TenaCity to WindyCity Day 1 July 16, 2017

TenaCity to WindyCity Runyak
Maiden Launch July 16, 2017

 TenaCity 2 WindyCity DAY 1

Edited October 27, 2020.
Above photo is map of original plan, to paddle around The Straits. That plan was changed June of the following year. To make the expedition more practical it was decoded to go across the state using the AuSable and Manistee rivers
CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!
 25 Paddlers for the initial T2W launch. A successful day it appears. 

8 runyakers and 1 bikeyaker was arrived at 8:00 am, left their kayaks, went to Flushing for the run (bike) back. We all were thinking we might get wet, but other than a misty sprinkle the 9.3 mile paddle was dry. No rain at all during the the 8.2 mile run
Riley, Nick, Jeni, John, Lee, Fred, Chris, Marcia
bikeyaker Dan missing, taking the picture
The run was mostly on Flushing Road.
Before the launch our host  Tenacity Brewing opened so we could celebrate with some Michigan beer.
Bikeyaker's bike and boat


 Bikeyaker Dan Sargent's vehicle and craft
 
 Runyakers: John, Jeni, Nick, Lee


Folding kayak. For paddlers that like putting up tents.








Jeni and Lonnie


The launch at Tenacity is not and easy launch. But, I've had to launch at this location, just down from the Fiber Dam, twice before in 2005 and 2009, and it is fantastic today compared to what was there previously. Before there was a Tenacity Brewing one had to portage from the dam, carry boats down a steep hill of trees and brush, to put in at a bouldered bank. 




A view from the bottom of the launch stairway

Getting 25 craft down the steps takes quite awhile. Some of the first launchers were well down the river before are were launched. Dan, the bikeyaker, was never seen again by me, the last to launch.

The following 10 photos are not that scenic. Just down from the stairway launch the river becomes a cement trough. The 1.4 mile cement channel has been there since the 1960s, built by the Army Corp of Engineers as a flood control.  


John Miehm, foreground


One of two canoes of the paddle
Jason Caya and Janet Van De Winkle our Tenacity hosts, are in this one 




Riley and Nick Godlesky


Jeni and Lon
The following 4 photos were taken by runyaker Fred Smith. He exited his kayak at the end of the cement trough and took photos from the Sunset Drive Bridge. 



 Paddles Up!


 Yes, we are in the City of Flint
 John and Nick
Lonnie 
 Jeni and Nick

Spiny soft-shelled turtle 
John, Jeni, Nick


Mott Park 


 

 I-75 Bridge. Only two interstate bridges on the entire expedition. The other will be Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw, again I-75. 





I called Wally McLaughlin and told him we'd be passing his house. He and wife Marge were there when we arrived. 
This picture was taken from the same location, back in 2009 when Runyak to Liberty Day 7 passed by McLaughlins,. The cooler was lowered to me from a tree branch above. In 2005 Wally paddled with me on my first Flint River Expedition. He paddled from Flint to the Saginaw Bay
When reaching our planned end point, Flushing City Canoe and Kayak Launch, a few wanted to go the extra mile or so to the Flushing Riverview Park launch. In this photo it looks as if I was trying to decide what to do. I did opt to paddle further. But all for naught. I will need to paddle it again the next day because of runyakyng rules.

Taken at final debarking point for some, the Flushing Riverview Park.

 Taken at Torch Bar after the paddle. We three, Dan, from Bay City, Linda, from Rochester, and I met at original Shorts to Shorts Paddle in 2009.

Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 23, 2017 at 6:24 AM

    Great post for day 1, Riley! Have a great paddle today for day 2. Scott.

    ReplyDelete

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