New Signs Help Platte River Rafters
September 22, 2008
LARAMIE– Boaters on the North Platte River in the Laramie region should find it easier to navigate the waters, thanks to new signs recently installed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and members of the Platte Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
New red and blue signs designating private and public land were installed late July on the North Platte River from the Bennett Peak BLM access put-in downstream to Treasure Island. The signs alert floaters to land status: red markers designate private land, blue markers indicate public and private land open for access downstream from the side of the river the sign is posted on.
“Anyone floating the North Platte River needs to understand Wyoming laws pertaining to floating through private lands before pushing off from shore,” says project coordinator Steve Gale, Laramie region fisheries biologist for the Game and Fish. “We want to maintain good working relationships with all landowners and following floating rules will help in that effort.”
Water is the property of the state, and anyone can enjoy it and any bordering public lands. If you float through private lands, however, you must stay in your boat at all times, unless advance permission has been obtained from the landowner. Wading or anchoring on private land is also prohibited. State law only allows you to leave your craft briefly to navigate around obstacles.
“Knowing which land is public and which land is private can be difficult,” Gale says. “The marker system should help boaters know of what’s on both sides of the bank.”
The original red/blue signs on the North Platte River were installed in the early 1990s, but many had become unreadable or were missing entirely. Laramie region Game and Fish employees spent the last two summers surveying the river to determine what signs needed to be replaced. Game and Fish provided the new signs, and volunteers from Platte Valley Trout Unlimited helped install them. The river is now correctly signed from the USFS boundary downstream to Saratoga.
Gale says additional replacement signs are planned. “Next summer, we’ll focus on updating signs from Saratoga downstream to Interstate 80. We want to keep all the red/blue signs current and help boaters enjoy their float while following the rules and respecting land ownership.”
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Bastrop’s 2nd Annual NatureFest Celebrates 2nd Paddling Trail & Hosts USCA Aluminum Canoe Championships on Sept. 27th
September 4, 2008
BASTROP, Texas — City and state officials will come together on Saturday, Sept. 27 as the “Most Historic Small Town in Texas” hosts the official launch of the second Paddling Trail in Bastrop County, the second annual NatureFest and this year’s 40th annual United States Canoe Association (USCA) Aluminum Canoe Championships.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will introduce the “Wilbarger Paddling Trail,” a 14-mile-long route along the Colorado River that begins at the FM 969 Utley Bridge and ends at Fisherman’s Park in historic downtown Bastrop. The trail will become the eighth inland paddling trail in Texas and the second of six potential trails designated on the lower Colorado River. The El Camino Real Paddling Trail, also in Bastrop County, was launched in 2007.
The second annual NatureFest, a day-long community event, will be held to celebrate the rich ecosystem that makes up the Lost Pines Region of Texas. The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fisherman’s Park (at Willow and Farm) in downtown Bastrop. Admission is a $3 donation for adults and children 12 and under are free.
Sponsored by Environmental Stewardship, a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the earth’s natural resources, funds will be used to establish a future “Red Bluffs Paddling Trail” and several more trails downstream to Smithville, Texas. The fundraiser will also be used to develop the Lost Pines Recreational Hike & Bike Trails at the end of the El Camino Real Paddling Trail.
The Texas Canoe Racing Association will host the 40th annual United States Canoe Association (USCA) Aluminum Canoe Marathon Championship on Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. and Southern Pro Championships Race on Sept. 28 at 9:30 a.m. Registration for both events will be at 8:30 a.m.
These national championships have not been held in Texas for more than ten years, and it will bring the country’s best paddlers to the lower Colorado River from across the nation and abroad. National Canoeing Champion, Peter Heed will conduct a paddling workshop Saturday afternoon and will speak at the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) McKinney Roughs facility that evening at 8 p.m.
“We are honored to be working with TPWD again to launch this second paddling trail and to reconnect families with the great outdoors at NatureFest,” said City of Bastrop Mayor Terry Orr. “We are also thrilled to be home to the first USCA Championships to be held in Texas in over a decade, which will help generate more awareness of the Lost Pines Region and the lower Colorado River.”
