Archive for the ‘Western’ Category
More often than not, I’ll come across the story of a true outdoorsman that makes me want to relinquish my title of “Kentucky Adventure Representative”. There is literally a state (and country) full of people living the outdoor lifestyle better than I could ever imagine. Lately, I read a tale from my hometown about a fellow sailing down the Mississippi by way of paddleboard (!). Here’s the article by Charlotte Smith, as originally published in Western Kentucky’s oldest newspaper, the Hickman Courier.
A LAST LOOK BACK - Garrett Gnade, of west Texas, spent a couple of days in Hickman seeking refuge from the rain and received some wonderful small river town hospitality from its residents. Gnade takes one more look back after entering the water at the floodgate near Hickman Hardware on Friday, Jan. 27. (Photo by Charlotte Smith.)
Charlotte Smith
Editor
“Everyone in Hickman has been so nice,” said Garrett Gnade, a west Texas traveler passing through town last week. “With a storm approaching I needed to get out of the weather and Hickman was my safe haven for a couple of days.”
Since Gnade was traveling the Mississippi River on a 12 foot stand up paddle board he looked pretty disheveled and was covered in mud. “They don’t call it the ‘Muddy Mississippi’ for nothing,” he said. “I looked like a hobo, but as I traveled the streets of Hickman on my way to Broadway Pizza people waved at me, making me feel very welcome in this little river town.”
Gnade decided to order a pizza, something that hasn’t been on his menu during the last 151 days when he began his journey. While ordering he inquired about lodging and was given the name of Pat Parnell from the employees at Broadway Pizza.
On Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 25 Parnell opened up one of her apartments located on Jackson Street to Gnade. “It was nice to get out of the elements and I have been spoiled by the comforts of a mattress underneath me,” said Gnade, who usually camps out at night and keeps warm and cooks by a fire he builds.
Gnade began his “Mississippi Source to Sea Expedition” on August 28 in Lake Itaska, Minnesota. “This is the first source of the Mississippi River,” he said. “It is about five feet wide at the start and only six inches deep.”
Unseasonably warm weather and the rise in the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi, has aided Gnade in his journey aboard his stand up paddle board, which resembles a surfboard. “It has the same exact design as a surfboard, but on a different scale,” he said. “It has the same lines of a surfboard, just exaggerated.”
During the day Gnade wears a wet suit to stay dry, just in case he falls in. Keeping his gear dry is another concern of Gnade’s, who watches for debris as he paddles his way downstream toward New Orleans, Louisiana.
Gnade started his journey on an 11-foot board with a partner. “My partner became ill and the weight of my gear became heavier, so I had to switch to a 12-foot board to accommodate the 65 pounds of gear,” he explained.
He is carrying solar chargers, GPS equipment, and a water filtration system. “I have been filtering water from the Mississippi through ceramic and charcoal,” he explained, This enables Gnade to safely drink the water from the river.
“It has been pretty amazing to watch the changes in the river,” he remarked about his experience so far. “I have noticed changes in the color of the dirt to the accent of the people.”
Raised in west Texas, Gnade is a contractor who spends most of his time in Hawaii and Austin, Texas. This is a totally different climate than what he is use to.
This is Gnade’s first time on a water journey. “I am an outdoor-type person. I love to hike,” he added. “I recently joked with my mom that my work as a contractor is definitely easier than this journey on the river.”
Gnade plans on arriving in New Orleans in about 20 days. “Once I get there I plan on hanging a left,” he said with a smile, “toward Key West, Florida.” His final destination.
During his journey Gnade has been compiling information for research and development of stand up paddle boards. “They are mostly used in salt water,” he said. “I would like to see more people, especially kids, notice them and use them in all types of water and on lakes and rivers. It would be great to help kids put down those joy sticks and enjoy the great outdoors on a paddle board.”
“These boards provide a good core work out,” he added. He knows this first hand because he has had to contend with the winds coming from the south, instead of the north.
Things have gotten a little easier for Gnade. “It is nice to have some current and free flowing river like I have now,” he said. “It is totally different from when I first started.”
Gnade is also hoping to break some world records once his journey is complete. “I took the winter off to set a series of Guinness Book of World Records,” he said. He hopes to complete the longest fresh water trip, the longest saltwater trip, the longest overall trip, and the smallest vessel to do – all aboard his 12-foot stand up paddle board. “The trip has been previously made on a 14 foot board,” Gnade said.
GOOD TO GO - After spending a couple of nights in Hickman last week Garret Gnade was rested and ready to complete his journey down the Mississippi River on his 12-foot stand up paddleboard.
More kind and genuine compassion was experienced by Gnade when Mike Sheehan, owner of Hickman Hardware assisted him with his gear and offered to take him to the other floodgate if the water wasn’t deep enoughfor him at the one by the hardware store.
