TenaCity to WindyCity Day 3 July 30, 2017

TenaCity to WindyCity Kayak 

July 30, 2017

TenaCity 2 WindyCity DAY 3

CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!

Day 3's paddle distance of 13.2 was longer than some paddlers would have like. Some thought the 12.8 on DAY 2 was excessive. Two of the 9 paddlers elected not to go the full 13.2 and departed the river at 8.7 miles. 

These four showed up at Barber Park, Chris Marty, Jill Jenkins, Marcia Kobman and myself. Chris bike while three of us ran. The 9.2 mile run was entirely on Seymour Rd, a much more beautiful run than the previous two. Seymour Road parallels the Flint for more miles than any other road, which caused me to ask the riddle in the middle of our run, "To 'See More' of the Flint River what road do you follow?"

The run began at a paddle launch in Spaulding Twp where an old iron trestle crosses the Flint.

 Tracks and trestle of the old Grand Trunk Western which still runs as the CMGN (Central Michigan, Durand to Bay City) . 

With less than two miles left in the run we past Montrose Orchard.  

Me, thirsty, mentioned if open, cider would taste great. Surprisingly, it was open before ten am on a Sunday. We stopped in and Marcia treated us using plastic. But no cider, too early in the year. We opted for ice tea and lemonade. I drank plenty of the lemonade diluted with water. So glad I did....

In the last run mile we were passed by paddlers Pete and Linda Gamage.

Photo of Jill and me from Gamage's vehicle

Once every run finishes the first thing I do is go to my kayak, get water and rehydrate. But this time it was not happening. The cooler was not in Swiftee. I'd forgotten to put it in the kayak, it was in the van, some 9 miles away. Thank goodness for the hydration stop at the orchard. But no cooler also meant no beer supply for the paddle. Yes, I was heartbroken. Linda and Pete, seeing me pouting, came to my rescue and loaned me two bottles of Two Hearted IPA. All was better.

My saviors, Linda and Pete Gamage

The 11:00 scheduled launch went off as planned with 9 paddlers. First week 25, second week 11, and now just enough for a baseball team. 

12 in this picture, which include Pete and Linda's two daughters and son.

Paddlers in the picture are, Jill Jenkins, Chris, Marcia Kobman, myself, Kate Ferris, Pete, Jim and Kala Duso and Linda.

 The river makes much change during DAY3. It started grassy, as much of DAY2 and seen in this and next two photos.

 Grassy Linda 

Grassy Kate

By the end, after entering Saginaw County much crop farming was seen. With lack of natural vegetation, erosion is a problem, banks looked like dunes.

Again eagles were seen

This bird was puzzling to all of us. Some thought it to be a golden eagle, it had many of the right features, but their rarity in mid-Michigan tended to make some feel it was a immature bald eagle, which it was.

 That I can recall, presently there are only two iron trestle bridges on the river. Besides the railway trestle where we began our run, and finish our paddle, there was the old Burt Road Bridge. Years ago, when I was young, there was no bridge at Birch Run Rd. To get from Birch Run, village across the river to M-13, one had to cross this Burt Road iron bridge (above pic).

After the Birch Run Rd. bridge (Bruce McDonagh Bridge) was built this iron Burt bridge was closed. That was how it was the first time I paddle the entire Flint River in 2005. When returning the second in 2009 a new modern Burt Road Bridge was in place just 400 ft. south of the out of commission iron bridge. 

Just past the Birch Run Rd. bridge is a paddle launch, Jim Duso and daughter Kala plan was to finish there and not go the last 4.5 mile to the launch at the train trestle. They along with Jill and Chris were well behind us, so we waited at the Morseville Rd. launch for them. I wanted to wait for the Dusos to land and say goodbye. None of the 5 Duso gang plan to paddle DAY4 through the Shiawassee Flats. I'm hoping some of the gang to join us when on the Saginaw River and beyond. Gamages, Kate, Marcia and I picnicked in the kayaks while waiting for those behind to catch up.

This was our landing, near the rail trestle.

The landing! It was 14.2 miles of paddling, but it went much faster than the 12.8 miles on DAY2. 

We chalked it up to better current and less grass. One mile today was under 15 minutes. The average time with stops was 18:30 compared to DAY2's 21:00 minutes a mile with stops.

So, overall this was an enjoyable runyak for me at least. If only I had remembered to put food and beer in Swiftee it would have been rated a 10. 

Out of the 25 maiden voyage paddlers only four have completed the 35 miles of paddling to today's finish. hat would be 2 paddlers, Kate Ferris and Linda Gamage, and two runyakers, Jill Jenkins and myself. Jill and I have runyaked a total of 63 miles in the 3 days. This was the first day that Jill has actually been with the group. She, a caregiver, could not make the first two days but kept up on her own. Jill runyaked with me and others two summers ago, but never received her RUNYAK oval sticker. I presented it to her today.