[Rhodes22-list] Memorial Day Plans

[Steve Alm]

Hi Roger,

Sounds like a fun trip.  Question:  what are you using for your "inflated
dry bags?"  

Slim

On 5/28/04 8:21 AM, "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402 at centurytel.net> wrote:

> Hi Everybody,
> 
> Well, my two sons & I have a long 4 day weekend.  We're invited to a wedding
> on Saturday, so we couldn't go away for the entire time.  Originally, we were
> going to take Dynamic Equilibrium & explore a section of Michigan's Inland
> Waterway from the Lake Huron coast at Cheboygan, MI traveling inland west to
> about Indian River, MI.  This section of the Inland Waterway includes the
> Cheboygan Lock, the Cheyboygan River, Mullett Lake, Burt Lake, & the Indian
> River.  A lot of this trip would be motoring with the only sailing being on
> Burt Lake & Mullett Lake.  GBI's single-handed mast raising system would have
> gotten a workout, raising & lowering the mast to get under the various low
> bridges & other low clearance obstacles.
> 
> Then, we got all this rain in the last couple of weeks.  In fact, May, 2004 is
> turning out to be setting a new record for rainfall here in Michigan.  There
> is a 28.5 mile stretch of the Pigeon River that empties into Mullett Lake that
> provides some of the best whitewater in the lower penninsula at any time of
> the year.  With all the heavy rain we've had this month - well surfs up baby!
> With the high water in the Pigeon River, this is a totally unique opportunity
> & we decided to leave Dynamic Equilibrium at home in order to do an overnight
> kayak trip.
> 
> Our float plan calls for launching the 3 kayaks at the Sturgeon River Valley
> Rd. Bridge about 10 miles east of I-75 & Vanderbilt, MI on Sunday.  We will
> have all our camping gear on board the 3 kayaks in dry bags.  Since this is a
> one way river trip, we will have 2 vehicles.  Prior to launch, we will
> position one of the vehicles at the 1st night's stop at a primative campground
> in the Pigeon River State Forest near the Red Bridge @ Webb Rd.  Having a
> vehicle available at the midpoint of the trip gives us more options.  If one
> of us gets hurt, one of the kayaks gets damaged, the weather is lousy, the
> river is just impassible due to high water, fallen trees, floating debris,
> etc; then, we have the option of bailing out after the 1st day.  Assuming we
> stay Sunday night, we will load the camping gear into the vehicle & carry just
> the inflated dry bags in the kayaks for floatation on the 2nd day.  We will
> have to shuttle vehicles around so one of the vehicles is spotted at the
> take-out point at the Clement Rd. Bridge about 16.5 river miles downstream
> from our camp site.  The Clement Rd. Bridge is just south of where the Pigeon
> River empties into Mullett Lake.  The "best" whitewater occurs on the section
> of river we will encounter on the 2nd day.  This is why we don't want the
> extra weight of the camping gear in the kayaks & why we do want the extra
> floatation from the inflated dry bags.  Nearly all of this trip will be within
> the boundaries of the Pigeon River State Forest.  Normally, the Pigeon River
> State Forest is pretty popular with morel mushroom hunters at this time of
> year.  But, it's been so wet that most of the mushroom beds will be
> underwater.  This is a pretty isolated, wilderness region & we don't expect to
> see anyone else all weekend.  We do hope to see some wild elk.
> 
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> 
> 
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