Kayak and Canoe
Trip, Locust Fork River
Details: A fun Southeastern Outings kayak
and canoe trip on Section 1 of the Locust Fork River in Blount County. This stretch, which several of us have
canoed previously, is fairly easy and without classified rapids. Along the river we’ll see wildflowers and
stop to investigate islands and beaches.
Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip,
but each one must be partnered with
an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
Please note that for this trip you may rent one person
sit-upon plastic kayaks and paddles for $30 each from Eric Nolen. Rental fees include life jackets and shuttle
service. Also the outfitter will charge
a $10 fee for all private boats be they canoes or kayaks used on this
outing.
If you wish to rent a boat from Eric Nolen, please call
the outfitter BEFORE July 1 at 205/429-5455 to reserve your boat. Tell the outfitter you are boating with
Southeastern Outings. Please note that the outfitter has only 70
one-person kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their solo kayaks are reserved for
July 1, there will be no more kayaks available to rent!
If you want to rent
a canoe for this outing, we suggest that you contact UAB Outdoor Pursuits. See UAB canoe rental note below for more information. You will also be required to pay a shuttle
fee to the outfitter if you bring on this trip a boat rented from UAB Outdoor
Pursuits.
For more essential information about this trip, please see
Note for Canoe Trips at the end of this announcement.
Depart 9:00 a.m. from the Cleveland Chevron Service
Station.
Reservations
Required: You are
required to contact Dan Frederick by email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call
205/631-4680 if you plan to come on this canoe/kayak trip. Please advise your name, telephone number,
skill level, whether you are bringing a canoe or kayak and whether you need a
paddling partner. You may leave a
message on Dan’s answering machine if you wish.
Info: If you have further questions, please contact Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.
Note for Kayak and
Canoe Trips
The kayak and canoe outing listed above is suitable for
beginner/novice canoeists and kayakers, but each beginner canoeist must
paddle with an experienced canoeist.
Life jackets are required and must be worn. You are responsible for finding your own boat. Bring your own boat, borrow one, paddle with
a friend, or rent from the outfitter listed or from UAB Outdoor Pursuits,
205/996-4913.
If you want to come
on an SEO kayak and canoe trip AND you are renting a boat from the outfitter at
the site of the trip, you are required to call BOTH the outfitter to
reserve your boat AND ALSO contact the trip leader, too, and notify
him/her that you are coming! No
exceptions! No ifs, ands or buts!
Two people just showed up for a river trip we had in 2015
without notifying the leader that they were coming. This created considerable confusion and delay. The outfitter had to make a second trip from
the put in back to his office and bring two more boats to the put in because
the total number of people who showed up that morning was two more than the
number which the leader had given to the outfitter the day before. Please don’t let this happen again!
Please
bring in the boat your picnic lunch, something to drink, and a towel. Put your
belongings in a waterproof dry bag in the boat. Wear old shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work
well). Also bring at least 6 feet of
sturdy cord to tie up your canoe if you don’t already have it attached to your
own canoe or especially if you are renting a canoe. If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.
When you make your reservation with the trip leader,
please be absolutely certain to provide ALL
of the following information:
1. Whether you want to kayak or canoe
2. Whether you are renting a boat
from the outfitter or bringing your own boat
3. Your name
4. Your telephone number or email
address
5. If you are also making a
reservation for someone else coming with you, please give the NAME of that
person. Don’t just say, “My daughter,
my friend, my wife”.
6. If you are canoeing, please give
your skill level.
7. If you have already selected a
canoe partner and you are making a reservation for your partner, too, please
give the name and skill level of your partner.
8. Please do NOT just show up at the meeting place without making an
advance reservation!!
9. And if you have made a reservation to participate and then decide to
cancel, please be absolutely sure to call and notify the trip leader. Don’t just tell your friend if you intend to
cancel!!
UAB Canoe Rental Info: UAB will rent two-person aluminum canoes for
$20/day and two-person ABS Royalex canoes for $30.00 per day. All
rentals include two paddles and two life jackets plus racks (foam blocks and
straps). Pick up and drop off at Campus Recreation Center, 1501
University Boulevard. Go to the back of the Recreation Center, ring
the doorbell under the green awning at the single person door, or call the Outdoor
Rental Outpost number on your cell phone, and they'll open the garage door
for you. Parking behind the Recreation Center is for loading only. Do not park
in one of the five designated spaces. These are reserved for permit holders.
