SOFA Grayson Trip

PRE-TRIP NOTES, Revised 8Aug07:

I plan on arriving at Carter Caves on Friday, 10 Aug, around 2 PM.

Directions to Carter Caves: From the East on I-64. Take exit #161 (Olive Hill exit). Turn right off the exit onto US 60 east. Go approximately 2 miles and turn left on KY 182 north. Park entrance is 3 miles from the left turn onto KY 182 north. (Look for Carter Caves signs)

If you are camping, the tent sites are $15/night and can be shared by up to 8 people but are limited to 2 cars. We should be able to bring our cost/person/night in at around $4-5. We have campground sites 109, 113, 115, and 117 reserved for Friday and Saturday nights . Lisa has already reserved site 114. At present, I do not plan to bring the SOFA canopy, stove, or condiment boxes along, so plan accordingly. We will have a container of plates, dinnerware, and napkins from the SOFA stores. In addition, we expect to have at least two dining canopies and several stoves available. The camp store has ice and is right next to tent camping, as is the shower house and laundry. Carter Caves is a state park, so it is formally a dry site...and in a dry county. Once again - plan accordingly. I would recommend bringing comfortable hiking/walking gear and some sort of light. We will undoubtedly walk trails and visit caves as the opportunity presents. The "no burn" condition for Carter Caves has been lifted.

At least one couple is staying at the Carter Caves Lodge, but I believe it is booked for the weekend. We also have someone staying at the Quality Inn near Interstate 64 in Grayson.

Both floats begin and return to the same ramp, and each put-in has a relatively large parking area. I anticipate having 2 boat trailers, plus my utility trailer available to haul boats, so we will consolidate boats as much as practical at the campsite to reduce the number of cars we leave in the parking lots.

Some of you may choose to meet us directly at the Saturday put-in. Directions to Caney Creek Put-In: Interstate 64 exit 172 at Grayson, KY. South on KY 7 about 20 miles to KY 504 on the right. Follow KY 504 approx. 2 miles to parking and water access - an unmarked drive on the Right that drops down to a large flat area at water level.

For day-trippers, I am committing to a 10:30 departure from Carter Caves. That should provide enough time for any of us to have a reasonable morning start and the ability to drive to the site for a put-in at the Caney Creek ramp at about 11:00. Sunday's float will not have a pre-defined start time.

Other activities at Carter Caves thoughout the weekend may include caving, hiking, horseback riding, miniature golf, swimming (pool), or golf.

Saturday night will be a potluck dinner. Grayson has an excellent grocery store just South of the KY 7 and US 60 intersection in town, so you may not have to cart supplies. Town boasts both an excellent Italian and Mexican restaurant. The Italian restaurant is just a bit South of the KY 7 and US 60 intersection on the West side and tucked into a strip mall near a dairy-freeze-type of ice cream place. The Mexican restaurant is just a bit North of the same intersection and also on the West side of the street.