I have just been cleared for a 3 day weekend. Little emma is going to visit her favorite cousin abbey ( god bless them) So I can swing it..

This will be fun I promise not the miss the late night swimming this time..

Heather

What's up with a Woman's trip? Is it still happening? I've been trying to drum up business. Betsy (aka Ms. Chief) from Knoxville is interested, possibly some others. Let me know so we can start to plan.

As far as I know it's a go, Cynthia. I haven't spoken with Zina lately, but Heather and I are definitely in and I think Megan is as well. I'm still game for whatever the group wants to do. There is a large contingent that, I believe, may meet us for a Pigeon day-trip run on Saturday.

I'm planning on taking Friday off in order to start the festivities a little early. I'm hoping to somehow get my new boat before the trip. I was going to pick it up this weekend, but they don't have it yet (I ordered it from Rushing water outfitters on the Noli'). They think they'll have it on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Erwin is not really on the way..........to anything............, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do about this yet.

Looking forward to it!

Bethany

I may be able to find someone traveling from Erwin to Asheville that could drop it off at my friend Hadley's house for you. That's a short drive from the Pigeon. Let me make a couple of phone calls and see what I can work out.

Hanley

You da' man, Hanley. Or if someone was traveling from Erwin to Knoxville--that might work.

I'll mow your grass for you if you work this out for me.

Thanks!
Bethany

Hey! What are you saying about my grass? I'll cut it eventually!

I just emailed a friend of mine who is a traveling nurse and a boater. Last I talked to him he had a contract in Kingsport, TN. He lives in Asheville and was traveling up there to work a three day shift, then coming home. He may be the mule we're looking for.

You know, actually, I was thinking about this and if you were to take the back way (there are several different routes but they all pretty much involve getting off I-75 at London or Corbin and heading East through the mountains, emerging at Gate City, VA and heading South on I-26 through Erwin and then Asheville) then it is on your way. Of course, it's about the same time as taking the interstate route to Erwin. Then again, traveling from Erwin to the Pigeon is about the same as making a round trip to Asheville, so I'm not sure if we're actually saving you any significant driving time here.

Anyway, we'll see what Chris says (my nurse friend) and take it from there.

Hanley

Yes, the women's trip is still on -- right now, all we have confirmed is the Pigeon on Saturday, but please put out vibes for some rain, so maybe we can head over to the French Broad for Sunday.
Right now we seem to have Cynthia G., Bethany, Meagan W., Heather, Megan M.? Maybe some more will jump in as the date gets closer.

I'll send an email around for discussing little details.

Zina

Zina, I think all you women may need to do a neked rain dance to appease the Rain Gods before the women's trip next weekend. BTW, I'd be glad to host that if you need a place:-) Meanwhile, check this out:

209 cfs: A new record low for the French Broad -- not just for the day, but for FOREVER New
Forum: BoaterTalk
Date: Aug 08 2008, 0:42 GMT
From: farmschooler

That's right.

In the past few weeks it's often been the lowest level for "that day" (in 112 years of records), but today it hit the lowest ever for any day, any month, any year all the way back to Oct. 7th, 1890 when they started keeping track.

It is a bit tricksie to get to, but you can find a table with the lowest levels recorded for any day of the month from here.

One year had a September 15th with 215 cfs as the lowest ever, but today's 209 cfs is now THE record low of all time.

I could be wrong, but I looked it over good and that's what I found. Can't link to the table directly.

Un-friggin-believable --- more water in the Green at release than in the French Broad right now.

Drainage-wise, Section IX they say drains 1368 sq. miles, and maybe that's from Hot Springs up, so call upstream of the FB at Asheville around half of that (that's roughly what it looks like on the map -- real rough), and you've got 600-700 square miles all told only delivering 209 cfs.

[boatertalk.com]

Ouch. Sounds like we'd have to hike the FB. If it's that dry, the ground would soak up most of the runoff even if it *does* rain.

On the other hand, I read this morning that NOAA has upped its prediction of storms for the rest of the hurricane season, so maybe we can get some to swing our way and drop some liquid goodness....

Hey, last week the Nolichucky surged up to 1000 CFS at the very day and time I needed it, providing an early Christmas Miracle. I hereby bless your trip, hoping that whatever it is I did right in a former life that granted me this great boon, may pass on the same luck to you.

Hanley