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Table of Contents Page 1 - Table of contents Page 2 - Event calendar
Page 3 - Message from Prez. Page 4 - DDRC News Roundup Page 5 - Notes from the Editor
Page 6 - Trip Report: Brazos River Cleanup Page 8 - Board of Directors
April 2017
Current News
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Dallas Downriver Club
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DDRC 2017 Event Calendar
April13-16-MulberryRiver,Arkansas
May5-7-VillageCreek[rescheduled]
May11-WhiteRockLakemoonlightpaddle
May18-21-BuffaloNationalRiver,Arkansas
June2-4-InksLakeStatePark
June10-11-LittleRiver,Oklahoma/Arkansas
August18-20-AustinBatPaddle
The DDRC newsletter is always looking for paddling news, amusing stories, or info on new gear or boats. If you would like to share, please write it up, and submit to the newsletter editor. Paddling photos for the newsletter are also welcomed. I will include your name and river location on photo. The DDRC Classified Ads is for DDRC members only and just handles boats, paddling, and camping gear. Send photo and details.
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Monthly Message from the Club President By Dale Harris
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Howdoesonebecomeabetterpaddle,camper,cook?Formeitisbycontinuouslyhoningmyskills.InthebookSevenHabits,byStephenCovey,thelasthabitwasreferredtoas”SharpeningtheSaw”,orcontinuingtoimprove.Whenyoucontinuetoimprove,youarethebeneYiciaryofyoureffort.Ifyouarepartofagrouporteam-theyalsobeneYitfromyoureffort. Asmoremembersfocusonimprovingtheirskills,themorethegroupasawholeimproves.GroupefYiciencyimproveslikegettingonandoffofthewater,loadingandunloadingcanoesorkayaksbecomesmorecoordinatedandlesslikeherdingcats.Safetyalsoimprovesforthegroup.Betterpaddlingskillsmeanfewermistakes,lessdumpingintothewater,theabilitytoeddyoutquicklyandtohelpyourselforsomeoneelse.Betterpreparednessmeansactuallycarryinganemergencygrabbag,athrowbag,orextraropeincaseofanemergency. Whatskillsshouldwefocuson?MostcanoeistandkayakersareproYicientwiththeforwardpowerstroke,reversestrokeand“J”stroke(Canoeing).Therearemanyotherstrokesthatonecanworkon;thebrace,draw,pry,andscullingaregreatstrokestopracticeonyournextouting.Thissummerononeortwoofourtripswe’llworkonusingathrowbag.SomeofuswillYloatdownasmallrapidandtherestwilltossathrowbagtothemandpullthemtoshore.I’mgladwedon’tpracticethisinthewinter. Howtoeddyoutisveryimportant.OntheSabinetripthisyearwehadacoupleofkayakersworkingonimprovingtheir“sweep”strokewhichisusedtoturninglongercanoesandkayaks.Theyalsolookedforeddiesandpracticedonhowtoeddyoutquickly. Lastbutnotleast,yourfunfactorandenjoymentgoeswayupwhenyouhoneyourskills.Andthat’swhywedowhatwedoisfortheenjoyment–right?OK,let’sgetoutthereandhavefun.
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DDRCNewsRoundup
VillageCreekTripChangesTheMarchtriptoVillageCreekwascancelledduetoforecastedbadstormsforSETexas.ThetriphasbeenrescheduledforMay5-7.ChecktheDDRCwebsitefordetails.ThecampingvenueisIndianSpringsCamp,6106HollandCemeteryRoad,Kountze,TX.(Gotowww.indianspringscamp.net)TentcampandRVsiteswithwaterandelectricare$20pernightfortwopeople,accordingtothewebsite.Ifyouneedtocontactthecamp,call409-246-2508,andtalktoRon.
HeroesOnTheWaterTheDDRCBoardofDirectorshasvotedtoincreasetheclub’sannualcontributiontoHeroesOnTheWaterfrom$300to$500.Heroes on the Water helps wounded warriors relax, rehabilitate, and reintegrate thru kayak fishing and the outdoors. ThereareHeroeschaptersinFortWorth,Dallas(Allen),LongviewandFortHood.
TheDallaschapterwebsiteisat:https://www.facebook.com/HeroesontheWater/
TaxFreeForEmergencyPrepTheStateofTexasplanstohaveatax-freeweekendforEmergencyPreparednesssuppliesonApril22-24.QuiteafewitemsqualifythatcanbeusedforDDRCevents:hatchets,batteries,coolers,mobilephonebatteries,Yirstaidkits,andmore.GototheStateComptroller’swebsitefordetails.
http://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-1017.php
TripLeadersNeeded AttheMarchgeneralmeeting,DDRCPresidentDaleHarrisandboardmemberBryanJacksonannouncedtheclubisinneedofadditionaltripleaders.Severalleadershaveretiredormovedaway,creatingashortage.
Beingatripleaderinvolvessomeorganizationalandcommunicationsskills.Itishelpfulifyouarefamiliarwiththepaddlingtripfromprevioustripswiththeclub.Knowledgeofon-watersafety,CPRandYirstaidisrecommended.YouneedtoprepareaYloatplan,designatecampinglocationsforthegroup,briefpaddlersonthetrip,includingtheput-in/take-outspotsandwherethegroupwillstopforlunch.
