Trip Reports

May 9 Manistee voyage for Sara's new Flashfire

Nancy & John Briggs joined me for my Flashfire's maiden voyage, celebrating Mother's Day & our upcoming Haute Route trek, with a 10-mile hike on the Manistee River Hiking Trail before our paddle. Although the Flashfire is not as light as my ex-16 lb carbon fiber C-1 race canoe, it's so much more responsive than my Wenonah Sandpiper, I could keep up with J&N in my tandem Northwind. And, my new trailer has now marked its territory at the Jordan, S Branch of the AuSable, Little Manistee, Sturgeon & Manistee, so definitely making the rounds over the past month! "Boys like their toys", and so do some girls! In fact, if it goes missing, I know who has an eye on it, so light & functional, and John B should know, being a boat salesman. We enjoyed lots of trilliums, marsh marigolds & other wildflowers on our hike, then merganzers, nesting Canadian Geese, 5 goslings, and cliff swallows on our paddle. John even admitted he'd do another hike & paddle again! 
 

easy transport with my new trailer for my Flashfire's maiden voyage on Mother's Day,
and no shuttle needed for our hike & paddle, so only one car

John & Nancy Briggs paddling my tandem Northwind