Great Ohio River Paddle 2009
Trip Details
Come join us for a weekend on the River!
Register early for discount (see details below)! Last year we sold out early!!
The Great Ohio River Paddle 2009 (GORP 2009) will be Saturday, July 18 - Sunday, July 19, 2009. PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF 150 PADDLERS. Paddlers will stop each day at different sites. Along the way, naturalists, biologists, scientists, and local historians will share their knowledge and experiences. Many have intimate knowledge and up-to-date information about their areas of expertise. Come explore, learn, and have fun!
How do like your GORP?
PaddlePods
Paddlers will be able to select from 2 different paddling "pods" for a more personal experience:
- An EcoPod - learn about the ecological jewel of the Ohio. This includes at least one tributary trip. There will be a maximum of 4 EcoPods - 20 paddlers each (80 total spots)-- as of June 26 -- only 11 spots left!!
- A TouristPod - paddle down the Ohio and disembark at an Ohio River town for lunch and a walking tour. This year the stop will be at Point Pleasant, OH -- birthplace of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. There will be only one TouristPod - as of June 26 -- only 17 spots left!!
You select a Pod when you register. You can let us know on Saturday or Sunday morning if you want to change to a different Pod -- changes will be accomodated, if Pod space is available.
Paddle-a-thon
An important way you can help make this extraordinary event even more exciting (and helping ORF raise important program fuding) is by letting friends, family, and local businesses support our efforts to improve the environment and quality of life for 25 million people (the approximate population of the Ohio River watershed). You can do this by participating in the fundraising feature of the event and earn fabulous prizes!!!.
It's very easy. We even have a relationship with a firm (www.firstgiving.com) where you can create you own eprsonal fundraising page!! Please visit our Paddle-a-thon page for more information and to view the paddler premiums.
The Paddle locations are:
-
Saturday, July 18th from Neville, OH to New Richmond, OH (15 miles), and
Sunday, July 19th from New Richmond, OH to Cincinnati, OH (11 miles)
---- 25 Ohio River miles total ----
Camping and Amenities
GORP arranges all camping and amenities for paddlers. The campsite location for July 18 is in New Richmond. Amenities at the campground include restrooms, hand-washing stations, shelters, trash receptacles, and outdoor showers. Some form of presentation or entertainment will be provided. (New Richmond also has B&Bs which paddlers can choose to stay at Saturday night, at their own expense.)
Food
Meals will be provided for you throughout the trip; lunch and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Dinner Breakfast will be served buffet-style, with a variety of delicious items to choose from. There will be both meat and vegetarian options. Snack foods will be available for on and off-river snacking both days.
A Typical Day
Paddlers can expect to cover an average of 2-3 miles per hour paddling down the river. Expect to paddle 5-6 hours on Saturday and 4-5 hours on Sunday. A lunch break will be held around midday depending upon availability of landing sites. Lunch may be early or delayed if especially good time is being made. Side trips into marshes or tributaries are also possibilities.
After arriving at New Richmond on Saturday, each paddler may set up camp on his or her time schedule, but all camps should be set up prior to dinner. There will be time to enjoy any community events and Ohio River exhibits, enjoy the river or the host community, call home, or just relax. In the evening there will be opportunities to talk about the day, learn about our fellow paddlers and chat about our experience with any interested folks.
Sunday will begin with breakfast, break camp, pack boats, and daily safety briefing. Paddlers will leave New Richmond (some may partake in an earlier optional tributary trip) and proceed on their journey to Cincinnati, OH, with optional tributary trips on along the way!
Massage
After a long day on the river, nothing feels better than a massage. Licensed massage therapists will be available Saturday afternoon and evening to soothe those aching muscles! There is an additional charge for massage, generally $10 for 10 minutes.
Prior Experience and Other Important Information
Paddlers must have some prior paddling experience on moving water (1.e., not beginners) within the last 2 years and camping experience. (If you want, to gain some experience before GORP you can take a skills course at a Canoe & Kayak School like that run by the Sierra Club - Miami Group.) Commercial ships and tug and barge combinations will be sharing the river with us, along with numerous large pleasure craft. We will avoid the shipping channel at all times, except for scheduled channel crossings. You should be able to handle modest waves and wakes (less than two feet), be able to paddle into a strong head wind for the day and be able to perform self and assisted rescues as the victim or the rescuer (we'll teach you, if necessary).
