Update on Mike Andersons injured eye: he has a ripped cornea and continuing was out of the question. The race officials decided to allow Jake Cesar - Todds' son to finish the race in Mikes place. They put back in at Mission Road where Mike left the race.
Everyone has made it through Mt. Pleasant. Dan made it to Check Point #3 at 7:13 , and Todd & Jake arrived at 7:14 this evening. They plan on camping at the end of the portage tonight and finishing the race tomorrow, they should get back to Lumberjack Park tomorrow early to mid afternoon.
Brian & Jack hopefully will get in sometime tomorrow evening. It would be great if you could get to Lumberjack Park tomorrow to welcome the guys back!
Another note: no one took the proposed portage through Mt. Pleasant...they all toughed it out and paddled it....way to go guys!!
A REMINDER TO ALL: The awards ceremony for the 2009 Bushwhacker will be at Lumberjack Park Thursday May 21 @ 6:00 pm. All are welcome and encouraged to come!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Morning Sun Newspaper Coverage
Mike and Bob Bradford - 1st place men's tandemphoto - Morning Sun
Hat's off to Morning Sun Managing editor Linda Gitteman for covering the BusckWhacker and having a forum for discussion.
Check out this article and go down to responses to feel some of the emotion around the event.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mark Finishes the 150
After a couple of missed calls from Mike Smith and one from Mark, finally got word that Mark had pulled in this evening around 9:15pm. (exact time unknown) cell phone coverage was iffy. I did hear something about cherry wheat beer, so everyone was in good "spirits".
Hat's off and a dip of the paddle, sounds like it was a real bushwhacker!
Hat's off and a dip of the paddle, sounds like it was a real bushwhacker!
Bradfords pulled in @ the Lumberjack @ 6:49 am
The Bradfords were the first to arrive back at the Lumberjack Park at 6:49 am this morning. Bob says it sure pays to have a young buck in the canoe! He's awesome! (about son Mike). Bob said he promised Mike 4 hours of sleep a night, but they made due with only 2 hours each night. Last night they camped in a skunk cabbage patch- which wasn't real pleasant! Bob said the trick was to not pack enough warm clothes and warm sleeping bag - so they got cold and had to get paddling to warm up. They got up at 12:30 am, at the end of the portage to get back on the Pine. They said it was foggy so it was slow going until dawn started breaking. Great going guys!!
Mark P. got back on the Pine at 5:20 pm and is expected back at the Lumberjack Park sometime between 10:30 pm and midnight tonight.
Mike Anderson took a trip to the hospital to get his eye checked out, it got poked by a stick. He has a patch on it and the doctor recommends he not continue, but we'll see if it really does stop him. Mike Smith picked up Todd at 6:35 pm and gave him a ride to Lumberjack Park. They'll decide later if they'll continue.
John F. pulled out of the race today because of an arm injury.
We also wanted to add that the race officials decided to allow a 3 mile portage in Mt. Pleasant because of the high water, the current is very strong through there. Mark P. paddled through there and said it was a killer!
Mark P. got back on the Pine at 5:20 pm and is expected back at the Lumberjack Park sometime between 10:30 pm and midnight tonight.
Mike Anderson took a trip to the hospital to get his eye checked out, it got poked by a stick. He has a patch on it and the doctor recommends he not continue, but we'll see if it really does stop him. Mike Smith picked up Todd at 6:35 pm and gave him a ride to Lumberjack Park. They'll decide later if they'll continue.
John F. pulled out of the race today because of an arm injury.
We also wanted to add that the race officials decided to allow a 3 mile portage in Mt. Pleasant because of the high water, the current is very strong through there. Mark P. paddled through there and said it was a killer!
Finally
Mark SPOT 3:18pm
Puts him right on West Pleasant Valley Road. I thought he forgot about us out here is cyber space.
Not sure of the what where and why, but we finally got a SPOT message.
Puts him right on West Pleasant Valley Road. I thought he forgot about us out here is cyber space.
Not sure of the what where and why, but we finally got a SPOT message.
Yesterday was a blurr
Mark reports 6:11am
Running out of water, dehydrated and beaten down, Mark pays the price for not stopping and filtering water."Man what was I thinking."
"Yesterday was a blurr", Mark reports. Pulls over at Island Park to do a little house keeping and grub some food. Nothing like a gallon of water and a Domino's pizza to make things right in the world.
Back on the water this morning feeling OK. Mark hopes to stay ahead of of last year's time. Should make the portage late tonight and will try to finish by 8:00pm tomorrow.
Running out of water, dehydrated and beaten down, Mark pays the price for not stopping and filtering water."Man what was I thinking."
"Yesterday was a blurr", Mark reports. Pulls over at Island Park to do a little house keeping and grub some food. Nothing like a gallon of water and a Domino's pizza to make things right in the world.