The City of Bastrop is partnering with TPWD’s Bastrop and Beuscher State Parks and LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park to coordinate the nature-related activities for NatureFest. In addition, many other organizations will participate in the event including the Texas Master Naturalists, Bastrop County Audubon Society, Boy Scouts of America, Lone Star & Austin Sierra Club, Pines & Prairies Land Trust, Leave No Trace, and Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program.
The nature festival will provide a variety of outdoor family-focused activities, including guided nature hikes, canoe/kayak paddle events on the Colorado River, rock climbing, archery, wildlife arts and crafts from Texas artisans.
The Capital of Texas Zoo will present the “Mr. Slither,” reptile show and provide a petting zoo. Other vendors will feature some of the newest technologies for energy conservation and “green” living. Live music will play throughout the day including Bill Oliver — “Mr. Habitat,” “The Strollers” who feature tunes for children and local fiddler favorite “Sean Orr & Texas Gold.”
A new element to NatureFest this year is the Kid’s Challenge experiential nature activities for children ages 5-13 who can earn patches for participating in 6 of 24 activities, such as partaking in the digital photo scavenger hunt contest, dip-netting for critters, and identifying bird & bugs. Children will learn how to make miniature terrariums, hats out of newspaper, seed balls and origami toads. Following instruction, parents and children can try out a kayak and take a short twenty minute ride down to the festival site.
Storytelling about the rich history and lore of Bastrop in the early 1800s will take place, including the famous ghost tale of Josiah Wilbarger and how he survived being scalped by Comanche Indians and left for dead just upriver from Fisherman’s Park in 1832.
Following NatureFest, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., festival goers can walk downtown to Bastrop’s “Meet Me on Main Street” event where they can enjoy food, music, shopping and local fare. At 7:30 p.m., the historical 1889 Bastrop Opera House will feature a special performance entitled “The Lady with all the Answers,” a play by David Rambo. Tickets for the play are $10, dinner-and-play tickets are $25. Call (512) 321-6283 for reservations or visit http://www.bastropoperahouse.com/
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About the Lost Pines Region
Bastrop County — The Lost Pines Region — The Legend
The lost stand of Loblolly Pines known as the Lost Pines Region is situated primarily in Bastrop County, Texas, with a large portion between Bastrop and Buescher State Parks. The region represents the westernmost tract of the great southern pine belt of the United States, and these lost pines are believed to have been in the area for more than 18,000 years.
Many wonder how those Loblolly Pines ended up “lost,” so far away from their botanical brothers and sisters in East Texas. Local legend is that Native American runners from East Texas planted seedlings in the Piney Woods to comfort a homesick girl who had married into another tribe far from home. Botanists offer a more scientific explanation: the pines were left over from the Ice Age, when pine forests covered much of the land that became Texas. Visitors can decide which answer they prefer as they discover the natural magic of the Lost Pines Region.
Texas Historic Small Town Charm
Bastrop, Texas: Bastrop’s roots run deep with its historical downtown district, the tranquility of the Colorado River and beautiful view of the “Lost Pines” surroundings. In 1979, the National Register of Historic Places admitted 131 Bastrop buildings and sites to its list, earning Bastrop the title of “Most Historic Small Town in Texas.” With a rich array of classic Texas folklore and architecture, downtown Bastrop represents a unique blending of the old and new. The historical Main Street, a Texas Main Street Community, is lined with century-old structures housing antiques shops, specialty stores, galleries and restaurants.
About the TPWD Paddling Trails Program
The Texas Paddling Trails program was created to develop public inland and coastal paddling trails throughout the state and support these trails with maps, signage and other information. The trails provide well-mapped accessible day trips in a variety of settings for all levels of paddling experience. There are currently seven coastal paddling trails in Texas, and the Bastrop trail will be the eighth inland paddling trails, with several communities in the process of applying for participation in the program. Complete information is available on the TPWD Web site at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/paddlingtrails.
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Canoes and Kayaks Do Not Need Throwable Flotation Device
August 28, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 28, 2008) – In an effort to bring North Carolina into compliance with federal regulations for recreational boating, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is currently preparing modifications to personal flotation device (PFD) requirements.
