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mushinzencat
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« on: April 20, 2009, 08:19:19 AM MDT » |
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I've wanted to do this paddle for a couple of years. This is the year it happens. Let's put together a flotilla worthy of the adventure.  Imagine the bragging rights - "I conquered the Detroit River!"Target date is Saturday May 16th, with a rain date of Sunday the 17th. This is the week BEFORE Memorial Day weekend. Approximately 25 miles, all downstream. I will be looking for a good put-in as an alternate to Belle Isle. I will also look at a couple of different routes (it's a big river and there is more than one way to paddle it). Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting more details about shuttles, routes, etc. as the details firm up. Also, there will be maps, naturally.  I'm 99% certain the take-out will be at Point Mouillee, unless someone comes up with a better take-out... I may be able to pull in a contingent of OH paddlers for this trip (we are negotiating now). Let's not give OH all the glory here people. It's our MI river and we need MI paddlers out there to represent.  Let's chat this up and plan on getting it done. Reply here or e-mail me: mushinzencat@gmail.com[EDIT] Posted May 7, 2009 OK - I'm officially calling a halt on this one...Read on to page two for a full explanation... |
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« Last Edit: May 07, 2009, 09:17:45 AM MDT by mushinzencat »
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David C
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« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2009, 08:47:05 AM MDT » |
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May 16th is opening day at Cedar Point. We haven't decided if we'll be going that Saturday or Sunday. If we go Sunday, that should work out well since there's typically much less people on Sundays and it'd leave Saturday free to paddle down the river. I'm interested in how the logistics of shuttling works. My dad has been building a kayak trailer and it's almost finished. If you squint really hard, you can see it in the upper left corner here. http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2818043040080910974XNMJoP Maybe he'd let me borrow that and the minivan since that's the only vehicle that has a hitch. Now if only the minister of moisture can keep that weekend dry and the god of the gusts could get the winds to blow in the same direction as the current, we'd be all set. Although I may decide to go with a kayak rather than the surfski for that early in the season and that little bit of of practice. I don't think a 25 mile adventure is the right venue to test out my abilities of paddling in big and cold waters on a tippy ski. |
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2009, 09:39:22 AM MDT » |
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Dave - if you made it out to paddle that would be great. Yeah, leave the ski at home and bring a sea kayak.
Shuttling - some vehicles with racks or trailers will have to be left at the take-out. Those people and their boats are then hauled up to the put-in. Once the paddle is over - the people and boats from the put-in need to be hauled back to their vehicles. It is a 50-50 split...
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David C
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« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2009, 10:19:31 AM MDT » |
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It seems like that would be a really long time delay to do all the shuttling, or does everyone just meet at the end, transfter boats and leave vehicles there first, and carpool up to the launch?
Because if you went to the launch to unload the boats, then convoyed down to leave some vehicles and shuttle some people back up, it'd take a really long time since you're talking about a 70+ mile round trip since there's that whole I-75 detour.
I guess if everyone met up at the end, then try to take as few vehicles as possible to get all the yaks and people up to the launch, that'd be the most efficeint way to do it.
So what kinds of numbers are we talking about here? 6 people? 12 people? If you have a trailer and a minivan for each set of 6, that'd work out pretty good.
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2009, 10:25:39 AM MDT » |
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Shuttling logistics will have to be worked out as we get a final number on how many paddlers. I will try to make it as efficient as possible. The more van/trailer combos we can get, the better...
Still putting out feelers to see who can make it...
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randy4140
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« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2009, 10:39:52 AM MDT » |
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Rob, I may in for this...... If so I have the trailer for shuttles ect.... |
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May the sun always shine on you, and the wind be always at your back. PADDLE ON!
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2009, 10:53:07 AM MDT » |
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Rrrraaaannnnndddddyyyyy!!!!!!!
Right on, Brother. Brian may be in as well. He's a busy boy so we'll have to wait and see...
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David C
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« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2009, 12:29:48 PM MDT » |
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Even with the current, I figure you're talking about a minimum 6 hour paddle. Plus you'd need 1.5-2 hours before the paddle to get the shuttles setup and boats in the water, and another 1.5 hours to shuttle back to the start point for the vehicle(s) up there. This may go longer if conditions are less than ideal or the lunch stop runs long. So say it takes 10 hours to complete this excluding travel time to/from the event. What time would you plan on starting? 8 am meet up at the take out? Then shuttle up to the launch point and be paddling downstream by 10 am? If you ate lunch while drifting in the current, you wouldn't lose as much time vs stopping to eat lunch. |
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Eddyliner
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« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2009, 07:14:27 PM MDT » |
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I like the idea and am a possible for this one. I will need to look at my shcedule and re-post.
With my trailer I may be able to carry close to 25 yaks. Sounds like fun.
Eddyline Steve
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2009, 08:36:00 PM MDT » |
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Even with the current, I figure you're talking about a minimum 6 hour paddle. Plus you'd need 1.5-2 hours before the paddle to get the shuttles setup and boats in the water, and another 1.5 hours to shuttle back to the start point for the vehicle(s) up there. This may go longer if conditions are less than ideal or the lunch stop runs long. So say it takes 10 hours to complete this excluding travel time to/from the event. What time would you plan on starting? 8 am meet up at the take out? Then shuttle up to the launch point and be paddling downstream by 10 am? If you ate lunch while drifting in the current, you wouldn't lose as much time vs stopping to eat lunch. , I agree with your figures wholeheartedly. In fact these are the times I was already estimating to a T. How early we can start is going to depend on how many to leave at take-out and how many to shuttle them back upstream to start paddling. Different paddlers coming from all over may make for a slightly later start time than 8AM. Still waiting to survey participants... Steve, hope you can make it either with or without the "Super Trailer". The more the merrier. I think it would be a memorable paddle. I was sorry last fall to have to miss the Entire Saint Claire River Paddle that happened... |
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diamondskylu
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« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2009, 10:28:56 PM MDT » |
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HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM... Have to think about this!
Louise
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KrazyKayak
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« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2009, 06:59:22 AM MDT » |
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my to cents would be i would Meet Randy ( has a Huge trailer) and whoever Else has a trailer at the end. throw the gear they have oin my van and just drive back up. this way everyone else is up at the top and we could get started by 8-830 i think.
Lunch ? would we Stop and Do a big lunch or everyone bring your Own ?
Talk to some locals and ask if they could Shuttle people if they cant make the fulll paddle. Have a couple drop outs just in case.
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I wish we had some Class III here in Michigan.
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #12 on: April 21, 2009, 07:45:37 AM MDT » |
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Excellent point about the drop out spots, KrazyLikeAFoxKayak...
We will definitely work that into the logistics...
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David C
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« Reply #13 on: April 21, 2009, 09:11:16 AM MDT » |
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I would think the Portofino's location would make a good stop just past the halfway point. I'm not sure where else would be good between Belle Isle and there. My place is about 8 miles from Portofino's if you can't make it all the way to the end.
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mushinzencat
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« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2009, 05:47:58 PM MDT » |
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First Good ditch point I know of is the boat ramp next to Fort Wayne. Just west/south of the Fort. If someone can make it all the way to Pine Street, I think they'll probably go the distance. However, if they had to ditch there, at least it's a little better neighborhood than Fort Wayne... |
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