Bardstown Boaters

The Viking Canoe Club will be hosting winter roll sessions at Shawnee High School's indoor pool this January and February. They will be on Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates:

January 9
January 30
February 20
February 27

For more info check out the Viking calendar or their forum.

The recent snow storm in Eastern Kentucky left it's beautiful mark on the mountains at the Breaks Interstate Park. Patrick Jeffreys was there when the storm hit and took this great photo.

Part of Camping Blogger's top five parks to visit in 2010, The Bardstown Boaters will be doing just that in January.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park, in southwest Texas, is one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States and is the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the country. The varied terrain of the park ranges from an elevation of 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande River, to 7,800 feet in the Chisos Mountains. There are three campgrounds in the park, including Cottonwood, Chisos Basin and Rio Grande Village.

Yosemite is bigger than Rhode Island at almost 800,000 acres, but it receives about 3.5 million visitors each year, and most of them spend time in Yosemite Valley.

Grand Rapids Whitewater is a group of individuals, paddling clubs, fishermen and businesses dedicated to helping Green Grand Rapids achieve the dream of putting rapids back in the Grand for everyone’s enjoyment. It is our goal to partner with the city to create a safer, more exciting river experience.

Workers with heavy equipment had cleared all but a few boulders from a rockslide that blocked U.S. Highway 64 this morning when, with a tremble and a roar, another huge slide spilled across the road and into the Ocoee River gorge.

The theme of the Festival of Faiths in Louisville this year is "Water." Below are some of the great kayaks that are on display as well as an art sculpture on mountain top removal. This is all at the Henry Clay building for the next week.

Jay Thomas and John Thomas on the Pine Mountain Trail in October 2009. Click here to view the gallery.

John and I hiked 1,300 feet up to the trail via Mullins Road near Cliftwood, VA. Trail ended 17.5 miles later in Elkhorn City where we met up with dad, Luke, and Toby. Highlights were Birch Knob observation tower, horseback riders sharing their blackberry moonshine, multiple vistas of KY and VA, camping near Natural Bridge, Skegg Overlook, bobcat sighting, etc...etc. Strenuous hiking but very worth it. Good training for SW Texas in January.

RECIPE: ITALIAN-STYLE POTATOES

Spice up boring potatoes with some summer sausage, brown sugar, and tomatoes in this Italian-inspired dish.

by: Laura Puckett, Nutritional Analysis by Melissa Stoos-Gilroy

1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup diced summer sausage (about 2.5 ounces)
2 cups water
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cups instant potato flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In Camp
Sauté onions in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add sugar and stir. Add sausage and sauté until browned, then remove from heat. Bring water to a boil; pour 1/2 cup over tomatoes in a bowl and let soak five minutes. Return sausage and onions to heat, stirring until warm. In another pot, mix potatoes, salt, and remaining water until smooth. Drain tomatoes and add to skillet with sausage; sauté one to two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Serve over potato mixture.

Prep Time
7 min

Cook Time
20 min

Price
$1.55 per serving

Weight
4 ounces per serving

Serves 2

Calories 512
Fat 30 g
Carbs 44 g
Protein 17 g

Most of the igneous rock looked to be made up of mafic material. The sedimentary layers looked to have been under enormous pressure at some time. The layers looked like waves on some of the river’s walls. …

A geologists's view of things around the Russell Fork River. Click here to read more.

Spalding Hurst, Kenny, Jay & John Thomas ran the Upper Russell Fork river today in a Shredder and a Duckie. The Shredder proved to be an interesting vessel, though it was surprising how much water sits in the bottom on the boat. The fall colors were beautiful this time of year. The group hiked into El Horrendo to watch the Lord of the Forks race, taking the tressel side down to the river. Now they sitting fireside listening to the locals fire off shotguns. Another great day in Eastern Kentucky.

From: Treehugger

Turns out, those foam (aka styrofoam) take-away containers (#6) that really make your green heart cringe can actually be recycled into baseboards and moldings for your home. The only problem - who is going to take them back and recycle them? Solution: There are now has 8 bins across the United States that collect the stuff for Dart Corporation, with the latest in Kentucky.

The latest drop-off spot is located near Horse Cave, KY, which happens to be just up the road from Mammoth Cave National Park. The recycling locations are provided by Dart Container Corporation, maker of many of these #6 products. Mammoth Cave admits that they plan to get a lot of use out of the new location, as these containers are often left throughout the park. Now, park rangers and officials will just truck the container out of the park - in fact, they've been collecting foam for the last 6 months waiting for the container to be installed.

