Adventure on the Big South Fork

July 22
McCreary Co. KY

I've neglected writing lately because I haven't had any blog worthy adventures lately... that is until yesterday. The weekend started off mellow enough with a trip to Cincinatti Saturday for a post wedding celebration picnic at Mt. Echo Park for my former CAP housemate Jen and her new husband Chris. Six housemates from the Jackson House of '06-'07 were there and we were able to catch up on each others lives and enjoy each others company.

Sunday morning a canoe trip on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River with Janean, a former long-term volunteer who arrived last Monday and will be staying a month working with me on the housing crew. After positioning a truck at our take out point at the Yamacraw Bridge, we drove our work truck loaded with our canoe to Blue Heron and put in for a leisurely five mile float with a few small rapids to spice things up, and an optional class II rapid just past our take out point. We had an enjoyable trip and as we approached the bridge we decided (as any great explorers would do) to shoot the last rapids. The river narrowed at this point with a couple of small exposed rocks on the left side of the channel and a huge undercut rock on the right bank the size of a small r.v. We decided to aim for the middle so as not to capsize on the smaller rocks, and hopefully steer of the huge boulder on the right, but as we neared it, despite our best efforts to paddle clear of it, the current carried us on a straight collision course with the behemoth. I envisioned us slamming into the boulder and bouncing off. I was half right... We slammed into the rock alright, but instead of bouncing off, the front of the canoe wedged under the undercut rock pinning Janean in the canoe, although thankfully above the water. After what seemed like a couple of minutes of trying to free the canoe from the grasp of the rogue current, we only seemed to wedge it tighter, and unlike a good captain, decided to abandon ship. Janean finally managed to wriggle herself free and swim downstream to safety. My exit was much easier as I just had to conveniently step out of the canoe onto the rock. After watching Janean's flip flops speedily float down the mad river, I decided to rescue my own shoes, as well as the paddles, and a raincoat from the canoe, and with my legs I was able to rock the canoe loose from it's restraint, and then I swiftly clambered over slippery rocks, boulders, and brush down shore to retrieve the canoe in calmer waters, at which point it started to pour down rain, which really didn't matter since we were already soaked. But we had to trek back up stream to collect the paddles and gear, and bring them back to the canoe so we could paddle across stream, and drag the canoe across slippery rocks, through a thunderstorm to our take out. Not to mention almost getting the truck stuck on the steep gravel path leading up from the river, which was remedied by having Janean lean across the tailgate (wedged between the canoe and the camper shell) for extra traction. (I think she may be getting used to tight spots.) Not a bad adventure for a lazy Sunday morning in the South. On the way back to the house we stopped at the Family Dollar to replace Janean's flip flops that sought their freedom on the mighty Cumberland. She came out of the store with not only one new pair, but two. Just in case we decide to take another relaxing float down some Kentucky river.

That evening, although I had already attended Mass on Saturday evening, I decided to go along to church with Janean... just to give thanks...