Hippy

Hello all, i'm new here but thought you all might enjoy this little vid I made of a recent trip from PK to Granbury.

It covers 9 days worth of trip so it is a 30min video "not dial-up friendly" but it details the trip fairly well with maps, photos of bridges etc..

Other points of interest were
arrow head
spear head
Giant desert centipede
Rat snake winning a war with a Red-tailed Hawk
and numerous scenery shots.

Hope you enjoy

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...80327545&hl=en

CyberCelt

Wow! Great video. How did you keep track of possibility of flash flooding? Are ya'll ready to ride the San Marcos river from San Marcos to San Antonio Bay? You can practice for the Texas Water Safari next year!

I am a mom, so forgive me for lecturing. Its my duty. :rolleyes: The toilet was a great idea, but it was top close to the water. Water includes seasonal streams, all types of wetland, and the high water mark. Move at least 200 ft (61 m) from any water source. This is for the health of you and future fossil hunters.:cool:

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CyberCelt

USAer.com ~ RVing Texas
USAer Blog ~ Scenic Byways and Backroads

Hippy

No problem on the lecture, it is completely deserved. Sadly we have both even read the book "How to #### in the Woods" by Kathleen Meyer but I guess I was busy chuckling at his creation and didn't think about the location. I did notice though when I was putting the vid together and thought about leaving it out. Our apologies. I do recommend the book for those that haven't read it, just do better than us at practicing what you've learned.

As to your other question, I've done quite a few overnighters on the upper part of the river and have gotten used to their normal releases from the dam so I know how fast the water normally rises and keep a close eye on it all day, when I first hit a camp site I stab a stick at waters edge and monitor it until its time to go to sleep which for us was usually midnight or so. If it's doing anything out of the ordinary I will camp higher, drag boats higher and unpack very little so if necessary in an emergency we can be in our boats with 90% of our gear even if the tent was lost.

San Marcos to San Antonio Bay, that sounds cool do you have a convenient link to more info on it?

Oh man I just found info on the Texas Water Safari, that sounds like my kinda thing I will be learning more about this, Thank You

rockhill

Very much enjoyed your video. Have a son that wants to do the entire trip that you did. Seems like evertime I put him on the river some calamity befalls the adventure.

Hippy

thank you I enjoyed making it.

not trying to be nosey but what goes wrong when your son attempts the trip? Is it lack of planning, is he accident prone etc.,

rockhill

Probably a little lack of planning combined with bad luck. One trip the weather turned very cold and rainy, although not forcasted to do so. That turn of events, combined with low water levels and poor planning, turned getting to the Dark Valley bridge at Hwy 4 an exercise in survival. This June he was on the river when the monsoons set in. Finally got out at the 180 bridge complaining that the river had beat him again. He was more prepared as far as gear and provisions, just not for a sustained 10ft plus rise in river levels. In the sprit of full disclosure, I claim him as a son because he is that close to me and I have know him since his day one. In reality his dad is a good friend who now lives in Illinois while Matt is in Lubbock. I guess in that aspect I am a "surrogate" dad. At any rate I am responsible for putting him and his college buds on the river, and then rescuing them!
I have read John Graves book a couple of times, enjoying the adventure and history lesson. I intend to one day do a trip such as you document, and Mr Graves did alone, before I get too old. My place in Palo Pinto county looks out over the area between Oaks Crossing and Village Bend and I have often thought of the folks down on the river, doing as you have done. While I can not see the water from the porch, looking out over the valley, knowing it is down there, and the history around it, can lead to a lot of day dreaming.

Hippy

10 ft rise, yeah that could spoil a trip pretty fast unless you just go with it and make good time down the river (unless its just plain dangerous). If you do the trip in a canoe it would be very easy to plan, so much more room to carry goods. When I originally planned ours it was with 11 days worth of provisions just in case the fishing was good and water flow was poor, but both were not true, so even with taking our time at the beginning of the trip we still easily made it out in 9 days and there were 3 days we were on the water only half the day.

Kelly_B

Awesome Video!!
Brought tears to my eyes during the last song! Just made me feel I was on that trip with you. How wonderful you were able to take a trip like that!!

Hippy

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes I am very fortunate to have done this trip.

aclaimsman

Hippy,

Thanks for posting your video, it brought back many memories of the trips my old friend and me made down the Many Arms of God 27 years ago. Had alot of fun on that river.

Steve

toejam

Wow! That is so cool. I've done most of that but not at one time. Been meaning to someday.

Great job on the video.

Hippy

Thanks Toejam, I have also done about 30 or so miles of the river just south of Lake Granbury (used to live down on Mitchell Bend), I think maybe this winter I will do Granbury to Whitney but just to paddle through, not really taking my time like the first trip.

toejam

Are you thinking about one day or two?

Hippy

Well I just did a quick mileage check and it looks to be about 75 miles from lake to lake. I am still trying to talk myself into trying to do the TWS next year, if I decide to do the TWS then this would make a good 1 day training run otherwise I will probably do it over 2-4 days depending on who came with and such.

toejam

All those bends makes it longer than I was thinking. The time it takes would depend on the flow then. Hollar if you need some company.