Heward's Journal - Paddle Days 4, 5, and 6

Continuing with Hugh Heward's journal pages, matching progress with UHHC 2009 paddlers to the greatest extent possible:

 

Heward's Paddle Days 4, 5 and 6: STRUGGLING UPSTREAM ON THE FLOODED HURON. NO DAMS TO PORTAGE BUT ALSO NO EASY-PADDLING BACKWATERS

 

Paddle Day 4

Monday March 29th Repaired the Gum of our Cannots & set off with fine Weather only frosty & continued our Rout the River falling but still overflowing the Banks the Course of the River Land & Woods nearly the same our Distance something more it continued Cold Weather that the ice hung on the Branches in the River & passed some flights of Snow before the Sun Set. Encamped.

Campsite: Willow Creek Metro Park?

 

Paddle Day 5

Tuesday March 30th. After a very frosty Night embarked & went the same Course the River still flooding the Banks but more difficult than before at Mid Day arrived at higher Banks & the Course more to the North the Lands somewhat better but cold and barren for Culture abound'g principally with Black Oak. our Distance nearly the same as Yesterday tho' the Current stronger and more difficult than before. Encamped. (Lower Huron Metropark?)

 

Paddle Day 6

Wednesday March 31st. a Frosty Night but clear Morning & fine Weather all Day the water even with the banks very strong and difficult the Course North West. the banks very high & Lands something better still abounding in Black Oak about 2 oClock saw pine Trees below the high Banks continued 'tll Night & Camped. (Belleville?) the Distance as Yesterday.

UHHC Progress Report - Bob Bradford

This is the first I learned that Bob Bradford had given the Challengers a send off. Bob is Michigan's famous canoe racer who has done the length of the Mississippi with Verlen Kruger.Google him. On behalf of the UHHC 2009 I am honored by Bob's interest.

On behalf of the UHHC 2009 I am honored by Bob's interest.   Jim Woodruff  thetopologist  On the Grand River  in Delta Township --- On Sat, 4/18/09, Chuck and/or Jeanie Amboy <bostonamboy@comcast.net> wrote: From: Chuck and/or Jeanie Amboy <bostonamboy@comcast.net> Subject: Bob Bradford To: "James Woodruff" <thetopologist@sbcglobal.net> Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009, 12:27 PM Jim,   Bob walked up and introduced himself to me as just Bob.  A few minutes later I realized he was THE BOB BRADFORD.  He was there giving all of us a good sendoff, and taking pictures. He also took some pictures from  the MacArthur Bridge as we passed under it.  Then again of the Challengers at Hart Plaza.  Ron and I were there too, but  only as observers.   Bob and my shuttle guy, studious  Angelo Flemings hit it off right away.  Angelo peppered him with questions about his trips and techniques. Bob demonstrated to him, on land, an air stroke to simulate a well executed racing stroke.  After that it was funny to see Angelo practicing his strokes in the air with one of my extra paddles. He might take a trip with us later.  Have you ever seen a black man in a canoe?  I have, but only when I have taken my urban friends on a ri river trip.   Bob said some of his relatives would be doing the HH50 this year instead of him and his wife - I think he said his son and grandson.   Chuck

UHHC Progress Report - April 18, 12:15 p.m.

Call from Charlie. They are just putting back in the river after passing the dam at Flat Rock. Charlie, Mark, Dan and Toby are still together.

 

Chuck and Ron made it home in the wee small hours this morning after pulling out at Lake Erie Metropark.

 

The others have gone on ahead. I haven't heard from them.

 

Neil Miller and Brian Prodin crossed the portage and waded the swamp yesterday thus closing Verlen's 1990 gap. Very big day for Hugh Heward fans.

UHHC Progress Report - Technology

No call from Charlie yet this morning (9:00 a.m.) but keeping cell phone batteries charged can be a problem.   If you crave an update between my posts/emails, you can find Toby Nipper's position on his GPS technology, linked to a website.   Looks like Toby got under way at about 7:00 a.m., and assuming the other paddlers are nearby, his GPS "SPOT" signal can show you where they are on the river.

