Badin Lake Exploration PLUS: Raytch is Back!

Last Friday instead of trying to work around the whole Speed thing Ms. Arcen, Mary and I took off east for Badin Lake with Eric's canoe and a packed lunch. What a splendid day indeed. Over 4 hours of paddling on the water plus multiple exploration/swim stops at various new islands that we saw then headed towards. Amazing to consider that this land scape was all way dry out of the water before 1913 when ALCOA Corp came in to purchase the town of Badin and then dammed up the river south of here creating this lake. ALCOA is a French Company that saw Badin NC as an opportunity to smelt aluminum then send the armament material back to France in an effort to support their countrymen against Germany in WW I. That's right the first one which is when they figured out about trench warfare and all of its sub ground level benefits. That means all of these little islands are mountain tops sticking out of the water and when you are on one they immediately drop off at the shore line into the water covered valley below.

Ms. Arcen's paddle is hidden by her form but she did have one none the less. She has had many experiences since being a tiny baby in this rig and has shown great skill in the way she has adapted to the act of paddling itself. The island ahead is where she decided we should have lunch. This was my view while we were on the water.
This is the view from that island.

Yet another island with new discoveries.

It always blows me away how she can see and find these little treasures.
The east end of an island.

My kid, is a good one unlike any I have shared time with.

These 2 crystals perhaps 10million years old or so were stuck in the vertical hanging moss exactly like this. Strange.

Crane Spotting.

Paddling after a swim.

Rachel Van Slyke is back to Dooleyville after a 2 day bike load transfer from Pickens South Carolina for BILLAPALOOZA09. Definitely more details to follow. Buy her CD here, she rocks/rolls and has a Papa Wheelie Sticker on her guitar case!! Rachel is pulling a Stay Alive with me with this morning which means I will have someone to chat with during an event that I routinely spend quietly alone. Check out WFAE at 90.7 on your FM(Alan Freed's Radio) dial for her live interview with Mike Collins on this morning's Charlotte Talks.