In Kentucky, G&R Recycling will come by and collect all of the foam for recycling. Other styrofoam recycling locations can be found in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania; 7 in total. Dart says they plan to install more styrofoam recycling dropoff locations in the future and if you go to their website you can see an interesting graphic on just how styrofoam is broken down, cleaned, dried, sorted, peletized and all of the other steps before it starts over.

What Can You Recycle?

Foam containers with a #6 on them, including foam cups, plates, take-out containers, egg cartons and even some of the stuffing that you find around electronics can all be recycled. To make it easier on the recyclers, please remove and rinse cups and containers, throw away straws and lids, and don't put packing peanuts in the recycling bins (try shipping stores to see if they will take them back).

The next time you're at Mammoth Cave, don't forget to bring your #6 and leave it in the bin instead of the park.

The Russell Fork Rendezvous is Oct. 24-25 this year. Get your taste of some good (and bad) genuine mountain moonshine as the Bardstown Boaters make their pilgrimage this year. We'll camping and hiking the area, running the upper and lower Russell Fork, watching the Lord of the Forks Race on the gorge section, catch some good music, and huge bonfires.

John and Jay Thomas will be backpacking the Pine Mountain Trail Thurs-Fri and hopefully walk off the trail into camp at the Rendezvous Friday night. Anyone is welcome to join.

For all the info you can handle on the Russell Fork visit the new rivers page here on Bardstown Boaters.

Keep an eye out Friday for runners participating in the inaugural Bourbon Chase Relay. The overnight relay covering 200 miles of the scenic byways along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Bluegrass horse country begins with a staggered start at 8 a.m. Friday at Jim Beam, Clermont. The first runners will depart at 8 a.m. with others following every 15 minutes throughout the day into the evening.

The finish line celebration is 3-9 p.m. Saturday at Triangle Park in downtown Lexington. It is free and open to the public.

More than 2,000 runners from 40-plus states are participating. Look for them in Nelson County at these times Friday:

10 a.m.-9 p.m. — Deatsville to Templin Avenue
11 a.m.-8 p.m. — Templin Avenue to Heaven Hill
11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. — Heaven Hill to Pottershop and Greer Lane
12:30-10 p.m. — Pottershop and Greer Lane to Manton Road

Twelve-member teams share the running load, with each member running three legs averaging about five miles.

Visit www.bourbonchase.com to see the complete route.

Wanted to bump this video back to the top. It's an overview of the Bardstown Boaters and the projects we are currently working on. And as for the Whitewater Park; look for the alternative preliminary plans with opinions of costs by mid November.

This site has undergone another design change. A more simple design this time. Hopefully easier to navigate and manage. Enjoy it.

This looks like a great trip …

Click here for the video

4 days & 4 nights, A kayaking self support, 65 miles-class 2-5

This June, Cameron, Joe, Amos and I did a 4 day self support kayak trip on the Rio Grande from the Colorado border to the county line below the Racecourse. 65 miles of class 2-5. Great times, 1 lost kayaker, lost whiskey, carnage, fishing and a trip that is etched in my memory of good times forever.

I had been wanting to do this trip for the last 10 years. I could never rope fellow boaters into it. I guess the concept of lots of class 2 and beautiful scenery didn't excite the "core" paddlers around. Luckily, I have some great bros that love kayaking regardless of the grade level and they joined me. We had flows of about 950cfs, tons of gear in our kayaks, a good attitude and actually paddled some whitewater during the trip. Sections that we kayaked were, Ute Mountain, Razorblades, Upper Box, la Hunta, Lower Box, State park, and Racecourse. I would recommend this 4 day self support trip to anyone that loves an adventure. We had an absolute blast. The wildlife was abundant, the scenery unbelievable, the winds way strong, and the whitewater was a blast. One of the best trips I have ever done. Oh ya, The Everest rules as a multi-day kayak. I think this trip will become an annual event. Stay tuned for next years episode and feel free to join us if you can break away from the "stout" for 4 days. It will do you good.

Here are the results from this past Sunday's adventure race, the Bourbon City Challenge:

SOLO MALE

Matt Hoyes (1 hr. 46 min.)
Shane Crady (1 hr. 50 min.)
Michael Downs (2 hrs.)

SOLO FEMALE

Mary Moore (2 hr. 26 min.)
Leslie Seymour (2 hr. 39 min.)
Karen Scout (3 hr. 20 min.)

