TenaCity to WindyCity Day 25 & 26 May 16, & May 29, 2018

TenaCity to WindyCity Runyak

May 16, 2019
May 29, 2019

TenaCity 2 WindyCity DAY 25, May 16

Last October Kate Ferris and I aborted the upstream paddle when current was too strong. The above map shows where we aborted. Today my plan was to portage the rest of what was to be paddled that day. Since I did complete the run part of the runyak there was no need to run today. I had planned to do the drag portage earlier on April 28th. Hope and I drove there and I was going start the portage (where we ended in Oct was 0.40 of a mile upstream from where the portage would begin, which means I will need to subtract that distance from the runyak totals) as Hope drove the van back to McKinley Landing. Two-track Armstrong Trail was so untraveled that Hope said she wouldn't dare drive it for fear of getting stuck. I was able to drive it though and scoped out the unnamed landing at the end of  Armstrong. Here are a few photos from that day:

Unnamed landing at end of Armstrong Trail

Hope on the stairs connecting Armstrong Tr. to unnamed landing

End of Armstrong Tr. looking downstream.

When leaving that day I figured I'd come back with a bike, and portage one direction and bike back for van later. That was until Kate told me it would be smarter to float downstream in kayak to the point of last years abort and drag portage back to McKinley landing. 

That was a great idea, better than driving on treacherous Armstrong Trail. This above photo was taken on the downstream float. Momentous because it's the the only time I can ever remember launching and going the wrong direction in all my days of runyaking. I was not breaking any runyak rules because the run section had already been completed.

The above map shows the route chosen for me by Google Maps for DAY 25. The map below show my actual drag portage. I dragged an extra 0.33 miles. Because I thought I saw a short cut, but in the end it was a long cut.

Below : photos taken looking upstream from the end of Armstrong Trail where 5 mile portage began

 For the drag portage I tied a knot at the end of a thick hemp rope, strung it through the stern's drain port, then made a slip knot at the other end, and looped it around my waist. The rope was extra long to insure a low angle, which would minimize the drag force needed. It worked very well. For most of the time my hands were behind my back and pulling, but when hands needed rest I just pulled the kayak with my entire body.

Much of the drag portage was over two-track trail, the above photo was taken toward the end of the drag and on a gravel road.

I had concerns about how much the bottom of the kayak would get scraped up from dragging it for over 5 miles. I took before and after photos to compare. I wasn't too upset by the difference. Surely not enough to abort the idea of trying it again.  

                STERN BEFORE                                         STERN AFTER

                 BOW BEFORE                                          BOW AFTER

This drag was a test... should I be dragging or carrying the kayak? On DAY 23 I portaged by carrying the kayak over my head. After seeing the before and after photos, I know that in the future I will take the road with less effort and drag portage. I left home before 4:00 am and made it back home before noon believe it or not, which included 4 hours of driving.

TenaCity 2 WindyCity DAY 26, May 29

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
I left home about 4:00 am and was in Mio before six. Unsure if I could drag Green Snake for 11 miles I decided to break the days effort into two parts. I dropped the kayak off at McKinley Landing, where DAY 25 ended and drove about halfway to Mio parked and began running. A little over 2 miles into the run I left River Road and began running a Consumer's Energy power line trail. The short cut cut off about a half-mile from staying on River Rd. All while running toward Green Snake I was judging whether it was good enough to drag the kayak back on. At first I thought yes, then after a couple hills I said no, it got better again and was considering portaging, but in the last half mile it turned swampy. I felt being this close I couldn't turn around. I began swamping it, hopping from tufts of turf. My shoes got soaked and one was nearly lost in the muck. No way was I going to drag the kayak through the lowland. I gladly pulled Green Snake the extra half mile to where the van was. (purple line above)

I hid and cabled the kayak to a evergreen tree off the side of the road and began driving to Mio. Two miles into the drive I realized I did not leave water for post run rehydration. I drove back and saw the kayak looked very visible despite being green. Evergreen and lime green do contrast. I adjusted it a bit to hide it better. The only water I had was 16 oz. can of M43 beer, 93% water. I would be better than nothing. I did have a Gatorade but planned to drink it with breakfast when I made it back to Mio.
I thought it would be better to drink the beer after the run and not before.
When arriving in Mio it was about 9:00 am. I went to McDonalds to make sure I could get in touch with Hope back home. Outside town I could not get phone service but we did manage to get a few text through to each other. For breakfast I had a sausage biscuit and drank the Gatorade . Yes, next time I need to bring more water.
I began the second run at the top of Mio Dam where I'd be launching on DAY 27. I soon was on Wolf Creek Trail on the east side of M33 that would take me to the Consumer power line trail. Before my distance was 1.75 mile I was off the trail and back on River Road. By the time I reached Green Snake, before noon, I was really needing water. The New England IPA went down fast. I was soon dragging the kayak and feeling the beer. I forward progress was much slower than in the morning. I was now on a paved road and being passed by vehicles.The morning portage was nearly all on gravel and not one vehicle passed me. during the 1:45 of pulling... I liked that. Not one person saw the crazy guy pulling a kayak down the road. The second drag on a paved road over 20 vehicles passed and saw the crazy dude. Twice trucks pulled up and asked if I wanted toss the kayak in the bed and ride in the cab. I told the first one that I couldn't, it was against the rules. He had a huh look on his face. The second time I lied, said something different so it didn't sound as crazy. I said that if I did, I would lose a bet. Yeah, that sounded better.

I found this Spiderman beach ball on the power line path a mile from my finish. I put it in the kayak and took it home for my grandson. lol