Small world down by the river

If you read my Election Day post below, you'll see I took the Monongahela Monitor to Hildebrand Lock and Dam in early November. Here's an epilogue.

When I got back from that trip I noticed that my Sansa Mp3 player, which had been in a pocket of my backpack, was missing. I looked everywhere but could not find it. I had tied the Monitor up to a big sycamore and walked through the woods up to the rail trail then on to the dam. So, I figured that a branch of the bush had plucked the wires for the ear buds and I'd walked on through the woods leaving my Sansa hanging from a bush.

So, last Saturday my wife and I hiked up to the same spot where I thought I might have lost it. There was a bicycle propped against a tree next to the trail, and down below, next to the sycamore where I had tied the Monitor, a guy was fishing.

I followed my Election Day footprints through the woods, looking for my Mp3 player, and yelled out to the guy fishing, telling him I had lost something, so that he wouldn't be alarmed at my approach. "I have it," he replied, with a smile over his shoulder, holding his rod out over the Monongahela.

"What?" I asked, surprised by his words. "You found an Mp3 player?"

"Yes, but it's at home," the fisherman replied. His name is Bill Collins, he told me. He fishes in that spot lots and found my Sansa days earlier. Now, if he hadn't been there fishing that day, I don't think I would have gotten my music back. He asked about all the African percussion on it.

"Yep! That's mine" I'm in the Morgantown Drum Circle, and listen to a lot of percussion, especially Babatunde Olatunji.

So, we agreed to exchange phone calls, and I was able to meet Bill and his wife as they headed to church the next day. She invited me to go to church with them, and I gave them a gallon of apple cider I'd bought at Walmart that morning.

Those two are real nice folks. I told my wife, as we were walking home after the first encounter with Bill down by the River, "See, this river is such a great place. I meet people and have such interesting times" I hope to see Bill again. I know where he fishes, and he told me he would fish all winter for catfish. He was hoping to catch a walleye when we talked on Saturday.

I had put my Sansa through the wash early in the summer, and I didn't think it would ever work again. It did! Now, it's had a further adventure. Maybe it's because I have Babatunde on there.

End of the season

It's cold! I got a call from Mark at the marina yesterday. He said he's pulled the Monitor out of the river and winterized her. We'll be putting some new deck on this winter and back out on the river next spring - heading upriver to the Hildebrand pool, too. You all keep warm now!

Election Day trip upriver

On Election Day I was off from work. In West Virginia state workers get the day off to go vote. I did vote, late in the day, but during the afternoon I took The Monongahela Monitor upriver to Hildebrand Lock and Dam.

We worked all summer below and just above the Morgantown Lock and Dam cleaning up litter, and I was wondering what conditions were like further up. Plus, frankly, it was a beautiful day and I knew it was time to lay up the Monitor for winter at Mark's Marina (mile 97). I wanted one last boat ride.

The title says "Late November...." I don't know what I was thinking. It was actually early November. I'm a confused old man. Anyway, I saw a lot of litter along the banks as soon as I got away from the area we had cleaned during the summer. I am writing an article for The Dominion Post that shows it. I'll post some of the photos after the DP article comes out. I hope that next summer we can get up through the Morgantown Pool and into the Hildebrand Pool for cleanups.

Also, here is Mike Krafcik's report from WBOY-TV on our last litter cleanup in late October.

New prop for the Monitor

Well, it looks like I can get a new propeller for The Monongahela Monitor - and a new deck. The Morgantown City Council has once again approved funding for my river cleanups, and that means that "deferred maintenance" on the Monitor doesn't have to be deferred. The boat has to have a new deck because of some soft spots, but although the propeller is nicked pretty bad, it still works. But I'd like to put on a new one to take out the vibrations caused by the old prop. So, thanks Morgantown City Council.

The City has supported my program since it began, and the Council understands that without the Revival the litter would be all around the Wharf District. Given all the development in that area, doing nothing simply isn't an option any more.