RELAY TEAM

All Stars - Brian Bauman, Bradley Medley (1 hr. 55 min.)
Morons - Rich Hardin, Thad Hardin, Addison Wheatley (1 hr. 56 min.)
Missing in Action - Mark Ashby, Michael Glasscock, Terry Hodge, Nick Boone (2 hr. 5 min)

Happy Gauley Fest everyone. Here is the song of the moment to help you kick off the weekend.

Pearl Jam's new one. Just Breathe off of Backspacer.

By Axel Thomsen
American Whitewater

I would like to nominate the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande as the best multi-day backcountry whitewater canoe trip in the United States. It has the distance to make the trip long enough: 84 miles, to be done in 6-8 days—long enough to forget about the world for a while. Long enough that you’d really need to carry lots of food and gear. But then it often does not have the water to be paddled by rafts. When we did it we had 250 cfs at the put-in. That leaves a touring kayak or a canoe, and the whitewater difficulty is just right for open boating. So especially if you like to eat well in the wilderness, getting together a small group of canoeists for a week to head down the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande is about as good as it gets. Yet few people venture out to experience this run, so let me tell the story of our trip and compare it to a run more people may know.

The character of the run is that of a desert canyon—the Grand Canyon of the Colorado comes to mind, but there are a few differences. So let me describe the river in terms that the Grand Canyon paddler is familiar with. First the permit. Instead of a lifetime wait, we simply register with the Park Rangers at Big Bend and in 10 minutes we are good to go. If you arrive after hours, you self-register.

The put in is opposite the ghost town of La Linda, Mexico, abandoned maybe 30 years ago when the mine closed. Maybe in 100 years it will look like the Lee’s Ferry historical district. The first day of the trip is spent on fairly flat water in open country. Gravel bars form rapids at this low water, since often there is only 250 cfs of flow and not the 25,000 cfs the canyon runner may be used to. We paddle through minor canyons, the big walls are farther away from the river. Furnace Flats comes to mind.

Day two continues in this way, until finally near the end of the day the canyon walls start closing in. Wonderful sandy beaches await paddlers, just like in the Grand Canyon. Unlike your average Canyon trip though, no other groups have been seen so far, and this is the busy season— spring break. During the third day we are now in the depth of the canyon. The walls are rising 1500 feet—short of the 5000 feet of the more famous Canyon, yet still very impressive. We pull in for an early stop because we have reached Silber Canyon and Asa Jones pumphouse. Silber Canyon makes for a neat exploration with some serious climbing—Silver Grotto comes to mind. Across the river is a hot springs. Everyone soothes paddling muscles and we replenish our water supply. This surely beats the lukewarm murky waters of Pumpkin Springs. Next to and above our campsite are the ruins of an old wax making operation. The candelaria plant was boiled here to extract wax. Commercially more successful than Beamers mining attempts in the Grand Canyon.

On day 4 we soon get to the first major rapid – Hot Springs rapid. It is very rocky at this low water so we decide to line. After all, a loaded tandem canoe is very hard to unpin and we are right in the middle of the canyon. A Grand Canyon equivalent? Hance comes to mind, being kind of rocky, or Crystal, being the second hardest rapid on the run. A solo canoeist successfully negotiates the left side chute. After we successfully line our three loaded boats, we enjoy a soak in the hot springs. There are two other groups in camp so later in the day we continue on. The section from here down to San Francisco Canyon is the nicest part, kind of like the roaring 20s—20 miles with seven rapids of Class II and above. And remember, Class II for a loaded open boat is really like a Class IV for a raft or a kayak—lots of fun, but not too hairy. After all, this place is very, very remote. We paddle down to the Bullis Fold through Bullis Fold rapid, a Class II rapids with lots of boulders requiring a good line. The geology in this area is impressive, the rock strata look bent and tortured. Another campsite on a wonderful sandbar is right below.

The next day we paddle through Las Palmas rapid, then a little later Rodeo rapid. What looks like a simple ledge drop is rough enough to fill up one of our loaded canoes and sink it. And a few miles later we arrive at Upper Madison Falls. Being the hardest rapid on the run, the comparison has to be Lava Falls. We have the same excitement as we approach the falls, but it is a big rock jumble and there is not sufficient water to paddle our canoes through. The intrepid solo canoeist manages to run the rapid, but it is not pretty as he grinds over many rocks. We scout for a while. Then we go through the standard procedure of eddying out right above the entrance rapid, letting kids and wives walk from here, then paddling the boats to the middle bay from where we can portage 200 yards past the crux of the rapid. Everything has to come out of the boat, and be carried over a rocky trail to an eddy below. It is an hour of hard hot labor. Later we watch as another group successfully lines their emptied boats through the jumble. The only Grand Canyon comparison for this was when we had to flip over a fully loaded raft at House Rock rapid and could only do it after un- loading it while upside down. Memorable and fun in retrospect…. We camp right below Upper Madison.

