RE: [Paddlewise] Re: Los Angeles River

What impressed me was the vegetation, much of it non native, such as bamboo. B I assume in a gully washer it all gets flushed into the ocean.

Mark, B did you guys sweat water quality? B When I lived in SoCal, 40 years ago, almost every crik or small waterway in urban areas as polluted from human sources ... to the extent you could smell it

--
Dave Kruger
Astoria, ORMark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net> wrote:Neither Disneyland nor for that matter the Los Angeles Angles are in Los 
Angeles, but for those who can remember that far back, the LA River is 
an E ticket ride!

Mark

On 7/9/2013 8:46 AM, Bradford Crain wrote:
> Is this part of Disneyland?
>
> Brad (Old Person)
>
> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 8:09 AM, Mark Sanders 
> <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net <mailto:marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>> wrote:
>
>B B B B  I always assume Paddlewise is still working silently, just waiting
>B B B B  for folks to come back to the fold! I'm not sure if I posted this
>B B B B  here back in June, so I am now. It's my report about our safari
>B B B B  down the Los Angeles River, which only just had a small stretch
>B B B B  opened to kayaks back in May. I don't think most people think of
>B B B B  LA having a river, so here's some photos that proves it does.
>B B B B  And if I actually did post this back in June, please forgive me
>B B B B  for tying up more bandwidth!! Sadly, if you're asking if
>B B B B  Paddlewise is still around, chances are you're old and the memory
>B B B B  might not be what it was!
>
>
>B B B B  Steve and I had been parked in front of the gates to the LA River
>B B B B  for about a minute when a River Ranger rode up and told us we were
>B B B B  illegally parked, but he let us throw our boats off before we
>B B B B  moved along. Parking and access are definitely one of the tough
>B B B B  issues for anyone who'd like to brave a river run! We got lucky
>B B B B  and soon were joined by Lee, Sheryl and Bill, who were nice enough
>B B B B  to set up the relay car at our put-out. Gathered around, we
>B B B B  contemplated the steep concrete ramp that served as the access
>B B B B  point to the river. Climbing into the boat at the river's edge
>B B B B  took some finesse, lest you send yourself into the quick current
>B B B B  without your skirt or paddle.
>
>B B B B  Lee was the first to push off and I wasn't sure we'd ever see him
>B B B B  again, as the current took him downriver apace, but he found an
>B B B B  eddy and hung out in the reeds waiting for the rest of us. Soon we
>B B B B  all had a taste of the current and our river trip was on. Sheryl
>B B B B  was our unofficial tour guide, having brought a map with the
>B B B B  points of interest on the route. It was like paddling down two
>B B B B  rivers at once, with the stark concrete levee on one side and
>B B B B  beautiful, overgrowing plants on the other. At different areas of
>B B B B  the river, the plants and concrete would switch sides and
>B B B B  occasionally we'd find ourselves with plants, trees and reeds on
>B B B B  either side.
>
>B B B B  We passed by some kids fishing from the wall and noticed a couple
>B B B B  people pulling kayaks on wheels along the bike trail to the put
>B B B B  in. It was the River Ranger we'd met earlier and his partner and
>B B B B  they waved as we went by. Our progress was alternatively speedy
>B B B B  and leisurely with rock snags quite common. Seldom was the water
>B B B B  very deep, but usually a push would get you over any snags.
>
>B B B B  Soon we came to the proverbial fork in the river. To the left was
>B B B B  a steeper run and Sheryl said she thought that was the way we were
>B B B B  supposed to go. Bill took the leap, which was a fun ride that for
>B B B B  most of us ended with a paddle through deep brush. I decide to
>B B B B  make sure to bring bug spray on my next trip! We continued on now
>B B B B  over a concrete shelf that kept the water moving quick. All along
>B B B B  there were plenty of eddies to stop to hang out. After we passed
>B B B B  another small rapid, we were joined by the Rangers making their
>B B B B  way down, which allowed us to pester them with questions about the
>B B B B  river--kind of our own private guides.
>
>B B B B  Constantly while we paddled, I think we were all amazed at this
>B B B B  respite from the urban jungle that's been hidden here so long.
>B B B B  There was little hint of the hustle and bustle going on around us.
>B B B B  Even the stark concrete side of the river took on it's own beauty
>B B B B  to contrast that of jungle side. I had expected to do quite a bit
>B B B B  of portaging, but never had to get out of my boat. Plenty of bump
>B B B B  and grinding, but usually the current would get you through. I
>B B B B  thought the ride would be over in a flash, but it was a real nice
>B B B B  time even if it did end too fast!
>
>B B B B  As with most paddles, the take out wasn't my favorite part! Steep
>B B B B  walls and long walk around to the street are a given. Maybe when
>B B B B  they open more of the river, the can improve the launch and land
>B B B B  sites. I had thought that paddling the LA River was just something
>B B B B  to do to say you did it and who really knows how long they may let
>B B B B  us paddle there, but it was really an enjoyable experience that
>B B B B  I'd enjoy doing again. If they can open more areas of the river,
>B B B B  it will really be a great resource!
>
>B B B B  Photos:
>
>B B B B  http://www.sandmarks.net/BigCityRiver/LARiver1.html
>
>B B B B  Mark Sanders
>B B B B  www.sandmarks.net <http://www.sandmarks.net>
Subscriptions:B B  PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:B B B B B B B B  http://www.paddlewise.net/
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