Click on Picture for a larger view.  More pictures found at end of report.

March 9th, 2013.  Weather was 66 degrees with an occasional 20mph gust of wind down on the river.  Water temp was 48 degrees.  Partly Sunny.

At 7:07 am we left the Ranger Annex.  Headed to Ozark to pick up the rest of the 12 going.  The day before we had 19 scheduled to go.  All I can say is the 7 that elected out not only cut 7 other folks from going but they missed out on a fun day of challenge and excitement and fun.  We need to focus on letting our yes be yes and our no be no, that is Bible.   When you have limited resources and you take  up those resources then cancel everyone is just better off if you would have said NO in the first place.  We had more that wanted to go but even I wouldn't go on a float trip with out a 12 hours of prep notice.   So take the scolding and forgive me. 

After a drop off and a van shuttle we hit the water at Ponca at 10:30 a.m.  There was folk there from other groups launching and we had through out the day a good 40 folks on the river.  Another 20 we saw hiking and backpacking.  The campground had over 200 people there.  Parking lots were full.  It is PRIME floating season. 

The river level has me a bit concerned. It was at the bottom notch of the floatable scale.  We had to do a lot of scoutching, getting out and walking through shallows.  Every one flipped except Rob and Sam and Marshall.  I think the Tollefilemire's canoe had the record flips 5 times.

The 3 canoes and 7 kayaks were full of God fearing folk that had been prayed over and prepared for Hypothermia by "no cotton on this trip"  Most listened and those that didn't ended up not wearing anything but swimming trunks or got a polypro shirt on loan.   I think over half of us had several change of clothes.  Nice thing about canoeing  you can bring extra stuff. 

That first flip of the day into that 48 degree cold water..can make a MAN OUT OF YOU!  GRIN!  I know because the only lady in the group stayed dry and pretty the whole trip.  Sam my son's girl friend was a delight and a real trooper and was always in a cando mode.  We all had a lot of fun.  I heard her say a couple of times...that was a close one.   It's delight full when you see her in the front seat of a canoe sitting up in the air stuck on a rock and my son saying... ummm you need to tell me about those. GRIN!  They did a great job and I didn't see one bicker between them.  That is a miracle for canoe partners. 

We floated past bluffs as high as 600 feet.  Hiked up to Hemmened in Hollow.  Had 2 fires and did a lot of canoe and kayak dumping! 

At 5:30 we made our landing at Kyle's Landing and loaded up stuff.  Did the shuttle run to pick up Rob's Vehicle and then headed to Harrison for a dine at McDonalds.  Rob and Steven went to pickup the canoe trailer and had issues getting the trailer on the ball. 

Got back to the house at 8:30 pm dropped off the trailer and gear and then took 5 of us back to Church in the Church van.  Cleaned it out.  Matt lost his billfold in the van.  I went through that thing looking every where. Not to be found.  I pray that it shows up. 

After 16  hour day. I got home took a shower and shortly went to bed.  Woke up this morning at 4:30 a.m. sore.  Took some Advil and wrote this Report!

God is good all the time. We had a great time and made memories.  I have never once had a boy come back to me after 20 years to tell me thanks for all those merits Commander.  They have many times over come back years and years later and thanked me for taking on outings like this.  These are some of the best times in our lives that allow the time to share great memories.  Hope you can get out and enjoy these events.  For me Rangers becomes alive when we leave the classroom. 

Monday morning Matt called and said the Boy Scouts were out hunting firewood and found his billfold. Wet and muddy but in tact and it was all there.  Praise God!

Mark Jones 

Put in at Ponca	Steven	Mark "Ready for Anything"	At Big Bluff
Cave man		Flipper!	Tiny Turtle	600 foot bluff
Dunker and Dunkie	Hemmened in Hollow		Trip up to Hemmend in Hollow