The short version is that like Robb over at Sharp as a Marble (via Archive.org), I'm not sure the legislation and implementation of the recent Arizona law regarding immigration is the best option.
But I absolutely agree with the intent.
Our immigration system is broken. It needs to be fixed. It also needs to be enforced. People that violate our immigration laws and expect to stay should be deported.
The path to American citizenship begins at an embassy other diplomatic office that is located overseas. Anyone that skips that all important step does not deserve to stay in this country.
And if the federal government will not enforce federal laws.....and make no mistake, the Arizona legislation is based on enforcing federal law....then the states will have to find a way to make that happen.
Here is another view of the subject that is well worth your time.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Trip Report - 4/5/2010 - Vineyard Lake
Not having anyone else to run rivers with, I decided to run out to Vineyard Lake. They have a county park on the north side of the lake. The other advantage was that I have been looking at making the run from Vineyard Lake down to Norvell on the Raisin River. The park makes a good starting point.
I decided to take Wolf Lake Road south of Austin Road even though it isn't paved. It turns out that Wolf Lake Road goes over the part of the river where I was paddling a few weeks back. I had a good chance to scout out the rest of the Raisin below the Brooklyn Dam. I had not seen that stretch of the river before. For the most part it is wide open with the river running free. There maybe some dead falls closer to town. What I could see looked like a great paddle.
The boat launch at the county park is serviceable enough. Pay attention to where the deep spot is when you leave as it will make your return that much easier.
I immediately headed for the southernmost part of the lake. The paddling was easy enough until I cleared the peninsula. Then all hell broke loose.
The wind was blowing enough to make a few whitecaps on the lake. This is not a big lake. It takes a bit of wind to make anything happen. So it was really blowing that day. Even though most of the waves were not whitecaps, they were large enough to make paddling difficult when they kept hitting you from the side.
The waves were hitting me from the side. Paddling was difficult. You had to time your stroke so that you were dipping into a wave instead of air. Paddles are more effective when you put them in water.
From time to time I had to stop and wait for the waves to get into the right pattern. And I slowly made my way south.
I eventually decided that I had received enough abuse. I turned to the west and the houses at the end of Rosa Rita about the time that the houses ended on the eastern shore of the lake came to an end. At least that way I had a chance of taking the waves head on instead of from the side.
That worked reasonably well until I got to the western side of the lake. I thought I would be protected from the wind on that side. For a while I was protected....until the wind shifted around to coming from the north.
Sigh. Did you ever get the feeling that you was being watched?
Paddling up the west side of the lake, I saw a few muskrats and a couple ducks. The amazing sight was the flock of swans. There were ten swans swimming in a group. I had intended to pass on the outside of the flock, but they had other plans. Instead they swam right into my planned course. So I shifted to the left and passed between the shore and the swans.
Eventually, a couple of them got perturbed enough that they took to the air. Swans usually look so quiet and graceful. But when they are taking off they are the most gangly and uncoordinated looking bird. Their wings flap not quite at the same time. Their feet flap so that it looks like they are running on the surface of the water. Their heads bob all around.
Just before they really get into the air, you would swear that they are about to say "screw it" and plop back into the water. But eventually they get free from the water and their quiet grace returns with a few flaps of those mighty wings.
There were a couple more swans at the northwest end of the lake. I think I counted 12 to 15 swans during my paddle.
There is a small marsh that separates the larger lake from the small portion to the northwest. I think I scared up a couple of nice sized lunkers while I was skirting the edge of the reeds.
Up in the smaller portion I found a nice sized flock of Canadian geese. I don't think any of them had eggs, as they all left their nests on the shoreline as I passed. But boy were they noisy.
I'll probably be the subject of discussion...again....at the next meeting of the United Brotherhood of Waterfowl.
The outflow of the Raisin is located at the north end of the lake. The channel there is pretty narrow. The water was up when I made this run, but later in the year it may be hard to get through some areas. I checked out the outflow from the bridge after I was done paddling. There is a very short dam. There was enough water flowing over it on that day that I could have coasted over it smoothly. It probably isn't that easy later in the summer.