In state waters, canoes and kayaks do not and will not need a Type IV PFD, approved throwable flotation devices commonly known as ring buoys or buoyant cushions.
These modifications will clarify compliance so that:
Canoes and kayaks 16 feet in length and over would be exempt from carrying a Type IV PFD. Canoes and kayaks under 16 feet in length already are exempt from carrying a Type IV PFD.
Sailboards, racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes and racing kayaks would be exempt from requirements to carry any Type PFD.
In North Carolina, a personal flotation device is required for everyone onboard a vessel on the water. Both state and federal regulations require that a Type I, II or III PFD in good condition and of appropriate size be accessible for each person onboard. That includes canoes, kayaks, rowboats and other non-motorized vessels. Children younger than 13 are required to wear a properly-fitted, U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD whenever the vessel is underway.
While these regulations are being updated, only previously applicable laws will be enforced by Wildlife Officers.
For more information on free boating education courses or safety and requirements, go to www.ncwildlife.org or call (919) 707-0031.
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New Water Trail Map Designed to Help Paddlers Explore Maryland
August 26, 2008
The Wild Side of the Potomac River in Charles County
CHARLES COUNTY – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Charles County recently created a new water trails map and guide to lead paddlers along at least four water trail adventures in Charles County. The colorful guide, printed on waterproof and tear-proof paper, was designed primarily for those touring by kayak and canoe and details paddling routes along Mallows Bay, Friendship Farm Park, Mattawoman Creek, the Potomac River and the Port Tobacco River.
“We hope the new Charles County water trails guide helps both new and experienced paddlers spend more time on the serene waters of Southern Maryland,” said DNR Secretary John R. Griffin.
DNR produced the new map, entitled Water Trail Adventures in Charles County, Maryland: the Wild Side of the Potomac River, in partnership with the Charles County Parks Department and the Charles County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
“The Water Trail Adventures guide is a wonderful resource for people who wish to learn more about Charles County’s rich natural resources,” said Donna Dudley, Charles County’s Chief of Tourism. “The guide offers information about natural, historic and cultural places that can be found on and nearby the trails.”
The new free guide is available online at www.thenationsbackyard.com. A free mailed copy may be requested by calling 1-800-766-3386.
Water Trail Adventures in Charles County, Md., one of a series of water trail maps, contributes to the statewide network of water trails and public access points that DNR has developed over the past decade. For more information about Maryland’s water trails, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/greenways/watertrails.html.
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Alabama Scenic River Trail Announces 631 Prizes
August 22, 2008
Officials of the recently-opened Alabama Scenic River Trail (ASRT) announce the 631 Prize, including $1,000, which will be awarded to the first canoeist or kayaker to start on or after October 1, 2008, and complete the 631-mile trail, the longest such river trail in a single state. The ASRT begins in the Coosa River at the Georgia state line east of Cedar Bluff, Ala. and ends 631 miles downstream at historic Ft. Morgan where Mobile Bay joins the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition to the chance of winning the prize, paddlers will enjoy a variety of beautiful scenery from the mountains of northeastern Alabama to the tranquil waters of the Delta, the second largest river delta in the United States.
The Alabama Power Company and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have worked with the Alabama Scenic River Trail Association to create and mark portages around the power company’s six dams on the Coosa River and the Corps’ three dams on the Alabama River.
The basic rules of the competition for the 631 Prize are as follows:
- Paddlers vying for the 631 Prize may not start down the ASRT rail before 9 a.m. October 1, 2008.Â
- Each paddler must register with the ASRT in advance of the trip and must comply with any requirements of property owners and legal authorities along the route.Â
- To evidence having paddled the route, paddlers will be required to submit evidence of having completed the trip as stated in the 631 Prize rules.
