Southeastern Outings Easy River Float on the Locust Fork River

Float in the river about 3.8 miles downstream to the new Mount Olive Road Bridge possibly stopping at river beaches along the way.  Bring something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or tube.  See float note below for information about flotation devices.

Also please bring a picnic lunch with you from home or pick your lunch up BEFORE you arrive at the meeting place.  Please do not make lots of people wait while you take time to buy lunch or have your lunch prepared after you arrive at the meeting place at 9:15 a.m.  Also please bring your drink, towel and sunscreen.  Pack these items in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties, one bag over the other.  Then put the bags in your daypack and tie your pack to your float.  This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating away.  Wear swimsuit and sturdy foot protection.  Old sneakers work well.  Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable! 

Lunch will be at a convenient stopping place along the river.  Have fun swimming in the pools in the river along the way.  We will walk for about 15-20 minutes through the woods to get from River Road to the start point of our float.  We will provide a shuttle for drivers from the end point back to the start point before we start paddling.  You must be able to swim to participate in this outing!

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and up able to swim welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children.

Spring floats and inflatable boats are not permitted on SEO river floats!  A spring float is a flotation device consisting of an inflatable outer oval with a small, few inch diameter cross section and a large mesh interior.  Those spring floats are meant for floating in swimming pools and on lakes in still water, not for floating the Locust Fork River.  They are difficult to steer and therefore unsafe for use on Southeastern Outings river floats.

Please bring a friend or several if you wish.  Please meet at the Wal-Mart Gardendale parking lot no later than 9:15 a.m. ready to depart promptly at 9:30 a.m.  Arriving 15 minutes before departure time will allow time to use the restrooms in the Wal-Mart, purchase a float from Southeastern Outings if you want to buy one, hear announcements concerning the day’s event, and form carpools from the Wal-Mart.

Please note that reservations are NOT requested or required for this event!

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE

Wal-Mart Gardendale parking lot-890 Odum Road, Gardendale, Alabama.  Take I-65 North 9.5 miles from junction of I-65 and I-59/I-20 to exit number 271, Fieldstown Road.  Bear right at end of ramp and drive 3/10 miles to first traffic light at intersection of Fieldstown Road and Odum Road.  Turn right on Odum Road and drive 3/10 miles.  Turn left just past the Murphy’s gas station currently under reconstruction.  See the Wal-Mart Supercenter on your far right.  Southeastern Outings people will convene in the Wal-Mart parking lot away from the store itself and out close to the edge of the parking lot near Odum Road.

River Float Note

Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride the waves at the Gulf work best.  This year trip leader Dan Frederick finally has 60- inch floats for sale for $15 each ONLY at the start of the river float.  We regret that at this time we have been unable to find a source where we can buy more of the 72-inch canvas-covered floats.  Please pay either with exact change or a check made out to SEO.  First come, first served.

Since we have been unable to locate a source for the 72-inch canvas surf riders for the past 5 or so years, recreational vinyl tubes and truck tire tubes may also be used as your flotation device on this trip.

Dan will provide three hand float pumps to pump up your float or tube at the start point of the river float.

DESCRIPTION OF SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS

Do you wish you had friends who share your active lifestyle and enjoyment of outdoor activities?  Then become active with Southeastern Outings (SEO), a nonprofit organization committed and created to serve people who enjoy being active in the outdoors.  The organization plans, organizes and leads outings such as dayhikes, easy kayak and canoe trips, stream and waterfall walks, bicycle rides, lake events and other fun activities to beautiful sites in our natural environment.  From time to time we also sponsor potluck suppers and other socials.  All events and activities of the group are open to the public.  Participating in SEO activities is a splendid, simple way to make congenial new friends who enjoy the outdoors.

NO DOGS OR SMOKING ALLOWED, PLEASE, ON ANY SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS EVENTS.

The organization currently has about 300 members.  We scheduled forty-six events during the six months ending May 31, 2021 for an average of EIGHT fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.

SEO does not charge for participation in any of its outings.  You do not have to be a member to participate in one or two SEO activities.  Dues are only $10 per family or household.  Please contact Dan Frederick, President, 205-631-4680, or seoutings@bellsouth.net for more information and to obtain three free monthly newsletters with membership application and a complete description of all our outdoor events.

Southeastern Outings now has a website.  Just go to seoutings.org to find announcements of all our upcoming outings scheduled plus some brief, general information about Southeastern Outings, a membership application and 1500 lovely photographs from most of our outings.

Thank you.