Ifyouareinterestedinleadingsomeoutings,[email protected] ,or972-979-2519.BryanhasaPowerPointthatdetailstheroleoftripleaders.Getintouchwithhimandseeifhecanemailittoyou.
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Notes from the Editor: by Fred Mays
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Volunteer!!YourStateParksneedyou.
Lastmonthweoutlinedtheconsequencesoflong-termneglectofourstateparksatthehandsofstatelegislaturesandgovernors.Oneofthecripplingproblemsisashortageofstaffandbudgettomaintainparksatasustainablelevel.
Thereissomethingyoucandotohelp…volunteer!Allstateparksareshorthandedandneedsomehelpatonetimeoranother.AndIdon’tmeancleaningrestrooms.Therearechorestobedone,campgroundmaintenance,stafYingparkfacilities,andcountlessotherjobs.
Signingupiseasy.YoucancontactstateparksinyourareaandYindoutwhathelptheyneedthatyoumaybeabletoprovide.Youcanalsogotothestateparkwebsite,tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/,clickonthe“SupportStateParks”linkontheleftsideofthehomepage,anditwillgiveyoualinktovolunteeropportunities.Enteryourzipcodeandaradiusofhowmanymilesyou’rewillingtotravel,anditwillgiveyoualistofparksandwhatkindofworktheyneeddone.
Someparksneedhelpforspecialevents.Othersneedhelpallaround.PerhapsyouhavespecialskillstoYittheirneeds.Asavolunteeryoucanpickandchoosewhatyoudo,andhowmuchtimeyou’rewillingtocommit.Inmycase,I’minterestedingettingmyhandsdirtydoingmaintenancework,butoneexception…IWON’TCLEANSTINKINGBATHROOMS!!!
Seeyouonthewater.
Fred
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MostofushavecanoedorkayakedontheBrazosRiverovertheyears.Itcanbeafunexperiencebutthelastfewyearsithasbeenhardtocatchtherightconditions.Manytimesitistoolowandweendupdraggingourboats.Butthisyeartheriverlevelwasideal.ThewaterlevelattheGlennRosegaugewasjustundersixfeetandtheYlowwas1100CFS.Toaddtothegreatconditions,therainheldoffgivingusanicecoolovercastmorningforthecleanup. Bryanwasabletogetusthesamesectionthatwe’vehadthelastfewyears–Route67bridgetoTresRiosRVPark.Wehadtwogroupsworkingthissectionsowedidn’tactuallystartpickinguptrashuntilwegottotheRoute200bridge.Ontopofallthistherewasverylittletrashtopickupsowereallygottoenjoytheriver.Ofcoursetherearealwaysafewtirestopickupalongthissection–sowewereabletodigfourofthemoutofthesandandgravel. IntotalthereweresixofusfromtheDallasDownRiverClubinwhatturnedouttobeagreattrip. AfewyearsbackwhenIwentonthissectionoftherivertherewasasignunderRoute67bridgethatsaidnotrespassing.ThiswasdisappointingbecausetherearetoofewplacesontheBrazostoputinalready.ButthisyearthesignwasgoneandthereweretrashcanssetoutforthepaddlersandYishermentouse.Great! Inadditiontogreatpaddlingonthewater, thefoodpreparedbytheFriendsoftheBrazoswasverygoodandtheicecoldbeerhitthespot.
Trip Report: Brazos CleanUpby Dale Harris
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PhotofromBrazosCleanupTripbyDaleHarris
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WeNeedMorePhotos!!!Weneedmorephotosforthenewsletter.Asyoumayhavenoticedthismonth’scoverphoto(topofthenewsletter)isnotfromaclubevent.It’sjustacoollookingshotIfoundonGoogleImages.I’mprobablyviolatingsomebodiescopyright.Hopetheydon’tmind.
Weneedmorepicturesforournewsletter.Concentrateonactionshots,shotsofclubmembersinactionintheirboatoraroundthecamp.Takelotsofshotsandsendmeafewofyourbest.
Picturescanbeplacedintheclub’sDropbox,postedonMeetUporemaileddirectlytome([email protected] ).
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President / Urban Paddles - Dale Harris
Vice President - Nadine Lapierre Treasurer - Barbara Dubovsky
Newsletter Editor - Fred Mays Secretary - Tammy Onufreiczuk
Compliance officer - Bryan Jackson
Trip coordinators – Bryan Jackson, Sam Sloan, Earl Atnip, Dale Harris, Randy Stovall
Raffles – Randy and Libbi Stovall
Urban Paddles – Dale Harris
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FINEPRINT-TheDDRCCurrentNewsispublishedmonthlybytheDallasDownRiverClubandisprovidedtoitsmemberseitherbyFirstClasspostageorbyemail.OpinionsexpressedhereinarethoseoftheindividualauthorsandmayormaynotreYlecttheopinionofthecluboritsofYicers.
DEADLINEFORSUBMISSIONofarticles,announcements,events,trips,etc.isthe2ndThursdayofthemonth.ItisonacomeYirstservedbasis,thereforesoonerisbetter.
NewsletterAdRatesTypeofAdperinsertionBusinesscards(member)5.00Businesscards(non-members)12.501/4Pagedisplay20.001/3Pagedisplay30.001/2Pagedisplay35.00Fullpagedisplay50.00
TypeofAdperyear1/4pagedisplay200.001/3pagedisplay300.00
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The Official Newsletter of the DallasDownRiverClub
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DDRCmeetingisFeb.15-7:30pmatRoma’s