The return trip along the inside of the lake was mostly uneventful. A few waves where I was exposed to the wind and easy paddling when I was downwind of the peninsula.
Total time for the trip was 1 hour 50 minutes. I estimate the mileage at 4.2 which makes my speed about 2.3 mph. Not bad given all the wind.
I decided to take Wolf Lake Road south of Austin Road even though it isn't paved. It turns out that Wolf Lake Road goes over the part of the river where I was paddling a few weeks back. I had a good chance to scout out the rest of the Raisin below the Brooklyn Dam. I had not seen that stretch of the river before. For the most part it is wide open with the river running free. There maybe some dead falls closer to town. What I could see looked like a great paddle.
The boat launch at the county park is serviceable enough. Pay attention to where the deep spot is when you leave as it will make your return that much easier.
I immediately headed for the southernmost part of the lake. The paddling was easy enough until I cleared the peninsula. Then all hell broke loose.
The wind was blowing enough to make a few whitecaps on the lake. This is not a big lake. It takes a bit of wind to make anything happen. So it was really blowing that day. Even though most of the waves were not whitecaps, they were large enough to make paddling difficult when they kept hitting you from the side.
The waves were hitting me from the side. Paddling was difficult. You had to time your stroke so that you were dipping into a wave instead of air. Paddles are more effective when you put them in water.
From time to time I had to stop and wait for the waves to get into the right pattern. And I slowly made my way south.
I eventually decided that I had received enough abuse. I turned to the west and the houses at the end of Rosa Rita about the time that the houses ended on the eastern shore of the lake came to an end. At least that way I had a chance of taking the waves head on instead of from the side.
That worked reasonably well until I got to the western side of the lake. I thought I would be protected from the wind on that side. For a while I was protected....until the wind shifted around to coming from the north.
Sigh. Did you ever get the feeling that you was being watched?
Paddling up the west side of the lake, I saw a few muskrats and a couple ducks. The amazing sight was the flock of swans. There were ten swans swimming in a group. I had intended to pass on the outside of the flock, but they had other plans. Instead they swam right into my planned course. So I shifted to the left and passed between the shore and the swans.
Eventually, a couple of them got perturbed enough that they took to the air. Swans usually look so quiet and graceful. But when they are taking off they are the most gangly and uncoordinated looking bird. Their wings flap not quite at the same time. Their feet flap so that it looks like they are running on the surface of the water. Their heads bob all around.
Just before they really get into the air, you would swear that they are about to say "screw it" and plop back into the water. But eventually they get free from the water and their quiet grace returns with a few flaps of those mighty wings.
There were a couple more swans at the northwest end of the lake. I think I counted 12 to 15 swans during my paddle.
There is a small marsh that separates the larger lake from the small portion to the northwest. I think I scared up a couple of nice sized lunkers while I was skirting the edge of the reeds.
Up in the smaller portion I found a nice sized flock of Canadian geese. I don't think any of them had eggs, as they all left their nests on the shoreline as I passed. But boy were they noisy.
I'll probably be the subject of discussion...again....at the next meeting of the United Brotherhood of Waterfowl.
The outflow of the Raisin is located at the north end of the lake. The channel there is pretty narrow. The water was up when I made this run, but later in the year it may be hard to get through some areas. I checked out the outflow from the bridge after I was done paddling. There is a very short dam. There was enough water flowing over it on that day that I could have coasted over it smoothly. It probably isn't that easy later in the summer.
The return trip along the inside of the lake was mostly uneventful. A few waves where I was exposed to the wind and easy paddling when I was downwind of the peninsula.
Total time for the trip was 1 hour 50 minutes. I estimate the mileage at 4.2 which makes my speed about 2.3 mph. Not bad given all the wind.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Why Pick On The Little Guy?
This news story has been making the rounds. It points out some of the flaws in Massachusetts health care reform that was put in place a few years ago while Mitt Romney was governor. Many of the problems currently being experienced in the Bay State will also be problems under the health care "reform" law that Mr. Obama signed recently. There are more than a few tidbits worth reading.
What has my dander up is this:
So they stuck small business owners with the problem. Not big businesses with huge insurance pools like General Electric, a major employer in Massachusetts. Not the state government with its huge pool of employees and retirees. They screwed small business owners.
Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy. Larger businesses are fine. They certainly add quite a bit to the economy as well, but small businesses provide the largest pool of jobs to those of us that need them.
And the politicians decided to screw them over by dumping the irregularly insured into their insurance pool.
The number four reason not to trust politicians is because they haven't figured out that you shouldn't piss in the river upstream from where you get your drinking water. This is just the latest illustration of that fact.
What has my dander up is this:
When state lawmakers overhauled the health care system in 2006, they combined into a single insurance pool consumers who buy coverage on their own with those who get insurance through their jobs at small businesses that employ 50 or fewer people. The aim was to make insurance more affordable for the individuals buying coverage on their own, who tended to be sicker and therefore had been paying very high premiums. And the hope was that having small businesses and their workers absorb some of the cost of covering this group would raise their premiums only modestly.
So they stuck small business owners with the problem. Not big businesses with huge insurance pools like General Electric, a major employer in Massachusetts. Not the state government with its huge pool of employees and retirees. They screwed small business owners.
Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy. Larger businesses are fine. They certainly add quite a bit to the economy as well, but small businesses provide the largest pool of jobs to those of us that need them.
And the politicians decided to screw them over by dumping the irregularly insured into their insurance pool.
The number four reason not to trust politicians is because they haven't figured out that you shouldn't piss in the river upstream from where you get your drinking water. This is just the latest illustration of that fact.
Bow To Who?
Or was that Hu?
I am more than slightly skeptical of photographs of President Obama bowing to just about everyone except the janitor when he meets foreign dignitaries. As we saw with the photo of him supposedly leering at some young woman a while back, the truth as demonstrated on video is that he wasn't doing anything wrong.
Although Carla Bruni might have had a few words with Nicholas Sarcozy over his bit of butt gazing.
I should also add that other Presidents, including Republican Presidents, have been caught on film doing a little bowing every now and then.
Still, the incident with the King of Saudi Arabia is pretty clear. The one with the Emperor of Japan is also pretty straightforward.
These serial incidents suggest that this is something more than just rare actions occurring within the diplomatic realm. Coupled with his series of apology speeches, they suggest that he views American influence as being harmful in the world.
Rather than extending a hand to others in their quest for freedom and equality on the world stage, Mr. Obama seems a bit embarrassed that we enjoy those "blessings of liberty".
Two leaders bowing in a culturally appropriate ceremony isn't troublesome. When one bows and the other doesn't return it, then we have grade A problem.
Mr. Obama's handlers should know that. The fact that the problem hasn't gone away suggests that they and he do not.
I am more than slightly skeptical of photographs of President Obama bowing to just about everyone except the janitor when he meets foreign dignitaries. As we saw with the photo of him supposedly leering at some young woman a while back, the truth as demonstrated on video is that he wasn't doing anything wrong.
Although Carla Bruni might have had a few words with Nicholas Sarcozy over his bit of butt gazing.
I should also add that other Presidents, including Republican Presidents, have been caught on film doing a little bowing every now and then.
Still, the incident with the King of Saudi Arabia is pretty clear. The one with the Emperor of Japan is also pretty straightforward.
These serial incidents suggest that this is something more than just rare actions occurring within the diplomatic realm. Coupled with his series of apology speeches, they suggest that he views American influence as being harmful in the world.
Rather than extending a hand to others in their quest for freedom and equality on the world stage, Mr. Obama seems a bit embarrassed that we enjoy those "blessings of liberty".
Two leaders bowing in a culturally appropriate ceremony isn't troublesome. When one bows and the other doesn't return it, then we have grade A problem.
Mr. Obama's handlers should know that. The fact that the problem hasn't gone away suggests that they and he do not.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Reason 3,984 Not To Listen to Paul Krugman.....About Anything
Mr. Krugman recently responded to those that are pointing out that almost half of all Americans pay no income tax. It is a fact that roughly 47% of Americans pay no income taxes at all. Yet what is the basis for Mr. Krugman's rejoinder? Social Security [or FICA] taxes.
Apparently Mr. Krugman didn't do well in forensics class. We are discussing income taxes not total taxes.
