CatskillsRunner
Adventurer
Coal Banks Landing --> Judith Landing
We came off the water today from a beautiful 3 day, 46 mile float. This section of the river is known for strong storms and winds. We had thunderstorms every day but they came late enough that we already had camp set up and all we had to do was take siestas during the storms and then come back together for dinner.
There were lots of cattle, eagles, ospreys, and owls. We heard coyotes last night in addition to all of the owl fledglings.
My brother figured out that he could do a pretty good bull imitation and drove the bulls crazy; they lowed at him, tossed their heads, and flung dirt up over their backs, approaching his raft as he called them "USDA" unmentionables. He grew bored with the lack of excitement on this river; he asked when we would do more whitewater and much preferred the Flathead.
The first day we floated some 15 miles, seeing the country Lewis and Clark loved so well. Tim caught some silver fish with decent teeth, but we didn't know what it was.
We camped on a broad bench over the river, which was shaded by enormous cottonwoods. In the evening (it stays light out here until after 10 pm) my husband called me out of the tent to look at all the western screech owls. They were everywhere: on the ground, in the trees, on the boats, and on the BLM-planted cottonwood trees' supports. My sister in law managed to get within 5 feet of one. They were all learning to fly and had difficulty balancing when they landed.
The second day we found ourselves in the White Cliffs section of the river, gazing up at pale pinnacles and admiring all the birds of prey. The tailwind (which is an anomaly for me-- both my father and husband think I bring on headwinds) was unreal, pushing us at times over 6 mph. We did not have to row; we merely had to steer from time to time. We were very happy about this. Rowing heavy rafts against a headwind is a miserable pursuit.
Our camp yesterday was at Slaughter River. Apparently there was a buffalo jump, or Lewis and Clark thought there may have been, because when they came through there were buffalo carcasses all along the riverbank. We thought we were all done with the owls and were all delighted to find that 5 or 6 came out, chattering away, as soon as Tim, Eileen, and Rob came back from a little evening hike.
Today was overcast and cool while we rowed the last 11 miles out through the breaks country. Tim realized he had left his fly rods at Slaughter River, then figured he could hike from the road to the camp, but it was much farther than he originally thought. The weather turned anyway and we had a good talk about it and he decided he would have to let them go.
We loaded the LC up. Lots of weight both in the truck and behind it and the AHC performed flawlessly. We cranked right along at 50 mph down an incredibly washboarded dirt road and it never lost its purchase and it drives exactly like that is what it is meant to do: carry a lot of weight, and well, and luxuriously.
We used to drive my 2500 Chevy trucks out west, which were my daily drivers but also my horse haulers, so I take the comfort and the ride of the LC pretty seriously.
I am in love.
And it hurts my feelings to see it covered in dust and dirt.
We came off the water today from a beautiful 3 day, 46 mile float. This section of the river is known for strong storms and winds. We had thunderstorms every day but they came late enough that we already had camp set up and all we had to do was take siestas during the storms and then come back together for dinner.
There were lots of cattle, eagles, ospreys, and owls. We heard coyotes last night in addition to all of the owl fledglings.
My brother figured out that he could do a pretty good bull imitation and drove the bulls crazy; they lowed at him, tossed their heads, and flung dirt up over their backs, approaching his raft as he called them "USDA" unmentionables. He grew bored with the lack of excitement on this river; he asked when we would do more whitewater and much preferred the Flathead.
The first day we floated some 15 miles, seeing the country Lewis and Clark loved so well. Tim caught some silver fish with decent teeth, but we didn't know what it was.
We camped on a broad bench over the river, which was shaded by enormous cottonwoods. In the evening (it stays light out here until after 10 pm) my husband called me out of the tent to look at all the western screech owls. They were everywhere: on the ground, in the trees, on the boats, and on the BLM-planted cottonwood trees' supports. My sister in law managed to get within 5 feet of one. They were all learning to fly and had difficulty balancing when they landed.
The second day we found ourselves in the White Cliffs section of the river, gazing up at pale pinnacles and admiring all the birds of prey. The tailwind (which is an anomaly for me-- both my father and husband think I bring on headwinds) was unreal, pushing us at times over 6 mph. We did not have to row; we merely had to steer from time to time. We were very happy about this. Rowing heavy rafts against a headwind is a miserable pursuit.
Our camp yesterday was at Slaughter River. Apparently there was a buffalo jump, or Lewis and Clark thought there may have been, because when they came through there were buffalo carcasses all along the riverbank. We thought we were all done with the owls and were all delighted to find that 5 or 6 came out, chattering away, as soon as Tim, Eileen, and Rob came back from a little evening hike.
Today was overcast and cool while we rowed the last 11 miles out through the breaks country. Tim realized he had left his fly rods at Slaughter River, then figured he could hike from the road to the camp, but it was much farther than he originally thought. The weather turned anyway and we had a good talk about it and he decided he would have to let them go.
We loaded the LC up. Lots of weight both in the truck and behind it and the AHC performed flawlessly. We cranked right along at 50 mph down an incredibly washboarded dirt road and it never lost its purchase and it drives exactly like that is what it is meant to do: carry a lot of weight, and well, and luxuriously.
We used to drive my 2500 Chevy trucks out west, which were my daily drivers but also my horse haulers, so I take the comfort and the ride of the LC pretty seriously.
I am in love.
And it hurts my feelings to see it covered in dust and dirt.
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