Nick's Birthday Canoe Trip

August 01, 2009

My little fella who is becoming a real outdoorsman.

View full gallery

We took a trip down the Whitewater River via Morgans in Brookville for Nick's 5th birthday. The weather was beautiful and we saw a bunch of wildlife including many turtles and a beaver as big as a pig. The river was busy as many other unthusiasts siezed the day.

Afterwards, we headed over to uncle Michael's to grill out and eat cake. Took some good pics to document the experience.

Tags: canoe , brookville , family , trips

Add comment

Morgan's Ft. Ancient Canoe and Cabin Trip

May 13, 2009

Deb and Andy led the way when we put into the Little Miami river for a scenic day of paddlin'.

View full gallery

We shook it up a little this year for Susan's birthday. She usually likes to canoe and camp on her birthday and we usually go to the Brookville location. This year, we tried the Ft. Ancient location since it has been so long since we visited there. We also wanted to pay our visit to the June Morgan River Sanctuary.

It was good to see all my cousins and my uncle Bob who I usually only see during the holidays or other significant gatherings. We stayed in the cabins at Riverside Campground and the place looked beautiful. Upon arrival Lori was weeding the flower beds and Dirk was making picnic tables. It's clear the Morgans go out of their way to provide a fun-filled experience with the grounds pleasing to the eye and hospitality equal to down south.

We were driven up the river to put in at the Livery. Cousin Randy opened the door of the van and greeted us while Gary gave us a tour of the livery and the upstairs museum. I'm so glad my family are the chief proprietors around these parts. They have collected knowledge of the area and responsibly documented it as well as organized fossils, points, stones and other artifacts for display and education. The Morgans truly are the keepers of this land and river.

The canoe trip was as scenic as ever. We stopped at Junes Sanctuary and talked about her pioneering the efforts to clean up this once polluted river. The weather was beautiful and we soaked in the scenery and even caught some turtles basking in the sun on a log (see pictures).

After the trip, I ran into my uncle Bob at Riverside campground and got to catch up and update him on my dad. Then, Dirk showed us a tree that was leaning over a little too far so he jumped on the tractor and pulled it straight. Sunday morning, I watched (with some guilt) Dirk pounding rocks and dirt around the planter to stabilize the tree that we straightened the day before.

Later in the evening on Saturday, Dirk and Lori gave us a tour of their home and we finally got our glimpse of the famed turtle rock as well as the other awesome artifacts in Dirk's personal collection. Later, they set up a corn-hole tournament at the campground that thoroughly entertained us and our guests. It's been a long time since I've been able to slow down and forget about work and responsibility and I want to thank my family for welcoming us and our visiting friends from Louisville and helping us forget about things for a while. For those of us over-worked and under-paid, it really goes a long way and means a lot. After our friends Andy and Debbie were stuck on I-71 for an hour and a half on their commute up on Saturday morning, it really meant a lot to them as well.

These pictures should capture the trip just fine. Enjoy, and we really want to go back soon!

Thanks and much love, Jason and Susan

Tags: family , canoe , ft. ancient , nature

Add comment

Canoe & hike trip, turned bald eagle sighting

March 09, 2009

100+ year old beech tree.

View full gallery

Met up with the guys for a Sunday morning canoe and hike. The typical type. We get together as often as possible just to catch up and air out the brain once a week. They mentioned to me in the past about some local eagles, but you know how you never really think much into it until you actually see one? Sunday, I was not expecting to see one. Between it and the other really awesome features of this planet that you don't get to see on the beaten path each day, it was a pretty potent visual experience.

Of course, pics do it no liberty, but I was running on dying batteries and I can't complain. It was kind of windy when we put in. The idea was to canoe up a tributary and then hike around the ridge on foot. As we approached the bank we would start the hike, the guys in the kayaks up front spotted the eagles in the trees. One took off immediately.

We were pretty far up the river at this point. We were very quiet and let the water float us down stream. Being reasonably still and quiet, let the bird get used to our presence. I was certain it would take flight, but, it sat there and even allowed us to pass.

I caught some acceptable pics. Also on the hike, we saw some large trees that in relation to the rest of the forest, escaped the logging industry. To see these giants nestled between all the smaller trees around them was beautifully insane. All in all, just another journal entry for a Sunday outing, but this is the kind of stuff that makes you happy to be alive.

Tags: canoe , friends

Add comment

Our 5th wedding anniversary

September 05, 2006

It was all Susan's idea. Of the many things she could choose from for our 5th anniversary, she wanted to do a canoe trip with just the two of us... something that has not happened since "before kids."

It was a great idea, and it turned out in a manner that is noteworthy. It was Labor Day weekend. The weather was already if'y. Since it was just the two of us, we didn't have to pack bottles, a ton of food and countless other articles. We simply took one dry-bag with our camera, a couple towels and a small cooler with some tuna salad and vodka and cranberry... of course.

We were ready and even expecting rain. We did get misted on a little but I think it made it all the better.

It was a great trip and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It reminded me that we are still capable of taking a lightweight trip and willing to take whatever Mother Nature intended.

By the time we got off the river, Greg had some people setting up the field for a huge fireworks display. These were genuine Class 6 works (see the picture of launch tubes) - They took the whole day to set up and the field was staged for a huge, private display. There couldn't have been more then 30 people (family) here watching this awesome display.

The show lasted longer than the WEBN fireworks and of the same caliber too. The picture here does it no liberty, but my accompanying video does.

These guys just got back from Japan to "test out the latest" at the canoe livery. It turns out they struck a barter (canoe and camp for fireworks display)

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate 5 years with my lovely bride.

Tags: anniversary , brookville , canoe , trips

Add comment

July 2006 Camping at Morgan's Canoe

July 10, 2006

Another great trip was had by all. It was good to be with friends and family on this not-so-easy-to-assemble trip. Greg allowed us to take the canoes out and we just headed up river to some sandy banks. The dogs were in heaven.

It was a bright sunny weekend in Brookville and we had the sweetest spot we could imagine on the riverside. We could have easily fit another family or two at our site.

I look forward to doing another trip again whenever people speak up and say they want to. Thanks and love go out to everyone and we look forward to not staying strangers too long.

Email me if you need any hi-res versions on the pics.

Tags: brookville , canoe , camping

Add comment