“This town is the best kept secret on the Mississippi,” said Gnade before he boarded his board and paddled away.
***
Special thanks to Charlotte Smith and staff at the Hickman Courier.
From Columbus to Elkhorn City, Highway 80 is Kentucky's Longest Road.
Eggners Ferry Bridge
Who helps the bridge over troubled waters when the bridge itself has been troubled? Crews from several agencies began combing over the wreckage within hours of it taking place. Luckily, no one was injured though cars were traveling across at the time. I came to the scene after the crowds had come, taken their novelty picture, and left. I felt for the towns and small shops that depended on the traffic the bridge provided. The layoffs that had already begun to occur. The state park that sits within earshot of the waves lapping against the bridge piers.
1940s Charm
Free Sunrises at KenLake
Thanks again, Kentucky.
-Special thanks also to John Rittenhouse and Tammy Nanny for a great stay at KenLake.
-*Note: Prior to recent events, the Eggners Ferry Bridge was scheduled to be replaced by a new span in 2017. The timetable may now be moved forward.
KenLake (Courtesy Parks)
The shorefront acreage around the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area is blessed with several options for outdoor activity. Lake Barkley State Resort Park sits east of LBL on the dammed up Cumberland River. Mineral Mounds State Park boasts a golf course (and red foxes) further north. Kentucky Dam Village Resort is on the western side of the twin lakes, and tiny KenLake provides the southern vista of Kentucky Lake here in the bluegrass. What a breath-holding moment it was to get to that place from the eastern end of the state! You had to cross the Eggners Ferry Bridge on US 68/80, a narrow stretch erected before the advent of the modern SUV. Once across the span, you were then safely greeted by the warm and friendly confines of KenLake.
That short trip changed last week when a cargo ship hit the bridge and took out an entire span in the process. Road Closed.
To say the least, the entire LBL area needs your continued support right now, and especially KenLake State Resort Park. Established in 1948 as Aurora Landing, by 1955 it was considered the most modern park in the still young park system. It was the first state park to be built on a major reservoir, so when you think of the beauty of the Dale Hollow, Lake Cumberland, or Barren River Lake State Resort Parks, you have KenLake to thank for setting the early bar high over 50 years ago.
Book a weekend there by clicking here.
I’m heading there this weekend, detour and all. And hope to see you there!
The old saying, “Mean as a wildcat” isn’t just a saying here in Western Kentucky, coon hunters and farmers alike find this statement to be true. This month in the month of January, In Hancock County, a coon hunter was out with his two dogs and heard what he thought were his dogs treeing a coon, minutes later, one of the dogs returned with his tail between his legs, while the other never return. The next morning the hunter went back out looking for his lost dog and found it mauled and dead. Suspecting a bobcat as the culprit, he set a trap and his suspicions were verified, trapping a 28 pound bobcat.
Bobcat taken in Hancock County
Here’s the picture of the cat.
Because of this increase of Bob Cats in Kentucky, The League of Kentucky Sportsmen have asked to
Bobcat track
increase the hunting season of bobcats to go on into February, instead of closing in January.
Bob Cats are found in every county in Kentucky, but in Western Kentucky, especially in the counties of Breckenridge and Hancock, more bobcats were harvested than anywhere else. In Breckenridge County alone, 34 were hunted and 21 were trapped. This might have to do with this year’s report (2012 Fur Market report) Bobcat pelts were being sold for $572.21.
Bob Cats are one of the most elusive wild games of Kentucky and can be found throughout the great Commonwealth. Unlike a deer hunter who may get lucky his first time out, the hunter of bobcats has to outsmart an animal which is stealth, climbs a tree, and has the hearing and eye sight of an owl. If you bag a bobcat, you are a true hunter!
It is time again for the popular State Parks Family Adventure Quest. Teams of 2-6 will work to complete various challenges and answer questions throughout the State Parks system. This is a great way for families to discover our Parks and have a lot of fun while doing it. Each State Park has its own unique character and history, and this is a great way to explore the Parks and learn more about them. There will again be prizes this year for teams that complete a required number of challenges. 20 out of 25 will earn you a $25 State Parks Gift Card, while completing all 25 will ne
t a $50 State Parks gift card.
While it may be called the Family Adventure Quest, it is also great for groups of friends and outdoor enthuasists. Visit the Family Adventure Quest website to see what other participants are saying & to get your team registered: http://www.parks.ky.gov/family-adventure-quest/default.aspx
So, it’s time to get your team rounded up, get out the camera and the hiking boots and take off on the 2012 Kentucky State Parks Family Adventure Quest!
Having coached both high school and college football, I’ve known coaches with such passion for the game that they’ll go to great lengths (i.e., pouring over magazine articles, newspapers, manuals, attending clinics, watching film for hours in one setting, etc.) to give themselves an edge on becoming a better coach.
