November 2012 DDRC Newsletter. Caddoween! Swamp Sisters and friends. Table of Contents. Page 5,6 - Caddoween Trip Report

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1 November 2012 DDRC Newsletter Caddoween! Swamp Sisters and friends Table of Contents Page 2 - Upcoming events Page 3 - Presidents message Page 4 - Notes from Editor Page 5,6 - Caddoween Trip Report Page 8,9 - Illinois River Trip Report Page 10 - Bulletin Board Page 12 - Club Officers 1

2 Upcoming Events Nov 15 DDRC Monthly Meeting Nov 17 Urban paddle Nov Thanksgiving Trip Dec 9 Christmas Party For event details - link here: EVENT CALENDAR 2

3 Monthly Message from the Club President By Dale Harris I ve lived in the Dallas are for over 22 years now. I ve been canoeing and kayaking here for the last 10 or 12 years. I basically took a 8-10 year hiatus when I first moved down here, work, kids etc.. Actually, I didn t really think Dallas had area to canoe until got back into it. Now it seems like every couple of months or so I find a new place to paddle. For example, here are three recent finds; 1) the West Fork of the trinity in Arlington and 2) the East Fork of the Trinity between Lake Lavon and Lake Ray Hubbard and 3) Lake Texoma paddling around the coves on the west end of the lake. The West Fork was pleasant surprise, I was paddling near river legacy Park as part of a river clean-up. The river was fairly clean with not much trash to pick-up (mostly tires). The biggest surprise was that the river had a good current and a few rapids (okay, maybe riffles) but it was fun and I had to dodge a couple of strainers. I did run across a couple of pieces of rebar sticking up so be watchful. Roger and I went to the East Fork right below Lake Lavon Dam we thought it might work for a Urban Paddle. The put in was rough, it was a long walk, and weeds covered the river s edge. Given that there was another dam down about 2 miles we decided that was not a good spot for an Urban Paddle. But I will go back there on my own and make the portage to the water s edge and portage around the low water dam. I love these types of paddling trips I ll let you know how it goes. Daryl found this nice large camp site on the Cross Timbers Trail which is on a hiking trail on south western part of Lake Texoma. It is easy to reach by paddling into one of the coves from a nearby marina. So we went camping there last week and had a great time. The camp site was very large and could hold several campers. Daryl had a great time talking with all the hikers passing through. So please keep send me paddling spots and I will try to check them out. Also if you re one of those adventurer types and would like to explore some of these new areas let me know. It may take some portaging! <grin> Also, don t allow yourself to get so busy this holiday season that you forget to go paddling. Regards, Dale 3

4 Notes from the Editor by Sam Sloan We should have a good time on the upcoming Thanksgiving Trip. K-river campground is a great place if you just want to relax, and it isnʼt really that far of a drive. Also, this is a great trip if you like to eat. This would be a good trip to bring your dutch oven, and an appetite! We also have coming up our annual Christmas party. There have been a few changes. By having it on a Sunday afternoon instead of at night, we can paddle off some of those Christmas cookie calories on White Rock Lake. So bring your boat, if you wish. They also promised to have the heat working this year. We normally have a bigger than usual raffle, and I hear we will have a silent auction for a nice kayak. It is also a good time to renew your club membership. So come along and bring a friend, some food, and have fun! See you on the river! Classified Ads - AS A SERVICE FOR MEMBERS ONLY : you may take advantage of our newsletter classified ads. Please keep the items related to paddling - canoes, kayaks or camping gear. No commercial ads please! Just send in a written description, photo, and how much your asking for the item. Please include your preferred means of contact. Note: All submissions to the Newsletter are subject to DDRC approval. Marilyn Scholl Massage Therapy contact Marilyn via 4