The next morning a few of us do what I would consider the best hike on the Rio Grande, up Burro Bluff. From there you have a view down onto Upper Madison falls from 1000 feet above. Very cool. Not quite as cool as my favorite Grand Can- yon hike—to Thunder River—I have to admit. Three miles below Upper Madison we have Lower Madison, and again the low water makes it very risky to run. Horn Creek comes to mind, a rapid that requires a precise entry and making the right move. Fortunately the lining looks easy, too, so that is what we do (not a good place to pin a boat!).

We have a few more fun rapids, another night in the depth of the canyon, another side canyon to explore. It still feels like the middle of the trip. Yet when we paddle on the next morning the canyon walls drop noticeably. Two more Class IIs are negoti- ated and by the late afternoon we reach the take out at Dryden Crossing. Our shuttle drivers delivered the car to this place in the middle of nowhere. An hour on a dirt road takes us to Dryden—kind of like the drive from Diamond Creek to Peach Springs… and a few hours later we are back home.

So, when your number didn’t come up for the Grand Canyon yet again, there is a fun place to go to experience the beauty of a remote desert canyon. Load up your canoe and head down the Lower Canyons. Only if the water is too high, take a raft instead.

Thanks to Louis Aulbach for an excellent guidebook and Ted Thayer for shuttle ser- vice. Note that the 2008 Rio Grande flood changed the Rio Grande Village gauge sig- nificantly, so all old rules about proper wa- ter levels need to be adjusted. I’d say canoe between 200 and 1000 cfs.

So much for running the Wild and Scenic portion of the Little Miami.

This reach is illegal to run, based on the following:

http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/427547

Thank you for your email requesting information about Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and Little Miami National and State Scenic River.

In your email, it appears as if you would like to film kayakers traveling through "The Narrows" within the state nature preserve. This area has been closed to boating by Special Notice issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. This notice was issued under Ohio Administrative Code 1501:17-11-05 prior to 1982 by Richard Moseley, Division Chief, and was prepared due to the extreme danger of travel through this area. (A copy of this noticed is posted at the state nature preserve.) In addition, state nature preserve regulations require that visitors to Clifton Gorge remain on the designated trails at all times. This rule would prohibit any portaging around "The Narrows" and "The Falls of the Little Miami" or stationing people on the bank. During normal water conditions, it would be nearly impossible to travel this area, and during flood conditions, the danger of the area increases.

We respect your credentials but the Division cannot issue a permit for kayaking in the gorge. Clifton Gorge is visited by over 500,000 people annually. The rules that we enforce are designated to protect the resource and the visitor. The Division of Natural Areas and Preserves is charged with protecting remnants of Ohio's natural landscape. Our mission is first and foremost protection. Even though we have hiking trails and interpretive facilities, the division is not recreation oriented.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Nancy
Nancy Strayer, Acting Chief
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Natural Areas & Preserves

This looks to be a great canoe and camping, trip.

The Little Miami originates near Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark. Flowing through a deep gorge, wooded bluffs, and rolling farmlands, it is located between Dayton and Cincinnati, placing it within an hour's drive of over 3 million people.

~1500cfs
While at a bachelor party on Lake Cumberland, I snuck away on Sunday to run Cumberland Below the Falls with some of the Viking Canoe Club. This was after Jay failed to join me on Saturday for our originally planned run. (Sorry to Kevin on that front. We'll have to try again soon.) The water level was up and the CBF was beefy. Screaming Right was an auto mystery move, but didn't suck you into the hole. Surfers was pretty sticky, especially on river right. The paddle out was long, seemed longer than normal. But it was a great run and a great addition to relaxing at the lake all weekend.

Feasibility study being done on Salt River

With the plentiful rainfall this summer, Bardstown's source of water, Sympson Lake, has been overflowing. But such was not the case last summer and the summer before, when dry weather had some wondering if the city's water supply was sufficient.

To prepare for future droughts and to meet the demand for water in a growing community, the city has hired engineering firm Kenvirons to do a feasibility study on drawing water from Salt River near the Bullitt County-Spencer County line and pumping it to North Bardstown.

