Barren Fork / Collins River Paddle

We had seven folks to paddle the Barren Fork and Collins River in McMinnville. We put in at the Pepper Branch Park and paddled to the former VFW Club on Highway 70. We were told by a local that the city has taken over the VFW parking lot, so we didn't have to pay the $5 parking fee for now. The former barbecue restaurant has been boarded up, so we don't know what the city has planned for the building and parking lt. The water was cool and clear, and we had some cloud cover. Kayakers were Jim Barritt, Chuck Deen, Patty Deen, Joan Hartvigsen, Sara Pollard, Wayne Yancey and new member from the Scenic City chapter Julie Roberts.

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Barren Fork River Paddle - Sara

There were 7 paddlers on the Barren Fork Paddle in McMinnville. We put on the river at 9:00 am and we were the only kayakers until almost to the end of our trip. It started raining and because of the lightning and thunder, we took shelter under trees for a while. The river was low, and we dragged a few times. But it was a fun trip. Paddlers were Joe Campbell, Judy Fries, Joni Perrine, Sara Pollard, Georgeanne Ross, Jan Safavi and Wayne Yancey.  

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Barren Fork River Float - Tony

Had a wonderful float down the Barren Fork River connecting to the Collins River this past Sunday. We put in at the Barren Fork River Dam and took out at the VFW in McMinnville, Tennessee.

Some of the great folks on the float with me were: Wayne Yancey,Sara Beene Pollard, Cynthia Meinerding, Kat Niehaus Williams, Steve Watson, Paula Ponath, Nora Henn, Cindy Watson, Gary Kimbrell and George Thomason among many others. If I forgot to list you, I'm very sorry.

It was a beautiful day and we were safe from rain until about the last fifteen minutes of the float and then it rained. It never rained hard, but it was enough to get us wetter as we were already floating and had been in the water as well. There were a few rumbles of thunder which got some of us nervous because where there is thunder there is generally lightening and we were on the water--of course. Not a good place to be, but we never actually saw lightening and there were only a few thunder claps so the rain was really the only issue.

IT NEVER STOPPED US FROM HAVING FUN THOUGH!

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