Daviess County's Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count
The same holds true for a birdwatcher, and I am proud to call myself one such avid birder. And as comical as I look upon this activity as a “sport”, I also know birders who’ll buy every book, watch every film, and scour every part of the planet just to become a better birder.
In the upcoming two weekends during December, the Audubon Society of Daviess County and thirteen other Audubon society’s throughout Kentucky will participate in the 110th Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count.
The Audubon society is strong throughout Western Kentucky since James John Audubon himself lived in Western Kentucky. The Daviess County Audubon Society is very active and meets monthly. Its activities include having guest speakers and bird outings. But one of its more attractive features is that the club makes all members feel special – no matter whether or not his or her identifying skills are novice or expert.
Audubon societies are found throughout America with each member becoming quiet advocates for birds across our great country. The Audubon Society originated in Kentucky and bird counts have been going on for 110 years, join your Audubon society now and make sure it’s around another 110 years!
Obbie
Down in the Hollow
The woods post-fall present a different feel from any other time of the year. It almost seems like “woods forgotten,” or “woods left behind.” No crowd to content with on the trail. No bustling ecosystem full of spider webs and horseflies. Seems everything slows down to a babbling brook-like pace. My favorite time to come to the woods. Well, next to spring. And fall. And summer.
Shanty Hollow Lake was the locale for the post meal hike last Thursday. It was around 3 o’clock and the sun was beginning to cast shadows on the trail as it was making a late year retreat to blacken Friday. I looked at the white oaks reflecting in the lake. I thought about how good the Hollow looked in the spring, excited about another blossoming year, now all come to another end. It was like watching a child grow up and with bittersweet emotion seeing them go away for a season. It had been a good spring. And a great fall. Every year seeming shorter and shorter.
I made it back to the seasonal waterfall and it was flowing for the first time since May. No matter how many times I see the falls, the marvel I have for it never dries up. I’m sure I had seen something far better than anything a discounted flat screen TV could promise.
Till next trip…
During the month of November, what’s the most common title for a literature paper in a Kentucky high school English class?
Answer: “MY FIRST DEER!”
November is deer utopia month in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In all 120 Kentucky counties you’ll find majestically-mounted bucks hanging proudly throughout Kentuckians’ garages, restaurants and dens. And the deer found in Kentucky aren’t just the average deer found in other parts of the south – the Commonwealth’s deer weigh as much as 250 pounds. For example, a Western Kentucky motorist hit an elk crossing the interstate and reported it to their insurance company as a deer. Yep, that’s how big we grow them here in Kentucky!
A Kentucky child bagging his first deer.
In every county throughout Kentucky you can arrange hunting opportunities through local outfitters, hunting clubs, land leasing agreements, and public land set aside by our Kentucky’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. In 1950 we had approximately 300,000 deer roaming our state. Now, there are over 450,000.
We have so many deer in particular parts of our state that you can bag endless number of antlerless deer without getting into trouble with the authorities. And, if you bag a deer and don’t want to take it home, you can donate it to the Kentucky Hunters For the Hungry. In 2006 the KHFH had enough donated deer meat to feed over 2 million meals in the Commonwealth.
But for the true hunters, it’s not the antlerless deer we’re after; we’re after the big elusive buck. I have no idea how the Boone and Crockett Method is used in scoring big bucks, but I do know this . . . If I ever bag a deer with room enough for me to sit between the antlers, that baby is going to hang in my family room no matter what the wife says!
It’s my belief that we don’t see the forest’s true colors until the fall comes. Man, I need another cup of coffee or this blog is going nowhere.
But really! Chlorophyll has the woods wrapped in green as soon as leaves appear in the spring. The ambers and browns and oranges stay hidden until October. Perhaps my true colors stay under wraps until fall as well. I avoid the woods in the summer for the most part. Endure turkey mites and tics and mosquitoes enough and one enjoys looking at nature pics indoors when the weatherman uses dirty words like “heat index.” A midsummer trip to Cumberland Falls was about all I could muster. Then the temperature dropped. My happy face appeared as soon as frost did.
Driving to Bowling Green from my parent’s home in Fulton last week, I couldn’t help but notice the colors along the parkways. You know, parkways were called such because the route was supposed to be as scenic as driving through a, well, park. But the drive wasn’t enough and I needed a real park. Land Between the Lakes appeared on the brown signage ahead of me, and I pulled off for a drive down the Trace and a stop at Hematite Lake. Here was a trail I had seen in the spring, but had never been to in the fall. Wow. Here’s a trail for the entire family, with plenty of wildlife and continuous views of the lake. It was a quick hike with the sun beginning to set, but put me back in a mood to get outdoors for the rest of the year.