Bardstown City Council recently agreed to pay a $212,000 stream mitigation fee to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for harm the Corps believes will come to a stream during expansion of the water treatment plant. The Council, therefore, is conscious of possibly having to pay for any environmental impact perceived to result from a new source of water, Mayor Dick Heaton said. A reservoir or dam could be financially impractical because of fees that might be incurred, he said.

The Salt River study will be compared to previous studies on alternative sources of water to see which is the most feasible, City Engineer Larry Hamilton said. Sympson Lake is adequate at this point, but the city needs to plan for growth, he said.

The study will cost $21,000. The Corps of Engineers will have to review it, which will cost an additional $20,000. Congressman Brett Guthrie helped the city secure a grant to cover the Corps fee, Heaton said.

Storm-fed flash floods hit Kentucky, Indiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Heavy thunderstorms fed floods in Kentucky and Indiana on Tuesday, shutting down a university campus in Louisville, closing highways and cutting power to thousands of people.

The storm shut down the University of Louisville, where about a dozen buildings were without power and a dozen more had some flooding on the main campus, said university spokesman Mark Hebert. Dozens of university of employees were evacuated, he said.

Floodwaters gushed over guardrails on Interstate 65, bringing traffic to a standstill in Clark County, Ind., across the Ohio River from Louisville.

National Weather Service hydrologist Mike Callahan said the Rubbertown area in western Louisville was swamped by more than 6 inches of rain in three hours Tuesday morning. Callahan said the slow-moving storm "went right into Louisville and just sat there."

Craig Buthod, director of Louisville's public library system, said 3 1/2 feet of water inundated the main library's lower level. He said tens of thousands of books were lost and the library was forced to close. He said staff vehicles and bookmobiles were also flooded.

City officials said there had been no reports of significant injuries.

In Indiana, police and state conservation officers rescued several people, mostly stranded motorists caught in high waters, said spokesman John Erickson of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Duke Energy reported more than 24,000 customers without power just after noon, including nearly 14,000 in western Indiana.

A flash flood warning was in effect into the afternoon for Louisville and other parts of the metro area, and forecasters said the region could be hit by more thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Whitewater boaters rejoiced.

Once again, Bardstown has been listed in a National Geographic publication as a great get-away. The July/August issue of National Geographic Traveler includes the town in a list of 46 places to spend a “great long weekend.”

Under the subhead “Sippin,’ Singin’, and Abe” and next to a photograph from the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is this salute to Bardstown:

“Decompress on the tranquil streets of Bardstown, second oldest town in Kentucky (chartered in 1790). Toast the past at the Bourbon Heritage Center or nearby distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Trace local history at the Kentucky Railway and Civil War museums. Sing along to Stephen Foster, who wrote ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ official song of the Bluegrass State; the composer is honored with a statue, mansion, and nearby state park. A few miles southwest of town, you can visit the birthplace of Honest Abe Lincoln, which is now a national historic site.”

Bardstown was also mentioned in the September 2008 issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of 50 “next great adventure towns in which to live and play.”

In selecting the towns, National Geographic Adventure writers Sarah Tuff and Greg Melville lent their expertise as the magazine looked for innovative towns that weren’t just prime relocation spots now, but also smart choices for the future, Ethan Fried with the National Geographic Society said.

On Bardstown, Tuff and Melville wrote: “We ain’t gonna lie: Bardstown’s status as the world’s bourbon capital drew us in, but its rivers flow as freely as the whiskey. Paddlers convene at Sympson Lake, and a whitewater park is in the works downtown. Not in the liquor business? Lexington and Louisville are both less than an hour’s commute.”

Here is shot of of Younger Creek before it runs in to the Rolling Fork
near Boston, Ky. Today had a good amount of precipitation. This creek
can partly be seen while driving on the Bluegrass Parkway from
Bardstown to Elizabethtown.

Claire Trageser

The Denver Post

POSTED: 07/19/2009 02:46:00 PM MDT

UPDATED: 07/19/2009 03:07:12 PM MDT

A 21-year-old Colorado School of Mines student died after a kayaking accident on the Big South Fork of the Cache La Poudre River near Fort Collins, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

Derk Slottow drowned, said Diane Fairman, the chief deputy coroner for Larimer County.

On Saturday morning Slottow, who was the President of the CSM Kayaking Club, went underwater and hit his head, the Sheriff's Office said.

A friend, who was traveling in a boat behind him, pulled him from the water and started CPR.

The friend then left to get help, hiking almost 2 miles to the Corral Creek Trailhead where he found a Rocky Mountain National Park Ranger.

At around noon, that ranger called the Larimer County Sheriff's Office dispatch for help.

