Glad to hear you will be able to make it. Remember to make a list of anything else you might require and not be able to bring in terms of paddling and camping equipment. Let me and/or Pat know what you might need.
Sad news: the new boat (ordered from REI) arrived kissed by a fork lift so we refused delivery. Now I am back to looking for a boat - canoe or kayak. Maybe one of you might load up an extra solo boat? My shopping by phone didn’t result in any satisfactory results! Will be arriving in Boise late Tuesday night and will continue shopping from there before heading for Missouri later in April. If I find a boat I will let you know. My son says he has an adequate supply of camping gear…
Brad
Do you have any idea at this point when you would be arriving in the Southern Missouri area?
Ak Brad
I have a Mad River Slipper in real nice shape that’s up for sale which, if it doesn’t sell, I can throw on my Jeep and drag along if you would like a solo boat to paddle.
Knowing Brad, I think that a Slipper would suit his size and feel relatively familiar given that he has usually paddled a Wenonah Sandpiper.
Very cool. We’ll see how this plays out. He’s
certainly welcome to it should it play out that way.
Very cool indeed! Snarvol, if not already sold please bring your Slipper - I will buy. I have also located a suitable roto poly kayak, which I will also bring. I am planning to arrive Twin Bridges on Monday and stay all week; additional paddling also a possibility.
Brad
Some Slipper specs if interested, from the MRC 1990 catalog:
length overall: 14’ 7"
gunwale width: 27"
width at 4" waterline: 27 1/2"
center depth: 11 1/2"
bow height: 17"
stern height: 16"
shallow V, symmetrical hull, slight rocker
weight: fiberglass 48 lbs, Kevlar 39 lbs
Pete,
Thx for the updated specs. Mine were measured in the boat and were approximate.
AK Brad,
If you are indeed interested in purchasing my canoe I’ll take it off of the market until you can look it over and spend some time in it.
If I remember correctly, Mr. Allen lived down the street from Mr. Henry in New Hampshire. He indicated that this Slipper was built at the original Mad River plant for him in in 1978 while employed by Mad River.
It’s an excellent canoe. My main reason for selling it is 2 fold: 1) I can only paddle one canoe at a time & I’ve got too many. 2) I have size 13 feet that have gotten stuck under the seat while goofing around in shallow water.
See you at Twin Bridges. - Snarvol
AK Brad,
This site wont let me edit my listing for the slipper. It just says “Oops”. Will get that fixed this week. Sleep well. It’s off the market until you get a chance to check it out.
Looks like I will make to the Rendezvous. Plan to arrive Monday or early morning Tuesday.
Brad: You can paddle my Vagabond if you want. I got another solo boat this winter.
Dan
so actually headed out today, snow on the ground in wv, I want to check out garden of the gods in southern IL and meet up with ozark mtn. paddlers over weekend on mulberry thus the early departure.
got my plan dialed in a bit more now
April 22 Arrive at Turner Bend
April 23rd and April 24 join Ozark Mountain Paddlers on Mulberry
April 25th, 26th - paddle Mulberry on my own or Ozark Highlands trail (hiking)
April 27, 28, 29, 30, May 1, 2- use buffalo outdoor center for commercial shuttle- exact stretch dependent on water level but with expected rain I’m thinking Boxley to Dillards Ferry (if somebody wants to boat somethin- my phone is 304 575-9449, plans are flexible)
May 3rd drive to twin bridges
May 4-8th boat on NF White River (haven’t made any camping reservations) small tent, willing to share and help pay for a site
May 9th drive to Mingo Natl Wildlife Area for short paddle and then motel afterwards
May 10,11, 12 home to wv via Frankfort Ky (visit bro)
bringing the 12r kayak, threw in a canoe paddle if anybody wants to paddle tandem or has extra canoe to try out just to keep things interesting. I will have room to shuttle my kayak and one additional canoe or two additional kayaks
Takes a lot of water to put in at Boxley, and then it usually only holds for a couple of days unless there is sustained rain. Right now it is getting rather low even to put in at Ponca. Anything is possible but way too early to make any predictions for a week from now.
