December 2009 Newsletter…
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Dec 23rd by admin
23 Dec 2009
01 Jul 2009
18 Jun 2009
Turkey Bash Training Clinic
Saturday and Sunday
August 1 & 2, 2008
The thirtieth second Turkey Bash, which is the social event of the year, will be held the weekend of August 1 & 2. There will be two days of paddling instruction provided by experienced TRPC volunteer paddlers as well as food and other fun events. The highlight of the weekend is the turkey dinner on Saturday night. We would like to encourage all TRPC members to participate in the dinner, even if you do not participate in the Clinic. We would like your company and we could use your help in preparing dinner, set-up and clean up. In order to participate in this great event you need to satisfy several requirements; you must be alive, you must be a member of TRPC, you must have filled out the appropriate forms and gotten them to Dave Greenwald by the July 18 deadline. If you want your children in the youth clinic there is a fifth requirement, which is contacting Sue Knechtel and getting youth clinic forms to her by the same deadline. Youth Clinic participants must be AT LEAST six years old.
The instructional clinic will start Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in the Ferncliff parking area of Ohiopyle State Park (unless your instructor has called with prior arrangements for an alternative meeting time/place). Students and instructors will check in here and groups will organize for Saturday’s paddling. Some of the advanced groups may be meeting earlier in order to utilize 8 A.M. and 9 A.M. launch permits. Students in these groups will be contacted by their instructors to arrange an alternate meeting time and place. The Ferncliff parking lot entrance is located on Route 381 by the railroad tracks (across the bridge over the Yough from Ohiopyle).
Instructors will select a paddling venue based on the experience level of the group and water levels. Arrangements have been made with the park to get a number of free put-on slots for the Lower Yough for both days. Each student paddling the entire Lower Yough is responsible for $4.00 shuttle bus fee. In addition to the Lower Yough, the Middle Yough, several sections of the Casselman, the Cheat Narrows, the Cheat Gorge and Meadow run have all been used in prior clinics depending on water levels and group skills.
Registration deadline is July 18, 2009!
(Forms must be in the hands of the clinic organizer on this date)
This will allow adequate time to set up instructional groups and mail student information to the
Volunteers:
In order to run the clinic we need instructors, assistant instructors and safety boaters. In addition Jeanie Bailey needs help cooking (including prior to the event) and the youth clinic needs some extra help moving kids and equipment.
Equipment Needed:
Each student must provide their own equipment, including their own boat. Many local paddling stores rent as well as sell equipment. Try Outdoor Rec. Equipment in Ohio, Riversport, Rocky Mountain Kayak, or Wind and Water Boatworks. Used equipment can be found in the Boater’s Marketplace at www.threeriverspaddlingclub.com/classifieds
Each participant must have a proper whitewater boat, paddle, helmet, life jacket, and spray skirt (kayaks, decked canoes). The following list will give you an idea of what you need:
- Canoes must be equipped with flotation foam or bags and painters on both ends of the boat
- Kayaks must be equipped with properly attached grab loops in good repair on both ends of the boat, full floatation bags
- Helmet that fits bicycle helmets are not acceptable
- Spray skirt - that fits both you and the boat (only for closed boats)
- PFD (Life jacket) that fits and is US Coast Guard approved- must be worn by all participants
- Paddle
- Clothes - for paddling that suit the weather (cotton is bad)
- Shoes - that will stay on in swift water
- Lunch - for each day in a waterproof container
- Water bottle - with plenty of fluids
- Strap for eyeglasses - if needed
- Sunscreen
- A method to tie items in your boat - many use carabineers.
Turkey Dinner:
The Saturday evening turkey dinner will be served at Benner’s Meadow Run and will once again be cooked by Tom Irwin and his trusty crew of helpers. Serving will start at approximately 6:00 p.m. and will continue in stages thereafter for paddlers who arrive later. Even if you are in a later group, dinner will be hot and ready for you. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We need assistant cooks and people to help clean up after dinner. Please volunteer for these activities so that we don’t have to come around and twist your arm. There are places on your participation form to indicate that you wish to help with these items.