Larimer County Search and Rescue, Colorado State Park Rangers and the North Park Volunteer Fire Department helped to recover Slottow's body.

Slottow was a passionate kayaker and a dedicated civil engineering student, said Dave Brokering, Slottow's friend and Vice President of the CSM Kayaking Club .

"He was one of those people where if you were fortunate enough to become friends with him, he'd always be there for you," Brokering said.

Slottow was interning for the McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group, which designs whitewater courses and parks.

Slottow hoped to continue this work after graduating, Brokering said. In the fall he would have started his fifth year at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.

From Spalding:

Since I was heading down to Florida for a family vacation I thought I would stop over at the Ocoee on the way down. I met up with Josh and we ran the Ocoee on Saturday and Sunday, the Middle and the Upper sections. It was very crowded this weekend, fewer options existed for kayakers due to the first week with out significant rain for the Southeast and the raft were in full swing. Josh and I felt pretty comfortable the whole time. Amber ran the Middle section with Josh in the ducky.

From The Kentucky Standard

The Bardstown-Nelson County Fire Rescue Squad was called to the Beech Fork River bridge on New Haven Road Friday about 8:40 p.m. Friday to assist a man and woman whose boat had overturned.

The water was high and swift. The accident happened on the “Rubble Dam” rapids upstream from the bridge.

The woman was wearing a life vest; the man was not. Both made it to shore safely.

Joshua Seabolt has a discovered a local play wave runnable after heavy rains like the area had this morning (.5"). The wave is created by a low water bridge on Grundy Home Road in Fredericktown, Kentucky. This is the same road that leads to the famous "Donkey Tree". It runs over Cartwright Creek before it reaches the Beech Fork. For a street view of the spot follow this link. The pictures below are from Monday of this week. Today it was reported to be, "much bigger than on Monday."

Carttwright Creek Wave

Cartwright Creek Surfing

The Plum hit six feet today. Spalding Hurst and Joshua Seabolt got there when it was at four feet. It was a great local run with lots of surf. 25 minutes to the put in and all of the waves you want. Four and a half inches of rain hit the area today in a monster storm that knocked out power in parts of Louisville.

View Bardstown Boaters Whitewater Map in a larger map

From Spalding Hurst:

I was at the Ocoee this weekend. Many Vikings were there and that is who I paddled with. I ran the upper twice and the lower twice. It was a great weekend on the water, fun as always. I drove home through Nashville, this wasn't any faster, but the scenery was different at least. I din't take any pictures so here is a video from the Ocoee another time. Enjoy:

By The Kentucky Standard Editorial Board

The Beech Fork River is one of Nelson County’s precious natural resources. It contributed to Bardstown being named one of 50 “next great adventure towns in which to live and play” by National Geographic Adventure magazine last year, and talks have begun to build a whitewater park.

It’s a shame, therefore, that there is a need for Paddle Pickup, during which the Bardstown Boaters club and other volunteers pull trash and debris from the Beech Fork. Saturday was the fifth annual Paddle Pickup, and enough stuff was pulled from the river to fill an industrial-sized garbage dumpster. Old tires, a Big Wheel and the inside tub of a washing machine were among the “treasures” found.

Some of the trash has been there for decades. Other items are more recent additions. We’d like to think littering has decreased as awareness about the need to protect the environment has improved, but one look at that industrial-sized garbage dumpster makes us wonder.

The volunteers with the Paddle Pickup are to be thanked and commended for helping clean the Beech Fork, but they can’t do it alone. All of us are responsible for disposing of our trash responsibly. That means not only keeping it out of the river, but also off roadsides and out of illegal dumps. And we shouldn’t consider the impact of our negligence only when Paddle Pickup reminds us of what it can cause.

305 cfs

Joshua Seabolt, Josh Carpenter, Spalding Hurst and Mike from Ohio ran the Rockcastle River on Monday. It was another great low water whitewater adventure on the narrows of one of Kentucky's most scenic rivers. Joshua was back on whitewater for the first time in eight years, while Spalding was testing out his new RV at Bee Rock campground for this trip. A Dayton area paddler named Mike joined the group after he saw the RV roll into camp with the kayak on board.

The group ran just the Narrows, putting on below Beech Narrows and hiking in and back up for second run on the best rapids of the Rockcastle. The Rockcastle is always a great time and can be stretched out for a longer run by doing the hike back to the top on the river left side trail.

Not many people seem to get to the Rockcastle, but just know that it's there, always waiting, and almost always runnable.

