Self Shuttle

[Hays]

Anybody have any experience shuttling themselves on a solo trip? When i was younger I took a couple of Ozark trips where I left the canoe at the put in, drove my truck and bicycle to the take out, bicycled back to the put in, floated to the truck, drove to the put in and picked up the bicycle, then went home. Once I left the bicycle at the take out and biked back to the truck - exhausted and in the near dark. That was a mistake. Anyway, that was then. I still bike some, but don't fancy an Ozark ride anymore. I have a number of solo trips I want to make in my new Vagabond, but would like to figure out a self shuttle that would work. I've map out a number of floats with 15 - 20 mile shuttles, but you can imagine the hills and valleys! (If you haven't tried looking at Ozark streams on Google Earth, I recommend it. You can almost see the fish.) I was thinking about a small dirt bike or scooter, etc. Any ideas??

[fishinwrench]

I prefer paddling/wading upstream, then drifting back down to my truck. Shuttling sucks bad enough even with two guys/two vehicles, much less doing it all yourself.

If you can leave your truck at the takeout and beg or pay a local to run you and your gear upstream that'd be the best fix.

[raise the motor]

That is iteresting, because I have done similar self shuttles. Twice on the Current River I have shuttled from take out to put in.

On one occasion I floated (with my bike in the canoe) from Round Spring to Two Rivers, then biked back. On another I ran from Round Spring back to Pulltite to my vehicle.

Both were enjoyable and interesting, though that hill north from Round Spring was a bear.

If the distance is not too far it is an option. If you like biking and running, all the better.

Joe

[fishinwrench]

Joe, What do you do with rods, gear, and beer while hoofin' it back to your vehicle, Just hope nobody swipes it? I'd be nervous about that the whole time.

[Old plug]

except for a few tjmes I brought people down from the birds nest to Onandaga for a outfitter i would tie the bow rope my little 14 ft john boat to a quick release clip and and attach it to my belt. i would then wade dragging my boat behind me. i would cross some holes with my little 3hp kicker. I would go up that way 4-6 hours then float back..

[jdmidwest]

I have loaded an ATV in the truck, chained it to a tree at the pullout, rode it back to the truck. I was canoeing with another person so I had someone to watch the stuff. It was during the week and the ATV did not get molested.

[Al Agnew]

There is no magical solution. The bike thing works if you're in shape to handle the hills you have to climb on the bike, and if you go light so you can carry the stuff you don't want stolen with you on the bike. I've never done it without someone to watch the gear during the shuttle, but if I did, I would drive to the put-in, unload the canoe, life jacket, paddle, and the cooler, chain the canoe to something solid with a bicycle chain, and hide the cooler and PFD in the brush if there was nobody around at the time. Then I'd drive to the takeout, leave the truck, strap a couple of fishing rods to my back, put a box of tackle in the panniers on the bike along with any other small items, and peddle back to the put-in. I might then either carry the bike in the canoe with me on the float, or chain it to whatever I had chained the canoe to.

Another option would be one of those Moped type motorized bikes, so you'd have a bit of assist getting up the hills.

I've hitchhiked back to the put-in a couple of times...if you have a paddle and fishing rods in your hands and you're standing on the highway close to the river, you have a decent chance of getting picked up.

I've also gone out a week or two beforehand and knocked on doors at houses near the take-out, looking for some kind soul to ride with me up to the put-in and drive the truck back to their house. With the price of shuttles these days, you can offer them $20-30 these days and still come out ahead.

If you enjoy your solitude but can find a buddy who also enjoys solitude, the ideal thing is to do a piggyback float. Pick out two consecutive stretches of river that are roughly equal in length. Load both your boats on one vehicle, drive to the put-in for the upper of the two floats. One guy puts in there. The other guy drives the vehicle to the first guy's take-out, which is the second guy's put-in. When the first guy finishes his float, the vehicle is there waiting for him, and he loads up and drives down to the second guy's take-out and picks him up.

[raise the motor]

Wrench, both times I was with my family. They watched the gear while I went for the truck. We then lived 150 miles away from the river so we sometimes only drove one car.

The hills aren't bad because what goes up must come down. Since both the start and finish are at river level, the only net elevation gain is the fall of the river between the two spots. Biking in the CR hills is nice, but some of the roads are narrow.

The downhill to Round Springs is a long steep grade. It makes up for the Jacks Fork hill. You get lots of rest on the downhills and can coast up much of the next hill.

We always went floating early in October when most of the river was abandoned. We once were on the river for nine days between Cedar Grove and Powder Mill Ferry (Owls Bend). We saw only two boats in the nine days.

The wild horse herd on the river is a sight when they show up. We once came up on the herd crossing the river and a foal was very curious and wanted to stay in the river and watch us pass. The mare sounded a command and the foal left immediately. The herd appeared to be healthy, but very unkept main and coats. I haven't seen the herd for a while and am not sure they have not been captured or removed.

Joe

[grizwilson]

I use two methods, one, I have a jeep with a tow bar, that is the best just drop either way, can still put stuff in truck or jeep and lock up. My other is a Yamaha TW 200, it is the new version of a enduro, street legal trail ready, and a hauler in the receiver hitch, works well but usually at a private place to leave my stuff at one end or the other, but have hid canoe etc in brush. Both work well but a buddy is better, most times.

We also haul the TW in the receiver hithch in the camper to Colorado, I can get up and go Elk hunt or fish and my wife can sleep in and drive down to town if she likes.

g

[awhuber]

Wrench, both times I was with my family. They watched the gear while I went for the truck. We then lived 150 miles away from the river so we sometimes only drove one car.

The hills aren't bad because what goes up must come down. Since both the start and finish are at river level, the only net elevation gain is the fall of the river between the two spots. Biking in the CR hills is nice, but some of the roads are narrow.

The downhill to Round Springs is a long steep grade. It makes up for the Jacks Fork hill. You get lots of rest on the downhills and can coast up much of the next hill.

We always went floating early in October when most of the river was abandoned. We once were on the river for nine days between Cedar Grove and Powder Mill Ferry (Owls Bend). We saw only two boats in the nine days.

The wild horse herd on the river is a sight when they show up. We once came up on the herd crossing the river and a foal was very curious and wanted to stay in the river and watch us pass. The mare sounded a command and the foal left immediately. The herd appeared to be healthy, but very unkept main and coats. I haven't seen the herd for a while and am not sure they have not been captured or removed.

Joe

http://www.eminencemo.com/missouriwildhorses.html

The wild horses are fine, for now.

I have shuttled a few of the fellow OA ers here on the upper Current. Holler if you need some help.