Elkhorn Creek
I’d waited for something to come up for me, you see. I’d stayed in a week waiting for this, and it was getting to the point of being obsessed because I was fearful that if I stopped my vigil for even one minute that I would really miss out. It hadn’t been that bad. Nearly 2 weeks of rain had soaked the trails so hiking wasn’t an option (I like to wait a while after a rain so I don’t mess them up too much) and the possibility that lightning could accompany the rain had helped to keep me indoors and away from kayaking as well. I can only keep this up for a certain amount of time, however, before I start to feel a little down. I simply need to get myself out there in order to both feel happy in general and to feel content that I’m really experiencing life – especially during the spring. So... I just had to take a chance and get out today even though I knew that with my luck I’d surely miss the opportunity I’d been sitting on almost every waking minute for an entire week (and I did – missed it by a little over an hour).
Still hopeful
in the morning, however, I left for Canoe
Today the Elkhorn would show me
something different as well. I’d gotten used to low water levels with the
general lack of rain we’ve had over the last couple of summers. Well,
today
I’d never seen the creek so high and this would open my eyes as to some new
things as well as to some new opportunities.
Just getting out here is usually a pleasant drive through the country from Lexington, but today much of the roadside landscape was being torn up to make room for some kind of pipeline they were putting in. This was a real shame because there were some people who had had their entire front lawns taken out. Are there some things in your life that you’ve experienced so much in such a short amount of time that you think you may go crazy if you ever see them again? Well, construction has become like this for me. I know I'm being unrealistic and that “progress” must happen, but it seems like there must be 3 dwellings for every person in the country and now they have to put in more infrastructure as well to sustain them! This doesn’t bode well – this building boom combined with the demographic trends could lead to a decades-long construction malaise which we’ve only begun to see the effects of in terms of property values.
[Update: Seems I was a bit harsh...
I came back several months later and found that they'd made very quick work of
this project. In fact, there was almost no evidence that anything had ever
been done.]
I digress…
You’ll likely cross over the north branch of the Elkhorn as you drive through
Switzer, Kentucky on KY1262 and here, receded a
little bit from the side of the road, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of a
rare covered bridge. A historical marker indicates that there
used to be over 400 of these in
Anyway,
once I'd reached my destination I felt great! Coming here
has become a rite of greeting the spring, and this would be my first paddling
trip of the year in Kentucky. By the way, the building Canoe
I’ve been out here at
times when you could practically walk all the way across on the streambed rocks,
but today there was a real current! What I especially like about this
outfitter is that they have trips for nearly every eventuality and water level -
they’ll set you up no matter what. At any rate,
after checking in I drove up to the put in point for their 12 mile trip.
Sometimes they’ll drive me up with some other people in a van; but on
other occasions if there aren’t too many others making the trip, they’ll let
you go up on your own. When doing this, they instruct you to
park in the parking lot for the B.W.A. (Bluegrass Wildwater Association) which
is adjacent to some of their land. This I did.
Just seeing the nice water level in the creek here again was enough to get me pumped. It was really moving, and once on the water it took my boat and propelled me right down. You know what I also noticed for the first time here, too? How GREAT and CLEAN the air smells when you’re going down these little chutes of water! It’s got to be something in the intermingling of the water with the air but it’s a beautiful thing! :)
As the water
begins to slow a little, you’ll be coasting along (or paddling along at lower water) on a
very peaceful section. While the water at the put-in is
usually moving and providing a full immersion into your experience, here is
where you’re able to let the atmosphere begin to sink in.
It’s apt to be somewhat more shaded as well with a fairly tall tree-lined hill to
your left while the right bank will be the tree-lined edge of a farm where it
borders the river. This will hold up for most of the first 6
miles back to the outfitter’s headquarters which is the midway point.
The turtles made themselves known almost immediately today too. In fact, they were out en-masse! I’ve never seen so many – and they were bold! You usually can’t even spot them, you’ll just hear the telltale splash of water as they shy away from you. Well today they lined the banks, covered the deadfalls and climbed the trees! I’d almost swear that, out of the corner of my eye, I saw one drop from 10 feet up a tree when I startled it! Below is a terribly messed up shot but it does give an idea of how abundant they were today.
…and as the water ushered me around the first little island in the middle, I was staring face to face with a goose on the back end! Hello there!!
The farmland
will open up a bit on your right as you progress from here, and I’ll bet that if you
were to walk up to the top of the bank, you’d be looking at a very pleasant
rural scene. Soon you’ll also come to another little section
of white-capped moving water which will curve you right along a section where
the left bank has been eroded.
