THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2003
OUTDOORS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5
Students propose river endeavors
By Marissa Stephenson
mstephenson@kansan.com
Jayplay staff writer
The month of March brings warm weather, light breezes and a week away from classes - all of which are perfect reasons to get out on a river. Whether your pleasure is canoeing or kayaking, there are plenty of public rivers in and around Kansas to explore.
Jess Vahsholtz, Herington junior, is looking forward to the seven-day canoeing trip he is taking with his family this spring break. He said they were starting in Missouri and were working their way to Arkansas.
"We'll need to rent the boats when we get there, but we've got most of our own stuff," he said. "We used to go a lot when I was younger, so it's a reunion of sorts."
Vahsholtz suggested the Ozarks as a good place to canoe for beginning or experienced paddlers.
"The Ozarks is as close and good as it is, and definitely the cheapest place you can get," Vahsholtz said. "Plus it's easy to find outfitters to rent your boats from."
Andrea Jones, Topeka senior agreed.
"There are plenty of canoe friendly places around the Ozarks. I went to the Buffalo River in Missouri a year ago. It's a beautiful drive out there and a great canoe trip," Jones said.
Jones also recommended The Complete Book of Canoeing by
Herbert Gordon as an essential tool in locating local and national rivers to paddle on. It has river listings for every state and the associations to contact for information, plus added tips on basic strokes and rescue information.
TJ Hittle, veteran kayaker for 24 years and web master of the Web site The Kansas Paddler, www.kansas.net/~tjhittle, said one of the best multi-day river runs was right here in Kansas.
"If you're looking for a local river float, the Kansas River is the best," he said. "It's a 170-mile stretch that starts out in Junction City and flows into Missouri. You could take-out in Lawrence if you wanted a solid four-to-five-day trip."
means you don't have to be an expert to navigate them.
Hittle also suggested Missouri rivers for multi-days trips.
"The Current, Eleven Point, and Jacks Fork are all part of the Ozark National Waterways and great picks for multi-day trips," Hittle said. "There are accesses all along the river and plenty of outfitters to get your gear and run shuttles for you."
If you were still looking for the ultimate Spring Break trip, Hittle suggested looking into a kayaking trip in the Everglades National Park in Florida. There, you could paddle through exotic marshes during the day and camp out on raised platforms at
night. Boats could be rented through
Snethen said.
With the return of warm weather, paddlers can think of many reasons to get back out on a river.
"I love being out on the water, it's peaceful, it's calm, it's my escape," Vahsholtz said.
Jones recommended paddling as an enjoyable means of relaxation for anyone.
"It's the easy life when you're floating downstream,"she said.
For more information on rental canoes and kayaks, both locally and nationally, plus safety tips and a river equipment check list, go to The Kansas Paddler homepage: www.kansas.net/~tjhittle.
Spring weather sends students outdoors
By Eddie Yang eyang@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
As Lawrence heats up and springtime approaches, students are spending more time outdoors.
Here's a sample of outdoor activities in Lawrence:
Batting cages
The batting cages at Clinton Lake Softball Complex, 5101 Speicher Road, are now open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
The cages feature four slow-pitch softball stations and two fast-pitch softball stations.
Tokens are available on-site at a cost of $1 for 1 token or $5 for7 tokens. One token buys 20 pitches.
The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department has developed a BMX track in partnership with the Lawrence Mountain Bike Club. The track is located in Edgewood Park, 1245 E. 15th St., near the East Lawrence Recreation Center.
BMXtrack
The dirt track, shaped like a figure eight, is designed for bicycles. Motorized vehicles are not allowed, and the track is without supervision.
Designed as a street course, the 12,306 square-foot facility features eight courses including a half-pipe, a quarter-pipe, a plaza, pyramids, a fun box and a grind rail. The area is not supervised. Skaters should wear safety equipment.
The Centennial Skate Park, 600 Rockledge Road, was designed with input from area youth in 1998.
Centennial Skate Park
Centennial Park Frisbee Golf Course
One stroke is counted each time a player throws a disc or incurs a penalty. Maps and scorecards for the course are available at Bucky's Drive-In, 2120 W. Ninth St.
Centennial Park's 18-hole course, 600 Rockledge Road, has no green fees or expensive equipment. Frisbee golf, whose rules are similar to those of golf, uses discs instead of balls.
"Frisbee golf is a good way to be outside with your friends," said Chris Osgood, 2002 KU graduate."
— Edited by Lindsay Hanson