davbart
Hey davbart, I agree about the one MRE. I have a couple extra that I will pack if I can fit them in the pack. I will have some jerky and some other stuff as well. I’m not looking to make this a trip where I’m fed well and happy. i am doing this to raise money for Wounded Warriors Family Support, and I don’t want it to be easy and just traveling down a river with everything I need and want. I want to show my support and respect, by sacrificing, struggling a little bit. Nothing compared to what these families have lost, but I want to do something.
Miles per day
Your estimate of 12-15 miles a day is easily attainable on a river with minimal portages and few rapids that need to be scouted. Twenty is doable with good current especially in summer with lots of daylight. It is best to plan on some contingencies like a day of wind. One of the worst reasons to paddle in bad conditions is “because I have to get home.”
ppine
Thanks ppine. do you think 15 is too easy to attain? I am going to be on the water for at least 8 hours a day. Figuring on 8 - 10 hours per day.
Remember, you’re in a ducky.
– Last Updated: Jul-02-14 8:58 PM EST –
Hardboats that are longer and/or with much narrower beams(width)than your SE 370, have an easier time when it comes to covering more distance--I've done trips in canoe, hardshell kayak and duckies...If you get a headwind blasting your inflatable and you smack in the face, you'll be thankful to cover barely 10 miles, even going with the current.
Heres a pic of all three paddle craft together--The guy in the ducky(center boat--a good friend of mine)had a very tough time keeping pace with Tommy in his canoe, and me in my kayak. But the ducky had a much easier time of things, when it came to stability while negotiating rapids(None of us swam though)...
http://plus.google.com/photos/106337691803192614259/albums/6014193229251044113/6014195830855050722?banner=pwa&pid=6014195830855050722&oid=106337691803192614259
15 is a good "target" average to shoot for, because:
a). Like it or not, you are still a novice, no matter how young and strong...Cover enough water safely and smartly without overdoing it(as ppine alluded to in the above).
b). Presumably, besides it being a charitable cause you're paddling for, you should be doing it to enjoy yourself and actually SEE something along the way(like uh, Nature maybe?) --Don't force crunch mileage to fulfill a number and leave yourself depleted for the next day's challenges. Or as the Old Philosophers croak< "It's about the journey, not the destination."
And finally,
c). Leave yourself enough time to set a good campsite while it's still a decent hour. The day light now starts to shorten in the Northern hemisphere. Rest is as important as food.
I’m thinkin’ 20 miles a day
– Last Updated: Jul-02-14 9:19 PM EST –
yes a ducky is slow but your alone what else will you have to do but paddle- good camping at the headwaters of bluestone lake, portaging bluestone dam will be a bi###, but sandstone falls not bad at all- carry on the boardwalk- ignore most of the portage signs- you can get a lot closer to the Falls unless the river is high- which is unlikely now. Good camping at Glade Creek, Grandview Sandbar, or Army Camp, Stone Cliff and several unofficial sites in cunard to Fayette Station Stretch. The New River Dries below cotton hill are likely to be dry- to low to paddle- and the aw gauge is off on the minimum. Post on the wvwa message board for additional kayak support for the the cunard to Fayette Station Stretch. There are plenty of us who enjoy a good ducky thrashing now and then. Invest in a good pfd and wear it all the time. Take lots of water- none of the campsites/campgrounds on the river have water. Check out the national park service links for canoeing the New River. Learn about the different stretches on the American Whitewater site. The New is a drop pool river- so its not the ideal ducky river- swift in the rapids but slow in the pools.
I wish you well
Just recommending that you take a close look at your calorie requirements, and ensure that you’re consuming enough to complete the trip.
spiritboat, tdaniel, davbart
Davbart, tdaniel and spiritboat,
Wow, thank you all for all the great information. Very helpful and I appreciate it.
Spiritboat,
I agree I am still a novice, I’ve never gone it alone and in a boat like this and you are 100% correct, I do want to make sure I enjoy being out there and everything. And I’m definitely not looking to make sure I accomplish a certain distance, this whole thing has pretty much been about trying to figure out where to leave my car. So, I can get back to it at the end of the 7 days. It doesn’t have to be exact, but just so I can either slow down or speed up on the last day to get there. I do have an extra day built in, (an 8th day) in case I haven’t made it back close enough.
As far as the campsite, I do want to stop for the day with at least a couple hours of daylight to enjoy being on land, get setup and possibly explore the area a bit.
Tdaniel,
Thank you so much for all the camping info. That will be my next order of business once I decide where to put the boat in. I was looking at Glyn Lyn Town Park in Glyn Lynn Virginia. That puts me about 190 miles from the Ohio river, so I might adjust that starting spot. I don’t care much if I make it to the Ohio when complete as much as I want to make sure I get to and make it through the rapids in W.Va. I talked to the New river gorge parks folks and they told me that it was no problem for me to go down the river and then jump on and camp on the shores. Most of what you mentioned I believe falls into their domain? Although some of the ones you said, I haven’t heard of before so I will have to try and find some more information.
Davbart,
Thanks for the info, I will have to look more into my food requirements and then possibly try to get some extra food into the pack.
Great News
Great News, Dave Canterbury (Pathfinder) of the The Pathfinder School (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pathfinder-School-LLC/167050689997806) has donated a 3 day survival class to this fund raiser. I will be attending the class prior to going on this trip. The class is designed to help keep people alive who find themselves in a survival situation. He heard about what I was doing for the Wounded Warrior Family Support charity, and offered to help. A big thank you to Dave and his team, from me (and my family who has requested I try to stay alive).
http://gotbeadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/River-Challenge-to-Benefit-Wounded-Warrior-Family-Support.pdf
https://www.crowdrise.com/woundedwarriorfamilysupport/fundraiser/troywilliams
http://www.thepathfinderstore.com/pathfinder-school-classes/