You’ll continue to follow the little contours of the river for the next mile or so, and as you do you’ll pass more islands as well as some rocky beach areas. These are great if you’d like to take a breather or just slow down the day a little. Sometimes days like this end too early and I’ll get to the midpoint waaaaay before I’d like! My favorite relaxation spot on this first half comes up a little further at what I’m guessing is about the 4 mile point. Right before it you’ll have a long straight section which forms a kind of “alley” in the river, and after a left curve the spot is at what seems to be a large island on the left. It’s nicely shaded here as well, so you’ll be able to cool off a little in warm weather.
After this, another section of whitecap water will chute you down toward a left curve in the river and it's in here that you'll see a brown and yellow sign on your right which indicates a portage. You're about to encounter what they call "The Claw". What is the claw? It's actually a tree in the middle of the water that I’ve been told snags about 9 out of every 10 boats. Apparently, people attempting to run this will go through the first part on a little rapid section, think they’ve made it, and then start celebrating only to be caught by the claw at the end! How embarrassing would that be!! I would NOT want the folk's at Canoe Kentucky to have to come out and extricate me from this circumstance – I’d be absolutely mortified! I don’t suggest trying it..
It was at around this point that I noticed some fairly lengthy sections of those old stone fences near the left bank...
You’ll pass
through another shaded and peaceful, tree-lined area and then the farmland will
really begin to open up on your right. You're now entering the
Peaks Mill community. In fact, you may be able to spot the
old, abandoned school that you might have passed by on your drive in, and when you
begin to see all the kayaks you’ll know that you’ve reached HQ!
They ask you to
stop in here in order that they might arrange a pick up time with you.
This will vary, of course, depending on how fast you want to go.
I usually give them an idea of my mindset in this regard, and let them
suggest a time. They’re usually right on the mark!
As I got underway again, I took the time to take some photo’s of the beautiful farmland across the way (the open views are on the left side now).
You’ll round a marshy island in the middle (I went around the right and past a rock wall, although you can take the more adventurous left side which often has multiple lanes of water to choose from).
I was also able to explore a little stream that enters the creek from the right after you cross under the bridge for KY1262. I didn’t get very far but it was kind of cool just to be able to do it. I recall a rope swing being here at the mouth of this stream last year, although I didn’t see it today.
This second
section is a lot of fun because there’s plenty of moving water on it, and
there’s one spot at which the stream splits for a while. In
fact, the first time I came out I was concerned as to whether I’d chosen the
correct direction! Not to worry – they’re both part of the
same
Once the creek
comes back together you’ll pass directly beside some farmhouses and come to
another shaded, flat water stretch. You’ll then pass directly
by another farmhouse before getting to a section where there about 6 different
options!
This area is just plain fun! Which direction do you want to
go? There are so many! On shallow water
days I go to the right side until the end and then take the very last current
through, but when the water is higher you can go in any direction you want and
not get stuck. Maybe you can try a different one each time
you come out!
Somewhere in
here was a fish hatchery today that I missed today. You can’t really see it from the water, but there are some
park benches up on the right bank which will generally give it away.
This is the Pfeiffer Fish Hatchery.
Here's a website with more information about this and other hatcheries in
Kentucky.
Meanwhile, the
time you’ll spend on moving water versus flat water will be about equally divided from here on out,
and when you see a rock palisade in the distance at the end of a straightaway
you’ll know that you’re getting fairly close to the endpoint of your trip.
This rock has been cut through to make room for the US127 Bridge, and
it’s after passing under this span that the takeout spot will be on
the left. There’s a nice rope swing setup just beyond,
although it’s almost always in use.
Sure enough, Canoe Kentucky was right on time to pick me up
and I was driven back to my car to end a very
pleasant trip and one which I highly recommend!
So...
What did I learn from all this seized and missed opportunity today?
Well, it just served as a reminder as to what I think my life’s focus was
meant to be. I’ve learned time and again that it’s best not
to get too attached to anything in this world because in so doing you’re
sure to eventually get a reminder of your folly – and it's sometimes a very brutal
one.
Where do
true opportunity and happiness
lie? In material things? For some, yes,
but these just leave you wanting more and more.
What about in other
people? Can opportunity and happiness be found in them? For some, yes, but we as people are inherently
imperfect. What about in winning and
success? For some, yes, but these things also just leave you
wanting more.
The only thing
which has consistently brought me happiness and has never let me down is
the beauty of life and of creation itself and I can tell you - without any
reservation - that these things can be found in full splendor on
the Elkhorn Creek!
DIRECTIONS:
Y’know what?
Since they’ve already done a great job of it, I’m gonna just let you
check out the Canoe Kentucky website referenced above for these.
That will eliminate the opportunity (that word again!) for me to mess you
up!