Long May They Run!

Long May They Run!

A Carolina Paddler Article

By Randy DiCello

-We’ve eased into February now and the celebratory buzz around MMRT is dwindling a bit. The Mayo trip was impressive – MMRT 2025 was the 20^th anniversary for the event!  But did you know that the CCC has a slew of other trips that have been running for years?  Whether you’re a seasoned paddler or just getting started, these trips are an excellent way to enjoy the great outdoors, bond with other members and make new friends and lasting memories.  This article will highlight a few of the upcoming trips with a long history and provide a little bit of background information about each. You’re encouraged to reach out to the coordinators to participate as a paddler or maybe even to help coordinate. Your participation is needed to keep them going. Trip dates are posted where they’re known; look for the others to pop up on the CCC calendar in the coming months.

Shamrock Smackdown – 3/15/25 – 12^th Anniversary

The US National Whitewater Center was built in Charlotte in 2006. Around 2010 they started an event called the Green River Revival where they turn the water in the two channels green for St Patrick’s Day.  Along about 2013 (best guess) SOMEONE in the CCC rebranded this event the “Shamrock Smackdown.” If you’ve never been to USNWC or the Shamrock Smackdown, you should give it a try.

There’s lots to do, including scouting the entire channel, watching all the fun while the water runs fluorescent green, using the plentiful trails and enjoying live music.  It gets crowded so get there early to get your green on and stake out your best viewing spot.

Easter Trip – 4/18-20/2025 – Started in the early 80’s but missed a few years.

Rich Rhulen is the current coordinator for this trip. We spoke at length about its origin, and I furiously took notes. I hope I got things right!

The trip originated sometime in the 80’s when Bob Benner coordinated a trip the last weekend in March based out of Smokemont Campground near Cherokee. The group paddled the Oconaluftee and Raven’s Fork rivers among others.  The “Easter” trip was on-again/off-again with groups coordinated by Vann & Laura Evans and Larry Ausley among others.  There are some great campfire stories about the trips, just ask one of the coordinators from back then to share one or two!  For example, in the mid-90’s Larry coordinated a trip based from a campground in the Gatlinburg area.  It was so cold that no one ended up paddling, they hunkered around the campfire on day one and went hiking on day two. But it was an adventure!  Another event in ‘98/’99 involved a stalwart group of 25 or 30 paddlers who settled in at Bear Tree campground in the Mt Roger’s area. It was cold, rainy and miserable on day one and only a few ventured out to Big Cedar Creek. Quite a series of events unfolded as those die-hards made their way down river. Eventually they made it below the falls and ran the rest of the creek uneventfully. Rich can fill in the details next time you see him. Day two brought better weather and everyone was able to paddle.

Around 2000/2001 Rich started organizing the Easter trip specifically to introduce the rivers in the Damascus area to folks. Sarah Ruhlen, who we all miss, helped coordinate the Easter trips with her dad for many years until her passing in 2022.

Rich felt the north Tennessee area is closer to the Triangle area than people think and is home or close to a whole lot of nice rivers and creeks. Just look at the list from past events.  The rivers there are more likely to be runnable in the March/April time frame. Regardless of the weather you can count on a great weekend with good people.

 

Triangle Novice Trip – 4/20/25 – 12^th Anniversary

Actually, it may be the 27^th anniversary depending on when you acknowledge the start date.  Rick Steeves was the originator of this trip back in 1998 before he joined the CCC. He ran it for a group of his friends until about 2013 after he joined the CCC. Since then, he has coordinated it annually, minus a couple cancellations due to Covid or weather.  They’re always towards the end of April when you can kind of count on warmer weather and good water levels.  Who’s in for this year’s trip?

Families Paddle Too Memorial weekend trip – 13^th Anniversary

As many things do, this trip was started to fill a need.  Before 2010 or so, Joan Monnig and Brent Summerfield had youngsters they wanted to introduce to paddling.

For a few years the need was met through a weekend instructional clinic. Joan’s kids aged out. Jason Clevenger helped for a year. Then in 2012 Joan and Brent found themselves on the CCC Board and “Families Paddle Too” became the official name for a new event. It was intended to be an event for anyone in the Southeast, not just CCC members. Foothills Paddling Club was also involved. The idea was to get entire families away for a weekend to spend time with each other and time on the water.