Heward's Journal - Paddle Days 1, 2, and 3

As as part of my coverage of the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge 2009 I am going to quote from Hugh Heward's daily journal of his 1790 trip from Detroit to the Mississippi. The Challengers were given a full set in advance of their launch. We dry, warm, comfortable followers will get each one as an email with periodic progress reports, hopefully daily.

 

These words are from the "Journal of a Voyage made by Mr Hugh Heward to the Illinois Country" published in the John  Askins Papers, Volume I: 1747-1795, Edited by Milo M. Quaife, Secretary-Editor, The Burton Historical Collection. Published by the Detroit Library Commission, 1928.

 

The punctuation, capitalization and spelling are Hugh's own. My only editing is the spacing and leaving out certain non-travel related passages. The parentheticals are mine. 

Hugh Heward's Journal - Paddle days 1, 2, and 3: THE FIRST TWO DAYS. NOT A GOOD START

Paddle Day 1

Detroit March 24th 1790 Took my Departure for the Illinois. had much Trouble as Customary in getting Engagee's off in which Hurry we left a Keg of pork behind 'till we got to petite Cote, return'd with one of the Cannots to Babys Mill (a windmill located near the Windsor end of the Ambassador bridge) & then with Duarier walk'd up opposite the Fort & borrowed a Cannot to cross----had just Time to get the Keg and get out the Gate at 9 oClock cross'd & return'd the Cannot & from thence carried the Keg of pork each in his Turn to our Cannot at Mr Baby's Mill, Slept there.

& next morning the 25th very wet & disagreeable we from there joined our other Cannot at Labourses Mill, the Weather so bad we unloaded & I there hired Joseph La Mirand another Engagee' at 40/p Month

My Note: I have never been able to locate the site of Labourse's Mill. It was probably somewhere on right bank of Detroit River, maybe near Wyandotte? Windmills were the main source of power in the Detroit area in those days "...there was a windmill on every point..."

Paddle Day 2

(March 26th 1790) about mid Day the Rain abating we loaded & set off & got to the last Island opposite Brown's Village. the Weather still foggy & Wet----Encamped on the Nore West point of the Island (Celeron Island) & the wind changing to South East the lake surprized us mounting to where we had piled the Guns & were touched some before we got them moved but not to damage

27th at Daylight we loaded to Gain the River Huron but the Wind rose suddenly & detain'd us all day blowing very hard sleep'd there

Paddle Day 3

28th Parted early in the morning & got to the River Huron to breakfast the Wind still strong at West, the River very high and overflowed on all Sides & Current strong we mounted up the River which abounds in Turnings about 25 Miles the general Course Nore West the Land on all Sides in general very low & wet abound'g with Elum Button Wood (Sycamore) &C. the highest Land with oak of a Middle Size. Encamped.

Campsite: Just downstream of Flat Rock?

UHHC 2009 Progress Report - 7:01 p.m. April 17

Call from Charlie. They have reached Pointe Mouillee, which means they are at the mouth of the Huron River where it enters Lake Erie. This is the place where Charlie started upstream on the Huron on March 28, 2008, after camping all night in the snow. They are going to go upstream a ways and find a camping spot. They faced strong headwinds coming down the Detroit River. A wind out of the south is the price they paid for the lovely warm weather. Jon Holmes has gone on ahead in his sea kayak.   They stopped and took a picture at the northwest corner of Celeron Island where Hugh's party camped. For more GPS photos of the Challengers' locations, visit the Kruger Canoes blog.

UHHC 2009 Progress Report - 9:54 a.m. April 17

They are on the water. Official launch time 9 AM. They will touch the seawall at Hart Plaza over where the waterfront was in 1790 in honor of Hugh and his crew and then down the river.

I feel like I'm back in Korea as a Company Commander. I have  one platoon going down the Detroit River in canoes and another platoon reenacting the portage crossing including wading through the Portage River Swamp and the 1st Sergeant (my daughter) coming over to try to improve my communication skills and a big audience of canoeists waiting impatiently for my next message.