Dessert Bakeoff Competition:
The All-Male River Rat Bake-Off will once again provide dessert. Men get to demonstrate their cooking abilities by providing a dessert to be judged by the women. Ladies, a few of you will be called upon to sample these tasty treats. We know it’s tough, but someone has to do it! Remember guys, without you, we have no desserts. If that is not enough incentive, we will give out prizes.
Camping:
Camping is available at a group rate from Benner’s Meadow Run http://www.bennersmeadowrun.com/. Camping will be $9.75 per adult , $4.00 per child (4-16) per night and under 4 is free. You will pay for your own camping upon entering Benner’s. The campground personnel will have a list of all clinic participants. You must identify yourself on the list to receive the group rate.
If you are NOT camping but just coming for dinner, you must still sign in at the gate. Non-campers MUST ALSO sign out when leaving for the evening. If you haven’t signed out before the next morning, it will be assumed you spent the night and you will be charged for camping. For non-campers registered for the dinner, there is no admission charge into the campground unless you choose to use the various facilities like the swimming pool, showers, etc. The charge would then be $3.25 per adult and $2.75 ages 4 to 12.
Directions:
Google map to Ferncliff parking area
Forms:
The forms are grouped into packages, which must be printed and mailed in. The adult student package contains all the forms for one person to sign up as a student. An additional person from the same household who is an adult student can be added by printing the additional adult student package. All participants in the clinic must be TRPC members, so the new member adult student package includes a membership form in addition to the adult student package. Similarly the Instructor package includes all the forms for one person to sign up as an instructor, assistant instructor or safety boater. The additional instructor package is used to add an additional person from the household as an instructor, assistant instructor or safety boater. The youth student package has all the forms to add a youth student from the household.
· New Member Adult Student Kit
· Adult Student Kit
· Additional Instructor Kit
· Instructor Kit
· Additional Adult Student Kit
· Youth Student Kit
Jun 18th by admin
12 May 2009
27 Apr 2009
June 6 - 7, 2009
PARTICIPANT FORMS
2009 Clinic Survey Form (v2)
2009 Slip Clinic Form (v2)
ADULT WAIVER
YOUTH FORMS
2009 Slip Clinic Youth Form (v2)
2009 Child Waiver (v2)
INSTRUCTOR FORMS
2009 Instructor Request Form (v2)
The Slip Clinic is a great opportunity for beginners,practiced beginners, intermediates and youth to improve their paddling skills and techniques. It is also a great opportunity for more experienced paddlers to get involved. We are asking every experienced boater to help by instructing, assisting, safety boating or just coming out for dinner, fun and campfire Saturday night! EVERYONE can be involved!
The philosophy of the clinic is to teach paddlers on water where they feel totally comfortable, with progression to more difficult skills and water after mastery of basic skills has been demonstrated. Adult forms for the clinic are available in the newsletter. Youth and adult forms can be downloaded from the TRPC website. Completed hard copies must be mailed to the appropriate coordinator at the addresses specified on the forms. Matt Pascal is coordinating the Adult Clinic this year. All students, instructors and assistants must be members of the Three Rivers Paddling Club to participate. The cost of the clinic is $25 per adult student, $15 per youth student and FREE for all instructors and assistants. Three Rivers Paddling Club will even throw in a free dinner for all instructors and assistants;donations to help offset the cost of the dinner are welcome. There are additional charges for dinner and camping, as well as becoming a member of the club. These charges, along with the clinic fees, are detailed on the Registration Form.
CLINICS
Adult Clinic:
The adult clinic is offered to all adult members of TRPC. This includes all students aged 16 and older. Adult clinic participation requires all the appropriate forms to be completed and submitted to the clinic coordinator, Matt Pascal, by May 16, 2009. Adult forms are available in the newsletter and on the TRPC website. If you are unable to download ADULT Slip Clinic forms, contact Matt Pascal.