Back on the water this morning feeling OK. Mark hopes to stay ahead of of last year's time. Should make the portage late tonight and will try to finish by 8:00pm tomorrow.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Bushwhacker Update
Cruise Paddlers:
The only women team paddling the Bushwhacker Cruise arrived in Alma at 1:50 PM. You go girls!!!
The Bushwhacker Challenge has claimed it's second paddler. George dropped out several miles up the Chippewa River, his back giving him problems.
1:00 pm, Bradfords were west of Mount Pleasant @ Island Park and approuching Check Point #3. They had earlier stopped and got a 2 hour nap.
2:45 pm, Todd & Mike called to report that they were almost to Meridian Rd. They said the current is Very Strong, and that they're hanging in there! They are paddling about an hour and taking a 5 minute break.
We haven't heard from Mark yet today, but his goal was to make it to Check Point #3 and camp tonight.
The Bradfords made Check Point #3 at 6:50 pm. WOW are the making good time! Their goal is to beat last years time and they're well on the way to doing that!
The only women team paddling the Bushwhacker Cruise arrived in Alma at 1:50 PM. You go girls!!!
The Bushwhacker Challenge has claimed it's second paddler. George dropped out several miles up the Chippewa River, his back giving him problems.
1:00 pm, Bradfords were west of Mount Pleasant @ Island Park and approuching Check Point #3. They had earlier stopped and got a 2 hour nap.
2:45 pm, Todd & Mike called to report that they were almost to Meridian Rd. They said the current is Very Strong, and that they're hanging in there! They are paddling about an hour and taking a 5 minute break.
We haven't heard from Mark yet today, but his goal was to make it to Check Point #3 and camp tonight.
The Bradfords made Check Point #3 at 6:50 pm. WOW are the making good time! Their goal is to beat last years time and they're well on the way to doing that!
Check Point #2
Check out the race article in the Morning Sun News:
http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/05/17/news/doc4a0f36b58f0db002792655.txt#blogcomments
Check out Bushwhacker pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kroo.us/Bushwhacker2009
Cruise paddlers Roxane & Lois left Cesars Crossing at 10 am
You can check Marks' Spot Tracker - It shows when he manually transmits
Check Point #2:
Bradfords: 5/16, 7:40 pm - comments: Great!
Mark: 5/16, 11:15 pm - comments: Tons of wildlife- Mid-Michigan Safari!!!
Mike & Todd: 5/16, 11:16 pm - comments: Havin fun now, (left 5/17, 7:25 am)
John: 5/17, 8:35 am - comments: COLD
Bruce: 5/17, 8:36 am - comments: tendons are saying stop! (left the river as this point)
Dan: 5/17, 10:38 am - comments: nice morning paddle
George: 5/17, 10:40 am - Geoge missed the check point - watched him round the corner into the Chippewa River
Jack: 5/17, 11:37 am - comments: Now I Remember!!
Brian: 5/17, 12:31 pm
http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/05/17/news/doc4a0f36b58f0db002792655.txt#blogcomments
Check out Bushwhacker pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kroo.us/Bushwhacker2009
Cruise paddlers Roxane & Lois left Cesars Crossing at 10 am
You can check Marks' Spot Tracker - It shows when he manually transmits
Check Point #2:
Bradfords: 5/16, 7:40 pm - comments: Great!
Mark: 5/16, 11:15 pm - comments: Tons of wildlife- Mid-Michigan Safari!!!
Mike & Todd: 5/16, 11:16 pm - comments: Havin fun now, (left 5/17, 7:25 am)
John: 5/17, 8:35 am - comments: COLD
Bruce: 5/17, 8:36 am - comments: tendons are saying stop! (left the river as this point)
Dan: 5/17, 10:38 am - comments: nice morning paddle
George: 5/17, 10:40 am - Geoge missed the check point - watched him round the corner into the Chippewa River
Jack: 5/17, 11:37 am - comments: Now I Remember!!
Brian: 5/17, 12:31 pm
When the going gets tough
and it does on the Bushwhacker 150, I mean really tough. Some encouraging words from the RiverMaster;
"Skill is less important than spirit when faced with hardship and challenge, in the end your spirit will make up for any perceived lack in skill you might think you have." - Verlen Kruger
"Skill is less important than spirit when faced with hardship and challenge, in the end your spirit will make up for any perceived lack in skill you might think you have." - Verlen Kruger
Mark Reports 7:42am
Mark pulls an all nighter - states he is going to lay down for an hour or so. He's some what delirious blabbing on and on about pink elephants and giving me his PIN to his debit card. :-)
His SPOT appears to be working from his end, but as we know on our end is NOT tracking him on the river.
His SPOT appears to be working from his end, but as we know on our end is NOT tracking him on the river.
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