The morning's fog burned off and the day was glorious. The gang met up at the crossroads to convoy to the put-in at the Driftwood Valley Campground on the Upper Little Manistee. Unloading the boats went smoothly and the drivers departed to run the shuttle. The well maintained dirt road wound through a pretty forest with some good beginnings to the fall color change. After some struggling with the back seat in the "unofficial paddle club shuttle vehicle", everyone piled in for the return ride to the put-in. All made a easy launch into the clear sparkling water and began the day's adventure.
A bald eagle was spotted soaring along the river searching for his next meal. We also saw a great blue heron flying up river. Salmon and other fish were seen as well. Many sandbars made paddling the river interesting as Fred and Mike discussed the merits of a new cell phone and Garmin vs Google maps navigation. Plenty of overhanging branches made ducking, diving, dodging and digging in hard with the paddle the skills most used. Fred broke out the saw and exacted some revenge on a few irritating limbs. Advice was given and taken throughout the afternoon as "you don't wanna go this way" also several "stay to the right" or "go far left" were heard.
(This next photo was taken at our lunch spot at Bear Track Campground)
Tracie was dragging her bottom all day, on sandbars, on submerged trees and Mike had to help get her out of a jam and off a tree near the end. The take-out was small but nice and we were spaced out enough that all were able to land without mishap. Not so for the drive home for Angie and Tracie who took a wrong turn but ultimately they were saved (sort of) by Dorothy the GPS.
Participants were Mike & Barb, Marv & Marlene, Fred & Judy, Jocelyn, Angie, Tracie and our intrepid trip hosts, John & Lois
Written by Tracie Lord |