View Bardstown Boaters Whitewater Map in a larger map

Stan Hurst, member of the Bardstown Boaters, stands in a boat full of tires dragged from the Beech Fork River. Tires are one of the most common items found in the river and over 50 were collected during this year's Paddle Pickup.

From the Kentucky Standard

By Cathy Barnes
On Saturday, 45 people joined paddles with the Bardstown Boaters to help clean up the five-mile portion of the Beech Fork River that runs through Nelson County.

For five years, the Bardstown Boaters have organized Paddle Pickup in an effort to help meet water conservation goals in Nelson County. This year, the group contributed to habitat conservation on the river by collecting enough trash to fill an industrial-sized garbage dumpster.

Although the day started off cloudy with fears of high water levels and continuing rain, the afternoon remained dry, making it an ideal day for the event.

Justin Janes, an organizer for the event, said the turnout was good considering the weather conditions.

Most people participating were from the Bardstown area but there were others who came in from Louisville as well. Boy Scout Troop 147 and Troop 142 also participated.

The group of about 15 to 20 canoes set off from the bridge at U.S. 31E and was out on the water for four hours dragging in debris that collected over the past year and in the last several decades. It took another few hours to get the debris loaded off the boats and into the dumpster.

Spalding Hurst, the president of the Bardstown Boaters, said items found included about 50 tires, a children’s Big Wheel and the inside tub of a washing machine. A prize was given to Jim Allen, assistant scoutmaster with Michael Thomas of Troop 147, who pulled out the washer because of its size and weight.

Although the effort of the volunteers was great, Hurst said they’ve only scratched the surface of the clean-up effort that needs to be done on the Beech Fork River.

“People should try to be mindful of their waste and what happens to it when they’re done with it,” said Hurst.

The Bardstown Boaters plan to host the event again sometime next May

If you would like any more information about this event or are interested in joining this group, visit www.bardstownboaters.com.

Get the 2009 Paddle Pickup Shirt

On behalf of the members of the Bardstown Boaters I would like to thank everyone who participated in the fifth annual Paddle Pickup. Rain-soaked hair and mud-caked shoes couldn’t prevent volunteers from removing tires, bottles, cans, and even the guts of a washing machine as they canoed five miles of the Beech Fork River. Once again the success of the event rested on the hard work of the volunteers and the generosity of the sponsors.

Special thanks to Judge Dean Watts, Central KY Canoe and Kayak, Horizon Hoppers, Save-a-Lot Food Stores, the Kentucky Standard, and PLG TV for their ongoing support of the event. We’re also grateful of this year’s cooperation from Quest Outdoors and Columbia Sportswear. We were fortunate to welcome the Boy Scouts Troup 147 led by Mike Thomas as they once again completed their civic duties by helping remove close to a ton of garbage from the waterway. Also big thanks go out to the Hite family who provided river access to a section of the Beech Fork in dire need of our efforts.

Sincerely,
Jay Thomas

Click here for the link to the picture album on Picasa or here for Facebook.

From the Kentucky Standard

By STEPHANIE HORNBACK

During the past four years, members of Bardstown Boaters and other volunteers, in conjunction with National River Cleanup, have pulled about four tons of trash and debris from Beech Fork River. The fifth annual Paddle Pickup is Saturday, and all ages are welcome to come lend a hand.

The condition of the river is a shame, Justin Janes, Bardstown Boaters environmental director, said, but the club hopes to help a little at a time. This year, it will tackle a new portion of the river, running west from the 31E bridge to just south of Blue Grass Parkway. The entire run will take about four hours. The county lent several industrial-size garbage containers for the effort, and the Boy Scouts will assist as well.

Participants should expect to get dirty and work their muscles, Janes said.

“It’s not an easy day on the river,” he said, but the payoff of knowing you’re working for a good cause is worth it. You’ll also get to see parts of Nelson County that you don’t normally see, Janes said.

Canoes and life jackets will be provided, or participants can bring their own. Life jackets are required. Trash bags, gloves and some refreshments will also be provided, but extras are welcome.

Volunteers will take to the water at 9 a.m., and the Bardstown Boaters Web site, www.bardstownboaters.com, advises getting to the meeting spot — the south side of the 31E bridge about a mile south of the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral — a few minutes early to sign in and get the canoes organized. A tent and banner will mark the meeting spot.

Prizes will be given for the most unique item found during the cleanup. Some of the trash has been there for decades, Janes said.

“You’d be surprised at the style of coke and beer cans we find.”