On the other hand at present the upper Jacks Fork, which is not far from Twin Bridges, is running at a very good level. Again, no guarantee that it will two weeks from now, but it usually has sufficient water the first week in May, and given its present level and the rain that has fallen in the area in recent weeks I would say the chances are good to have a nice level to paddle either South Prong access to Buck Hollow, or Buck Hollow access to Rymers (or perhaps both).
At present, I am planning to paddle with a group from Tennessee on the upper Current River from either April 30 or May 1 through to May 3. Late afternoon or early evening I plan to drive to Twin Bridges to set up camp that evening. I would also be happy to share a site. If the Current River downriver trip falls through, I will probably arrive at Twin Bridges on Monday May 2.
At this point Brad and possibly Dan C. have indicated they plan to arrive at Twin Bridges on Monday May 2.
Hey Pete, thanks for the info
Buffalo outdoor center seemed fine with me just showing up whenever for shuttle, they leave car in their parking lot for several days before dropping it off downstream- so the buffalo paddling is a loose plan but did bring gear to camp along the river- something I haven’t done in a few years
just got back from camping and paddling at seneca rocks wv (2 runs on hopeville canyon NF of the SB of the Potomac, barnum to bloomington NB of the potomac) had to make sure I could handle sleeping on the ground- paco pad helped with that. Tricky part for me is climbing out of tent and standing up. Needed to try out scaled down camping (not rv) before heading out to the ozarks
not really interested in current river- paddled a long stretch in the 1980s and had a good time, would rather see something new to me, perhaps I’ll motel on the 26th, check water levels, internet, phone messages etc. can get even more specific with plan - if somebody gets a wild hair and wants to run some ww I could be talked into it and cut down the buffalo paddling, for that matter if the hailstone section runs I’d be up for it, won’t do it alone though.
now it’s time to head out, want to get a few hours of driving in today
I you have not paddled the upper Jacks Fork you have not seen what is the best part of the ONSR, IMO.
I wouldn’t count on the Hailstone. I used to paddle with a Missouri State Congressman who waited 5 years before he had a chance to run it.
I don’t suspect anyone in the Ozark Rendezvous group would be inclined to do it, but if the Saint Francis River has sufficient water I can guarantee that there will be whitewater paddlers running it. Check out Silver Mines Campground west of Fredericktown, Missouri. You could basically just show up there and go to the parking lot at the “D bridge” and hook up with someone.
By the by, last week I spoke with Karen. She and her husband bought Twin Bridges Campground in 2020 but one of the two guys who previously ran it (Don) is still there managing the restaurant. The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday).
Karen said she could mentally block out some tent campsites for our group without prepayment or reservations in the “Deer Meadow” area since they are not usually that busy in early May. I told her to expect a group of somewhere between 12 and 20 but that there would be some couples and some of us would share sites. If you call tell her you are with the Ozark Rendezvous group, or tell them when you show up.
Made my reservation for Monday thru Saturday with possible Sunday. I found a 23ft trailer here (in Idaho) so NO sleeping on the ground for this 3/4-century oldster. Also bought a 12-6 kayak and am looking forward to testing the Slipper with hopes to purchase. (Both boats will be left in dry storage in Idaho.) Plan to hit the road next Tuesday morning, headed to Twin Bridges… I haven’t done any serious paddling since the '19 Spring Rendezvous so I REALLY need this trip to get back in paddling shape.
Brad
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I put the Thule racks on the red jeep & will be loading up the Slipper & Trillium, my camp & 2 weeks food. I’ll head out from Amarillo to Twin Bridges on Monday the 2nd, arriving at night i suspect. Will set up camp whenever on the 3rd & be ready for adventures on the North Fork and hopefully a few fish.
Following the North Fork I plan on easing down to Ponca for a few days on the Buffalo. If anyone else is interested in the Buffalo trip I’d enjoy the company and sharing the ferry, which last year was $150 from Ponca to Gilbert.
I called Twin Brtdges camp ground a week or so ago, & like Pete was told to just come on. I’ll have a camping spot if someone would like to share.
See y’all there - Snarv.
Trailer is loaded and ready to roll, as it has been all winter. I’ll bring the Prospector & Flashback, though I don’t know if my knees are up to a long day kneeling in the Flashback. We’ll see. Plan to be there mid day Monday. Brad, My paddling muscles are rusty also. Look forward to knocking some of that rust off.