Requirements for Participants 17 and under
Minors need to paddle with an adult in their boat, have the ability to swim, and have wet rescue training or experience. Any minor that can't paddle needs to have 2 adults in their boat.
If you have questions about any requirements, give us a call (or e-mail) and we will be happy to talk to you about whether or not your experience is adequate or a class is appropriate.
Equipment
Paddling boats of the recommended minimum lengths will make it easier for you to paddle the long distances and help keep the group together. Boats lengths recommended: at least 9 feet long for single or two-person kayaks, and at least 14 feet long for canoes. All paddlers are expected to carry and provide their own safety gear (including Coast Guard approved PFD). All canoes must have 2 paddlers. You must provide your own kayak or canoe and paddling and camping gear (including tent). NO INFLATABLE BOATS. A suggested list of items can be found on the Gear Checklist.
No Pets
Unfortuantely, no cats, dogs, or other pets allowed on GORP. Sorry.
Baggage Shuttle
Your camping baggage will be loaded onto a truck when you arrive, then shuttled and unloaded at New Richmond. On Sunday baggage will be shuttled to the Cincinnati take-out for pick up by you at the end of the day. Baggage that is to be shuttled needs to be no more than 2 reasonably sized duffle bag per person, each weighing 20 pounds or less. You should pack a separate waterproof bag to take with you on the river to hold extra clothes, jacket, sunscreen, etc. For ideas on what to pack see the Equipment Checklist.
Site Locations and Driving Directions
Saturday put-in: Neville Public Landing (Neville, OH) Latitude: 38.80868, Longitude: -84.2121 (South on Morgan St. off of rte. 52)
Sunday take-out: Four Seasons Marina - Sea Ray Boat Ramp (Cincinnati, OH): 4609A Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
Transportation, Parking, and Shuttle Options
You can either arrange your own transportation to be dropped-off at the put-in and picked-up at the take-out (Cincinnati). Or you can park a vehicle at both locations. GORP will provide paddler shuttle service back from Cincinnati to the point of origin (Neville) - a 25 minute ride. We will watch over your gear and boat until you return with your vehicle. If necessary, a transportation request should be made at the time of registration. If you are interested in this option, be sure to fill out the parking and shuttle section on the registration form.
While we believe that the parking at these locations is relatively safe, we cannot guarantee the security of your vehicle. Please do not plan to leave any valuables in your car.
Check-in
Registered GORP paddler check-in begins at 7am. MANDATORY safety talk at 8:15. Boats will begin launching after safety talk.
Pre-trip Lodging
Before GORP begins on July 18th, you might want to get there the day before. Maybe it's a long drive. Maybe you want to sample the local town ambience. If so, there are a few B&Bs in the area (e.g., Ripley), or you can go right across the river (there's a bridge just east of Ripley) into Maysville, KY where a whole bunch of options exist. We'll let you know if we find overnight camping near the put-in location. If you try at an unauthorized location the police may find different overnight accommodations for you.
Cost: Before June 1: $80 Before July 10: $100 July 10-18: $120
PLEASE - Also consider the fundraising option - we're offering really great prizes!!
Fee includes: Sumptuously delicious meals, camp-site fees and arrangements, insights from naturalists and historians, safety paddlers/guides, paddler shuttle, drinking water, snacks, and all the logistical details handled by GORP.
ORF MEMBER DISCOUNT
$10 additional discount for ORF members
Registration Information
On-line, fax, and mail-in registrations will not be accepted after July 10th. If you want to wait to register on-site, registration begins at 7:00am, and the on-site fee will be $120.
Cancellation Policy
Refunds, less a $25 processing fee, will be issued to those who submit a written cancellation by June 15, 2009. From June 15 to June 30, cancellations for medical reasons only will be accepted with a letter from a licensed physician, less a $35 fee. NO refunds will be granted after June 30, 2009 for any reason.
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