Paddle the Historic Etowah near Atlanta

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Paddle the Historic Etowah near Atlanta

The Basics:

Event Type:

Water

Event Location:

Euharlee, GA

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Jun 12 2010 10:00 am >> N/A (Carpool Departure: 8:00 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Tue, Jun 1 2010 8:15 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Fri, Jun 11 2010 9:00 pm

Event Duration:

About 4-5 Hours with optional lunch at Johnny Mitchell’s

Difficulty Rating:

D2: Easy to Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Bobby Marie
Charlie Cottingham

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You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.

Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

23 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

We'll float and paddle 10 miles from the small town of Euharlee, GA, just west of Cartersville, starting at the park on Euharlee Creek and run West and North on the Etowah to the Highway 411/20 bridge for the take-out. Please see http://www.notatlanta.org/euharlee.html for information about the town! There is a restored Covered Bridge and Museum crossing the creek just above our put-in. We can enjoy it and lunch at Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse after our paddle!

This section of the Etowah is near Cartersville, GA just up I-75 from Atlanta and is a regulated flow from the dam at Lake Allatoona. It has a constant current, with Class I and low Class II's, to make for an enjoyable day for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. We'll see and experience pre-historic fish weirs all along the route as well as a Civil War era bridge that was once the longest iron bridge in the south. Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife too!

This is a "BYOB event"-so, rent, beg or borrow, but please BRING YOUR OWN BOAT! (Kayak or canoe, no inflatable rafts please). We have a limited number of extra paddles and PFD's if you need to borrow. Please email if you can, to bobbymarie@bellsouth.net if you can provide an extra boat, space or gear OR if you would like to join us and need to obtain gear.

EVENT PLAN:
This will be a "rain-or-shine" float, by the way, and we intend not to cancel it unless the weather is really terrible. Storm Date, if necessary, is the next day, Sunday June 13, 2010.

WHERE & WHEN? We'd like to meet promptly at 8:00 AM at the Busbee Park and Ride at the Chastain Rd. exit of I-75. We'll plan to leave the park and ride at 8:15 AM for the short trip through Cartersville to Euharlee where we will stage the boats and enjoy coffee and treats compliments of Johnny and Jill Mitchell of Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse.

SHUTTLE SETUP: From 9:00 AM to 9:30 we'll send a group of volunteer "shuttle drivers" in their vehicles to the 411 Bridge take-out lot, about 6.5 miles from our Euharlee put-in. At least one of our drivers will then return all those drivers to Euharlee. After the float the vehicles left down-river including Bobby's with a trailer will facilitate a speedy return to Euharlee for those who may still have vehicles at our put-in and want to enjoy lunch and a look at the Covered Bridge and Museum!

LAUNCH & TAKE-OUT: We plan to launch by about 10:15 AM from Euharlee and take out at about 3:00 PM or sooner at the 411 Bridge (on the right bank of the river).

OPTIONAL Lunch at Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse in Euharlee (after the paddle): Check out their menu at www.johnnymitchellssmokehouse.com Great food, tea and desserts and reasonable prices! We'll depart at our leisure for the ride back to the carpool location or on to town!

Personal Preparedness and Responsibility:
Be a competent swimmer
Wear a life jacket.
Be practiced in self rescue, individual paddlers are ultimately responsible for their own safety, and must assume sole responsibility for there decisions

Required Items to Bring:

Wear your Swimsuit, old Athletic Shoes or tight-fitting Sandals, a visored Cap or Hat, and if you like,a short-sleeve synthetic-fabric T-Shirt. If you wear sunglasses or prescription glasses, be sure to attach them securely to a "Croakie" strap. Don't forget to apply and reapply Sunscreen! If showers are forecast consider bringing a lightweight Raincoat or Poncho.

Please bring your paddling gear including a kayak or canoe, paddle and PFD minimum. If you have a kayak to share let the trip leader know and we will try to accommodate another person to introduce them to the joys of paddling!
water-protected and secured are likely to get soggy or washed overboard
Consider bringing a small soft-sided cooler with a couple of beverages and perhaps a couple of pre-frozen plastic pints of water to keep things cold. A half-gallon plastic picnic jug is also a good option. If you bring any alcoholic beverages, they ideally should be pre-poured into a permanent-style plastic container or picnic jug. GLASS is A STRICT NO-NO on the River (carrying potentially a stiff fine) and cans should also be avoided. A few snacks, pieces of fruit, etc.in your small cooler or Ziploc might also be appropriate.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

DIRECTIONS from ATLANTA to our "EUHARLEE CREEK PUT-IN" on COVERED BRIDGE ROAD in Euharlee, GA
1) From the I-75/I-285 Interchange in NW Atlanta, take I-75 North about 24 miles and get off at I-75 Exit #283 toward Emerson.
2) Turn Left onto Old Allatoona Rd SE and go 0.7 mile.
3) Continue onto GA-293 N and go 4.0 miles.
4) Turn Left onto West Avenue and go 2.6 miles.
5) Turn Right onto Euharlee Road SW and go 6.1 miles.
6) Turn Left onto Covered Bridge Road SW and go about 0.5 mile to the free parking lot at the tennis courts beside Euharlee Creek. Note: En route you'll pass "Johnny's Smokehouse," also on Covered Bridge Rd, where you're welcome to gather with us after the float for food & drinks.
7) Our "Put-In" point will be beside the tennis courts on Euharlee Creek, just upstream from where it flows into the Etowah.
8) For a Map and/or Customized Directions to the Put-In from your point of departure:
Go to Google.com/maps and input as your DESTINATION the following "dummy address" which is just a few yards from our put-in:
225 Covered Bridge Rd SWEuharlee, GA 30145

DIRECTIONS from EUHARLEE CREEK PUT-IN to GA-20 ETOWAH RIVER BRIDGE TAKEOUT:
From our Put-In parking area (beside the tennis courts and Euharlee Creek):
1) Take Covered Bridge Road BACK to Euharlee Road (northward, about 0.5 mile, passing Johnny's Smokehouse on your left).
2) Turn Left onto Euharlee Road and go 3.4 miles to Macedonia Rd (there's a church here on your right).
3. Turn right onto Macedonia Road and go 2.6 miles to GA-20/US-411.
4) Turn Right onto GA-20, drive just 0.2 mile (eastward) across the Etowah River bridge and make an immediate hard Right onto the gravel river-access road and parking area by the Etowah. (NOTE: In order to return to the Euharlee Creek Put-In via the same route, you'll first have to drive eastward on GA-20 a short distance and make a U-turn before re-crossing the Etowah bridge to Macedonia Rd.)

"DIRECTIONS IN A NUTSHELL" from ETOWAH RIVER BRIDGE TAKEOUT back to ATLANTA:
1) Take GA-20 eastward in the direction of Cartersville. (Initially it will be concurrent with GA-411).
2) CAREFULLY follow the "GA-20 EAST" signs (through several ramps and turns in north Cartersville) to the GA-20/ I-75 junction at I-75 Exit #290. Total distance from the Etowah bridge to I-75 is about 14 miles.
3) Take the entrance ramp here I-75 South here at I-75 milepost #290 and return to Atlanta (about 30 miles to I-285 interchange).

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

60Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

8:00 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $24.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

Parking is free in Euharlee and at the take-out beside the River!

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.