Jay Thomas and Spalding Hurst made their first run on the French Broad during the French Broad River Festival. It was a very fun run that could make for a great club destination. The water level was on the low side at 1000cfs. The highlights are the last two rapids, Kayakers Ledge and Frank Bell's. The latter being the hardest, but the most fun. The Bardstown Boaters look forwad to getting back to Hot Springs for this one.

View Bardstown Boaters Whitewater Map in a larger map

View Paddle Pickup 2009 in a larger map

The stretch of river that the Bardstown Boaters will be covering for the 2009 Paddle Pickup has been set. It is a 5.2 mile stretch from 31e in Bardstown , Ky., to a very good access spot on the private property of the Hite family. They have graciously agreed to let us take out there. This will be the first time the river cleanup has taken place on this section of the Beech Fork.

For all the information on the Paddle Pickup please visit t his section of the website.

Spalding Hurst joined a group of Viking Canoe Club paddlers for a run on Muddy Creek this Saturday. The level was at 3.5 feet. Muddy Creek is considered by many to be one of the best whitewater stretches in Central Ky. Consisiting of mostly class II-III easy and wide open rapids the Muddy is littered with numerous play opportunities. The limestone shelves forming the creek bottom create innumerable wave/holes perfect for surfing. As the water gets higher the holes only get better and more abundant. The Muddy can usually be run in combination with the other Madison Co. streams such as Otter, Tates or Silver Creek.

View Bardstown Boaters Whitewater Map in a larger map

Media: Pictures | Video

Jay Thomas and and Spalding Hurst ran Elkhorn Creek after work on this Monday. The creek was at about 900cfs. The weather was beginning to cool off from the day, but it was still nice and good run. The paddling was pretty straight forward. Trying to finish before the sun set after putting on at 6 p.m. there wasn't much stopping for surfing, even though they both agreed the surfing wasn't very good at this level.

They finished at 8 p.m. taking just under two hours to run from the the Forks to the old take, shorter, take-out. They hope to get in more after work, weekday runs this year. Join them if you can make it out. 6 p.m. looks like the normal put-in time after driving to Frankfort.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado has long been a rafting and kayaking destination and community, located at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers. It is the site of the new Glenwood Whitewater Park, a standing wave feature built in the Colorado River at the Midland Avenue Bridge.

The Glenwood Whitewater Events committee is a group of community volunteers, whitewater enthusiasts, amateur and professional freestyle kayakers and others who have an interest in bringing competitive kayaking and spectator events to the park. Glenwood Whitewater Events has hosted a freestyle kayak competition in September 2008 and has recruited the US Team Trials freestyle kayaking event through the USA Freestyle Kayaking Association.

www.glenwoodwhitewaterevents.com

marys java

Photographer Ron Perrin is having a double exhibition this friday, March 20th. The Java Joint exhibition is 20 random photographs from all over. The ...At Mary's exhibition, is a small body of Kentucky equine photographs. Again, both openings will take place this Friday on North third street (main street) in downtown Bardstown. Both venues are within easy walking distance of one another. Weather permitting, this should be a nice turnout and fun event.

Directions:
Java Joint
126 N 3rd St
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 350-0883

At Mary's
116 N 3rd St
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 350-9009

Mark your calendars for this Bardstown Boaters club outing to the French Broad River Festival. Trip planning in the forum.

Tom Lamont was a volunteer with the Bardstown Boaters at the annual Paddle Pickup. He died Monday, March 9, 2009, in Bullitt County. Tom will be missed.

Thomas F. Lamont, 58, Boston, was a native of Chicago and a material handler for Publisher’s Printing Company, Shepherdsville. He was a member of St. Monica Catholic Church, Bardstown, a scoutmaster for several Boy Scout of America troops including Troop no. 617 in Boston. He was a member of the Boston Fire Board.

Survivors include his wife, the former Peggy K. Pierce; three sons, Michael Lamont, Boston, Mass., Daniel Lamont, St. Paul, Minn., and Russell Lamont, Blair, W.Va.

The funeral was 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Clare Catholic Church, Colesburg, with burial in St. Clare Cemetery, Colesburg. The Rev. Mike Tobin officiated.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Boy scouts of America.

Details are coming together for the 2009 Bourbon Chase. Your planning committee is working hard to make this a great experience for your team. Their goal is for every participant to think “Wow! We have to do this next year!” If you have a great idea, share it with us. You’re going to have a blast and have some great stories to share too!

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photo-753060

Here is a real-time picture from the Beech Fork in Bardstown, Ky at 400cfs, a projected, optimum level for the future play-wave.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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Claire Trageser

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