Memorial weekend was chosen because many folks have a long weekend for the holiday.  The CCC Board approved funds for a social event and cookout, and Joan was instrumental in obtaining swag, including boat donations from Jackson Kayak.

Two winners are pictured – Olivia Summerfield was the 2012 winner (dark boat) and I’m not sure who was the 2014 winner.  If you know please post that in comments.  Ben Fleming attended his first Families Paddle Too weekend around 2013 and then in 2019 took over as coordinator.  On a closing note, Ben wants to make sure everyone knows this event is open to families, people of all ages, and to other boaters who want to help foster the next generation of paddlers.

Pirates of the Tuck – 7/4/2025 – Roughly 18th year anniversary

This trip is unique in that it’s held within the Week of Rivers event.  Mark Hoffman had an idea to do something fun with his nieces and shared it with Terry Markoff and Sabine Iben and Pirates of the Tuck was born!  Mark credits Terry and Sabine and their involvement as being essential to the success of this fun event.

Over the years there has been some back and forth, sometimes heated, about the date this event should take place and now it always occurs on July 4th.  That way everyone knows well in advance when Pirates is happening and can make watercraft rental arrangements and acquire other necessary materials.  The Tuck Gorge was chosen as the location because it’s the warmest of the local rivers and therefore offers the most “in-water” fun. This event is all about fun for the kids, young and old.  One year when high water forced a change of plans, a big tarp was set up in the Smoky Mountain Meadows field and a big slip-n-slide event took place.

The initial Pirate cruise had about three dozen maties. Popularity has grown over the years and now there can be over 200!  Let’s be honest, this is basically an all-day all-out water gun battle! The rules are simple and few in number – arrange your own shuttle, kids have to wear helmets, no water balloons, no shooting people in the face or head with your water gun and mostly HAVE FUN!

 

 

Colors Paddle – Mid to late October – Consistently since 2018, 7 years

There’s not as much information about the origins of this trip. Years ago there were trips that ran in the Fall, generally around the Toe River system.  One notable year there were 50+ paddlers on the trip!  There are also a couple trip reports about a Fall trip to Balcony Falls on the James, one in 2012 led by Ron Miller.

Rick Steeves was involved with trips in 2017 (French Broad) and 2016 (Nantahala). In 2018 the trip was revived as an annual event by Tammy Buckler and yours truly. It’s now a novice friendly trip on the Dan River followed by a potluck social. The date varies but we do try to schedule it when the leaves are starting to change.  A couple years we paddled close to or on Halloween and costumes were encouraged. One year we had CAT participant.

If you’re not a cold weather paddler this one is a nice way to wind down your paddling season and spend time with your paddling friends on and off the river.

Ocoee Drawdown – End of September, first week of October – 14^th anniversary

Rick Steeves started going to “Secret Week” on the Ocoee in 2009 and began posting a trip on the CCC calendar in 2011.  He paddled with a group from Texas who called this a “drawdown” and that’s where the event got its name.  Everyone sets up camp at Thunder Rock campground and participants are welcome to join.

To do this trip you should have a solid combat roll to navigate the five-mile run with its fifteen class III/III+ rapids packed pretty much back-to-back. For the last several years about 15 – 20 paddlers have joined Rick for this relatively tourist-free time of year on the Ocoee.

And others (yet to come?)

In conversations with several people on the background of these trips, I learned about a few others that have fallen by the wayside or aren’t exactly considered annual trips.  In the past there were several annual ‘first timers’ trips outside of the ones that ran during Week of Rivers. I heard of one on the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania affectionately called the “Southern Invasion of Ohiopyle,” coordinated by Russ Condrey.

So, what are you waiting for? If any of these trips piqued your interest (or you’re just looking to add some adventure to your calendar), be sure to reach out to the trip coordinators and sign up! Whether you’re ready to paddle, want to get more involved behind the scenes, or want to get a new annual event started there’s a spot for you. We can’t wait to see you out on the water riding waves with old friends and new ones. Let’s make this year’s trips the best yet!