Ok, here is a run down of the average trip:

We all meet at the cabin between noon and 6:00 p.m.  No matter what time I tell people to be there several are usually 1-2 hours late.  We take all of our gear and pack it into the truck and trailer.  It is a good idea to have everything in garbage bags or rent dry boxes, getting wet is a guarantee.  Now the great thing is we can bring all the shit we want because we pack it all back in the truck and drive it to the cabin in the morning.  Once we have all of the stuff packed in the truck we gather round for a little speech.  Sometimes ‘awards’ and ‘trophies’ are presented at this time.  Usually receiving one of these means you have become more famous than is generally healthy.  Once this ceremony is finished we pack in the van and truck and head up to Blakenbakers.  Blakenbakers is seven miles up stream from the cabin.  Now some may ask why we no longer camp out at the cabin...see section on 2001.  Once at Blakenbakers we set up camp.  If the water is low we camp on the island.  If the water is high we camp on the shore.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages (do you really like sand in ALL cracks and crevices of your body?). 

The campout can actually be the most exciting part of the trip as everyone is pop and fresh ready to party.  Tons of things happen at the campout.  One new event that has drawn particularly high interest is The Quiz Show.  This will likely become a regular event.  Prizes such as beer coozies and “I Built a Country Log Home” hats are past prizes

The following morning we usually get everything packed up and going before noon.  This is when we take the group photo.  Sometimes we meet the slackers who didn’t camp out at Scott’s Dam, one mile downstream.  We like to tie all of the canoes together to make one large flotilla of fun.  We paddle little and swim alot.  Occasionally some of us chase around after water snakes.  It is like a scence from the Jeff Corwin Experience gone intoxicated.  Damn bravest manuevers I have ever seen get pulled.

The rope swing is the last stop of the trip.  Tom and I rebuilt this agent of doom in 2003.  Unfortunately the rope swing claims at least one victim a year.  She likes broken fingers the best. 

Without giving away too much detail I think this outlines the average trip.  Hope to see you this summer!