May 23 Manistee: 131 to Baxter
Published on 5/23/2010
What a crowd! Seventeen people, sixteen boats (all solo kayaks, except for 3 solo canoes and one tandem kayak) and ten cars to parade down the road during the shuttle. One couple drove to the takeout in the morning, rather than the put-in, but they had given themselves enough time so that they were there for the departure of the vehicles. The trip hosts made themselves available for kayaking instruction, both before and during the expedition. Very hot weather, but the river was a bit muddy for swimming. People came from thousands of miles away for this extravaganza. We waved to the group from the Grand Traverse Hiking Club, walking along the North Country Trail above us.
People were grumbling that their stomachs were grumbling, so our intrepid trip host told the redneck campers at our favorite site for lunch that we WERE going to stop there (where else could we fit such a flotilla?), and that they might want to move their stuff. They somehow sensed that they had better not mess with her!
After our break, there was major boat switching. John W agreed to take the 8 ft Otter, while John H paddled John W's solo canoe. That left John H's pretty lime green kayak for Karen to test paddle (I think she wants one now), and then her Blackwater went to Rosario, who had been struggling to keep up in the Otter before lunch. Not to be outdone, later on, Marlene was coveting the lime green machine, so she traded with Karen, who graciously gave it up in exchange for bringing a massive amount of clay (stuck to her sandals) into Marlene's kayak.
I want to thank everyone for their amazing cooperation on this journey - from assistance hauling boats and gear, to staying close enough during the drive so we didn't leave anyone behind, to returning the morning drivers and their boats to the put-in. Special thanks to my partner-in-crime for keeping me sane.
Here's the group: Lois Goldstein & John Heiam, Debby Page & Mike Schaeffer, Marv & Marlene Puska, Betty & Mike Gardiner, Maureen & Mark Anthony, Steve Somers, Karen Mueller, Jocelyn Trepte, Angie Willis, Jack Kurtz, John & Rosario Walton