Details regarding the rules, maps, required entry forms and trail guides for the four sections of the ASRT are available by clicking on “Paddle Alabama” at www.alabamascenicrivertrail.com.Â
The ASRT has been designated as a National Recreation Trail by the National Park Service and was created with the cooperation and support of many different agencies, organizations and individuals, including the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
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Safety Advisory Issued for Swimmers, Canoeists, Kayakers: N.H. River Conditions Remain Dangerous
August 16, 2008
CONCORD, N.H. — A safety advisory urging extreme caution to be used by swimmers, canoeists and kayakers on the state’s rivers and streams was issued jointly today by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Department of Safety’s office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.Â
Weather conditions expected over the coming week could pose a “perfect storm” of potential danger, according to Major Tim Acerno of N.H. Fish and Game Law Enforcement. More rain is expected by Friday night, along with thunderstorms that could roll in with a weekend front; this would intensify already-high water levels in rivers and streams around the state. The forecast then calls for sunshine starting on Sunday, ushering in days of hot, humid weather - conditions that often encourage residents and visitors to seek relief in water recreation. This combination has proved deadly in recent weeks; four people have drowned in New Hampshire rivers and streams this summer, and emergency personnel have responded to numerous situations.
“We can’t stress enough the need for people to be aware of the dangerous conditions in New Hampshire’s rivers and streams,” said Acerno. “Current is stronger and water levels are much faster than they usually would be at this time of year. They are at flood-stage level stream flows in some parts of the state. The problem has not gone away, and more rain will only add to the problem.” Â
In an effort to control flooding, the Department of Environmental Services has been steadily releasing water from dams. While critical for flood control, this also has increased water levels in some waterways.
“It’s tempting for people to seek out the waterways to cool off from the summer heat, but this is not a normal summer. Be aware that river and stream conditions are not at typical August levels. We strongly advise everyone to use the greatest caution possible around rivers and streams,” said Acerno.
Acerno stressed the following safety guidelines:
- If you want to go swimming, use designated beaches and swimming areas.
- Be aware that it is easy to underestimate the strength of current when looking at a river or stream from shore.
- Be aware that summer algae growth and high water make conditions very slippery on rocks near waterways.
- Canoe or kayak in areas without fast water; watch for submerged debris.
- Always wear Personal Flotation Devices when canoeing, kayaking or boating.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit www.WildNH.com.Â
Find safe hiking tips at www.hikeSafe.com.
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Missouri River 340 Spawns Another Crop of Winners
July 29, 2008
No one who finishes this aquatic ultramarathon race is a loser.
JEFFERSON CITY-Some took home cash prizes, and some collected titles, but every racer who completed the third Missouri River 340 won something beyond price - membership in the elite group who can say they finished the world’s longest nonstop river race.
The Missouri River 340 is a race for canoes and kayaks. A six-man team calling themselves Team Texas posted this year’s fastest time, finishing the race in an amazing 36 hours and 19 minutes. That is an average of 9.4 miles per hour, including stops to eat, drink and tend to other physical necessities. The previous record was last year’s winning time of 44 hours, 27 minutes, set by Texans West Hansen, 45, and Richard Steppe, 49, competing in the men’s tandem division. Hansen was the first finisher as a solo paddler in 2006 - the races’ first year - with a time of 53:40.
Other top finishers were: –Men’s Solo Division (83 entries) Carter Johnson, Sausalito, Calif., 37:46. –Women’s Solo Division (seven entries) Katie Pfefferkorn, Ottumwa, Iowa, 50:00. –Women’s Tandem Division (two entries) RED2 - Tabatha Adkins, Gower, Mo., and Chris Jump, Lawrence, Kan., 78:00. –Men’s Tandem Division (49 entries) Safari Boot Camp - Phil Bowden, San Marcos, Texas, and Lee Deviney, Austin, Texas, 42:32. –Mixed Tandem Division (seven entries) Immersing Ourselves - Mike Massey, Bellingham, Wash., and Jana Shannon, Durham, N.C., 65:24. –Team Division (three entries) Team Texas - West Hansen, Richard Steppe, David Anderson, David Kelly, Jeff Glock, Mike Rendon, 36:19.
Thirty-five individual or team entrants did not finish the race. The latest finish was 87 hours.