Hours: M & F 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tue, Wed, Thu 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.;
Sat. 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Sun. 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To incur charge
for only one day for Saturday canoe trips, please pick up your canoe Friday
between 4-6 p.m. and drop it off between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sunday.
Staff may be available to assist in loading and unloading your
boat. We suggest that you call to be sure the office is staffed before
you drive over to pick up your rented canoe. UAB is not responsible for
the safety and security of the boat in your possession or on your vehicle at
any time during the rental.
Please note that you may pay for (using your credit or
debit card) and therefore reserve your rental boat in advance via phone at (205) 996-4913 during the office hours given above
up to 2 weeks in advance. Then you may pick up your boat the afternoon before
the day of use and be sure your boat will be available. UAB Outdoor
Pursuits website address is:
JULY 4, TUESDAY,
6:30 p.m.
Picnic
Where: Bartow Arena Park
Details: Please bring your own blanket or
chairs and all your picnic supplies: food, drinks (no alcohol, please), cups,
ice, utensils, etc. Look for the SEO
signs. SEO people will assemble to the
right of the dragon statue (as you face the band) right where the grass ends
and the concrete floor leading to the entrance to the arena begins. Look for the Southeastern Outings sign. Well-behaved children are welcome.
Reservations: Not required.
Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net
or
205/631-4680
JULY 4, TUESDAY,
7:00 p.m.
Attend FREE 4th
of July Band Concert Followed by City of Birmingham Fireworks
Where: Bartow Arena Park
Details: Band concert by the UAB Summer
Band. This large group of carefully
auditioned and selected student and professional musicians is an outstanding
concert band. Please bring your own
blanket or chairs. SEO people will
assemble to the right of the dragon statue (as you face the band) right where
the grass ends and the concrete floor leading to the entrance to the arena
begins. Look for the Southeastern
Outings sign. When the concert ends,
conveniently enjoy clearly viewing the Birmingham City Fireworks from the
picnic area. Well-behaved, properly
supervised children are welcome.
Reservations: Not required
Info: Dan Frederick,
seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680
JULY 4, TUESDAY,
After the Concert and Fireworks
Potluck Dessert
Get-Together
Where: Bartow Arena Park
Details: Southeastern Outings people will stay at the Bartow Arena Park for a while,
avoiding all the exiting traffic congestion.
Then we will enjoy good company and food. You are encouraged to invite one or several guests to come with
you since this event is one of the best SEO events for introducing yourself (if
you are not already a member) and your friends to the group. Please bring a small dessert with you to
share with the group. SEO will provide
a table to set out desserts plus plates, napkins, forks and spoons. We suggest you also bring your own drink (no
alcohol, please) with you.
No Charge
Reservations: Not required
Info: Dan Frederick,
seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680
JULY 8, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
Easy River Float,
Picnic, Swim, Short, Moderate Dayhike
Where: Locust Fork from Swann Bridge to
Powell Falls near Cleveland, AL
Details: Easy river float on the Locust
Fork River. Float in the river from Swann
Covered Bridge to Powell Falls. We’ll
view a genuine, old but newly refurbished wooden covered bridge. Then we’ll float under the bridge and
further, about a mile and a half, downstream to the waterfall. We’ll also view the sheer cliffs that rise
about 60 feet above the river. So enjoy
a flowing river, covered bridge, high rock bluffs and at least one
waterfall—all along a one mile stretch of this river. Bring something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or
air mattress. Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride
the waves at the Gulf work best. See
float note below for information about acquiring floats.
Also please bring a picnic lunch, drink, towel and
sunscreen. Pack these items in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties, one bag
over the other. Then put the bags in
your daypack and strap the pack to your back.
This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating away. Wear swimsuit and sturdy foot
protection. Old sneakers work well. Bare
feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not
acceptable!
Lunch will be on the huge flat rock in the middle of the
river beside the waterfall. Have fun
swimming in the pools at the base of the rock, jumping into the larger pool,
climbing up and down or just sitting in Powell Falls. We will walk back to the bridge on a trail along the river. You must be able to swim to
participate in this outing!