5 Caddoween on Caddo Lake by Sam Sloan This year the DDRC and many friends, braved gators, snakes, and the dreaded Salvina plant growth to participate in DDRCʼs annual ritual. At dinner we counted 75 plus Zombies and Ghouls attending. Some feared the rain on Friday, and predicted cold nights, would hurt attendance, but this was not the case. Saturday warmed up for the activities - pinatas for the kids, pumpkin carving, tent decoration and costume contest. The big event being the Dutch oven cook off, and subsequent buffet style dinner. We had some really creative entries in all these categories. The imagination and creativity displayed is one of the big draws to this event. Many arrived on Friday and started setting up. A hollow cypress stump was converted into a chimney at the main campfire and made for quite a show. A even taller one was found for Sat. night. Tent decorations were pretty cool too. I especially liked Arielʼs pumpkin decorations, viewed at night seemed magically suspended in the air. Photos by Sam Sloan 5

6 Caddoween had lots of kids, many are veterans of many Caddoweens. They built a haunted house again this year, it was very creative as usual. They built it in the forest, and created scenes of horror that the visitor passes thru. Itʼs was a very noisy place, what with the screams and yells and all. It was very cold Saturday night, but people brought lots of firewood, and it was great sitting around the campfire with friends. The spooky sounds of the swamp were perfect for Halloween - from the wails of the coyotes, to the hooting of the barred owls. Caddoween is a little different every year, and always a lot of fun. 6

7 Campfire Caution... Campfires where the camping life collects Campfires are a great way to bond with your fellow campers and paddling companions after a day of paddling. They provide a wonderful warm glow and as the day s physical and emotional highs and lows sink in, a way they can be relived. They provide warmth on a cool night and enough smoke to help in keeping bugs away. They allow us to cook and warm our toes. They shouldn t however be a source of health concerns but recently I have seen a troubling amount of trash being put into the common fire pits. In study after study alarming amounts of harmful fumes can come from trash being burned in campfires. One of the ideas behind this club is to good environmental stewardship. Many people that are involved in camping are not always aware of the issues. Clark Green that runs a blog for Scout leaders recently posted, I must confess to burning plastic and trash in a campfire over the objections of one of the other adults camping with me. Our crew was midway through an extended canoe trip and I burned a big bag of trash after the Scouts were in their tents for the night. My fellow leader explained that this was dangerously toxic and I was a bit put out. I mean, really, how could this be that bad? Well Mr. Clark is not alone in not getting it. After I saw my fellow campers at Caddo putting in very questionable items I felt compelled to add these thoughts for your consideration. I didn t want to make a big deal of it at the time, however, I feel I must say something here. Studies have shown that not only is it highly likely that trash burning is prohibited in the locals that we visit, it is also opposed to leave no trace. Many of the objects being thrown into the fire would produce highly toxic smoke and leaves toxic residue behind in the fire pit. Smoke Many hazardous air pollutants and toxic metals are known to be human carcinogens that may increase the incidence of cancer. Air pollutants may have other effects on human health that are more difficult to measure, such as immunological, neurological, reproductive, developmental, mutagenic, or respiratory effects. By Eric Neilsen 7

8 Illinois River Trip photo by Sam Sloan By Sam Sloan. Friday - I drove up with my dog Austin, and met with Earl Atnip and Anita Goss at Sparrow hawk Campground on the Illinois river. Both Earl and I had brought a ton of wood, so we had a cheery fire, and enjoyed a pleasant evening talking, and listening to the local Coyotes howling close by. Anita brought her world famous brownies to clear the palate after dinner. We had the whole campground to ourselves, as this is off season for this area. The weather was perfect for camping. I recently purchased a Eureka Mountain Pass tent from one of our sponsors - Mountain Sports in Arlington. We had strong gusty winds Friday night which would have made my old tent bounce around like crazy, but the Mountain Pass tent hardly had a shimmy, and I slept great. Saturday - We rose early and watched the sun rise. The early sun rays really illuminated the color in the leaves. Earl spotted a Bald Eagle near camp while taking pictures. He got a really great picture! (see photo below) We loaded our boats and gear on top of Earl s truck, and drove the two miles to the put in at No Head Hollow. The reach we were doing started at No Head and ended 12 miles later back at Sparrow Hawk Campground. I had not seen the abundant fall color of this area before, and it was very pretty with lots of orange, red, and yellow colors blanketing the hills. The river was a little low, but we only had to drag our boats in one spot. The wind was more problematic on the southerly reaches, but we made really good time, and were back at camp by 2 pm. We spent the rest of the day relaxing in camp enjoying the great weather, and the beautiful fall colors. That evening I had to restrain Austin (the dog) as there were critters about, Photo by Anita Goss and he wanted very much to chase them. I saw their eyes reflecting in the flashlight beam. Earl, as usual, slept in his chair by the fire. 8

