5 fee to cover insurance (fee is for the weekend, not the day). Hope you all have a wonderful trip!! Call me if you have any questions.
Sarah
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A few questions – what is the plan with food and how long to the nearest convenience store. My impression is there is a restaurant at NOC but I did not know about a general grocery. I saw there is a community fridge for the bunkhouse -I’m not sure how many people share it (in terms of space for your own stuff). I’m assuming we pack our own lunch – not sure on breakfast and supper. It looked like there is a stove – are there pots and pans? Are there any plans for a potluck – versus eating out or we do our own thing? If there is a good nearby grocery I’ll stop there on the way.
Then an entirely different question. On rafting the Ocoee on Monday _ is that the upper or upper and middle that you often do. If someone knows the river to guide it I would be happy to put money down but just saw guided outfitter ads which I am sure is much pricier. I don’t know where to rent. So cataraftcoop – what were you thinking – and someone mentioned going with family. I saw outfitters had over age 13 for the upper.
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Regarding food and cooking at the bunkhouses. If memory serves me right, there is some stuff to use there. But the only two things that popped into my head about it from last year: No dish washing detergent, and that the place wouldn’t pass heath dept inspections in most places. So bring your own detergent or do disposable, and if you really need something, bring it. There is a little c store there, and grocery stores on the way – can’t remember exactly how close. If you need to keep food cold, and are concerned with a communal fridge, a cooler will keep it cold (not frozen) enough, as they do sell ice there.
Meals: like the clinic – lunch is on the river so bring your food. There are a couple of restaurants at the NOC for breakfast or supper, or you can go elsewhere, such as Bryson City. There wasn’t an organized pot luck on this trip last year. If folks want to do a potluck, let me know sooner rather than later so I can bring “beverages” as I am not bringing the kitchen sink on this trip.
Wildwater was the outfitter used for rafting the Ocoee last year, reasonably priced, and don’t need a lot of lead time to book.
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Last I checked it’s the Missouri WHITEWATER Association, not Missouri Kayaking Association. It includes Rafts, Sups, Shredders and Catarafts. EVEN duckies
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While those craft listed are all viable WW CRAFT, How many of those paddlers joined the MWA, took the Class and Clinic and are not there to paddle OC’s or K1’s ? They most assuredly did not affiliate themselves with the MWA to go on a Church Camp outting in a raft with a paid guide on the Ocoee ! If their skills are not ready for the Ocoee, then stay at the Nantahala or French Broad and work on them so they can one day paddle the Ocoee with the skills necessary to do so. There are actual competent paddlers along on that trip that can assist them.
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All bunks are now full. Those staying in the bunkhouses with MWA can pick up their room keys at the General Store (its across the street from the outfitters store). If you get there after the store closes, your packet will be next to the brochures outside of the store. The bunkhouse assignments are as follows (numbers are mine, not NOCs):
#1 Dan Bollinger, and guest (Saturday/Sunday only)
#2 Diane McHenry, Karen Kyle, Sally Haywood, Maureen Wilson
#3 Jon Henderson, Bob Henderson, Gary Cooper, Joe Marcineo
#4 Zack Gaines, Chris Gaines, Ryan Oelzen, Luke Oelzen, Grant Oelzen, Jason JonesSafe travels and happy paddling!! A big THANK YOU to Diane McHenry for leading this trip!!!
Sarah
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Ok, I think we have a final game plan for the Southeast trip :)! Gary Cooper has graciously agreed to help. Agenda: Friday 5/27 we have two options. Gary will be at the Nantahala and will meet at the take out for shuttle at 10am. Myself (Di McHenry) & Chuck will be at the Ranger Station on the lower Tellico at 10am. This is the take out & we will set shuttle to the put-in below Jared ‘ s knee. Saturday 5/28 is either the Nantahala or the Pigeon. The take out at NOC parking lot at 10am for Pigeon & 10am for the Nantahala. The Nantahala is on tap for Sunday 5/29. 10am at the lower parking lot. Monday is the Ocoee at 10am at the put-in. We can drop boats and folks and get cars to the lower take out. The Chatooga III was to boney & low. We nixed going there. Call me is you have any questions. 573-915-7404. Di McHenry
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Can someone give me a google map link to the meeting places mentioned above for Friday. I have no idea where the takeouts mentioned are. Also can you give a little info on the difficulty levels of the rivers mentioned & just a bit of a description to help choose which would be better for me.- Thanks
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Hi Karen,
The club’s traditional start for a newer boater would be the Nantahala. It can be a bit pushy in a couple of places but nothing of consequence. Plus, it’s guaranteed to have water!
Sorry, I’ve only done the Tellico once, years ago, and I don’t remember the level it was running then. I don’t want to give advice on that one. Looks like it could be a bit low unless they get rain: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/1792/
That link has a description on where the Ranger Station is.
This link (if it works) has a map to what I assume is the takeout spot:
My personal plan is to go to NOC today and make the Nantahala/Tellico decision Thursday evening by flipping a coin or arm-wrestling my son, or some other scientific approach.
Not much help, sorry.
Garrett
(314) 348-6909
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Super great trip! Huge thanks to Di for wrangling / hurding us cats and being so wonderful with the new folks. You are a treasure to this club & each of us. Thanks to Gary Cooper for his co-leading (by draft), rescues, & zinger humor (even when it’s about me). Coop, grateful for the river cofidence you give me & others. Billbo, thanks for leading us down the Ocoee and sharing your exuberance for that River. Personal big thanks to Bill Parsons for keeping me laughing & being the best river buddy / H / tutor ever. I’m now nursing my Ocoee bruises & getting ready to fake like I’ve got energy for work. Love boaters & this club!
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Great to hear that a real paddler, Bilbo, stepped up to the plate and took some of you down the Ocoee in the watercrafts ya’ll want to learn in ! Nobody from the MWA knows the Ocoee better ‘N Bilbo. Cept maybe Chuck and Di, the Perfesser, Slim and a few others. He is a top notch friend and paddler !! That 1st Ocoee run is unforgettable, especially the Upper !!! I miss it often ….
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Just wanted to thank everyone who came to the Southeast trip! Even with questionable water levels (as in low), we had a great time :)! Special thanks to Gary Cooper for all his safety help and expertise! He was a great co-leader, even if he was drafted. Thanks to every experienced boater who led or did sweep and gave lots of tips to all the new boaters. Extra special thanks to Bill Eades and his entire family for all their help! They took time out their family vacation to assist with Bill leading, safety (Nate & Natalie) and running shuttle (Julie) for us. Sara Watson did alot of work with getting rooms booked & taking money to cover it. Till next year! SYOTR! And it is up! 15″ tonight.
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