Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Locust Fork in Blount County CANCELLED

THIS OUTING HAS BEEN POSTPONED  BY ONE DAY TO SUNDAY, JUNE 13.  SAME MEETING TIME AND PLACE.

We will be floating from Vaughn’s Bridge to the location of the previous Dean’s Ferry Bridge.

Note-To view photos of what we will see on this trip, please click on these links:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bjBq8Z6tBPxsXGAj2

AND

https://goo.gl/photos/czYHoPheUxfm7TDa9

Please be sure to click on the links and view the photographs.

Please bring a picnic lunch, drink, towel, sunscreen and something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or air mattress.  Please see river float note below for information about floats.

You must be able to swim to participate in this outing!  Wear swimsuit and sturdy foot protection.  Old sneakers work well.  Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable! 

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up able to swim are welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children.  Please bring a friend or several if you wish.

Because parking at the take out is available for only 3 or so vehicles, we want people to carpool as much as possible from the meeting place in the morning.

Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Info. and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205/631-4680

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE

Hayden/Corner Park and Ride—171 State Highway 160, Warrior, AL 35180. Exit 284 off I-65 North, take right on AL 160 at end of exit ramp, immediate right on U.S. 31 and then enter fenced parking lot on right.

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

Inflatable boats and spring floats 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 picnic lunch, drink, towel and sunscreen.  Pack these items in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties, one bag over the other or put your things in a canoe dry bag.  Then put the bag or bags in your daypack and strap the pack to your back.  This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating away.

Here is an alternative to carrying your lunches, water, towel and sunscreen in a pack on your back.  You can bring with you four 6-7 foot lengths of sturdy cord.  Place your pack with your things in it in the middle of the foot of your float.  Lash the pack to your float with two of the cords, one passing around the float and through the top of the straps and the other passing around the float and through the bottom of the straps of your pack.  Pass the other two cords over the top of your pack and under the float and tie them down tightly.  Then lie on your float with the pack sort of between your knees with your feet splayed out at the bottom corners of your float.  Using this method eliminates your having to float down the river for several hours on your belly with a pack on your back, and it also gives you the option of turning over and lying on your back in the slower-moving sections of the river in order to change your body position and float more comfortably.  If you are an adult, this method of fastening your pack to your float works only if you are using a 72-in long rectangular float.  Either method of transporting your pack is satisfactory and acceptable.  But I learned that people like it when you give them choices.  In any case, your lunches, etc. should be double bagged (or placed in a waterproof canoe bag) inside your pack.

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.