Sawtooth Challenge / Iron Mushroom

Jack (organizer) being strangled by Bob and Janet - I did find a hangman's noose in my canoe that Toby made, Jack my friend you got off easy. Photo by - Chuck Amboy

Over the next week or so I will try to put into words what was experienced on the 6 days (117.4 miles) Muskegon River. Not sure if words will do the event justice, it had to be experienced, but I will take a stab at it. - hopefully I will get some pictures from the clan to post.

 Photo by: Carl Cole

It became apparent that our arduous 4 miles the first day and measly 7 miles on the second, that we were in for a real adventure; with a labyrinth log jams and downed trees to tackle, the Muskegon "Mosey" was out, it was now the Sawtooth Challenge.

O.K. so we drastically underestimated the top section of the Muskegon; with that said we cut pulled dragged a crap load of luxury items over a vastly untraveled section of this majestic river. Forget about the gear we really did need like the chainsaw left in Royd's truck; forget that our local shuttle person Elizabeth gave us a raised eyebrow at the put-in as she suggested a different starting point. Note to self, never discount local knowledge even if it's from a girl that got us lost on the way back to the campground.

So with 15 liters of bag wine, a 30 pack of cold beer, Maker's Mark at the ready, and a bottle of rum for swagger we pushed on. With  multiple coolers jammed with steaks, chicken, Italian sausages, smoked salmon, barbeque venison, caramel apples, cheese crackers, chairs, tables, canopies, tarps and dogs you got yourself the makings of a grand ole Michigan picnic, but we weren't on a lilly dipp'n day paddle. we were on the Muskegon river. I half heartily waited for someone to break out the lawn darts and croquet set and why not we had everything else.

To be continued.