Mr. Krugman apparently didn't do well in basic economics class either. I find that a bit surprising given the area of expertise for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize.
The fact is that your total Social Security tax rate must include any Social Security benefits that you may receive. Currently, the vast majority of retirees have a negative Social Security tax rate. Put another way, they receive more in benefits during retirement than they paid in taxes over their working lifetime.
Special note for those of us under 50. The Social Security system is $8trillion in the hole. Don't expect to get the same sort of benefits when you retire.
Apparently Mr. Krugman didn't do well in forensics class. We are discussing income taxes not total taxes.
Mr. Krugman apparently didn't do well in basic economics class either. I find that a bit surprising given the area of expertise for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize.
The fact is that your total Social Security tax rate must include any Social Security benefits that you may receive. Currently, the vast majority of retirees have a negative Social Security tax rate. Put another way, they receive more in benefits during retirement than they paid in taxes over their working lifetime.
Special note for those of us under 50. The Social Security system is $8trillion in the hole. Don't expect to get the same sort of benefits when you retire.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Magical Photography
Cut 'Em Off, They've Had Enough Already
Why do we have an expensive system for collecting taxes? Because an inexpensive one gives politicians less power.
Taxes, It Is Always About Taxes
From Rasmussen comes this poll;
Also in the poll, most of the polled people think you shouldn't have to pay more than 10% in federal taxes. Given that we pay more than 15% just in FICA and Medicare taxes, 10% would be a much better figure.
Sadly unsurprising is the conclusion that most of our political class does not think that taxes are too high. I guess taxes can never be too high when you are controlling and living off of the government teat.
Sixty-six percent (66%) believe that America is overtaxed. Only 25% disagree.The poll reveals some interesting and erroneous beliefs about how much we pay in taxes as well as where it goes. I think a lot of that can be explained by people being unwilling...or perhaps unable....to differentiate between a federal tax and a state tax. If you are paying higher state taxes to fund a federally mandated program, then there really isn't much of a difference in which taxing authority you are satisfying.
Lower income voters are more likely than others to believe the nation is overtaxed.
Not surprisingly, the tax issue provokes a wide gap between the Political Class and Mainstream Americans. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Mainstream American voters believe the nation is overtaxed, while 74% of those in the Political Class disagree
...
Just 23% of voters favor a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Also in the poll, most of the polled people think you shouldn't have to pay more than 10% in federal taxes. Given that we pay more than 15% just in FICA and Medicare taxes, 10% would be a much better figure.
Sadly unsurprising is the conclusion that most of our political class does not think that taxes are too high. I guess taxes can never be too high when you are controlling and living off of the government teat.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Bullet Proof T-Shirt
Made out of a common cotton t-shirt. Pretty cool.
Except as one commenter noted, a single such shirt would probably result in a bullet wrapped in a bullet proof t-shirt embedded in your chest. Layers will be required.
But it is still pretty cool.
Except as one commenter noted, a single such shirt would probably result in a bullet wrapped in a bullet proof t-shirt embedded in your chest. Layers will be required.
But it is still pretty cool.
Friday, April 9, 2010
How Is This For Government Efficiency
A parking ticket. Forty seconds after pulling into your parking spot.
A parking ticket. You get out, close your door, retrieve your briefcase from the trunk, grab the $8 to pay for your parking, and you already have a parking ticket.
A parking ticket.
A parking ticket. You get out, close your door, retrieve your briefcase from the trunk, grab the $8 to pay for your parking, and you already have a parking ticket.
A parking ticket.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Lewis B. Puller
"After watching a Marine raise the flag over the American Consulate in Oct 1950, as fighting still raged in Seoul, Korea, an Army officer growled something about Marines would rather carry a flag into battle than a rifle. Then - Col Lewis B. "CHESTY" Puller replied, "A man with a flag in his pack and the desire to put it on an enemy strongpoint isn't likely to bug out."
Courtesy of Leatherneck Magazine and via Sgt. Grit News
Courtesy of Leatherneck Magazine and via Sgt. Grit News
SR-71 Blackbird - Speed Unbound
Gizmodo has excerpts from Air Force Major Brian Shul's out of print book about flying the mighty Blackbird.
