Chippewa River Float and Bike

Saturday, 6/8/2013

Len's farm sits between Chippewa River and Chippewa River Road. Today we would spend lots of time on the River, and a little time on the Road.

Don't let the abundant rust fool you for although the 1975 Jeep truck looks like it is on its last legs, it starts up with the first turn of the key every time, and runs fine. Ok, maybe it is a little bit of a rough ride, but it sure serves the purpose of transporting the canoe.

Old but reliable

"Rusty" got us to the put-in

Well, I can't drag a canoe and take pictures too...

We, fortunately, were successful in avoiding the poison ivy the Vickie pointed out to us while she was in the midst of it

The river has a gentle current that allows a relaxing three hour float from the put-in back to Len's. Within the first five minutes on the river we had a deer swim across in front of us but I had no time to get my camera out of the plastic bag for a photo.

Vickie steered us down the river and guided us around any rocks and debris, pointing out things of interest and telling us about the "great flood of '86" when some houses experienced river water in their living room, and just about everyone had water come up to their doorstep.

Our guide

Neither Gerry nor I paddled a stroke as the current drifted us along

Recent storm knocked down this tree from shoreside

We pulled in to a quiet spot out of the current to eat our packed lunch and enjoy more sounds of the birds singing for us. We were the only ones on the river until just a little before the end when we passed a gaggle of people with their kayaks and canoes beached on a small sandy island. They were playing, relaxing and having lunch, and we were somewhat glad that they had been far ahead of us and we had the river to ourselves (or so it seemed).

All the other turtles scampered away before we could get close; these stayed for a photo then scampered off

Guides need rest

Once home we had to retrieve the truck. The three of us biked along Chippewa River Road to pick it up, then Gerry and I decided to bike the short ride back while Vickie drove the truck home.

 

A river float and a bike ride - mmm mmm good.

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