UHHC 2009 Progress Report - 7:18 a.m. April 17

7:00 AM Friday April 17: Call from Charlie and Challengers at a restaurant in Detroit. No one is hung over and they are raring to go. They hope to make Flat Rock today. If they do that will start them up the Huron River.

UHHC 2009 Begins

Tomorrow morning, Friday April 17, 2009, the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge 2009 will begin with an 8:30 AM launch from Belle Isle in the Detroit River.   The Challengers are Mark Przedwojewski of Irons, builder of Kruger Canoes; Dan Smith of Portland, chairman of the Verlen Kruger Memorial Association; Charlie Parmelee of Leslie, who pioneered the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge when he started paddling up the Huron River in the snow on March 28, 2008; Toby Nipper, knife maker and long-distance canoeist from Ft. Meyers, Florida; and Jon Holmes, kayak instructor from Lowell.   Mark, Dan, Charlie and Toby will be paddling Kruger Sea Wind expedition canoes, Jon will be paddling an Eddyline Falcon 18 Modulus sea kayak.   Mike Smith of Portland was scheduled to be one of the Challengers but he has been laid low by a bad back so he will have to follow along from home like the rest of us.   Chuck Amboy of  Okemos, our host when the Challengers reach the English Inn downstream of Eaton Rapids, and Ron Dean of St. Johns, who raced with Verlen Kruger, will accompany the Challengers the first day.   Any one else who wants to paddle along somewhere along the way is welcome.   The Woodruff family will pop for beer and pizza when the Challengers get to Hell.   British trader Hugh Heward with seven French-Canadian paddlers in two birchbark canoes departed  Detroit on March 24, 1790, heading for Chicago. It took them 47 days to reach the Chicago River, 26 of which were paddling days. We shall see how long it takes the Challengers. I will be emailing daily progress reports - if you want to receive the emails send me your email address at thetopologist@sbcglobal.net

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey - Final Message

Here was my final message sent out on May 11: 

 

"THANKS CHARLIE.....A GREAT VICARIOUS ADVENTURE FOR THIS OLD MAN AND ALL THE OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU.....I was with you every foot of the way with my Google Earth "Virtual Helicopter" but I never got wet or cold or tired. I did lose some sleep over you though....JIM"

 

Now it's on to the 2009 Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge staring April 17 at Belle Isle. I will lay it all out in subsequent messages.

 

The Woodruff family is going to make a $300 contribution to the Verlen Kruger Memorial in honor of Charlie Parmelee who will be paddling in the 2009 UHHC.

 

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XXIV

The end of Charlie's Final Report:

 

So it is done.......I did not paddle every mile of the Huron and did not paddle thru Ford Lake because of the ice. It was a great experience for me and it was fun planning it with Jim. I want to thank Jim's family for loaning him out to me for the last couple of months.

 

Thanks go out to:

 

Ron and Kay of Unadilla Boat Works for all their help on the Huron River and Hell Creek and Portage Creek/River sections of the trip.

 

Chuck and Jeanie Amboy and Rich and Emma Bailey for joining me for the paddle to Hell and back portion of the trip.

 

Jim Woodruff and family for the pizza and beer at the Damsite Inn in Hell and the Kruger Memorial Brick....and shirt.

 

Doug McDougall, Dan Smith and Jim Kinney for being paddling pals....and to all the other folks who helped out with the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge.

 

To my family who had to deal with my absences.

 

To the newspapers who gave us our minute of fame.

 

To all the folks who followed along for their prayers and to our Father in Heaven....the one who watches over us all....Amen.

 

My sincerest thanks:

 

Charlie Parmelee

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XXIII

Continuing with Charlie's Final Report:

 

For camping gear I am no expert.....or an expert on any of the matters above that I have talked about and these are simply my opinions.

 

No matter what type of carrying pack you use remember what you put inside the pack that needs to stay dry should be in a dry bag (waterproof bag). If my pack is waterproof I still put the things I want to keep dry in another dry bag.....example sleeping bag, camp pillow, stocking cap and gloves for sleeping would go in one dry bag together and extra clothes in another dry bag. These bags would then go into the carry pack. Other things like tent, rain fly, rope, cord etc. I don't worry about getting wet.....just be sure you dry them out when you get a chance.