There are other, more serious, tales to read as well.
One day, high above Arizona , we were monitoring the radio traffic of all the mortal airplanes below us. First, a Cessna pilot asked the air traffic controllers to check his ground speed. 'Ninety knots,' ATC replied. A twin Bonanza soon made the same request. 'One-twenty on the ground,' was the reply. To our surprise, a navy F-18 came over the radio with a ground speed check. I knew exactly what he was doing. Of course, he had a ground speed indicator in his cockpit, but he wanted to let all the bug-smashers in the valley know what real speed was 'Dusty 52, we show you at 620 on the ground,' ATC responded. The situation was too ripe. I heard the click of Walter's mike button in the rear seat. In his most innocent voice, Walter startled the controller by asking for a ground speed check from 81,000 feet, clearly above controlled airspace. In a cool, professional voice, the controller replied, ' Aspen 20, I show you at 1,982 knots on the ground.' We did not hear another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast.Not that the trip to the coast from Arizona takes all that long when flying at 1,982 knots.
There are other, more serious, tales to read as well.
Another Photographic Journey
I love photographs. I even have some modest experience with photography. Years ago I owned a Fujica 100% manual 35mm camera. I played around with it quite a bit. I even managed to take a few memorable photos.
I use a digital camera these days. Nothing ostentatious. Also nothing with the ability to change lenses, use filters, or otherwise manipulate the image.
I came across the work of George Zimbel courtesy of a rarely read blog. His collection of photos from Bourbon Street in New Orleans from 1955 are tremendous. His collection of Marilyn Monroe shot at that scene from "The Seven Year Itch"....if you don't know the one I'm talking about, then you probably shouldn't look....is also great. Photos of Carol Channing, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Helen Keller can be seen in his Les Femmes collection.
Take the time to look around. You won't be disappointed.
There are times when I feel like I have missed my calling. Viewing Mr. Zimbel's work is one of those times.
I use a digital camera these days. Nothing ostentatious. Also nothing with the ability to change lenses, use filters, or otherwise manipulate the image.
I came across the work of George Zimbel courtesy of a rarely read blog. His collection of photos from Bourbon Street in New Orleans from 1955 are tremendous. His collection of Marilyn Monroe shot at that scene from "The Seven Year Itch"....if you don't know the one I'm talking about, then you probably shouldn't look....is also great. Photos of Carol Channing, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Helen Keller can be seen in his Les Femmes collection.
Take the time to look around. You won't be disappointed.
There are times when I feel like I have missed my calling. Viewing Mr. Zimbel's work is one of those times.
Rationing And Death Panels
David Leonhardt has an article in the NYTimes about the coming changes in health care. He focuses on the purported savings to be realized by both the Medicare innovation center and a Medicare oversight board. The former now has the legal teeth to determine which treatments are available for which patients/conditions. The latter is supposed to have the authority to tell doctors how much they can charge for a given procedure.
Mr. Leonhardt advocates rationing health care and using the force of government to prevent patients from obtaining treatment.
Rationing.....although Mr. Leonhardt only uses that word once and then only to suggest that it is an inaccurate description.
Rationing. A common and dominant feature where ever national health care is practiced.
For those that scoffed at the idea of "death panels", now you know their true name; Medicare innovation center.
No, Mr. Leonhardt. The insurer's rationale for denying a claim has the faint ring of one's government declaring by edict that you are not eligible to receive life saving treatment. At least when an insurer says "no", patients can appeal, speak to regulatory agencies, or even hold a community fund raiser. What do patients do when the government declares it illegal for them to receive treatment?
The most significant step may be when an insurer refuses to cover a procedure. But it is not necessarily the last one. People in a free country always have options.
At least, we used to.
Mr. Leonhardt advocates rationing health care and using the force of government to prevent patients from obtaining treatment.
From an economic perspective, health reform will fail if we can't sometimes push back against the try-anything instinct. The new agencies will be hounded by accusations of rationing, and Medicare’s long-term budget deficit will grow.
So figuring out how we can say no may be the single toughest and most important task facing the people who will be in charge of carrying out reform. "Being able to say no," Dr. Alan Garber of Stanford says, "is the heart of the issue."