9 Sunday - we packed up early and headed home, as there was a big cold front moving in with a wide band of rain. Smart phones come in handy sometimes! It was a very enjoyable weekend with friends, and I returned home feeling refreshed, and ready for the urban grind again - almost, anyway. Photo by Earl Atnip Photo by Dave Photo by Sam Sloan Photo by Earl Atnip Photo by Earl Atnip 9 Photo by Anita Goss

10 Bulletin Board Amendment to DDRC By Laws - DDRC Officer Term Limits Elected board members, or club officers, shall be limited to three terms (years) in the same elected office or board position. An officer or board member may run for a different office or board position after three years in the same office or board position. In the event that no one steps forward to run for an office or board position that must be vacated due to term limits, the current board must review the case. The current board, minus the board member who has met the term limits, must vote on extending or not extending the position in question for one more year. The board member who has met the terms may either accept or decline the offer of an extended term. If the position in question cannot be filled by the current board member with a one (1) year extension, or if no one steps up to run for the board position, then the current board will operate as the governing body until the board position is filled. Lounge Lizards 10

11 Exotic and Invasive Species A Threat to Texas Waterways Fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants that are not native to Texas may compete with native animals and plants for food and space. Because introduced species lack natural enemies in their new environment, they can multiply and spread at an alarming rate, interfering with boat traffic, affecting water quality, and causing a range of other problems. In order to manage and conserve our natural resources, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department enforces laws to protect our state waters against the introduction of exotic species. Some exotics, such as triploid grass carp and water spinach, may be handled and distributed by people who have the appropriate permits from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Others are so dangerous that we need to do everything we can to stop them from spreading. Get complete list of prohibited aquatic organisms. Exotics often travel from one water body to another by "hitching a ride" on a watercraft. To curb the spread of invasive species, boaters in Texas are required by law to remove harmful plants and animals from boats and trailers before leaving the vicinity of a lake, river, or bay. Learn how to properly clean your recreational equipment. Present Concerns:Here are two of our biggest threats: Giant Salvinia. Spotted in several East Texas lakes. An infestation can double its size in just one week. 11 Zebra Mussel, now found in Lake Texoma.

12 DDRC BOARD AND OFFICERS President / Dale Harris Vice President / Film Festival Chair - Eric Neilsen Treasurer / Membership / TRC Chair - Bryan Jackson Newsletter Editor - Sam Sloan Web Master - John Kuhlenschmidt Secretary - Carolee Doty / Roxanne Turner Trip Coordinators - Bryan Jackson, Sam Sloan, Earl Atnip, Dale Harris Raffles - Randy & Libby Stovall Urban Paddles - Dale Harris Environmental - Tom Taylor 12

13 STOCK UP AND SHIP OUT! Get the paddle gear thatʼll make your trip complete! Not sure what boat you want? Come by our rental department and take one out for the weekend. Newsletter Ad Rates Type of Ad"Per Insertion Business Cards (member)" 5.00 Business Cards (non-members) /4 Page display /3 Page display /2 Page display Full Page display Type of ad per year 1/4 page display /3 page display /2 page display Full page display FINE PRINT - The DDRC Current News is published monthly by the Dallas Down river Club and is provided to its members either by First Class postage or by . Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and may or may not reflect the opinion of the club or its officers. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION of articles, announcements, events, trips, etc. is the 2nd Thursday of the month. It is on a come first served basis therefore sooner is better. DDRC BOARD MEETINGS are held every other month - Dale Harrisʼ house in Richardson or Romas. All members are welcome to attend to learn more about club business. 13

14 The Official Newsletter of the Dallas Down River Club PO Box Dallas, TX Next DDRC Meeting November 15-7:00 PM Romaʼs Restaurant 14