Canoeing

[Gas Man]

I don't get to do this as much as I would like to much like riding and many other things. But I really like to get some family and friends together and go canoeing. We use a canoe livery where you park & pay at the downstream location, load up on a bus and they run you upstream where you load and launch the canoe and off you go.

So here's the bus...
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108003.jpg
I tell ya, its wierd riding "the cheese" again and all seems so much smaller than when you were a kid.

The canoes, alum or for $5 more you get a fiberglass.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108004.jpg

And this is late in the season for us, but the colors are starting to set in... would be nice to do it in about 2 more weeks but not sure about the weather... today was nice and about 75
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108005.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108034.jpg

The Dan's came out with their old pooch Max
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108006.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108021.jpg

Natron Bomb and his wife
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108007.jpg

Natron's brother in the back and our step brother Ray starting out early drinking
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108008.jpg

I had my other bro in law, Swade (13) as my canoe mate
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108009.jpg

The other step brother Rick and his family coming out to enjoy.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108010.jpg

Everybody besides Natron&wife&bro, myself, and the dan's were rookies... never been canoeing before...


Of coarse Swade wanted to try to fish...
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108014.jpg

Oh the fun...
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108016.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108025.jpg

We were constantly assembling what we called the "drunk barge" so we could pass beer or "sippy cup" beverages.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108019.jpg

And of coarse there are some baller ass houses along the river that are nice to look at and think "what the fuck do they do for a living".
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108038.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108035.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108037.jpg

Definately not being Natron is what they are doing
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108041.jpg

And there are kayakers or as we like to call them "motor boaters" cause they usually go so fast. And this picture was just epic "going off into the distance"
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108044.jpg

[Gas Man]

And as I said, Ray and Matt (Natron bro) were drinking... as you can tell!!! And by now its only like noon
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108046.jpg

So they get bumped by my canoe as we were constantly doing to everybody... Matt stands up, and basically Ray jumps out like a leapfrog, then matt goes too... luckily their gear didn't come out but the rest of us were laughin our asses off...:lol:
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108047.jpg

But we continue on... every once and a while you get a little rush and just have to have some fun...
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108049.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108051.jpg

And the drunkards
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108054.jpg

YEA
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108055.jpg

OH NO
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108056.jpg

Stuck... DUMBASSES :lol:
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108058.jpg

We find some drifting "motor boaters" and they tag along for a ride for awhile and we chat... just everybody enjoying the fresh air, gorgous weather and the river... especially since we all know what is coming
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108064.jpg

Coherting with the "others"
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108065.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108066.jpg

Yeah... we're lame.. but make the best of it
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108068.jpg

Even a 13 year old fingured out how cool it was... he didn't want the day to end just like the rest of us.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108074.jpg

As I said, we all realize that its stuff like this that is what we charish and enjoy. Its connecting with nature and hanging out. Its about enjoying the simple things...
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108078.jpg

But as all things must come to an end, so did the trip. It always ends in the same place but nothing more fitting to remind us we're in Michigan and welcoming us back to our dreaded reality... michigan construction
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/cjclark69/Friends/Canoe%20Oct%2008/101108083.jpg

Hope you enjoyed the pics, but I'm sure not as much as I did taking them and being out there. Now, tomry I get to ride... not bad for a weekend with no wifey!!!

[jeeps84]

Looks like lots of fun.

[JoJoYZF]

I was wondering what happened to the wife then there was mention at the end. Does look like a great time and definitely something Id love to do.

[Captain Morgan]

That is always so much fun. Why do the fiberglass canoes look so much longer than the aluminum ones?

[jetskifast]

Gas, looks like great day. Why so few life jackets?

[Trip]

looks like a lot of fun

[t-homo]

Float trips are the greatest. Here in MO there are about 200000 rivers in the south part of the state with a bunch of canoe rental/camping places. They have started patrolling them pretty hard watching for people who are overly drunk, minors drinking, and drugs.