 

I think most sleeping bags are over rated on temperature....always go colder than you need. I have frozen on some wilderness trips when the manufacturer said the bag was good to 20 deg. and I was cold at 35 deg. I am not a cold sleeper either!

 

I have a food barrel  that I have been using the last few years and like it so far....I don't hang a food pack anymore....I have been in bear country and have not had a problem. Dan and Jim both had York packs and I like the looks of those.

 

There are lots of camp stoves out there and most of them will get the job done....I have a Svea 123 that's 30+ years old and still does the job. (My Note: See Wikipedia for the Svea 123 story. Very interesting)..

 

2. How I fed myself

 

To be honest while I was paddling upstream I only cooked a few meals. I ate power energy bars, granola bars, peanut butter, beef jerky and canned fruit. It was usually dark when I got off the water and I was just too tired to cook. When I did cook it was usually oatmeal or Lipton rice dinners, something quick and easy. I can tell you this....I lost almost 20 pounds on the trip. I never felt real hungry because I ate all day long just not a lot at any one time....

When I was with Doug McDougall we ate regular meals. When I paddled with Dan and Jim I ate good....real good....

 

3. What would I would or should have done differently and advice to anyone who wants to try to duplicate the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge or parts thereof.

 

I probably could have taken less food and gear...But at the same time I was re-enacting a trip so I carried all the food I needed for the whole trip....basically three weeks worth of food and fuel.  As it worked out I could have only carried a weeks worth and had plenty. It would have lightened up the canoe and may have made it possible for me to have climbed thru a few more of the faster current places.  It would have made the canoe cart easier to pull too.

 

Camera equipment.....less is more....paddling upstream makes picture taking and movie making more difficult.

 

To  anyone who wants to duplicate or paddle parts thereof I would say be careful....High and fast water can kill you...I had some close calls and would recommend that a person practice paddling upstream on something a little slower if you are not experienced at upstream paddling.  I have done a bit of upstream paddling but some of the fast water I was in on this trip was intimidating to say the least.  For anyone who wants to do the whole challenge I would say travel as light as possible and good luck and be safe.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XXII

1. Charlie's evaluation of his canoe, wheels, paddles, clothing, sleeping arrangements and camping gear:   I paddled the deep hull Kruger Sea Wind for the whole trip. I would not have wanted to paddle anything else....this boat is made for just this kind of trip...if you are serious about expedition paddling the Kruger Sea Wind will serve you well and for me it is an honor and a privilege to own one.   The canoe trailer saves a lot of wear and tear on your body. The wheels I made worked and hauled a lot of weight but the bearings started giving out. The bicycle wheeled cart is probably your best bet. You can buy one off E-Bay for about $85 including shipping and I think it's good for 300#. The bicycle cart worked better on pavement, grass and gravel as far as I could tell.   I use a carbon fiber paddle and can't say enough good about them They are lightweight at 14-20 ounces and very durable.....The Barton paddle I have has probably 4 thousand miles worth of paddling and it still looks new.   For clothing I use poly pro, nylon, merino wool and fleece layer combinations. I would love to have more of the smartwool and merino wool clothing but it's pretty pricey.   For this challenge I slept in the canoe tent on the first part. It's a prototype but it does work. I do find it colder sleeping than a tent when it's cold...about the same as a tent when it's warm. Hard to sleep in when it's raining because of the noise of the rain hitting the hull. If you wear ear plugs it's not too bad. I would have to agree with Verlen though.....like he said.... you can sleep in a canoe but I don't recommend it.....in other words if I am camping where a tent will work I would rather sleep in a tent...the canoe is pretty confining...there is hardly room in it for you and a good fart....and the hang time...well we will leave it at that....   Personal Note: During my big 1948 canoe trip to Western Ontario we used World War II surplus jungle hammocks. They were great (I still have them). All you needed was a couple of trees. We didn't have to hunt for flat places for tents thus the choices for campsites were practically endless and there was no need for sleeping pads or air mattresses. We used war surplus Army down and feather sleeping bags and were always comfortable (Canadian nights can be pretty nippy, even in the summer). They have roofs and mosquito netting. The only trick is to be sure you use a good knot to tie them to the trees. I believe hammocks are still available. I don't understand why more canoeists don't use them.   The story of that long-ago canoe trip is on this blog under the title of "Low-tech Canoeing."

