Buschwhacker update 2

Mark offers counsel; we hear they go better in the water; but who am I to say.

Bushwhacker BtB update 1

Beautiful weather to start the Bushwhacker BtB; a little pre-race banter and some posing for pictures. Launch is in 10 minutes.

Working SPOT's for Bushwhacker

Mike S
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0yRa4IQpqmDnW9AZQkKkBav9sp7G191my

Michael D
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0FMqF8ZoUTsRa6ZIqbIAnVjASduWatkIO

Mark P
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0G2hQKAHRLAnAbcV2LLzLRptxdGjjhc7D

Buschwhacker BtB - Roster

SPOT LINK TEST

Manitou readies himself for the Bushwhacker; 6 SPOT links later and one gerbil shirt should do it; The rest of the group are a tad more conventional.

Mike Smith's Sea Wind weighed in at 130 lbs with 3 days water; now for a 5 day adventure, that is traveling light.

I on the other hand am into my third cup of java and have the blender on stand-by for cocktails on the veranda.  Let's light this rocket and get the Bushwhacker off the ground!!

Bushwhacker (behind the scenes)

 Vintage Kruger "Sea Breeze" on the Looking Glass River

photo courtesy of Friends of the Looking Glass

Big shout out to the "Friends of the Looking Glass" and "Friends of the Maple" organizations; sharing maps and information for the Bushwhacker BtB has been most appreciated. 

Have a gander at their websites; informative, entertaining; stewardship of a couple of amazing rivers.  A dip of the paddle to ya!

Bushwhacker (BtB) - prelude

Scouting run on the Maple river in lieu of the up-coming Bushwhacker

"What was interesting was the Maple river trail guide put out by the friends of the Maple river has that mileage in it and they were right on. Their maps are also very good and I would suggest to any one to use it as a good reference.
 

We never had to get out of the canoes for down fall in this 30 miles with the river being high at 425 cfs. Their are a lot of times when the river widens out and slows down and is hard to see where the current is going in these places. Their were times when we would paddle out of the main channel and have to paddle thru the woods to get back in it. For those die hearts that wanna paddle at night with a light it will cause a big problem for them. 

 

Other then that their is plenty of water to paddle up-river with a moderate current, this should not be to hard. What will take the most time will be the last 30 miles with all the dead fall. It took Mark and Jack 20 hours to do it a month ago and they told me that that kept at it . Should be very interesting."  Dan Smith

Bushwhacker South - Below the belt

Jack "The Hammer" Murgittroyd  and  the Capt'n O Dark 30 share a tender moment

I had an opportunity to meet up with "The Hammer" to discuss the up-coming Bushwhacker BtB; Now during our interview; (Airborne Ranger stuff to women) I was trying to get  to the bottom of the rumor that has been drifting around that Jack "The Hammer" will be doing the 5 mile portage "Commando" (cart-less) a full two haul carry, pushing the portage to 15 miles. 

Un-able to get a straight answer one can only surmise that he is already into the mental game. 

Gentleman the game is afoot.

The Capt'n

Bushwhacker South - below the belt

VKM Bushwhacker South 

May 19 to 23, 2012

Watch the action here LIVE!!

 

Get your paddle on...

The Michigan Challenge 2012

Oscoda to Manistee in Canoes, Kayaks and Small Sail Boats

Human and/or Wind Powered

General Overview

The Michigan Challenges 2012 are journeys for canoes, kayaks and small sailboats. The distances are roughly 300 miles for the Shore to Shore and Tip of the Mitt and 150 miles for the Manistee 150 and Lake Michigan 150, depending on your route and course selection.

Shore to Shore

Start in the town of Oscoda Michigan. Paddle and portage up the AuSable River some 113 miles and 561 vertical feet. Up and over 6 hydro electric dams and across 6 open water dam impoundments to the town of Grayling. Take out of the AuSable River at The Old AuSable Fly Shop for the start of the 7 mile portage to the Manistee River. Portage West on M-72 past Lake Margrethe to the Manistee River. Put in on the Manistee River. Paddle and portage down 160 miles and 561 vertical feet, over 2 hydro electric dams and finish at the Insta Launch Campground just before the Manistee River dumps into Lake Manistee.

We will start the Shore to Shore 2012 in Oscoda on Saturday June 23 at 8am. Finish in Manistee by Saturday, June 30 at 6pm. We will have a Captains meeting on Friday, June 22 at 6pm on the beach in Oscoda.

There are no charges or fees of any kind to participate.

Tip of the Mitt

Start in the town of Oscoda Michigan. Paddle/Sail north along the Lake Huron coast. Pass under the Mackinaw Bridge and head south on Lake Michigan to the town of Manistee.

We will start the Tip of the Mitt 2012 in Oscoda on Saturday June 23 at 8am. Finish in Manistee by Saturday, June 30 at 6pm. We will have a Captains meeting on Friday, June 22 at 6pm on the beach in Oscoda.

There are no charges or fees of any kind to participate.

Manistee 150

Start at the M-72 bridge over the Manistee River in Grayling.

Paddle and portage down the Manistee River, over 2 hydro electric dams and finish at the Insta Launch Campground just before the Manistee River dumps into Lake Manistee.

The start for the Manistee 150 will be at 8 AM, June 27. Finish in Manistee by Saturday, June 30 at 6pm.

There are no charges or fees of any kind to participate.

Lake Michigan 150

Start at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground in Mackinaw City. Paddle / sail under the Mackinaw Bridge and south on Lake Michigan to the town of Manistee.

The start for the Lake Michigan 150 will be at 8 AM, June 26. Finish in Manistee by Saturday, June 30 at 6pm.

There are no charges or fees of any kind to participate.

more info click here