Trip 17 Thurs-Sun June 20-23, 2002

Who: Radar, Munchkin, Chunkie, Rooster, Ken Higgins, Jim Tricky, Bumble Bee, Jimmy Minehart, Terry Lingle, Chase Lingle, Tucker

Site: Bravo 5 Tents, Chuck Wagon, Trucks

Menu: Grilled Chicken, coleslaw, P. sausage, hot dogs, ham, breakfast rolls, cookies.

Weather: Fantastic! Highs 90, Lows 60.

Radar, Chunkie and Munchkin arrived and set up camp 6pm Thursday. Lee arrived 11am Friday. Rooster, Ken and Tricky about 2:30pm Friday. Rest about 2pm Saturday. Lee acquired his nickname Bumble Bee this trip.

Our long standing swimming hole upstream from Bravo was filled in with gravel. Found another suitable spot, but not as deep. There were campers at Alpha and Charlie this weekend. This was maiden trip for Ken H. and Jim T. We gave them the grand tour of the area in the back of Radar’s truck Friday evening. Ken made a big mistake by pitching his tent too close behind Chunkie and Radar’s tent. Ken’s snoring volume was the main topic of discussion the next morning. Radar had to leave his tent at 3am when he mistook a tremor caused by the snoring for about a 5.5 quake. The rest of the group got by with earplugs or were too saturated to care. (Radar)

In our efforts to fill Jim and Ken in on some events of the previous trips the story came up of an earlier trip when Munchkin, Rooster and Chunkie were down below the cave cooling it and ran out of beer. While discussing who would walk back to camp to replenish the beer inventory when lo and behold, Chunkie looked up river and said ‘what’s that in the water?’ After a few minutes anticipation here comes a 12 pack of Natural Light floating downstream. Munchkin waded out and intercepted the passing godsend. Not only were we pleasantly surprised to find cold beer come drifting by within reach, but to make it more pleasant, it turned out to be our favorite brand. (Picture Yakov Smirnoff in heavy Russian accent saying, ‘What a country!’) We finally figured out it was our own beer we had tied to a root wad in the river by camp to keep cool. Regardless, it came floating by at a very opportune time. We laughed at our own ignorance for many trips to follow. So far on this trip Chunky has yet to draw blood – an eagerly awaited ritual usually fulfilled in one form or another. (Munchkin)

When we were at Sutton’s Bluff Saturday Bumble Bee did a double back dive off the bluff – 45 feet. Rooster’s ass was puckered but Chunkie said not to worry, he has his own insurance now. The Mayor said he would cook the chicken but he talked Chunkie into doing the cooking. Lee told Jim he would be back to camp at 3 – Jim should know better since he was having dinner fed to him. He finally showed up at 6:30. (Chunkie)

Who: Rooster, Chunkie, Munchkin, Radar, Bumble Bee, ‘Big Boy’
Site: Camp Bravo…Tents,trucks,chalet,open kitchen.
Weather: Cool for June. Lows 50 Highs 75
Menu: Chuck roasts, boston butts, fried & baked taters, breakfasts.

Chunkie and Rooster sat up all night with Mr. McCormick. Chunkie said ‘it’s daylight, I can go back to my Natural Light.’ After 6 quick ones he crossed over to the twighlight zone for a couple of hours. About 10am he jumped in the river and then did his acrobatic one legged routine before taking a couple hour nap. Munchkin had some sleep and didn’t seem very sympathetic to the all night coon watchers.

Bumble Bee and Radar arrived Friday afternoon. Lee was dog sitting his cousin’s dog ‘Big Boy’ and brought him along. Big Boy fit right in and provided some fodder for jokes about the coyotes, etc. Bumble Bee had an underwater and a regular disposable camera.

Denny slept in the passenger seat of his truck. Lee had a flat on his Dodge.

 

Who: Munchkin, Chunkie, Radar, Bumble Bee, Rooster
Site: Camp Bravo
Weather:  Mild and dry.

Menu: Country ribs Sat night.

Had to clean up a big mess left by earlier campers before we could set up camp. Someone had cleaned out their camper and left trash and bedding. Mayor and Chunkie burned out stump after others had left early. No other info logged.

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Who: Rooster, Chunkie, Radar, Munchkin, Bumble Bee
Site: Camp Bravo
Weather: ?
Menu: Chuck Roast, B. Butts, Spuds, Beans, Breakfast stuff.

Highlights:
Rainbow group all around. Denny crossed over to Twilight Zone and came back injured.

At the top of the hill leading in to Cook Spring we noted several piles of rocks arranged articulately with feathers sticking out in different directions. These piles were all along the trail to Camp Alpha. Just before making the final turn we noticed a girl dressed like a 60′s hippie sitting in a car alongside the road. She appeared to be in deep thought. Continuing around the corner there was a sight to behold. Had our favorite spot been overrun by indians?

There were feathers, beads, teepees, campfires and circles of people all over the hillside. That is when we made a decision to relocate to camp Bravo, which has become our favorite site. (Radar)

The drums kept Munchkin awake all night so he went home Saturday morning. Sitting in the river Saturday afternoon Radar was yahooing back and forth with the rainbow crowd downriver. A couple of them stopped and talked. One asked Chunkie if he cared if he lit a joint. Chunkie said ‘as long as you don’t care if I drink this F—ing beer. Everyone having sat across the river for several beers, Rooster decided to go fishing a while to regroup. When he returned Radar had crossed over to the Twilight Zone. Chunkie and Rooster escorted Radar to the swimming hole upstream from camp. Radar fought with a rootwad. Rootwad 3, Radar 0.

Chunkie said ‘ Hey, Y’all watch this’ and dove from the gravel bar into the water. Radar said ‘that’s nothing’ and dove from the water onto the gravel bar and busted his eye. The root wad had also messed up his leg. We got him back to camp and bandaged his head with a red bandana. We made him a crutch from a broken tree limb and took a picture of him sitting by the fire looking like a pirate.   He returned from his mental journey with stories of seeing Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. He thought he caught a glimpse of Jimmy Hoffa, too, while he was crossed over.

Chunkie and Rooster had to follow Radar home and help him in the house the next day. He missed three days work. His new bride, Susan, was really impressed with how much ‘fun’ he had at Black River. (Rooster)

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