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XXI

Continuing with Charlie's Final Report:

 

Friday May 2 2008. The last day of the 2008 Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge

 

After breakfast and canoes loaded we were ready to go. We were on the water by 8:30 or so....We wanted to get to Gand Haven before the thunder storms so we paddled steady. We were listening to the news on Jim's TV (My Note: A TV on a canoe trip??!!?) and it said the Coast Guard was looking for the source of an oil spill. There  was a Coast Guard helicopter flying over the river down near the mouth so we did not go out into Lake Michigan and later we heard they put the oil spill containment floats down so I doubt they would have lets us thru.

 

 Mike Leyer of Portland volunteered to pick us up in Grand Haven and was waiting for us at the Spring Lake boat launch. We just got the boats on the trailer and the gear loaded when it started to rain. It would have been nice to have paddled out on the lake but one last man-made obstacle changed that.

 

After stopping for burgers and toasting Jim Woodruff and the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge with a celebration beer we headed home in the rain.

 

I would like to thank Mike for coming to pick us up.....thank you.....Dan Smith and Jim Kinney for their company on the last days of the Challenge.....I enjoyed paddling with them and appreciate them taking the time to do so....I hope to paddle with them again sometime.....I am home now.....it's May the 12th.....Saturday night....actually Sunday 1:30 in the morning and I am packed and ready for another two week adventure on the Au Sable River....sorry it took so long to finish the last report for the trip.

 

This is the end of Charlie's Final Trip Report. Next: His evaluation of the his canoe, wheels, paddles, clothing, sleeping arrangements and camping gear.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XX

Continuing with Charlie's Final Report:

Wednesday April 30

It was another cool night but I slept good. We were up a little after seven and after breakfast, breaking camp and on the river a little after 9:00.....another beautiful day. At the Ionia Fair Grounds I realized I did not have my life vest on and thinking I had left it in camp I headed back upstream. Dan and Jim said they would wait for me in Saranac.....and I thought I was done with the upstream paddling part of this trip...after paddling upstream a short ways I thought about it and remembered checking to make sure we had not left anything behind.  I pulled off the river and found my life vest up in the front of the boat. I put on my vest and paddled hard to catch up with Dan and Jim.

 

When we got to Saranac we pulled off the river at the Railroad Museum and walked into town for lunch. After lunch walking back we met and talked to George and Pat Raimer. They had paddled on Grand River Expedition 2000. After talking and buying a book on the history of the Grand River ("The Grand" by Kit Lane, part of her Rivers of Michigan series) Pat told me she had taken kayak lessons and was ready to paddle on Expedition 2010. She took some pictures and sent them to me along with the book. I would like to thank the Raimers for their kind and energetic hospitality. I remember meeting Pat and George on Expedition 2000 and hope we will be able to paddle together again on Grand River Expedition 2010.

 

We paddled on down the river and camped upstream of the Rogue River. For dinner we had T-bone and Porterhouse steaks, salad and baked potatoes. We sat around the fire and talked and went to bed about 10:30.

Thursday May 1:

We were up, had breakfast, broke camp and were on the river at 8:30. We paddled past the Rogue River and on to the dam in Grand Rapids (Sixth Street Dam and fish ladder). We portaged on the left and paddled over the coffer dams below on the right side of the river. The first one was the biggest drop....a little scary but the rest of them were fun. Paddling past the Gerald Ford Museum and seeing the dinosaur thru the glass window (My Note: dinosaur???) and the carousel above the river while going over one of the coffers was cool. Stopping downstream by a dinner paddle boat a jogger offered to go and get us water so we would not have to cross the highway or walk so far.

