Here we are back to talk about everything along the old Pine River and joining us is Marty Richards from Greater Richland Tourism.
What's going on in the river, Marty?
Well.
It's been quiet this week and actually for a couple of weeks.
So you would think we'd have it all clean ready to go.
Unfortunately, there are still a couple trouble spots, but we've got we've got crews lined up to do a little more work.
Like we had said previously, if you want to kayak that stretch from Rockbridge down to the county SR or Highway 80 landing so that
That's a good three and a half four hour paddle for most folks and that takes you past a lot of the nicest scenic areas with the rock outcroppings limestone sandstone outcroppings and some nice canopy areas where if it gets warm it's still pretty cool without getting dumped out of the kayak.
But that's the stretch really that that we're comfortable with.
It's open.
I will say we've got a little bit of rain in the forecast here for Friday and that's maybe not a bad thing.
because the river level is a little low.
There is one spot between Rockbridge and the county SR landing, Highway 80 landing, that it's starting to get where a guy my size might have to get out of the kayak to get over a submerged log.
Most people will just be able to scooch over it, but if you might qualify to wrestle in the heavyweight division now,
Uh, that, that could be a little bit of trouble, but if we get an inch or two of rain, uh, that shouldn't really cause a lot of problems.
We saw that earlier this year where we had a little dry period and then it rained couple, couple times it rained.
And I thought, what's that going to do?
It really didn't do much for raising the river just a little bit.
Um, I think that's where we're at because we're pretty dry right now.
So I'm not too worried about that.
Not talking about storms, just good rain.
And so that'll be good.
But I know a lot of folks.
really want to do that stretch from Bowens Mill down to Mill Pond Park.
But
we
have three really big blockages there.
We I haven't gotten my chainsaw out of the hospital yet.
It's still being it's recuperating.
But we do have a crew coming in this weekend to work on those.
So hopefully next week, I'll say, Hey, that's open, you can do that.
But not yet that and those blockages are major.
They're not
they are not the kind of thing that you can really portage around.
So that's kind of where we're at, Phil, that that northern section.
Again, it's good to go a lot of fun, really a cool place too.
So a lot of rock outcroppings, but that that's the best stretch right now.
A lot of people will tell you that's the most picturesque of that whole route, isn't it?
Yeah, if if folks go out to social media at all and they see a lot of the images that we use to promote kayaking on the pine, that's where they're coming from.
I was just talking with somebody who's a frequent kayaker and they said, you know, that really is the
favorite stretch.
Every time they go through they see something different or notice something different.
There is a little bit on the stretch then south of that where you do get some nice rock outcroppings but more frequent is from Rockbridge to that County SR Highway 80 landing.
Now my brother-in-law Ray once made it a milk carton regatta.
Would that go down the pine pretty well?
It
definitely would go down
in the pine.
Yeah,
especially Ray's construction.
I'm fairly certain that would go down
in the pine.
I
don't know where he got his engineering degree, but I'm pretty certain it wasn't in making a flotilla.
No, I don't think so either.
Well, what's going on this weekend around Richland
County?
This is kind of the calm before the storm week.
We have these a little bit where things settle out for a little while and things calm down a little bit but I'll tell you one big event that's happening that I'm pretty excited about and I don't know if I'll be able to make it or not but I want to is make it out to Boaz this weekend because on Sunday the Boaz Lions Club is holding their Boaz history and mastodon museum
open house.
And that's August 2nd, 12 o'clock in the afternoon till 2 o'clock.
They're gonna have brats and hot dogs there.
You'll get to see the Boaz masted on display.
One thing I was surprised, so I was out there a year ago.
And if you go to the Greater Richmond Tourism social media on YouTube or on Facebook, you'll see we have
an interview with Gail Dosh and his grandpa was one of the Dosh brothers that found that mastodon and it was really interesting but also in that museum there is some really interesting
Boaz history, just the history of the village.
And a little information on some supper clubs back in the day there as well.
Uncle Ed's.
Yeah, some nice, some nice pictures.
So really, that's worth the trip out to kind of check that museum out.
I'd encourage folks on Sunday, that'd be a great trip for folks.
You know, the 80 German warehouse on Friday night, they have live music and an opera, they'll have food too for purchase.
Really a nice way to kick off the weekend there.
as well.
And you might swing up to Lyme Ridge this weekend.
Saturday night's a big night up
there.
Saturday night.
I know a lot of folks in the area look forward to this.
I know I do and that is they are having wood fired pizza night this Saturday night at the branding iron.
You know Friday night you can show up and they'll have their fish fry special which again I'll argue is one of the best in the area but
on saturday night you can head up there and i believe they kick off around 4 30 uh wood fired pizza night they i didn't
see what the menu was yet, Phil.
I know I've intrigued you with some unique offerings, some that have included oranges, some with a white sauce, some with a pesto sauce, some vegetarian.
They do always have a traditional style, which that's the way God intended pizza, I argue, but I'm not really adventurous on pizza.
Oranges on a pizza.
But I did not have the oranges on a pizza.
But you don't knock until you try it.
It might be all
right.
You know, it's one of those.
Have you ever had this where June says you got
try this it's really good and they're almost angry about it and it's like okay I better try this isn't gonna end well so
the last time we were up that they offered the oranges on the pizza, that happened between Terry and I and she was almost militant about you need to try this.
And I'm okay, I'll try it.
And I'll admit, you know, I hope she's not listening.
It was pretty
good.
It was pretty good.
But I went back to my old classical and had the traditional pizza, but they they've got something for everybody.
So if you you want to stay in the traditional lane like I do,
You're good.
But if you want to be more adventurous, there's always some options that are really neat at the Braining Iron and Lime Ridge.
Sounds good.
So maybe some rain on Friday and should people kind of stay tuned to your socials in case there are any changes or anything?
And I think, yeah, Greater Ritz on Tourism, you know, at Facebook and Instagram will keep you updated.
But always the failsafe is to get a hold of 13 Pines RC because they can help you without fitting service.
But then they'll also know the condition of, you know, things.
and be able to help you if it's a go no go or where you should go or whatever you need and you can get a hold of them at 608-608-0932 and they'll help you out with any information or ferry service if you just need a ride they'll help you out.
Excellent thanks Marty.
You bet thank you Phil.
That's it for today's Pine River Report.