Youth Clinic:
The Youth clinic will be offered for children of member families who are at least six years old. It runs concurrently with the adult clinic. Children 16 years old or older may participate in the adult clinic, but the youth registration forms should be used. Youth clinic participation requires all appropriate forms to be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian, as detailed below. Youth forms are available on the TRPC website. FORMS NEEDED: There is a variety of clinic forms available depending on your (your family’s) needs. All forms are available for download on the TRPC website. The forms and instructions are as follows:Prerequisite to participate:Membership Form- Must be completed by each non-member family or individual. You must be current TRPC member to participate in TRPC clinics. Adult Students & *Instructors:Adult Clinic Participation & Experience Survey Form - Must be completed by each adult student.*2009 Slippery Rock Clinic Registration Form -Must be completed by each family group (or individual participant) and each instructor.*ACA Release and Waiver (adults) - Each student and each instructor must complete an ACA Release and Waiver (one form for each participant). This form is found at the bottom of the 2009 Slippery Rock Clinic Registration Form. Youth Students:Youth Clinic Participation & Experience Survey Form (2-page form) - Must be completed for each YOUTH student. ACA Release and Waiver (minors) - Each minor student must have an ACA Release and Waiver completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian (one form for each minor student). Medical Release Form (for Youth Clinic) - Each minor student must have a medical release form completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian (one form for each minor participant). Youth Clinic Check-off List (for Youth Clinic) -Each minor youth clinic student must have a youth clinic check-off list completed (one form for each youth clinic participant). Adult Instructors:Clinic Instructors’ Request Form - Each instructor to complete and return ASAP to clinic coordinator. Please remember to include the Registration Form and ACA Release Form.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE AND MAILING INSTRUCTIONS The clinic continues to be very popular and fills early. Registration ends when the classes are filled or May 16, 2009, whichever comes first. No registrations will be accepted after the deadline. Mail all completed ADULT forms, as listed above, with checks payable to “Three Rivers Paddling Club” to:
Matt Pascal, 1042 S. Braddock Ave., 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Fees for the Youth Clinic: Send checks payable to “Three Rivers Paddling Club” to Mat Pascal.
INSTRUCTORS, ASSISTANTS AND SAFETY BOATERS
Instructors and assistant instructors are needed! Remember the way you felt when someone taught you to paddle? Remember the way they cheered as you did your first wobbly eddy turn and smiled when you swam the last two rapids? Even if you haven’t taught before, you can help! We can put you with an experienced instructor. We also encourage you to participate in an instructors’ clinic prior to the event. All instructors must be 18 or over. You can even request a level to teach. If you just want to safety boat, let us know and if we have a group to put you in, we will try to accommodate you.
SATURDAY DINNER
This year, we are planning a Saturday evening Chicken and Beef or Pork dinner beginning around 6:00p.m. at Breakneck Campground, which is located across the road from Betsy’s Barn. Accommodations can be made to have Veggie Burgers on a limited basis. Dinner was great last year and we expect the same this year. There will be a charge of $13 per adult $8 per child (ages 8 & under) if you want to join us. Alcoholic beverages will not be available, but BYOB. Everyone is invited to come out for dinner, even if you’re not attending the clinic. This year we are planning a group campfire after dinner. marshmallow toasting stick, favorite paddling stories, a comfy chair, musical instrument, etc. Fixings for smores will be provided. All are welcome
BREAKFAST
Once again, the Cheesemans will be providing breakfast both Saturday and Sunday morning at the campground lodge. Cost will be around $5. This has been a big hit since it began; you will get plenty to eat. It cannot get any more convenient than this!
CAMPING
Camping this year will again be at Breakneck Campground located on Cheeseman Road. The cost for camping is $6 per person for the grassy or gravel sites, payable upon arrival. The 10′X10′ wooden decks are $15 per night, the 3-sided hut is $25 and the”deluxe” cabin with electricity is $60 per night. The
Apr 27th by admin
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