We camped downstream of M-45 a mile or so.  In honor of Verlen and the Ultimate Hugh HewardChallenge we had macaroni and cheese with tuna and peas. We toasted the trip and ate dinner by the campfire. It was good. After a few beers to celebrate the occasion I went to bed and slept like a baby.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XIX

Continuing from Charlie's Final Report:

 

Saturday April 26     

The 8th Annual HUGH HEWARD CHALLENGE 

A cool morning start. I didn't get on the water until 7:30.....I think I was the last one on the water. Water levels and current were good and making good time. I caught up with some of the paddlers. At the North Lansing Dam or fish ladder I caught up with Rich and Emma Bailey and we paddled along together until I got to Jim Woodruff's place and pulled off for a short visit. Back on the water I was in the rear again. I paddled downstream and waved at Jenny Kruger and her sister as I paddled by. Paddling thru the fast water at Delta Mills and on to Grand Ledge stopping to help a few paddlers take out at the ball field in town I saw what time it was and picked it up a little....the headwinds were tough that day but not as bad as paddling upstream on the Huron or maybe I was just in better shape now. If we had not had the headwinds I think people would have got to Portland in record time this year.  It was a tough paddle but that is what makes it a challenge. In Portland Jim Woodruff and family gave me a brick for the Kruger Memorial Walkway for the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge..........Thank you Jim and family and all who stayed to be a part of it. It was as Verlen would have said "High Wine" for me.....Thanks again everyone.

 

Tuesday April 29

Launched at Thompson Field at 10:30 with Dan Smith and Jim Kinney and paddled thru Portland. Dan pointed out the new Veterans Memorial near where the looking Glass River enters the Grand.  We paddled to the Portland Dam and portaged on the left. We paddled to Webber Dam and portaged on the left. Dan told me that the Webber Dam is the largest dam on the Grand River and after seeing dams on the Huron and the Grand I believe it is the largest of all the dams on these two rivers. We paddled downstream to the Wagar dam and looked at the chute we would have to run. We decided to portage around it.

 

My Note: In the summer of 1990 during Grand River Expedition '90 everyone ran the Wagar chute with Verlen Kruger as sort of a traffic cop. He had arranged with the Webber Dam folks for optimum water flow and he stood by the side of the chute and signaled each canoe through, including the big fake voyageur canoe. A digression: When the Gabagouche went through Lansing with every one in costume a reporter remarked in the Lansing State Journal about the women in low-cut blouses. This upset Valerie Kruger no end (she was the ramrod of that expedition) but I don't think it upset the young women in costume too much. Smart males kept their mouths shut.

 

Paddling to the Lyons Dam there Steve Miller was on the side of the river taking pictures. We had left our camping gear with Steve in Portland and he shuttled it ahead to Lyons for us. We portaged around the Lyons dam, loaded up the camping gear and after a few pictures we paddled on. Thanks for the help Steve.....it was nice to meet you. We paddled along at a steady pace talking and joking about this or that just enjoying the day and saw an eagle and osprey and pulled off the river to camp a mile or so upstream of Ionia. We had a nice camp fire and dinner of baked potatoes and venison brats with all the fixings...Dan and Jim are experienced paddlers and campers and know their way around a campfire kitchen. I like their York pack set ups and will own one myself when I find one.

 

My Note: Dan says it is a plastic box 14"x20"x12" that slides under the back deck. He keeps his stove, pots and pans and food in it.

 

 Every time I go out with other people canoe camping I learn something new and watching these two guys I learned plenty.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XVIII

Continuing with Charlie's Final Report:

 

Thursday April 24

Back on the water about 9:30 we started paddling for the Gale Road boat launch. The river was still full of log jams but we never had to get out for any managing to get around them all somehow. We saw deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, blue herons, turtles, red tail hawks and many other critters of the forest as we did every day of the journey. The Grand River begins to get bigger as you get closer to Tompkins with the Sandstone Creek and a few others that come in along the way but we could not tell where they were coming in because of the river being flooded.....There is a lot of flood plain in this section of the river.....probably the most of any section of the Grand from what I have seen. It was an easy day of paddling and enjoyable. We stopped for lunch at the Tompkins Road DNR boat launch. We paddled thru to the Gale Road boat launch just enjoying the rest of the day. We got there about 5:30. Doug dropped me off and headed home. It was nice having him along to share the trip with.

