Canoe and Camping Trip

Nobody ever told me that at a mature age I would be taking up the great outdoors. I first surprised myself at the age of 50 by becoming a gardener. I found out I loved growing flowers and playing in the dirt. A friend took me canoeing after that and discovered that I liked canoeing almost as well as sailing, except for the possibility of poisonous snakes being present. My mama is a snake-a-phobic and did her best to indoctrinate her children with the same phobia. I am only half as phobic as she is. Ramona Larrimore had told me about going on a boat trip with her husband and snakes chattering in the trees and falling in the boat. That didn’t really help my snake phobia much. I like sailing in the gulf because there were no snakes. I overcame my trepidation about canoe trips because I like the tour guide. I must admit, I was not enchanted with being so near the water with the possibility of snakes AND alligators nearby. I tried to concentrate on the scenery and peaceful environment. It worked. It did not turn me into an inveterate paddler. It merely acquainted me with the process.
I am involved with the promotion of tourism. I fell into it because I love to travel, eat and shop. I am always on the lookout for new and interesting places to find, see and try. I am like the guy who went to work for the division of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. When he got the job, his friends said “Congratulations! You like all three!” I am like him in that I like all things related to tourism, with the possible exception of snakes that might show up at outdoor recreation. I had thoroughly explored all the places in rural Southwest Alabama related to tourism except those related to outdoor recreation. I had never been to the Isaacs’ Creek Campground in Monroe County although I had been right next door at the Alabama River Museum many times.
I have always loved picnics and being outdoors as long as nothing strenuous is required of me. I have packed many a picnic lunch and headed for places where there are trees adorned with Spanish moss. There is something very special about spreading a quilt out under trees and reading a new book or writing in a journal. My Fairy Godmother, Kathryn Tucker Windham, shared this passion. She has done much of her writing sitting on the banks of the lake at Camp Grist near her home in Selma.
So the big question is - how in the heck did I ever organize and facilitate a 2 day canoe paddle last weekend? I’m still asking myself that one. I got involved with the Alabama Scenic River Trail because I live between two major rivers that run through the tourism area I serve in rural Southwest Alabama. About 1/3 of the 631 mile ASRT trail runs through this region. I am, if nothing else, an opportunist where tourism is concerned. I started going to their meetings early on. I decided we needed a kickoff event for our part of the trail. Thank goodness, I had some knowledgeable people I could call on for help. Don Self is an expert on birds and geology, Randy Nalley is a forester who works with trees every day and worships nature as his real religion. They are both paddlers, as is Don’s wife, Judy, who knows about wildflowers and plant life. My job was to be dragger and toter as well as chief cook and bottle washer. One thing I do know about is food. It is the firm belief and cornerstone of hospitality in rural Southwest Alabama is that if you feed folks well and show them a good time, they will tell their friends about us and they will all come back.
Our paddle was a 10 mile day trip. I know nothing about canoe travel other than sitting in a boat. Apparently, this paddle was a little ambitious for even a seasoned paddler. We had 27 people on the trip. When they got to the campground at Isaac’s’ Creek, they were some tired bodies. We had planned to have entertainment in the evening, but all they wanted to do was eat and go to bed.
As with all entertaining in rural Southwest Alabama, food was the centerpiece. When they got to the boat landing to start the paddle, we had homemade sausage and biscuits for them. I had been advised by Don, the Head Paddler, not to serve them coffee before they began an all day rowing because they would need extra bathroom breaks. There were no bathrooms. For their carry-on sack lunch, we had fried chicken, homemade pimento cheese sandwiches, homemade shortbread cookies, raisins, juice boxes and bottled water. When they got back to camp, we had blackberry pepper jelly over cream cheese with crackers, nuts and relishes. For dinner, we had a barbeque – pulled pork and smoked beef brisket served with ranch beans, salsa coleslaw with corn, hot garlic herb bread, Italian Cream Cake, Caramel Cake and sweet tea. For breakfast, the next day we had Tomato Cheese Grits casserole, grilled Conecuh Sausage and blueberry cream cheese braids, coffee and juice. For Sunday Dinner on the Ground, we had chicken and dressing, fresh pink-eyed purple hull peas, bacon potato salad, banana pudding, rolls and sweet tea. Several paddlers asked that next year (they want to make this an annual event), they be allowed to bring spouses/family just to see the area and eat with us. We plan to do just that.
Isaac’s Creek Campground is a beautiful spot. It is filled with trees draped in Spanish moss. Each campsite has privacy, electrical hook ups and running water. There is a bath house and toilet facilities. The sites are $18 on the water or $16 not on the water. If you admit to being 62 and sign up for a senior citizen card, you can stay there for half price. The people who run the campground are friendly and helpful. Being at a campground like Isaacs’ Creek is one part of the great outdoors I can relate to. I just love sitting at a picnic table at the campsite and reading a book or writing in my journal. I love to contemplate nature; I just don’t like being bitten by it.
We had some interesting activities on Sunday after the paddle. We toured the lock and dam, talking to the Lock Master about river traffic, natural conditions on the river and the fishing in the area. We then toured the Alabama River Museum next door to see Native American and river artifacts as well as the geology/paleontology of the area. We offered short paddles for those who wanted them, but nobody was in the mood after the workout of the day before.
This trip was our first effort on the Alabama Scenic River Trail. We asked the participants to give us feedback for future planning. We fed them too well. They suggested that they didn’t require hot biscuits the first morning. Some wanted to coffee the first day. We told them to please get it before they came, so it would be out of their system by paddle time. We all had fun. Come join us next year!