Well I had a blast yesterday with MP, Stumpy, and his daughter Sarah. MP showed me his hammock and tarp setup and his new food pack hanging rig that weighed in at just over 2lb's with three pulleys and cord. Stumpy showed us his egg packing technique before we hit the river. The woods and ravines above the river are quite beautiful and full of life. My birding ID is somewhat lacking, but I noticed what appeared to be a gnatcathcher and a scarlet tanager in the morning. I had spent a few years working on some surveying projects at IC and for 355 some years back, and enjoyed the chance to see the area from a different perspective.

While MP and Stumpy have different paddling styles, it is apparent both of these guys are quite adapt with their individual crafts. The thing that really struck me however, was Stumpy's daughter Sarah who seemed to be enjoying herself at least as much as the rest of us. She didn't miss a chance to get out of the canoe and explore the shoreline. All kinds of interesting things were found throughout the day. The cormorants, great blue herons, turkey vultures, and red tail? hawk are a few birds I remember seeing along the river.

Thanks again MP for taking the time to set this up, I really enjoyed talking and paddling with you guys. Nice area to explore too.

BT