Happy to report that the Pine was relatively clean of trash yesterday at 9:30 a.m. even before our sweep. The trash that WAS there, however, did not miss the visual acuity and persistence of TAPC members; John and Lois, Judy and Fred, Karen, Susan, Barb and Mike, Marlene and Marv, Jocelyn, Tracie and Sandy.
One scene stands out that particularly exemplifies the tenacity of the group and in particular the strength of the Michigan woman and the Yankee ingenuity of the Michigan man. Here is the context. Jocelyn retrieved her trash picker (stuck in a log) from the middle of the river’s current while holding a rope stabilized by Fred who paddled furiously and successfully UP the river. They said it couldn't be done!
We finished at around 4:00 pm but not before Sandy capsized and was “eddyfied” by the Pine and reports that the presence of Judy Swartz on shore encouraging her alleviated much of her trauma.
Along the banks of the Pine were tiny Forget me nots, wild bergamot and Crown Vetch (doesn’t “Vetch” sound like a complaint?)
Written by Sandy Weir
A note from the trip hosts: John and Lois were paddling a loaner tandem canoe, courtesy of Pine River Paddlesports Center (who also provided free shuttle service). Lucky that they had the behemoth, since they found a huge fiberglass canoe seat (albeit encrusted with yucky river gook). After encasing it in two large plastic bags, it fit just fine over the gunwales of their canoe, until they could drop it off at the Elm Flats access at lunchtime.