Well-behaved,
properly supervised children age 7 and up able
to swim welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their
children.
Spring floats,
passenger car and pick up truck tire tubes and inflatable boats are not
permitted on SEO river floats! A spring
float is a flotation device consisting of an inflatable outer oval with a
small, few inch diameter cross section and a large mesh interior. The last time a woman tried to float down this river with
us on a spring float (now that I know what it is called), I had to order two
high school football players in our group to wade out into the river
immediately to seize her and her spring float in order to prevent her from
being swept over the big waterfall. Those
spring floats are meant for floating in swimming pools and on lakes in still
water, not for floating the Locust Fork River. They are difficult to
steer and therefore unsafe for use on Southeastern Outings river floats.
Bring a friend or several if you wish. Please be at the Cleveland Chevron Service
Station no later than 8:45 a.m. ready to depart promptly at 9:00 a.m. Arriving 15 minutes before departure time
will allow time to use the restrooms at the service station, hear announcements
concerning the day’s event, and form carpools from the Chevron. Parking is extremely limited at the put in
point on the river.
Info: Dan Frederick,
seoutings@bellsouth.net or 631-4680
Float Note
Substantial, fabric-covered,
inflatable, vinyl, rectangular
floats like you use to ride the waves at the Gulf work best. Trip leader Dan Frederick has adult
size floats for $16 each (72 inches long) and children’s size floats (60 inches
long for $12 each) for sale ONLY
at the start of outings Dan attends.
Please pay either with exact
change or a check made out to SEO.
First come, first served.
Here is an alternative to carrying your lunches, water,
towel and sunscreen in a pack on your back. You can bring with you two
6-7 foot lengths of sturdy cord. Place your pack with your things in it
in the middle of the foot of your float. Lash the pack to your float with
the two cords, one passing around the float and through the top of the straps
and the other passing around the float and through the bottom of the straps of
your pack. Then lie on your float with the pack sort of between your
knees with your feet splayed out at the bottom corners of your float.
Using this method eliminates your having to float down the river for several
hours on your belly with a pack on your back, and it also gives you the option
of turning over and lying on your back in the slower-moving sections of the
river in order to change your body position and float more comfortably.
Either method of transporting your pack is satisfactory and acceptable.
But I learned that people like it when you give them choices. In any
case, your lunches, etc. should be double bagged (or placed in a waterproof
canoe bag) inside your pack.
Inflatable boats
are not permitted on SEO river floats!
JULY 15, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
Short Dayhike and
Glorious Swim at the bottom of DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park
Details: Strenuous walk through the woods
and down a short, but very steep hill in DeSoto State Park to the huge pool
which many of you have seen from above when at DeSoto Falls. We’ll be swimming and playing for most of
the day in the West Fork of Little River.
You can also walk and play in the section of the river that flows out
from the pool. It takes only 20 minutes
to walk from where we’ll park our cars to the water. All but the last 75 feet
or so is simple walking on fairly level ground. BUT the last 75 feet are quite
strenuous, requiring some rock and root climbing. So we are rating the hiking
portion of this outing as strenuous.
You must be able to swim to participate in this
outing! Well-behaved, properly supervised
children age 8 and up welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to
their children.
After our swim and float, we’ll walk less than one mile
back to the cars and then go for showers and an optional dinner.
Please bring picnic lunch, water, swimsuit, river shoes
and any kind of a flotation device you wish.
See float note below for information about acquiring floats. Dan
Frederick will bring his float pump to pump up floats at the edge of the
river. Hot showers for $2.00 per person
available before dinner. Please bring
shower things and change of clothes if you wish to clean up and change for
dinner. Depart 9:00 a.m. from
Applebee’s Restaurant Trussville.
Info: David Freeman, 205/305-0935
Float
Note
Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride
the waves at the Gulf work best.
Trip leader Dan Frederick has adult size floats for $16 each (72
inches long) and children’s size floats (60 inches long for $12 each) for sale
ONLY at the start of outings
Dan attends. Please pay either with
exact change or a check made
out to SEO. First come, first
served.
JULY 22, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
Waterfall Walk,
Stream Wade and Long Swims
Where: South Caney Creek in the Bankhead
National Forest
Details: Join us for short, moderately easy
hikes to two waterfalls on South Caney Creek.