Rationing.....although Mr. Leonhardt only uses that word once and then only to suggest that it is an inaccurate description.
Rationing. A common and dominant feature where ever national health care is practiced.
For those that scoffed at the idea of "death panels", now you know their true name; Medicare innovation center.
But I suspect that these arguments won't be persuasive. They have the faint ring of an insurer’s rationale for denying a claim.
No, Mr. Leonhardt. The insurer's rationale for denying a claim has the faint ring of one's government declaring by edict that you are not eligible to receive life saving treatment. At least when an insurer says "no", patients can appeal, speak to regulatory agencies, or even hold a community fund raiser. What do patients do when the government declares it illegal for them to receive treatment?
The most significant step may be when an insurer refuses to cover a procedure. But it is not necessarily the last one. People in a free country always have options.
At least, we used to.
Monday, April 5, 2010
What Regime?
I am more than a little disappointed that Mr. Limbaugh has decided to use the 'r' word in association with the Obama Administration. Disappointed, but probably not very surprised.
What is surprising is the number of people taking time out of their day to vilify Mr. Limbaugh for using a term that was routinely used in reference to Mr. Obama's predecessor; including Chris Matthews.
Perhaps if everyone just throttled back just a bit on the rhetoric, we all might have a chance to resolve something meaningful.
What is surprising is the number of people taking time out of their day to vilify Mr. Limbaugh for using a term that was routinely used in reference to Mr. Obama's predecessor; including Chris Matthews.
Perhaps if everyone just throttled back just a bit on the rhetoric, we all might have a chance to resolve something meaningful.
Bloggers Or The NY Times.....Gullibility and Humourlessness On Parade
It seems that a bunch of lawyers decided to see if they punk the political blogging world. Their bias is laid bare by this little opening bon mot:
That isn't always the case with the legacy media.
So can you guess who bit and who didn't?
Fact checking hasn't always been the strong suit of this community.Except that isn't true. It is true that you can find almost anyone saying almost anything via blogs. But you will usually find fact checking and correction following closely behind if something is amiss. Very closely...
That isn't always the case with the legacy media.
So can you guess who bit and who didn't?
Jim Carrey And The Social Security "Lock Box"
An interpretive presentation. Hat tip to the blogfather.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Trip Report - 4/2/2010 - VCL to ESP....Again
After a very busy weekend, I finally have a few moments to report on my latest aquatic adventure. An early morning outing with my newest kayak buddy, Kat.
The total time of the trip was 2 hours. We finally got started at about 8:30 AM. The temperature was 60 degrees and warming as the day progressed. The total time for the run was 2 hours. I am estimating the distance at 5 miles; which makes our speed about 2.5 mph. Much quicker than the run I made with Denis and Jamie last August.
The most significant contributor to our speed was water. Although the gauge downstream had the depth at a little over 9 1/2 feet, it was not the same 9 1/2 feet that we paddled through last August. If you are interested in making this run, then the best time to make it is now. It will be much harder once the marshes have emptied.
The second factor was lily pads. There weren't any. Which made a couple of the marshy areas much easier to manage.
We began with a brief lesson for me. Don't launch a kayak from a public beach area. Use the boat launch areas. Apparently trouble with law enforcement can ensue. I mention that as I was unloading my yak in the park area when I saw a car with a yak in the back drive by the park and eventually end up over at the boat dock which I correctly assumed was Kat. Rather than pack everything back up, I just paddled over to get things started.
We decided to shuttle cars to ease a graceful conclusion to our adventure. By the time we were really ready, our 8 AM start time had slid to 8:30.
Vandercook Lake was almost perfectly still. The biggest waves being made were the result of our kayaks cutting through the almost glasslike surface.
One reason why I really like this run is that you have to paddle across two lakes before you get to any real flowing water. That means you get quite a nice workout followed by an easy run with the river.
The first noticeably easier spot was under the bridge for Browns Lake Road. Where our yaks had ground through the sand at the entrance to Browns Lake last summer, this time we slid through with nary a sound from the lake bottom.