This is the Missouri River 340’s third year. The first event drew 15 entries - five tandem teams and 10 solo paddlers. Last year entries were capped at 76. Organizers limited entries to 150 this year. In all, more than 200 paddlers from 18 states, plus Canada, Belize and Japan, competed.
Sponsors provided cash prizes in some divisions for the first time this year. Prizes in the women’s solo and men’s tandem divisions were $500 for first, $100 for second and $50 for third in the women’s solo division and $500 for first, $350 for second and $150 for third in the men’s solo division. The first-place finishers in the team division split a $2,000 prize.
The paddling ultramarathon is the brainchild of Scott Mansker and Russ Payzant. They conceived the race as a way to focus attention on the recreational potential of Missouri’s namesake river.
Mansker, Payzant and a small cadre of Missouri River enthusiasts organized the first event on a shoestring. They decided to require participants to finish the race in 100 hours for two reasons. One was to make the event more interesting. The other was to prevent the field of competitors from getting too strung out.
Contestants whose late arrivals at checkpoints make clear that they will not meet the 100-hour deadline are eliminated from competition. This prevents the field from stretching halfway across the state, making it difficult to safely administer the race.
In theory, the Missouri River 340 is simplicity itself. Start at Kaw Point across the river from Kansas City at 8 a.m. one day in mid-July. Finish not later than noon four days later. In practice, however, things get complicated.
Not least of the complications are the limits of the human body and mind. Muscles and joints grow tender after days of more or less nonstop exertion. The skin of even calloused hands grows soft from wetting. Blisters form and sheets of skin slough off. Racers forego applying sun screen and even drinking rather than prying their hands painfully from paddles and having to grip them again. Sleep deprivation impairs thinking. Hallucinations are commonplace.
Then there is the river itself. Broad and placid in calm weather, it can turn violent when thunderstorms sweep across miles of open water. Darkness and fog turn navigation buoys, side channels and barges into formidable obstacles.
Although the river’s current is a steady 3.5 mph, this advantage often is canceled out by wind. When there is no wind, the summer sun bakes relentlessly, sapping moisture and energy from those who paddle through the heat of the day. Dusk and dawn are cooler, but they also are attended by swarms of gnats and other flying insects, prompting veteran racers to don goggles so they can keep their eyes open.
Why would anyone do this? Self-discovery is the most common answer. The Missouri River 340 is an elemental touchstone, revealing strengths and weaknesses and revealing reserves of physical and emotional strength as nothing in everyday life can do.
Proceeds from entry fees are used to pay event expenses, including insurance, trophies, medals, T-shirts, safety boats, fuel and equipment rental fees.
Funds remaining after payment of this year’s expenses will go to Missouri River Relief, a nonprofit organization that conducts clean-ups on the Missouri River. The group has held 25 such events, bringing together more than 5,000 volunteers. They have collected 341 tons of trash, ranging from aluminum cans to junked automobiles.
Organizers say they are looking at dates in early August for the 2009 Missouri River 340. They try to hold the event during a full moon to help racers at night. For more information about the Missouri River 340, visit rivermiles.com/mr340/. For more about Missouri River Relief, visit www.riverrelief.org.
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New Guide Maps Outd; Adventure on Altamaha
July 28, 2008
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (July 28, 2008) - Enjoying the scenic Altamaha River, one of Georgia’s most biologically diverse rivers, has never been easier. The Altamaha River Partnership, with support from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, now has available an updated, informative guide to the 137-mile river corridor.
The new Altamaha River Canoe Trail Map & Adventure Guide highlights fishing, boating and watchable wildlife opportunities for all ages along the Altamaha, a system The Nature Conservancy describes as a global conservation priority.
This free-flowing waterway is inhabited by a broad range of animals including rare freshwater mussels, alligators, striped bass, American eel, catfish, gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer and more than 300 species of birds. Considered a paradise for photographers, birders, naturalists, fisherman and hunters, the river offers almost boundless recreation for everyone who enjoys the great outdoors.
