On this trip, 14 paddlers witnessed a "first" on their Pine River clean-up from Silver Creek Camp Ground to Elm Flats: Lois and John, having counseled and monitored Paddle Club members on 1000's(?) of clean up trips on rivers too numerous to mention FORGOT TO BRING ALONG THEIR GRABBERS!!* Fortunately, there were two extra ones, gratefully received by our leaders, and we set out under blue sky and sunshine.
Gradually, we all became aware that there wasn't much for us to collect, as there had been a pleasure paddle two weeks earlier when two members unable to resist temptation, had gathered several huge bags of trash, a gesture that deprived us of the satisfaction of scavenging the customary quantities of bedraggled flip-flops, beer cans, etc. Added to that disappointment, soon enough Lois' loaned grabber quit working , but undaunted, on several occasions, she willingly jumped into the river to retrieve stuff that was lying on the bottom. It was actually a very hot and humid morning.
Stopping at Lincoln Bridge for lunch, we began to notice that the sky was darkening, and soon enough the thunder made good on its promise of rain, at first, light, developing into quite a cloud-burst. Most of us at this point were grateful for John's prediction that we only had a little over an hour to take out. Just as the rain lightened up, we landed at Elm Flats around 1:30. It was a good trip. When you're paddling the Pine, no other kind is possible!
Written by Mary Lee Orr
*I was authorized to introduce this report with this information.