Towards the end of Browns Lake and on through Williams Lake and beyond I discovered the additional delight of paddling with Kat. She is a birder. Where I saw feathers, a bill, and webbed feet and said "duck", she saw Mergansers.
It was a treat to travel with someone that could identify so many different types of birds.
I am certain that we will be discussed at the next United Brotherhood of Waterfowl meeting. We followed several pairs of geese and ducks at various times along the way. The Canadian geese were the most timid, most vocal, and most irritated with our presence. We got quite close to a couple of mergansers and one wood duck along the way.
We also had several encounters with deer. Most of the time we saw them just in time to see their fluffy white tails bobbing away through the woods. One pair launched away from us only to stop at the top of a nearby road. A safe distance from the obvious threat of a pair of kayakers, but not necessarily safe from vehicular traffic.
The most striking encounter with deer occurred in a marshy area. There two deer stood still as statues, except for their heads which slowly turned to follow our course past where they were standing perhaps 30 feet away. Their fur blended in with the woods and the reeds so that they might have been ghosts rather than deer. A little more splashing or talking and I supposed they would have gone running.
Most of the serious dead falls remained pretty much the same as our encounter from last August. They were mostly easier to deal with due to the extra water that was flowing along. Most of the time we just cruised right over the trees.
There is one new dead fall that comes right after the river bends towards and then sharply away from Wyckoff Lake. Kat managed to get a picture of your devoted correspondent as he slid his graceful, if somewhat pudgy, frame under this particular bit of blockage.
That bend is also noticeable as that is were the river runs through someone's back yard. Whoever designed the home appears to have been inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. Stone steps lead down not just to the water's edge, but right down into it. Had we known the owners, we might have disembarked on their submerged steps and joined them for brunch. As it was no one was there to greet us as we passed.
There is a concrete footbridge that passes over the stream. A bit of stonework also graces the opposite shore lending the appearance of a calm pool rather than a way point along a rushing river.
Two of the more significant obstacles on this stretch of river are a pair of dams. One is a metal sea wall structure that totally blocks the river. The other is more like half of a dam. It seems as if they only wanted to take out enough of the dam to lower the water level a bit, but did not want to invest enough time and/or money to totally remove it.
We had to bump and scrape across both last summer. This time we sailed over both with hardly any effort. About the only thing we really needed to do was to paddle fast enough to keep the current from turning us sideways to the current.
The sea wall dam was no big deal, even though it had the larger drop. The half a dam was another thing. I started off too far to the right when I should have just shot the center gap. As a result, I ended up running next to a brush pile in a rather ungraceful manner.
Or at least I think so. You be the judge.
Ah yes. Grace under pressure.
Our last run-in with the locals came close to the end of our trip. There the river widens to incorporate a small pond. The outflow from there is narrow as the river runs around a very small bit of land that juts out. A Canadian goose had elected to build her nest at the end of this miniature promontory. Had we wanted to, it would have been no problem at all to have touched her nest with our paddles as we passed by. Kat attempted a photograph but could not get a good shot before the current pulled her past.
I just keep looking out for one really pissed off goose.
We stopped for a brief chat with a couple that were crossing the bridge at Probert Road. Shortly thereafter we made our way to the end of our run.
My thanks to Kat for having me along. If I had but one word to describe our adventure, I would use 'delightful'.
The map from last summer.
View Trip 6 - Vandercook Lake to Ella Sharp Park in a larger map
The total time of the trip was 2 hours. We finally got started at about 8:30 AM. The temperature was 60 degrees and warming as the day progressed. The total time for the run was 2 hours. I am estimating the distance at 5 miles; which makes our speed about 2.5 mph. Much quicker than the run I made with Denis and Jamie last August.
The most significant contributor to our speed was water. Although the gauge downstream had the depth at a little over 9 1/2 feet, it was not the same 9 1/2 feet that we paddled through last August. If you are interested in making this run, then the best time to make it is now. It will be much harder once the marshes have emptied.
The second factor was lily pads. There weren't any. Which made a couple of the marshy areas much easier to manage.
We began with a brief lesson for me. Don't launch a kayak from a public beach area. Use the boat launch areas. Apparently trouble with law enforcement can ensue. I mention that as I was unloading my yak in the park area when I saw a car with a yak in the back drive by the park and eventually end up over at the boat dock which I correctly assumed was Kat. Rather than pack everything back up, I just paddled over to get things started.
