Kiosk work, river baptisim,

On Sunday, Chris, Biao and I tried to finish up work on our Walnut Street information kiosk. This is our second installation. The other is at the mouth of Decker's Creek.  We didn't finish, but made some progress, and we'll soon have this up. Funds for these have been provided by Longview Power.

Regardless, we got to witness something really neat - a river baptism. As we were encountering yet another difficulty with hanging the kiosk bulletin board, a group of people approached and one person introduced himself as the preacher of the Catalyst Church, which meets up on High Street.

He said they were coming to a baptism.

Pretty soon everyone gathered round and we stopped work and one of the congregation waded into the water, still rather cold, and was baptized.  I mentioned to the preacher how I understand the river to be sacred, that rivers are, and how I thought river baptisms had died out but was glad to get to see one.

Many rivers are sacred, perhaps all.  Maybe all water is sacred.

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure-dome decree :

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran

Through caverns measureless to man

Down to a sunless sea."  -Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Have potato chips, no boat

I received a big box on my front porch Friday. It was a surprise: a huge box of individual Boulder Canyon chips. The company is sponsoring the American Rivers cleanup campaign and I guess they send chips to all the participants.

So, I've got chips, but had to cancel our cleanup on Saturday because my boat isn't quite ready to launch.  So, I'll save the chips for our next attempt.  I believe that will be the last weekend in April, which is still pretty early for our summer cleanups. 

Here's what the chip folks have to say:

Boulder Canyon is a proud sponsor of American Rivers and the National River Cleanup because we share the same vision and dedication to a better, more natural environment.   We help communicate that message with the American Rivers logo prominently displayed on our bags. Boulder Canyon also donates cases of chips, volunteer t-shirts, and trash bags to all river cleanups. Last year we donated over 70,000 trash bags used by volunteers to remove debris from rivers across the country. This year American Rivers will host approximately 500 cleanups thanks to 60,000 volunteers who help communities keep their rivers clean and trash-free.

Thanks to American Rivers and Boulder Canyon!   I also received a box of trash bags from American Rivers.So, we are all set for our outing in May.  I did have a chance to reconnoiter the river on Saturday in my kayak.  There's a lot of litter for us to clean up and I can't wait to get started.  This was rather early to be out, as the water is still pretty cold.  So, May will be better anyway.

Saturday's cleanup postponed

Because I'm having some difficulty getting the Monongahela Monitor launched for the summer, I need to cancel the American Rivers cleanup that was scheduled for Saturday, April 14. We were trying to get an early start (we don't usually get out until May), but it looks like it will be later in April before the boat's ready.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

trees along Mon River

These trees were very beautiful this spring, in late March. A little early because of the warm weather. These are at Morgantown, mile 101 on the Monongahela River.

American Rivers Mon Cleanup in April

I've registered with Americans Rivers to do a cleanup on the Mon River on April 14, Saturday.
Let me know if you want to help. This will be the earliest summer cleanup since I started doing these back in 2006. Usually I don't even get the Monongahela Monitor into the water from her winter boat-yard lay-up until the end of April. But we've pretty much skipped April this spring, haven't we? We will begin at 9 a.m. and be back around 2-3 p.m. Walnut Street boat launch. If you are interested in helping, just comment.

705, Stewartstown Rd. Cleanup Successful

It's really easy to know if you've had a success when you do a litter cleanup. No one got hurt, everyone is smiling and you have 28 bags of litter picked up. (Click photos to enlarge)

So, writing that headline was easy.

Thanks to several groups, listed below, we did get 705, The Orchard Bypass, from the intersection at Stewartstown Road cleaned and from the intersection down Stewartstown Rd. to the bottom of the hill. And no one was run over.




The folks that helped can tell you I was worried about that. Thanks, everyone.

The litter we picked up might have been washed into West Run, which enters the Mon River down near the end of Collins Ferry Rd. See the satellite shot at bottom.

Also, we got to use the Burma Shave signs, produced by the Litter Control folks. Thanks!

Alpha Delta Lambda Honorary
Community Medicine Student Association
WVU Political Science Students
Sierra Club of Morgantown
Monongahela River Revival




Financial support was provided from a grant made possible by IMPACT Earth and the Mon County Solid Waste Authority and Litter Control. Supplies, including the great big orange road signs, were provided by the WV Department of Highways.

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Burma shave against litter!

Hey, if you are driving on Rt. 705 this weekend going toward the Mileground (Rt. 119) you'll see some Burma Shave signs. Remember them? We'll you couldn't unless you are in your 60s. These were signs put out in sequence along the roads in the 1920s-50s to sell a product.

On Friday evening, 3-9, we are putting these signs out along Rt. 705 (the Orchard Bypass) to draw attention to the litter out there.
Then on Sunday morning, 3-11, we'll be picking it up!

So, if you are out that way, honk if you see us and give our volunteers a thumbs up!

The Mon River Revival organized this with support from IMPACT Earth and volunteers from WVU's Alpha Lambda Delta, Dr. Hunter's political science capstone class, the Community Medicine Student Association and the Sierra Club.

Oh, what will our signs say? you ask.

Litter So Bad
Makes Us All Sad
Let's Clean It Up
And Then Be Glad