2007 Little Miami Trip

June 8 – 10, Little Miami from Lake Isabella to Milford

By Alison and Trudy

Friday night, folks arrived at the East Fork campsite. Ended up, four and a half people camped. (Mike had his portable condo, so we cannot actually count that as “camping.”) Later, everyone gathered around the fire ring in the woods where the blazing sun rays wouldn’t harm their delicate skin.

Saturday morning folks crawled from their tents (and condo). A breakfast of sausage and Helen Caplinger’s famous pecan rolls were enjoyed. Bellies satisfied, they loaded up boats and gear and rolled over to the put-in at Lake Isabella where several other paddlers had arrived.

Twenty-six paddlers dared to venture out onto the treacherous waters. SOFA paddlers, being the skilled paddlers that they are, only one loss occurred (in a Class IV rapid). Trudy lost her paddle. Luckily, she packed a spare. Under wicked conditions (water rushing around her calves) she snapped it together and made her way through the grinding water (bumping a bit along the way). Thank goodness Jan dared to capture it downstream with the others in the frothing white water. While a lost paddle does not deserve a cookie, Vickie faked dumping several times from the front of Karen’s boat. Everyone knew she just wanted to cool off and jumped, but Mr. Caplinger, also known as “the cookie keeper,” decided Vickie was deserving.

After making their way through the gigantic rapid, the river wound through beautiful woods under clear, blue skies that opened into some fields. A couple of backyards of homes, that would make Paris Hilton jealous, were also spotted. Tough decisions were made along the trip, “Should I drink out of my Gatorade or my water?” “Should I snack on some cashews or some chips?” After such difficult choices, the group decided to stop on an island for lunch. Some were taken with yawning spells brought on by total relaxation. Rick and Tom decided to head downstream to cast a few. Rumor has it, they caught the largest fish ever caught out of the river. (Yes, we can safely call that a rumor.)

After lunch, the group meandered through more of an absolutely, beautiful day. Shuttling back through Milford led Rick, Jan, and Laura to return to the quaint downtown for a Latte and to check out the unique shops.

Some headed home, while seventeen returned to the campsite for another acclaimed SOFA supper. Being a master in the art of SOFA dining, Ed has learned to act rather than take chances, fetching two pieces of Helen’s pie before going for the regular food. Smart man!

Mike’s wife, Linda, also joined the group for dinner, surprising her hubby with a cake to celebrate their 40th anniversary!! CONGRATS!

Thirteen stayed at the campground. Mother Nature provided a perfect, starlit, comfortable evening for sweet dreams.

Sunday morning, the yawning SOFA bears crawled from their dens to enjoy a full-blown breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Deciding not to paddle, folks leisurely packed up their gear and said their goodbyes.

Special thanks for everyone for hauling the SOFA gear, namely Larry, Laura, and the shuttlers.

Put In

Bridge Jumpers

Riffles

Riffles

The Flotilla