We decided to shuttle cars to ease a graceful conclusion to our adventure. By the time we were really ready, our 8 AM start time had slid to 8:30.
Vandercook Lake was almost perfectly still. The biggest waves being made were the result of our kayaks cutting through the almost glasslike surface.
One reason why I really like this run is that you have to paddle across two lakes before you get to any real flowing water. That means you get quite a nice workout followed by an easy run with the river.
The first noticeably easier spot was under the bridge for Browns Lake Road. Where our yaks had ground through the sand at the entrance to Browns Lake last summer, this time we slid through with nary a sound from the lake bottom.
Towards the end of Browns Lake and on through Williams Lake and beyond I discovered the additional delight of paddling with Kat. She is a birder. Where I saw feathers, a bill, and webbed feet and said "duck", she saw Mergansers.
It was a treat to travel with someone that could identify so many different types of birds.
I am certain that we will be discussed at the next United Brotherhood of Waterfowl meeting. We followed several pairs of geese and ducks at various times along the way. The Canadian geese were the most timid, most vocal, and most irritated with our presence. We got quite close to a couple of mergansers and one wood duck along the way.
We also had several encounters with deer. Most of the time we saw them just in time to see their fluffy white tails bobbing away through the woods. One pair launched away from us only to stop at the top of a nearby road. A safe distance from the obvious threat of a pair of kayakers, but not necessarily safe from vehicular traffic.
The most striking encounter with deer occurred in a marshy area. There two deer stood still as statues, except for their heads which slowly turned to follow our course past where they were standing perhaps 30 feet away. Their fur blended in with the woods and the reeds so that they might have been ghosts rather than deer. A little more splashing or talking and I supposed they would have gone running.
Most of the serious dead falls remained pretty much the same as our encounter from last August. They were mostly easier to deal with due to the extra water that was flowing along. Most of the time we just cruised right over the trees.
There is one new dead fall that comes right after the river bends towards and then sharply away from Wyckoff Lake. Kat managed to get a picture of your devoted correspondent as he slid his graceful, if somewhat pudgy, frame under this particular bit of blockage.
That bend is also noticeable as that is were the river runs through someone's back yard. Whoever designed the home appears to have been inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. Stone steps lead down not just to the water's edge, but right down into it. Had we known the owners, we might have disembarked on their submerged steps and joined them for brunch. As it was no one was there to greet us as we passed.
There is a concrete footbridge that passes over the stream. A bit of stonework also graces the opposite shore lending the appearance of a calm pool rather than a way point along a rushing river.
Two of the more significant obstacles on this stretch of river are a pair of dams. One is a metal sea wall structure that totally blocks the river. The other is more like half of a dam. It seems as if they only wanted to take out enough of the dam to lower the water level a bit, but did not want to invest enough time and/or money to totally remove it.
We had to bump and scrape across both last summer. This time we sailed over both with hardly any effort. About the only thing we really needed to do was to paddle fast enough to keep the current from turning us sideways to the current.
The sea wall dam was no big deal, even though it had the larger drop. The half a dam was another thing. I started off too far to the right when I should have just shot the center gap. As a result, I ended up running next to a brush pile in a rather ungraceful manner.
Or at least I think so. You be the judge.
Ah yes. Grace under pressure.
Our last run-in with the locals came close to the end of our trip. There the river widens to incorporate a small pond. The outflow from there is narrow as the river runs around a very small bit of land that juts out. A Canadian goose had elected to build her nest at the end of this miniature promontory. Had we wanted to, it would have been no problem at all to have touched her nest with our paddles as we passed by. Kat attempted a photograph but could not get a good shot before the current pulled her past.
I just keep looking out for one really pissed off goose.
We stopped for a brief chat with a couple that were crossing the bridge at Probert Road. Shortly thereafter we made our way to the end of our run.
My thanks to Kat for having me along. If I had but one word to describe our adventure, I would use 'delightful'.
The map from last summer.
View Trip 6 - Vandercook Lake to Ella Sharp Park in a larger map
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