We’ll swim at both of the falls.
These falls are very lovely.
If you
don’t want to or don’t like to wade two miles in a creek, stay home, don’t come on this outing. The purpose of the trip is to wade in a
creek, not hike through the woods on a trail or sit and complain about the
purpose of the hike!
If you
even think that for any reason you may want to come home before the group outing
is completed, please stay home and don’t come on the outing. In order to prevent traffic congestion at
the trail head most of our vehicles will be parked at a remote location during
the entire outing. Most outing
participants will not be able to access their cars by just walking back to the
start point of the walk.
Wear old shorts or a swim suit and sturdy footwear you
don’t mind getting wet and dirty. Old
sneakers work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, loose slip-ons and
thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable!
Also bring a towel along with your picnic lunch and water.
After the outing we are planning to go to a restaurant for
an optional dinner. You can shower and
change clothes at a campground near the restaurant. If you would like to shower and/or clean up and have dinner with
us at the restaurant, please bring a change of clothes for dinner and your
shower things. No charge to use the
campground rest room just to wash up and change clothes. If you wish to shower, please bring $2.00 exact change cash for shower fee.
Well-behaved, properly-supervised children age 7 and over
welcome. Depart 9:00 a.m. from the
Floor Décor Store on Green Springs Highway or meet 10:20 a.m. at Jacks in Double Springs.
Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net
or 205/631-4680
AUGUST 5, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
Easy River Float #2,
Picnic, Swim, Short, Moderate Dayhike
Where: Locust Fork from Swann Bridge to
Powell Falls near Cleveland, AL
Details: Easy river float on the Locust
Fork River. Float in the river from
Swann Covered Bridge to Powell Falls.
We’ll view a genuine, old but newly refurbished wooden covered
bridge. Then we’ll float under the
bridge and further, about a mile and a half, downstream to the waterfall. We’ll also view the sheer cliffs that rise
about 60 feet above the river. So enjoy
a flowing river, covered bridge, high rock bluffs and at least one
waterfall—all along a one mile stretch of this river. Bring something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or
air mattress. Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride
the waves at the Gulf work best. See
float note below for information about acquiring floats.
Also please bring a picnic lunch, drink, towel and
sunscreen. Pack these items in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties, one bag
over the other. Then put the bags in
your daypack and strap the pack to your back.
This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating away. Wear swimsuit and sturdy foot
protection. Old sneakers work
well. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not
acceptable!
Lunch will be on the huge flat rock in the middle of the
river beside the waterfall. Have fun
swimming in the pools at the base of the rock, jumping into the larger pool,
climbing up and down or just sitting in Powell Falls. We will walk back to the bridge on a trail along the river. You must be able to swim to
participate in this outing!
Well-behaved,
properly supervised children age 7 and up able
to swim welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their
children.
Spring floats,
passenger car and pick up truck tire tubes and inflatable boats are not
permitted on SEO river floats! A spring
float is a flotation device consisting of an inflatable outer oval with a small,
few inch diameter cross section and a large mesh interior. The last time a woman tried to float down this river with
us on a spring float (now that I know what it is called), I had to order two
high school football players in our group to wade out into the river
immediately to seize her and her spring float in order to prevent her from
being swept over the big waterfall. Those
spring floats are meant for floating in swimming pools and on lakes in still
water, not for floating the Locust Fork River. They are difficult to
steer and therefore unsafe for use on Southeastern Outings river floats.
Bring a friend or several if you wish. Please be at the Cleveland Chevron Service
Station no later than 8:45 a.m. ready to depart promptly at 9:00 a.m. Arriving 15 minutes before departure time
will allow time to use the restrooms at the service station, hear announcements
concerning the day’s event, and form carpools from the Chevron. Parking is extremely limited at the put in
point on the river.
Info: Dan Frederick,
seoutings@bellsouth.net or 631-4680
Float Note
Substantial, fabric-covered,
inflatable, vinyl, rectangular
floats like you use to ride the waves at the Gulf work best. Trip leader Dan Frederick has adult
size floats for $16 each (72 inches long) and children’s size floats (60 inches
long for $12 each) for sale ONLY
at the start of outings Dan attends.