 

Friday April 25

Back on the water at 8:00 after Amber my daughter dropped me off. Paddling alone again but not for long.....I paddled to the Smithville Dam and portaged around on the right. I see they are doing some more work on the park....It looks very nice what the Eaton Rapids Fire department has done with it.....I only wish the people who go there and fish would clean up their messes.

Paddling downstream to Eaton Rapids and taking out and portaging with Jim Woodruff's wheels....Wow what a difference.....His wheels having the bicycle wheels pulled so much easier than my canoe cart. I know which cart I will be buying now. Portaging thru Eaton Rapids and getting the same stares and looks from people when I pulled into QD for a pop and a paper and after reading the article by John Schneider about the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge I headed downstream. The water was moving and I took a little paddling break and just let the river do the work. 

I arrived at the English Inn where Chuck Amboy made reservations to buy a group of us. Jim Woodruff, Doug McDougall, my wife Deb, my friend Gordy Martin, Chuck and myself for lunch....Very nice.....a huge thank you Chuck.....very generous and kind....After a long lunch and interesting conversation Chuck Amboy and I paddled together to Dimondale....another nice afternoon with a short rainstorm near the Waverly Road bridge....where we sat out the storm under the bridge. We paddled into Dimondale and took out at the Fire Barn. We shuttled Chuck and his boat back to his car, said our goodbyes and each headed for home.  Thanks again Chuck....great to meet you and paddle with you.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XVII

Continuing Charlie's Final Report:

 

Wednesday April 23:

Had breakfast and broke camp and were on the river (Portage) about 9:00 AM. After paddling upstream for almost two weeks it felt good to be going downstream again.....downstream....Ahh downstream.....I can still only imagine what it must have felt like to Verlen Kruger, Clint Wadell, Steve Landick and Valerie Fons and all the people I don't know about after paddling hundreds and thousands of miles upstream....paddling down the Portage River to Little Portage Lake was not a bad paddle....a few places we had to pull over or around but not bad at all.....We paddled south on Little Portage Lake to the outlet of the Portage River and downstream to Portage Lake Road. Doug got out of his waders while we took a break. Paddling under the road thru some big tiles there were hundreds of big spiders that had big webs hanging down from the top of the tile. We kept our head down..... way down.....and got thru without a bite. I said it was the Tunnel of Love....if you loved spiders.....

 

Paddling downstream headed for the Portage drain  we met another paddler by the last name of Humphrey....we asked him where the river was and he said we had passed it. The whole area was flooded and hard to tell where the channel was. He asked us if we were the guys who were paddling across Michigan and said he had read about it. I asked him if he knew about the area and he said he had lived there all his life and the big hill to the north of where we were floating was a summer camp that the Indians used. Looking at it it made sense too. He grew up with the boys who farmed that field and said that he has a box of arrowheads and Indian relics.

 

We said goodbye and looked at our maps....the ones Jim gave us being the best we used them to navigate working our way west and staying on the north side of the flooding we came right into the channel....we were glad for those maps....it would have taken a while to know where to go without them. We paddled into the Portage drain and after passing under Dunn Road and around a bend in the river it was straight as an arrow for most of the rest of the way to the Portage and Grand River intersection. It was like I 75 after being on those creeks the past few days. Most of the farmland next to the river being  flooded makes you wonder why they channelized it in the first place.

 

.After a lunch break at a spot where and old road used to cross we paddled into the Grand River....another milestone...paddling down the Grand was not as good...a lot of log jams but except for getting out and dragging over in one place we managed to get around everything else by going out of the river channel where it was flooded to get around the log jams and before the day was over we did that a lot finding the woods easier to paddle thru than the river channel itself. It was fun picking our route thru the trees to get back to the river without having to back up to get thru. We arrived at the US 127 and Grand River intersection around 7:30 PM. Another long day with more to come.

