Recovery Mission to the Train Tracks

I rushed home after work and quickly changed into my muddy, stiff pants and boots that I had not picked up off the garage floor since I tossed them there late Saturday night after returning from the river. Jon showed up with a couple double cheeseburgers.

We tossed some straps in the truck and took off. Traffic was surprisingly light as we made our way west and then north on 435. We got off at Holiday just before the Kansas River and drove down to the little spot where the road is wider and parked next to the sign on the fence asking people to stay out.

Trespassing was a necessity if we wanted our canoe and cooler back so we walked around the fence down the hill across the tracks, down another hill and across two more sets of tracks. We walked along the edge of the woods for a little bit then found our spot. And hidden in the woods just off the spot was the Red Mohawk Canoe and the blue roller cooler. Both stuffed with wet gear and trash. The canoe was our main priority so we went for it first.

We took out all the stuff inside it and quickly climbed up the hills and tracks. We walked/climbed fast on the way up and jogged on the way down. The 3 sets of tracks are busy with trains coming and going and worst of all parking. We were worried about a train blocking us from the rest of our stuff or blocking us from the truck so we hurried. The canoe was a little rough going up the steep banks but our strength had returned and it was way easier then it had been in the dark rain last Saturday.

After the canoe we came back for the cooler full of beer, warm eggs, a warm bag of burger patties, warm bacon and all the cast iron pans and utensils that had been sitting around when we packed up.

We decided to each grab the cooler in one hand and then stick the tarps, saw, grate, lantern, tackle box etc in our other hands and try to do it all in 1 trip. This worked fine on the flat ground and the semi flat ground but was terrible on the really steep bank where we used our hands to climb more then we realized. Once we crossed the last track we stopped running and knew that all our gear was coming with us this time. I left my handful of other gear and pulled the roller cooler up the hill. Jon grabbed all the rest of the gear that he could and we got everything up the hill and in the truck safe and sound.

We were amazed at how quick and effective everything had gone. We were used to everything we did at the river failing terribly. I was sweating like crazy from the two quick trips. We drove home in some bad traffic but still made the whole trip take just over an hour.

Jon headed home and I got busy on my next project for the day. My garage was full of junk. After the wedding everything got packed in there and after the weekend everything got piled in there and after the fiberglassing nights everything got left in there and then you add in the day to day projects and clutter and my side of the garage was ruined.

I had some of Jon’s stuff, some of Derrick’s Stuff, some of Tony’s stuff, some of Matt’s stuff, some of Stephen’s stuff and some stuff that I don’t know who it belongs too. I looked things over made a plan and started to clean and organize. There were 3 wet sleeping bags and several wet tarps that were starting to stink so I got them out and hosed down and hung to dry. I got a pile for the basement, a pile for the shed and a began putting everything where it goes. Organizing went really well and quick and in about an hour I had the garage in order and I could probably pull the truck in if I had too. Heath and Peanut got home from the grocery store and we unloaded groceries then messed around with Berry in the front yard and worked on spraying down the stinky camping gear.

Our new next door neighbor and her puppy got home and we walked over to meet her. Peanut and her dog took turns chasing each other in circles around us and we talked about the house and neighborhood for a bit.

Then Peanut hopped in the tub and Heath and I tried to come up with a plan for the weekend.  We failed and Heath went to her softball game. Peanut got out of the tub hungry so I got him a couple leftover chicken wings and then read him a long version of Sleeping Beauty while he ate.

He was tired and curled up in bed and fell asleep quick. I cleaned up the kitchen and familly room then carried several loads of clothes, tools, and camping gear from the garage to the basement. Then I cleaned up my brick tools and supplies from walling in the fireplace.

I had a couple beers and played on the internet a bit and watched The Shield. Then I took a shower and went to bed.