Sweetheart Paddle Trip

The first paddle trip of the season will be this coming Saturday, February 25th. We will paddle the Upper Coosawattee River from the Re-regulation Dam at Carters Lake to the Ralston Farm, approximately 7 miles and 2 hours. This portion of the Coosawattee is basically flat water with some shoals. PFD's are a NERA requirement when on any river. From the I-75 exit and intersection of GA Hwy. 225 go northeast toward Chatsworth to the intersection of GA Hwy. 136, 6.11 miles, and take a right on Hwy. 136, Nickelsville Rd. Travel east on Hwy. 136, Nickelsville Rd. for 10.84 miles to the intersection of Old US 411, where you will take a left. Travel 1.54 miles on Old US 411 to the intersection of Reservoir Rd. on the right, 1.54 miles. Turn right on Reservoir Rd. and continue to bare right for 0.57 miles to the launch location. There will be NERA direction signs from the intersection of GA Hwy. 136 and Old US 411 to the launch location. This is a short paddle so we will not stop for lunch. NERA dues are $35.00 per year which include all ten paddle trips for the 2012 NERA Paddle Season. We are currently updating our website, neranow.org and cannot take reservations or dues payments online. Online reservations, kayak rentals and dues payments will be available online beginning with our March 24th paddle on the Lower Oostanaula River. Please bring a check, made out to NERA, or cash to this paddle on February 25th if you need to pay your dues. Many thanks to one of our board members, Diane Miller, for her help with our Facebook Page. We have changed the name of the page from New Echota River Alliance which is a little cumbersome to simply NERA. Although legally our name is still New Echota Rivers Alliance, Inc. in the future for branding purposes we will simply be known as NERA. Please visit our Facebook Page, NERA, and "LIKE IT" if you haven't already done so. Chances are if you have been on any of our trips your picture is somewhere on the page. Also our Facebook Page is where I will post all updates to our trips or events. Another site you might want to visit and join, there's no charge, is Meet-up/Northwest GA Outdoors. This page has been established to provide information on outdoor events scheduled in Northwest Georgia such as paddle trips, cycling, hikes, rock climbing, etc. If you know of an upcoming event please send me an e-mail and I will post the event on the site. There is so much going on in Northwest Georgia I felt there should be one place where anyone could go to find out what was coming up. The success of this site is dependent on everyone sending me event notifications so please help. Thanks to the Gordon County Convention and Visitors Bureau in helping to fund this site. I look forward to seeing everyone this coming Saturday on the first paddle of the year. We have our greatest paddle schedule ever with something for everyone from laid back flat water to Class II and III rapids. If you have any questions, comments or require any info please e-mail me at mcbee.dan3@gmail.com.