All info and discussion for the float trip should go here.

PDF of the Root River route is here:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe_routes/root.pdf

Please chime in on this thread if you will be floating the river on Friday May 9, what type of boat, and how many people. If you have a preference for a longer or shorter route, let us know. Also if paying $15 for a shuttle is too much.

Paddlers: Corey (Kayak), Rich (Kayak), Tabitha (Kayak), JKnuth +1 (2 Kayaks), ESub (Canoe), AvidFly+1 (Canoe), Eric Kol? (Canoe), JK (unknown)

$15 is not bad to get a shuttle.

I have a car that can take two canoes. If we can organize cars we could prolly save a pinch. If I had a trailer hitch for my car I would bring a canoe trailer.

I will see what I can do with this instance. I may find someone that would shuttle and join us out of Winona for a lesser price.


H

I think I'd rather pay $15 rather than leave vehicles on a back road somewhere...but that's just my vote.

E-Sub, if you've got access to a canoe trailer, I have a class C hitch on my truck. That would make all this very easy.

As it is, I can fit 5 boats on my truck (2 canoes on the canoe racks, 3 normal-sized 'yaks in the bed). If that's the case, we won't need the shuttle. I could make two trips, and the people in the first wave could fish the first island they come to until the second wave arrives an hour later, if they want to form a flotilla.

Here's my opinion - we can do it ourselves, in two waves. I will plan on moving boats. I'm coming down Thursday so as soon as boats are prepped I'll haul them. Somebody with a passenger car (anybody drive a van?) will have to shuttle people up with the first truck - probably with boats as well; if we can't leave many vehicles there we'll shuttle the extra back at the start.

I'll plan on leaving my truck at the put-in with the second wave.

I'll pick up a dozen extra canoe straps to make tying on quick and painless. The Racks on my truck extend a bit so in a pinch we could put three on top.

If we have too many boats to move them in two waves then we'll see if we can hire a shuttle.

If people want to launch on their own they're welcome to, but otherwise I'll be hauling boats to the Torkleson access. People that want a longer run could run up to CR 20.

Sound good?

sounds like a plan.
I can fit 5 in my car 6 or 7 if we want to break a few traffic laws :D

Noon - dinner time??

Sounds like a great afternoon to me.

Eat lunch before paddling, eat dinner upon arrival home.

With any luck we will be dry for the float however I am not scared to paddle through a thunderstorm, it just requires that I dawn my polypro and capilene and mentally prepare myself for being wet while on the water and in the water. It would just make me paddle a bit harder.

I can haul 3-4 boats myself. If Tabitha decides not to paddle the fishing outing, this leaves an extra boat and someone who can help shuttle. This is going to be a blast, rain or shine.

Corey, glad to hear you are coming down Thursday. I've felt a weekend is never enough, especially if the fish are biting. I inventoried camping gear last night. Getting ancy.

If need be I have a trailer and minivan that we can hire out of Winona for $30/hour. The trailer can fit 8 boats plus two n the van and 5-7 people. We would still need to shuttle some people.

Let me know. I am coming probably plus one other person and possibly another boat.

H

I have a class 2 hitch, so I can haul a canoe trailer, but no way to carry a canoe on my car. I could help out with the shuttle. I haven't decided yet obout doing the float myself.

we could prolly rent the trailer alone however I do not have a hitch on my Subaru and it would require the hitch person to come to Winona, twice, but it may be worth it, it does sound like between Corey and Rich we can get a ton of boats there and I bet we could pay these guys for gas money in trincuts, fishing weights, hooks, and twinkies.

H

Simpler is better. I say we haul as many boats and people to the drop off site as possible. Then we shuttle the cars back to camp. If we cannot locate enough non-paddlers in our group to get the cars back, then the shuttlers have Eagle Cliff run them back to the launch site. Maybe the 2-3 people involved pay $10-15 per head and the whole group splits the cost. Probably even costs less if we take care of getting the boats there; that way EC doesn't have to bust out the big van with the trailer, they can just run the remaining paddlers up in a car. We might even be able to recruit some of the seasonal campers (in the trailers) to car shuttle for us for a few bucks a vehicle.

Of course, that is exactly what the plan was in Deliverance.

I think renting trailers is more trouble than it's worth, IMHO.

Brian Stewart - Maybe you and your trout cronies would be willing to shuttle a few cars on behalf of the paddlers?

Rich