Next summer, I am determined to get further up river. The Adopt-a-Mile-of-the-Mon effort should help. I hope to have a WVU student to help me raise funds.

Last 2010 Cleanup, and TV

WBOY-TV came out with us last night (end of October) for a cleanup - the last one for this year. Mike Krafcik, reporter, and I had been trying to hook up for months, but it never worked out. But yesterday evening he was available and so was my West Bank Crew, the Farley Family, and we did a special harbor area cleanup just for Mike.

I was a little worried that we wouldn't find any litter; after all, we've been cleaning this area since April. That was dumb though. We found two pretty bad spots (where some people were fishing and drinking on the east bank and where a homeless person had broken camp on the west bank) plus some tires right at Ruby Park.My thanks to Mike and WBOY for covering this.

So, here they are, being videoed by Mike. I'll post here when Mike's piece is going to run.

It was a little sad, having our final trip. The Farley's have been so great. What a fine crew, and they have also signed up to help with refitting the Monongahela Monitor this winter. She needs a new deck. So I'll see them again. But I guess we all will miss our wonderful outings on the river. Sure, we were in the mud and up to our knees in the water pulling out barrels and cans and other litter. And those tires filled with mud! But that made it all the better. Not just a boat trip on the river, but a boat trip for the river. Prepositions are so interesting.

Thanks to everyone who has helped so much and those who supported the Mon River Revival.

First Mon River Information Kiosk

I'm very happy to post that we have installed the first Mon River Information Kiosk in the Morgantown area. With funding from GenPower (the Longview Power Plant) and support from others, this weekend we dug into the ground where Decker's creek enters the Mon and sunk 12foot 6" X 6" posts four feet into the ground to support the kiosk (Thanks, Rich Farley!). Fortunately the ground was free of roots and rocks! (Click once, twice, to see larger photos).

The purpose of this kiosk (two more are planned) is to point citizens toward a nearby litter barrel (which you can see in one of the wide photos). It's that simple. But it goes beyond that. Each kiosk will be "sponsored" by a youth group. The first is sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church Sunday school group. This brings to the kids a couple messages about the environment and their roles. And the kids will also help in litter cleanups. (In the photo are, from left Charlie Huguenard, Tim Terman and Joe Douglass. Charlie and Joe are from Longview. In the top photo is Chris Wilson, who helped me build and install the kiosk)

On the kiosk is a map of the Upper Mon Water Trail, which I had a part in establishing back in 2002), a rather lengthy history of the river, a photo of the youth group holding a banner saying "Help Keep Our River Clean, Use the Litter Barrel," a photo of a dead albatross, and credits to the Mon River Revival, Longview and the City of Morgantown.

Dead albatross?,you may ask. Sure. We pick up lots of bottle caps and plastic cigarette lighters, items that float to the ocean and are swallowed by these grand birds (who are on the endangered list) which kills them. The point is that being against the litter isn't just about a blemish on the river (although that's important).

Here's a photo of the First Presbyterian Church Sunday school kids and their leaders. Ruth Donaldson is the person who contacted me to get them involved. My plan is to have these all up the river! Gotta work on that this winter.

Turn Back, O Man

When I attended a prep school during my junior and senior years of high school, the headmaster's favorite hymn was by Clifford Bax: Turn Back Oh Man.
Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways.
old now is earth, and none may count her days.
yet thou, her child, whose head is crowned with flame,
still wilt not hear thine inner God proclaim,
"Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways."

Earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.
age after age their tragic empires rise,
built while they dream, and in that dreaming weep:
would man but wake from out his haunted sleep,
earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.

Earth shall be fair, and all her people one:
nor till that hour shall God's whole will be done.
Now, even now, once more from earth to sky,
peals forth in joy man's old undaunted cry:
"Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one!"

I really liked that hymn. I was reminded of it today when I was looking in the library for works dealing with sacred rivers. I found a book called "Earth Might be Fair." It's rather heavy reading about religion and environmental issues edited by Ian G. Barbour - published in 1972!

Here's another; this one from William Wordsworth:

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.