“For many of us who grew up near the Altamaha, the river provided major recreation such as fishing and boating,” said Constance Riggins, development director for the Altamaha Riverkeepers. “We enjoyed the river’s wildlife and beautiful scenery. We created the guide so that others could share that, one of our area’s greatest natural resources.”
The guide helps call attention to the travel corridor along the Altamaha. “By creating a coalition of communities along the river, they have created a whole new way to find and enjoy nature-based tourism,” Riggins said.
The Altamaha River Partnership is a coalition of state, regional and local representatives formed in 1998 to promote nature-based tourism and associated economic development opportunities in the 11 counties bordering the river. “This opportunity brings together people who might otherwise not know about the activities available,” Riggins said. “… Appreciation promotes conservation, so by bringing attention to the river, we hope to build a sense of protection.”
Program administrator Lynn Carter of Seven Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Council said the regional nonprofit is pleased the DNR is a partner in the Altamaha River Partnership and the council area. The council, which serves as home base for the river group and helps with grant administration and office duties, has received “calls for the past year from folks waiting for this new river map and guide to be printed,” Carter said.
The brochure provides a detailed map of the river and boat landing amenities. Diverse recreational opportunities varying from shopping along the Golden Isles Parkway to fishing, cycling and bird watching on the Yamassee Bike and Colonial Coast Birding trails are featured.
Copies are available at local, regional and state visitor centers, plus outfitters and other key sites statewide. Check www.altamahariver.org or e-mail info [at] altamahariver [dot] org for details on supporting the Altamaha River Partnership. Maps of the canoe trails and birding resources such as The Birds of the Altamaha River Corridor can be downloaded at the Web site.
Partial funding for the Altamaha River Canoe Trail Map & Adventure Guide came from Georgia’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund. The fund is supported by the sale of bald eagle and hummingbird wildlife license plates, and donations to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Learn more at www.georgiawildlife.com.
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PaddleQuest 2008 Coming to Deer Creek State Park
June 24, 2008
Event sponsored by Gander Mountain and ODNR
COLUMBUS, OH - Paddle Quest 2008, a series of events that promote canoeing and kayaking in Ohio, is coming to Deer Creek State Park in Pickaway County on Saturday, June 28, beginning at 10 a.m.
Paddle Quest 2008 is sponsored by Gander Mountain Company, the nation’s largest retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, boating, marine, and outdoor lifestyle products and services, in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The statewide series began in May at Shawnee State Park near Portsmouth and is traveling to nine state parks this summer in partnership with Ohio State Parks and the ODNR Division of Watercraft.
“We hope to raise public awareness of the excellent opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors right here in south-central Ohio and across the state,” said Joe Hardin, district manager of Gander Mountain’s Ohio stores. “Paddling is fun, great exercise, and something that can be done inexpensively and close to home.”
In addition to enjoying a day on the water at Deer Creek Reservoir, event participants will enjoy a cookout-style lunch, door prizes, and a chance to win a matching pair of kayaks. The Paddle Quest 2008 series concludes September 20 at Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County.
Following the June 28 Paddle Quest event at Deer Creek, the series will be held at the following locations. Each event begins at 10 A.M.:
July 12 - Salt Fork State Park
July 26 - Mohican State Park
August 9 - Geneva State Park
August 23 - Punderson State Park
September 13 - Maumee Bay State Park
September 20 - Salt Fork State Park
“We’re really excited to partner with Gander Mountain on this event,” said Arley Owens, special programs manager for Ohio State Parks. “It’s a great chance for the whole family to get acquainted with canoeing or just to get out with other outdoor enthusiasts and enjoy our great state parks.”
No experience is required to participate in these free events, and they are open to all ages. Participants under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. All Paddle Quest participants, regardless of age, are required to wear approved life jackets during the event.
Canoes, kayaks, paddles and life jackets are not provided, so participants must bring their own equipment. Rental boats and safety equipment may be available at some state parks. Pre-registration and event day registration is required for Gander Mountain prize eligibility. For more information on Paddle Quest 2008 and to pre-register, visit gandermountain.com on the Internet or call your local Gander Mountain store. A complete schedule of events and information about state park lodging and camping information can also be found at