PaCO member Tom Greene and friend Chuck, aka Bubba wanted to go to Kentucky and just "wing it" on finding some rivers to canoe. They tried to recruit some family and friends without any luck then called Tony from the canoe club. He was in and the 3 of them left on Sunday afternoon, March 29th for Kentucky. Tom drove his truck with Tony driving his as shuttle vehicles. They got into Kentucky and stopped at the visitor center-rest area. It was closed but they got a map of the state and looked for rivers. Tom kind of wanted to go all the way down to Cumberland Falls but Bubba and Tony thought the drive was too far as it was already pretty late in early evening. There was a state park around 40 miles away and the brochure said it had 166 campsites. Off they went and upon arriving they found it closed. It got flooded out 2 years ago but the pamphlets were not updated. Looking at maps on their phones the closest that was open was the Kentucky Horse Park Campground near Lexington, 32 miles away and back tracking from where they just came from. Off they went, got a decent site and set up tents as darkness fell. Wanting food they found a great local BBQ joint, the Red State BBQ, just 3.5 miles away. They had an excellent smoked prime rib. Back at camp a little campfire was had until they drifted off to bed.
Monday morning was beautiful, weather wise, compared to what they had left in Ohio. Searching maps and phones they decided on paddling the Elkhorn Creek over by Frankfort. After breakfast at the Barn Door Bar & Grill at the Blue Grass Stockyards, it was off to Frankfort. They found a good access point where the Elkhorn crosses the Knights Bridge on Peak Mills Road and took out at Sullivan Lane. It was only 5 miles but the creek was very nice and there were lots of folks fishing as it is supposed to be a great smallmouth stream. In the 1 hour 50 minute paddle they saw 165 turtles.
The Red River Gorge was next on the list and after getting gas and finding a liquor store off they went. 1 hour and 30 minutes later they were talking to the employee at the campground, securing a site for the next 2 days in the Natural Bridge State Resort Park. The weather was still wonderful and since it was spring break the place was really busy. The Red River area is very much a tourist destination. Come to find out later, that area is very popular with rock climbers. The campground was about half full but still pretty quite. While having supper at the state park lodge, they asked every person they could about were to canoe and got lots of "I don't knows" to "go here." The bar maid at the lodge told them to go to Miguel's Pizza down the road for info but it was so busy they couldn't get in the door. Someone else told them to go to Toads Bar & grill, where the locals hang out. The bartender knew nothing about canoeing and the place was dead. Soon it was time to sit around a campfire. They could hear the babbling brook beside them as it was running downhill and with the crackling fire and adult drinks they were in heaven. Sleep came easy.
Tuesday morning was still short sleeve weather as the world stirred alive. Using Paddling.com, Tony found some information on paddling the Red River and while having breakfast at Miguel's the girl behind the counter had some great advice on the area. If they took out at the John Swift Canoe Livery they could go upstream to where St Rt 715 crossed the Red and get a 9 mile trip in. The canoe livery was closed but Tony still left his truck there and up stream they went. Driving on those steep hills looking down at the river, it looked way to low to paddle. Arriving at the bridge the place was very busy with no parking. Everyone was hiking the hills not paddling. Tom finally found a parking spot and they were off in the now very windy, very clear, decent moving water at the unheard of hour of noon. The water was so clear that what they thought was shallow water was really just clear, seeing all the rocks and pebbles on the stream bed. In fact Tony didn't have to get wet feet at all while Bubba only had to get out 4 times. What they thought would take 4 to 5 hours only took 3 hours even with the strong winds blowing them side ways. There were turkeys gobbling in the woods, the trees were getting green leaves and the woods were just coming alive after the winter season. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. After getting loaded up at the take out they went to get Toms truck. Bubba does not know a stranger as he strikes conversation with everyone. He was talking to a couple who just finished hiking and on the drive back to camp there was the Sky Bridge Station. This is Goggle maps description of it, "Cabin-like watering hole offering basic American eats such as hot dogs, plus draft beers & darts." They stopped for a cold one and the couple they just met came in saying if it was good enough for you all it was good enough for us. Cold, local brewed draft beer was good. Back at camp it was supper time so back to the lodge they went where the catfish sandwich was very good not to mention Griffith the bartender. One item the Ohioans noticed was that most of the tourists they met were from Michigan. Why??? Another great campfire rounded out the evening.
Tony had decided he was going home on Wednesday morning and at 5:45 am when the sprinkles started on the tent he just went back to sleep. Next thing was the noise of nylon rustling and Tony hollers at Bubba, "what are you doing?" Bubba replies, "Packing up before the rain" and just then big thunder sounds. It wasn't long before everyone was packed and loaded, well almost loaded when the rain really let loose. They said goodbye and Tony went back through Portsmouth, Ohio while Tom and Bubba took the Cincinnati route. It was a wonderful, short and fast canoe outing and they are already thinking ahead to another one soon.
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