Please pay either with exact
change or a check made out to SEO.
First come, first served.
Here is an alternative to carrying your lunches, water,
towel and sunscreen in a pack on your back. You can bring with you two
6-7 foot lengths of sturdy cord. Place your pack with your things in it
in the middle of the foot of your float. Lash the pack to your float with
the two cords, one passing around the float and through the top of the straps
and the other passing around the float and through the bottom of the straps of
your pack. Then lie on your float with the pack sort of between your
knees with your feet splayed out at the bottom corners of your float.
Using this method eliminates your having to float down the river for several
hours on your belly with a pack on your back, and it also gives you the option
of turning over and lying on your back in the slower-moving sections of the
river in order to change your body position and float more comfortably.
Either method of transporting your pack is satisfactory and acceptable.
But I learned that people like it when you give them choices. In any
case, your lunches, etc. should be double bagged (or placed in a waterproof
canoe bag) inside your pack.
Inflatable boats
are not permitted on SEO river floats!
AUGUST 12, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
River Beach Party,
Swim and Picnic at Barton’s Beach in Perry County, Alabama
Details: Enjoy a beach party on a
beautiful, fine-grained sand beach in Alabama without having to endure the long
drive to and from the Gulf of Mexico.
The area is an extensive sand beach on the Lower Cahaba River in Perry
County next to the Alabama Aquatic
Biodiversity Laboratory (formerly the Marion Fish Hatchery) and
Perry Lakes Park near Marion, Alabama.
The scenery is spectacular. The
floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood forests, oxbow
lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars.
Please bring swimsuit, towel, picnic lunch and drink with
you. Wading shoes with substantial
soles are recommended. See float note
below for information about acquiring floats.
Dan will bring float air pump.
Restrooms are available at Perry Lakes County Park where we’ll park our
cars. The hike to Barton’s Beach is
easy since the terrain is level and the walk is all on trails.
We will also offer an optional opportunity to climb
on stairs to the top of the Perry Lakes Park viewing tower, a rebuilt fire
tower with gorgeous views high above the tallest treetops in the area.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and
older able to swim are welcome. All participants must be able to swim to come
on this outing!
Optional dinner following our day of sunning and swimming.
Depart 9:00 a.m. from McDonald’s Galleria
Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net
or 205/631-4680
AUGUST 19, SATURDAY,
9:00 a.m.
Swimming, Boating,
Picnic, Lake Activities
Where: Lake Martin near Alexander City, Alabama
Click for More Pictures
Details: We are most fortunate that Vickie and Don Albrecht, previous owners of A-1 Print and Copy Center which has printed SEO newsletters for us for many years, have invited us to enjoy a lake outing at their lake house on Lake Martin. The center of our activities will be the shore of a secluded cove on the lake by the Albrecht house. You can swim, float, kayak, canoe, sail (if someone brings a sailboat) and probably go for motorboat rides courtesy of Don Albrecht. Please bring your swim things, river shoes, picnic lunch, drink, towel, small boat (if you have one and are willing to bring it) and a change of clothes. See float note below for information about acquiring floats.
Optional dinner after at a specialty deli near the lake.
Depart 9:00 a.m. from the parking lot of the Publix in The Village at Lee
Branch in Greystone.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 10 and
older welcome.
Reservations: Not required
Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net
or 205/631-4680
AUGUST 26, SATURDAY, 7:00 p.m.
Evening Walk
Where: Hillsboro Trail, Helena, Shelby
County, Alabama
Details: Join friendly folks on an easy
four-mile evening walk on the Hillsboro Trail in Helena, Alabama. This smooth trail is wide, paved and with
only a few short hills. On this
particular walk you will be walking on a scenic trail which goes through mostly
wooded terrain.
No motorized vehicles are allowed on your trail! All road crossings are through three tunnels
under the roads. Note this is a relatively easy outing, one
which should be lots of fun for everyone.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age seven and up able to
walk four miles without complaining are welcome on this walk.
After the walk we’ll enjoy going for frozen yogurt at
Yogurt Mountain in Hoover. Depart for
the walk at 7:00 p.m. from the front parking lot at the Helena Middle School.
Info: Dan Frederick,
seoutings@bellsouth.net or
205/631-4680
