I had been chomping at the bit to get on a river and get paddling. This Saturday, I finally got my chance, but as with all things in live (especially when one is impatient!) things did not turn out exactly as planned.
Our first omen came as we were loading the 'yaks into my car. With a bit of misjudged placement and one fell swoop from my back hatch, the front of the green kayak broke a portion of my car's windshield! As of right now, it's a small spiderweb on the passenger side....I may just epoxy the dumb thing, but regardless, it was a bummer. My mother made the comment that someone might need a decent two-kayak top rack for Christmas. I'm not disagreeing with her.
We had to delay putting in due to a line of thunderstorms passing through the area around 2 PM. Based on doppler data, we figured we had a good couple of hours until the next line came through. Unfortuantely, spotting cars took longer than expected and we didn't get on the river until around 4.
When we got to Hudson Mills Metropark, an anxious park employee stopped us at the entrance and told us that the river was at record levels and that they strongly discouraged any paddlers from getting on the river. They cited heavy flow and tree snags as their major concern. Ahead of us a slew of ill-equipped (not a PFD to be seen!) and alcohol-laden paddlers were putting in, despite the warnings of the park, and we figured we'd give it a go anyway. In all honesty, the ranger's concerns were not an issue for us whatsoever. The river moved along at a nice place, but it was nothing worse than paddling up north. As far as tree snags were concerned, we easily manuevered away from any small obstructions, and there were no blockages along the way, though some portions got a bit more technical that what's probably usual for the Huron. The boyfriend and I had to laugh...how typically Ann Arbor, with it's worries of liability and lawsuits!
For the one and a half hours that we were paddling, I was AMAZED by the amount of wildlife along the way! Massive softshell, painted, snapping, and blanding's turtles...more than I've ever seen on one river! The river itself is delightful - lovely scenery and a nice and easy paddle.
Unfortunately, I was anxious (and paddling quickly) the entire time, due to building storm clouds behind us. After that one and a half hours, the dark clouds behind us were growing way too ominous. Fortunately, we came upon Dexter-Hudson Metropark and quickly pulled off. This is where I get to rant and rave about the kindness of two good samaritans. A young couple (who consequently turned out to be the same ages as the boyfiend and I) were playing frisbee with their puppy in the park. Much to the boyfriend's horror, I approached them and stated our predicament. They were happy to offer me a ride down to Delhi Metropark where my car was waiting for me. Along the ride, I came to learn that the guy had been a student at my college's (Vanderbilt) in-state rival school, Tennessee. His girlfriend is doing dental school at my boyfriend's alma mater (U of M), and it was just one of those moments that makes me think we were meant to run into each other. I can't say enough about the kindness and generocity of these two folks. Without them, we would have been in a huge mess, and they epitomized our camp's motto of "I'm Third", which means God (or as I say, one's morals and beliefs) come first, others come second, and I come third.
After another heartfelt thanks at Delhi, I left the kind couple and hopped into my car. As I neared Dexter-Huron Metropark, the tornado sirens began to wail! With petal to the metal, I raced back to the park, only to hurry the darling, patient, wonderful, trooper of a boyfriend (I can't say enough about how good he was about all this) into the car. We ditched the kayaks and drove to go pick up his vehicle before the park closed. It was one hell of a thunderstorm, with reports of up to 80 mph windgusts, quarter sized hail, and power outages all over the place. We waited out much of the storm in my car, and just as quickly as it was upon us, it was gone! Ahh, the meteorlogical wonders of the Midwest!
After returning to Dexter-Huron Metropark, we loaded the kayaks, headed back to Ann Arbor, and devoured a well-earned pizza.
As with all averted disasters, I have learned some valuable lessons:
- Don't rush a trip. Wait until the conditions are just right.
- It's okay to change one's plans when needed. Cutting a trip short is much better than being unsafe.
- There are still good, kind people out there. Be ready and responsible to handle situations on one's own, but there are times when one can rely on the help and goodness of a stranger.
- Don't make fun of the University of Tennessee so much. They produced a very nice engineer who saved my butt.
- Be able to laugh at oneself! As we sat in the car, Mother Nature exuding her fury around us, there was one point where we had to look over at one another and laugh at the absurdity of it all!
I would LOVE to try that daytrip again. Next time, I'd put in at late morning, do a nice picnic lunch at Dexter-Huron Metropark in the middle, then continue on the strech that we did not complete, all the way down to Delhi. But I've learned - I'm not rushing that trip anytime soon.
Should the weather comply, we're still planning on paddling the upper Huron this next weekend. Let's hope we have better success next time!
By the way, I still maintain that my car looks so sexy with the kayak on top.....