If you go, call ahead and get a seat at Patti’s restaurant. They have a pork chop bigger than your fist. Also, stop at the LBL visitor’s center and stock up on goodies and info.
Till next trip…
Green River, one of the last Wilderness Rivers in the U.S.
With the last leg of my four-year adventure of traveling the entire 370 miles of the Green River only 8 hours from completion, we eagerly start at the boat ramp in western Daviess County. From the boat ramp we travel past small rural communities of Birk City, Bluff City, and Spottsville. The highlight of the trip was traveling through lock and dam #1 in Spottsville.
Crossing through Spottsville Lock #1
Entering the dam’s locks was a nervous experience. If you don’t know the rules of traveling through a dam, it’s simple. Once arriving close to the gates, you’ll find a chain to pull. All dams have pull-chains, and as soon as you give a tug, sirens go off, much like tornado warning sirens. The siren alerts the dam employees that the gates need to be opened. We were so startled by the noise that we feared we’d done something wrong. But we soon looked up to see an employee laughing at the sight of our two man plastic 4 HP boat.
Lock attendant checking us out and opening the locks.
“Can we pass through the dam?” I asked as the assistant stood high above me.
“You pay taxes?” Responded the attendant.
“Yes sir!”
“Do you have a life jacket?”
“Yes sir!”
“Then I’ll open it up and let you through”
As the doors slowly opened, we entered the enormous lock chamber. Once in the chamber, the doors closed behind us. Again, fear crept back and I felt nervous, isolated and somewhat intimidated because I did not know what was going to happen next. When the water started dropping, I felt nothing and surprisingly had no sensation of the lowering water. The wet walls were the only indication of the water level dropping. The entire process took only twelve minutes to drop the water seven feet.
With the “dam” experience behind us, we travel less than two hundred yards and reach the Highway 60 Spottsville Bridge and CSX railroad bridge. The railroad bridge is fascinating. It rotates one way to allow trains to pass over, while rotating another way which disconnects itself from the main rail line to let barges pass beside it.
Railroad rotating bridge
From there we travel just 10 miles to the mouth of the Ohio River and exit at a barge repair company called Triple S. In this area you’ll see many tug boats carrying both full and empty barges. The water can actually get rough in this area because of the barge traffic. The twin bridges connecting Henderson, KY and Evansville is approximately 5 miles from here.
My adventure I’ve documented by writing four blogs on this website. In my opinion, the Green River is one of the greatest rivers in America. In the beginning, we traveled 100 miles from the Green River Dam in Campbellsville, to the Green River ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park. For 100 miles the water is crystal clear and never over 4 foot deep. It’s wasn’t uncommon to see a Long Nose Gar with a blue gill in its mouth, beavers swimming under your boat and looking up to view Great Blue Heron Rookeries. Fishing for small mouth bass is a must! We spent 4 nights camping and eating fish we caught and we caught a lot.
During trip # 2 we traveled from the Green River Ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park to Morgantown, which is in Butler County. Fishing was great, and we even crossed two in-tact 20 foot dams, although abandoned since the 50’s. Crossing a dam is extremely dangerous, so if you don’t know where they’re located, make sure you take a map. Also, bring a couple of ten dollar bills. Since there are always fishermen who have pickups, offer them ten dollars to load up your boat and take you to the other side.
The last 50 miles become calm and wide
Trip #3 was from Morgantown Kentucky to Calhoun (in McLean County). There are two more in-tact dams which are not passable. They don’t just fall straight down but are category 5+ rapids which can’t be navigable. Again, someone will always be fishing around these dams and will be more than glad to take you around them. Once you cross over the Rochester Dam, you’re in Muhlenberg County, and this is where barge traffic starts. The river also starts getting very deep (25-40 feet). It’s a beautiful and quiet trip on to Calhoun. There are small communities throughout the Green River in which you can stop and resupply yourself. Travel light, knowing this fact. From Cromwell, which is in Ohio County until the end in Henderson, expect to see many Bald Eagles. We camped 2 nights on this trip.
How to identify hidden strip pits to fish
Trip #4 was from Calhoun to Henderson. The Green widens and fishing gets harder. There’s huge catfish in this area, but you’ll have to know what you’re doing to catch them. With small mining communities in this area, you can stop and fish in strip pits, hidden all along the counties of Muhlenberg, Ohio, Mclean and Henderson counties. Left over by abandoned coal companies, you’ll identify these hidden bodies of water by noticing water flowing off the banks or witness water flowing through drainage tiles. There are three types of bait you need to take through the entire trip and you’ll catch fish. A weedless worm (purple and dark green) floating Repella and colored rooster tails. We camped 2 nights.
We always took two trucks. Parking one at the town where we put out and taking the other to where we would put in.
The Green river is considered one of the natural great wilderness rivers in the United States. Why not conquer it and check it off your Bucket List?
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