 

Deb picked us up and Doug stayed at our house overnight.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XVI

Continuing  with Charlie's Final Report:

 

As we were walking down Topith road pulling our canoes a lady pulled up in her car and laughing said....where are you going?....where is the water?.....and what are you doing here?...I suppose we did look a little silly though.

Walking down the road leading our canoes like dogs and with Doug's waders straddling the sides of his canoe it looked like someone in waders with their head down in the canoe and me with a green plastic lawn chair we found back on the state land where we camped the night before and decided we could use it at our next camp sitting on top of my gear in the canoe....looking like Beverly Hillbillys.... I guess I could understand her amusement....So I thought about it and told her where the water was and that we were going to some garage sales on the way and then she really started laughing and sped away. Doug asked me what she said and I told him she thought she knew the guy wearing the waders in the back of the canoe.

 

Heading south on Parks Road on the way to our next camp a local dairy farmer that lives near the corner of Parks and Waterloo-Munith Road stopped to talk to us. He invited us to his place for a snack and some cold ice water. After talking to him about the Portage Lake Swamp he said it was a wise choice not to try it..

 

A Schwanns truck was sitting in someone's driveway and I asked Doug if he would like some ice cream. I love their ice cream....Doug kept walking....the truck passed us and the driver waved....I told Doug we could have some ice cream....Doug kept walking....The truck passed us again....I told Doug we should have flagged the truck down for some ICE CREAM!!!!!.....Doug kept walking.....He doesn't know how much I LIKE ICE CREAM!!!!!!!! We turned onto the gravel road heading for Moeckle Road and our next campsite at the bridge that crosses the Portage River......and the Schwanns truck pulled up next to me and the driver asked would we like to buy some ice cream?  I SAID.....OH YES.....YES WE WOULD......We bought a box of ice cream cookies.....6 of them and in the excitement we had blocked the road.....a lady in her car pulled up while we were dividing up the ice cream.....I gave the driver one.....and knocked on the lady's window and handed her one and said here have an ice cream cookie...and do you know of any garage sales around here?...she did not see the humor and drove away... I could not stop laughing.....I was probably at a low sugar point but the ice cream took care of that....

 

We made it to our campsite and made camp. With plenty of daylight left we decided to walk over to the Waterloo Farm Museum. It was closed but we looked around the grounds and buildings and took pictures....If you have never taken a tour of the Farm Museum you would not be disappointed. Doug and I have enjoyed it. When we got back to camp we made dinner and had a fire in the fire pan which is on of those small grills you buy at the party store with the charcoal already in it. It works well...it is not a big fire but good enough. Went to bed about 10:30.

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XV

Continuing from Charlie's Final Report. Still on April 21:

 

It was almost 9:00 PM when we started portaging and sometime after 11:00 when we got to our campsite down a two-track off Topith Road on the north side of the Portage Lake Swamp.

 

My Note: They would have been camping close to if not right on the south end of the ancient portage.

 

After a long day we went to bed tired. I felt bad about putting my paddling pal Doug thru so much his first day out but he said he was enjoying it. Doug and I have been on a lot of trips together and he is the kind of paddling partner most people dream about. He enjoys the good days and laughs at the bad ones. Good paddling pals are hard to find....great ones even more rare and Doug in my book is the rarest of all.

 

Tuesday April 22:

After an oatmeal and cappuccino breakfast we headed south through the swamp. I wanted to show Doug the route I had in mind and a few options. We walked to Leeke Lake (My Note: The ultimate head spring of the Portage River I believe) and over to the last point of high ground where we would have to start dragging thru the marsh. That's when we found out there was no way of walking and dragging the canoes thru the swamp. The ground would not support our weight and we started breaking thru and after going thru to my chest in the muck bottom a few times we decided to try another route, which after scouting and knowing we would have to do it on private land, we walked back to our campsite and called Jim to tell him it probably was not the safest thing to do. He agreed. I have walked across the Portage Lake Swamp on the ice and it's a long way across the marsh part of it.  Jim mentioned that the Russians used something called "swamp skis" to get across marshy areas....might have worked.