BTW captain, there are 2 sets of them if you look closely. I always opt for aluminum canoes, they are tougher.

[Smittie61984]

I love canoeing and kayaking. I do it when I can. I'm wanting to get a decent White Water kayak and some good roll lessons. I can roll but have trouble in currents and can't always do it consistantly.

Here is some video of me on a local fun river. Which this river is a floating party where anything goes. It's like River Gone Wild sometimes with women flashing (Just not the day I brought my camera out damnit!!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QoVMOoAtdg

I hope to do the Okefenokee Swamp/Altahama river next spring (Maybe even a winter run).

[Cutty72]

we go tubing down the river around here... always have to have an extra tube to carry the cooler!

great pics, how come you left your pup home?

[marko138]

I love canoeing man. I go every year with my dad and a whole crew of people. We get about 15 to 20 boats sometimes and go on Father's Day weekend. Whole weekend trip...back up enough food and beer and float from friday to sunday.


I took my dog this year. He loved it. Why didn't you take the dog?

[Carolina]

looks like good clean fun. I love spending time with the family,nothing better in the world.

[the chi]

Looks like a toal blast, but a tad chilly! I understand your passion, I go every year down here, but the best I can say is we have crystal clear water and no gators, but zero rushing waters or rapids!! I have thought about going in the bay or gulf, but with my luck, something prehistoric shark fish would revive and eat me!

[fnfalman]

I have thought about going in the bay or gulf, but with my luck, something prehistoric shark fish would revive and eat me!

Sharks don't like eating people. The only reason why they attack human is that they mistaken us for seals when we're swimming or paddling a surfboard on the surface. We look like seals or sea lions then. Otherwise, they have no interest in eating people.

That's why I tell fellow scuba divers to not swim on the surface too much but to go down right away.

[the chi]

Sharks don't like eating people. The only reason why they attack human is that they mistaken us for seals when we're swimming or paddling a surfboard on the surface. We look like seals or sea lions then. Otherwise, they have no interest in eating people.

That's why I tell fellow scuba divers to not swim on the surface too much but to go down right away.

:lol: I know all the reasons and why it happens, I just know I will end up being that one chick that always gets eaten!! We have alot of bull sharks around here, the really aggressive ones, and while we dont have many attacks, Im just not a fan of taking that kinda chance. Call me crazy, since I ride a bike, but well :idk:!

[fnfalman]

:lol: I know all the reasons and why it happens, I just know I will end up being that one chick that always gets eaten!! We have alot of bull sharks around here, the really aggressive ones, and while we dont have many attacks, Im just not a fan of taking that kinda chance. Call me crazy, since I ride a bike, but well :idk:!

You're right. Bull sharks tend to be aggressive and they do go into shallow water. Hey, that's why you have a knife!!!

[Gas Man]

That is always so much fun. Why do the fiberglass canoes look so much longer than the aluminum ones?

this was the first time I got the fiber canoe... we usually do the alum for the toughness factor. But the fiber ones have butt imprints in the seats and are so much lighter.

Gas, looks like great day. Why so few life jackets?

Fuck life jackets... the fuckin water's deepest spot is like 5 or 6 feet. Allot of the time its only a foot deep. If its dry out when you go there are some places you drag major bottom.

But in the "safety police" defense... we all had floatation seats we could use in our canoe.


we go tubing down the river around here... always have to have an extra tube to carry the cooler!

great pics, how come you left your pup home?

It was a big debate on the pup going or not. Went for no pup cause of no wife. I didn't want to be the only person trying to deal with his clumbsy ass and with my canoe mate, I was also going to be primary in the paddling dept. Just too much and would have did more harm to the fun toll than good.

Usually the Dan's bring the australian herder dogs and they usually swim most of the way and play fetch in the water... but this trip was late and the water was pretty damn cold... just ask Ray & Matt :zowned: