Index of States Kayaked by Charlene Swankie

I DID IT!  Finished the 50th State, Hawaii, on my 70th Birthday, almost a year ago now.
This is a work in progress… I will also add elevations.  I am also updating the state pages with more details.  (updated 5/7/2015)

State	Order	Date	Location	Elevation
Alabama	46	10/23/12	Justins Bay, AL (solo)
Alaska	49	8/20/2013	Holgate Glacier, Holgate Arm near Seward, AK
Arizona	2	06/2009	Watson Lake / Vickie Walker; Cibola NWR (N.P.)
Arkansas	43	10/7/12	Beaver Lake (solo)
California California2	1	3/2008 ? ? ? 08/30/2009 08/03/2009	1) Monterey Bay(many times) 2) Morro Bay (fb) 3) Spooners Cove @ Montano de Oro State Park (fb) 4) Elkhorn Slough 5) Gold Lake (fb) 6) West Shore of Lake Tahoe(*maiden voyage) / Elle Beals (fb)
Colorado	39	10/11/11 and Summer 2012	Jackson Lake State Park nr Orchard (solo) (*Pelicans) Meadow Creek Lake nr Rifle (solo)
Connecticut	20	10/25/10	Put in @ Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from CT-RI down to Little Narragansett Bay. (solo) (*Swans)
Delaware	23	11/02/10	Cape Henlopen @ Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge-put in @ Boat Ramp Access Rd. (solo)
Florida	29	11/26/10 12/19/10 12/30/10 10/?/12	1) Santa Fe River @ Columbia State Park, High Springs / Judy Luke family 2) Cedar Kay /Gary Lepak 3) Ichetucknee Springs State Park/Gary Lepak 4)   (solo)
Georgia	28	11/16/10	Tybee Island (solo)
Hawaii	50	5/16/2014	Off Maui	/sons
Idaho	6	10/18/09	Upper and Lower Priest Lakes (solo), Priest River, ID	Moose Family Video
Illinois	36	09/23/11	Lake Shelbyville (solo)
Indiana	35	08/19/11	Lake Monroe @very large boat launching area off Hwy 446 (solo)
Iowa	37	09/28/11	Clear Lake @ McIntosh Woods State Park (43.12237,-93.45856) (solo)
Kansas	41	10/02/12	Wilson Lake @ Wilson State Park – Otoe Launch (solo)
Kentucky	34	08/18/11	Fredericks Landing, Wilder, KY Boat Launch (solo)
Louisiana	47	10/25/12	Small unnamed pond/marsh nr Hwy 190 and Hwy 90(Chef Menteur Hwy) east of Slidell (solo)
Maine	17	10/12/10	Long Pond on Mount Desert Island, Arcadia National Park (solo)
Maryland/DC	24	11/02/10	Put in @ Ocean City Municipal Airport on Sinepuxent Bay… near Mystic Harbor & paddled across to Assateague State Park/Island (solo)
Massachusetts	19	10/21/10	Secret Lake in Athol / Kay Gleason
Michigan	14	08/31/10 09/05/10	1) Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary @ Alpena (solo) 2) Launched @ Gross Isle (solo)
Minnesota	12	08/03/10 08/07/10	1) St. Louis River @ Floodwood (solo) 2) Ely – Boundary Waters Canoe Area (solo) (write up BWCA)
Mississippi	45	10/12/12 10/24/12	1) Sardis Lake @ Engineer Point Public Use Area 2) Pearlton
Missouri	44	10/09/12	Coombs Ferry Public Use Area, Blue Eye, MO (solo)
Montana	7	10/19/09	Flathead Lake (solo), Lakeside, MT
Nebraska	38	10/10/11	Lake McConaughy, Ogallala (solo)
Nevada	3	08/25/09 12/03/09	1) Cave Rock, NV (solo) 2) Callville Bay Marina @ Lake Mead (solo) fb
New Hampshire	16	10/19/10	Harriman Reservoir in S.W. corner of state. Rt. 9, Molly Stark Trail.
New Jersey	22	10/27/10	Sandy Hook nr Fort Hancock @ Gateway National Recreation Area (solo)
New Mexico	40	10/15/11	Lake Caballo nr Truth or Consequences  on Rio Grande River (solo)
New York	15	09/25/10	Grand Island @ Beaver Point / Matt Beals
North Carolina	26	11/10/10	Jordan Lake / Judith Sookne
North Dakota	11	07/28/10	Langlier’s Bay on Lake Oahe (solo)
Ohio	33	07/28-29/11	1) Mad River / Cheryl and David Simmons (6.5 miles) (fb) 2) Buck Creek State Park lake (solo)
Oklahoma	42	10/06/12	Robert S. Kerr Reservoir @ Sallisaw Creek Park (Cherokee Nation) (solo)
Oregon	4	08/31/09	Siltcoos Lake, OR (solo)
Pennsylvania	32	07/24/11	Loyalhanna Lake. Camped @ Bush Recreation Area (solo)
Rhode Island	21	10/25/10	Put in @ Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from CT-RI down to Little Narragansett Bay. (solo)
South Carolina	27 or 28?	11/13/10	Folly Beach (solo)
South Dakota	10	07/28/10	Missouri River on Lake Oahe @ Mobridge (solo)
Tennessee	30	07/18/11	French Broad River to Nolichucky River nr Newport / Leadvale @ Rankin Bottoms. (solo)
Texas	48	10/30/12	Mountain Lake nr Grand Prairie (fb)
Utah	8	11/02/09	Quail Creek Reservoir nr St. George (solo)
Vermont	18	10/19/10	Harriman Reservoir, nr Medburyville (solo)
Virginia	25	11/05/10	Kayaked here. First Landing State Park @ Broad Bay N.W of Virginia Beach .(solo)
Washington	5	09/9-15/09 09/9-15/09 09/12/09 07/01/10	1) Elliott Bay @ Alki Point  (solo) 2) Wenatchee – Turtle Island @ Lincoln Rock State Park (solo) 4) Port Angeles / Gary Lepak 5) Port Townsend /Gary Lepak (fb) 5) Port Angeles / Gary Lepak
West Virginia	31	07/23/11	Sutton Lake (solo)
Wisconsin	13	08/14/10	Apostle Islands National Lake Shore, north of Bayfield, WI (solo)
Wyoming	9	07/23 or 25?/10	Big Horn Canyon Recreation Area @ Horseshoe Bend Lake(solo)

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National “Feed Charlene” Day–June 9, 2012

What a funny or fun day this was.  I’ve been on the job high in the Rocky Mountains now for three weeks.  No one has fed me.  But today, for some reason, everyone was feeding me???

My campsite is near the open place in the trees,
where you can see the road.

First, two campers were walking the mile back to their camp from the Lake,  had caught four rainbow trout fish.  I’ve never eaten that before… and to my surprise they invited me to lunch.  That was really really good.

Second, a young couple and their two kids were picnicking. I was busy doing something at my van and heard a small wee voice say “Do you want some corn?”  and this little girl handed up an ear of roasted corn. They had roasted corn in the husk over the fire.  Boy was that good.  I went about my work and later stopped to thank them for the corn and they offered me more, and then watermelon, then oranges (quartered), and then small Snicker candy bars.  Wow… guess it pays to be nice to people.  We chatted and joked and I asked it they needed to adopt a grandma.  They joked back, SURE!

And finally, a couple of gals camped at the other campground… with their families, came over to see my rock collection. We sat and looked at the three trays of polished rocks I finished last winter in Quartzsite, and joked and laughed… and then they invited me over for dinner.  Wow!  This day has got to end… I could gain weight here.  And what did they have??? Shrimp cocktail, one of my favorite things on earth.  And Black Eyed peas and bratwurst.  And fresh salad with most of the ingredients straight from Terri’s garden.  Terri is a very interesting gal and she even invited me to come down and stay over with them on my days off… and have a hot shower. They offered me a bedroom but I explained that I never sleep inside anymore, but then they offered me their driveway.  Perfect. 

I was so full by the time the day ended.  And I laughed to myself that this was the day of my 50th High School Class reunion back in Indiana… and I thought, NOPE, this day has been WAY BETTER than if I had gone to Indiana.  Just WAY BETTER!  (O.K., I admit it, I’m curious as to how the reunion went.)

The other day I baked delicious cornbread in my Griswold Cast Iron skillet in my Solar Sun Oven.   Yummm.

State List

I thought an index of states might help followers who want to see where I have been.  Some state photos are only on Facebook at this time but I will try to get blog pages made for those as soon as I can.  Thank you for following along.

State / Location / Date / Link

Alabama - 2012?

Alaska - Will be my 49th state. 2013-4?

Arizona #2 - Watson Lake June 2009. Photos not on Blog yet, only on Facebook.

Arkansas - 2012?

California #1 1) Monterey Bay bef July 2009 2) Morro Bay-Photos only on Facebook for now. 3) Montano de Oro State Park. Photos only on Facebook for now. 4) Lake Tahoe 8/3/09. Photos only on Facebook for now. 5) Gold Lake 8/2009. Photos only on Facebook for now.

Colorado / #39 Jackson Lake near Orchard, CO  -  Oct 11, 2011 -

Connecticut / #20 Put in at Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from RI to CT to mouth of Little Narragansett Bay.  Oct 25, 2010.

Delaware /23 Cape Henlopen – Nov 2, 2010 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Beach Access Rd. Nov 2, 2010.

District of Columbia ?

Florida / #29 1) Santa Fe River in Columbia State Park – High Springs, FL – Thanksgiving 2010  2) Ichetucknee Spring State Park  - New Year’s Eve 2010. 3) Cedar Key, West Coast of FL – Dec 19, 2010 -

Georgia / #28 Tybee Island, Nov. 16, 2010

Hawaii Will be 50th state!

Idaho / #6 Priest Lakes – Oct 18, 2009

Illinois / #36 Lake Shelbyville – Sept 23, 2011.

Indiana / #35 Lake Monroe – Aug 19, 2011

Iowa / #37 Sept 29, 2011 – where was this???

Kansas 2012?

Kentucky / #34 Fredericks Landing, Wilder, KY – Aug 18, 2011

Louisiana 2012?

Maine / #19 or 17? Acadia National Park – Long Lake near Mountain Desert Island - http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/2010/10/17th-state-paddlemaine-oct-12-2010.html

Maryland / #24 Sinepuxent Bay near Mystic Harbor @ Ocean City Municipal Airport – Nov 2 2010.

Massachusetts / #19 Kay’s Secret Lake – Oct 21, 2010

Michigan / #14 Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, Alpena – Aug 31, 2010 - Gross Isle – Detroit River -

Minnesota / #12 Boundary Waters Canoe Area near Ely – Aug 7 2010 - Floodwood, MN  - St. Louis River – Aug 3, 2010

Mississippi 2012?

Missouri 2012?

Montana / #7 Flathead Lake – Oct 19, 2009

Nebraska / #38 Lake McConaughy, Ogallala, NE - Oct 10, 2011

Nevada / #3 Cave Rock (east side of Lake Tahoe) July 2009  Callville Bay Marina, Lake Mead – Dec 3, 2009 - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1166302649071.2021521.1573053507&type=3

New Hampshire / #16 Oct 5, 2010 – where is this???

New Jersey / #22 Sandy Hook  - Gateway National Recreation Area.   Oct. 27, 2010.

New Mexico / #40 or 39? Lake Caballo near Truth or Consequences – Oct. 15, 2011.  On the Rio Grande River.

New York / #15 Grand Island – Beaver Point – Sep 25, 2010 -

North Carolina / #26 An unnamed lake – Nov 10 2010

North Dakota / #10 Langlier’s Bay on Lake Oahe,  July 28, 2010.

Ohio / #33 Mad River – July 28-29, 2011 - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1880713828904.2087534.1573053507&type=3 Buck Creek State Park Lake – July 2011

Oklahoma 2012?

Oregon / #4 Siltcoos Lake – Aug 31, 2009

Pennsylvania / #32 Loyalhanna Lake, Bush Recreation Area – July 24, 2011.

Rhode Island / #21 Put in at Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from RI to CT to mouth of Little Narragansett Bay.  Oct 25, 2010.

South Carolina / #27 Folly Beach – Nov.  13, 2010.

South Dakota / #11 Mobridge, SD on Missouri River on Lake Oahe – July 28 2010.

Tennessee / #30 Newport / Leadvale – July 18, 2011

Texas 2012?

Utah / #8 Quail Creek Reservoir near St. George – Nov. 2, 2009

Vermont / #18 Oct 19, 2010 – name of small lake???

Virginia / #25 First Landing State Park near Virginia Beach -  Nov 5, 1010

Washington / #5 1) Port Angeles – Sept 9-15, 2009  2) Port Townsend Sept 12, 2009  - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1121698694000.2016126.1573053507&type=3 3) Port Angeles – July 1, 2010

Washington / #5 Elliott Bay @ Alki Point

Washington / #5 Wenatchee – Turtle Island

West Virginia / #33 or 31st? Sutton Lake – July 23, 2011

Wisconsin / #13 Apostle Islands National Lake Shore – Aug 14, 2010

Wyoming / #9 Big Horn Canyon Recreation Area – Horseshoe Bend Lake – July 25, 2010.

   
   If you have suggestions for places to kayak in the states I have not yet visited, please email them to me at charlene.swankie@gmail.com.



    

Thinking about HoosierLand.

I was born in Florida but moved to Indianapolis when I was just a few months old.  Grew up there, Grade Schools, High School, Colleges.  So many people from my past and I’m missing them.  Lots coming up this year in Indianapolis and many people want me to return for special events.  That’s Danny I’m sitting on.  I’ve recently been in touch with his daughter Dana… he and his three brothers are all still in Indianapolis.  His mom and my mom were best friends.  I’ve seen photos… they have grown to be real hulks.  Sure miss Dolly and Harry.

Yes, I’ve always been a tomboy.

I also have three strapping nephews in the Indianapolis area, two in building construction trades and one a manager at a Manards store.  We all had a great time visiting last fall.  Paul and I took an all day motorcycle ride to visit one of his other brothers, Rob. 

Rob and I had such a great time visiting that I had to return to visit more with him and his family.  It rained and he had to pull my van and the trailer out when it was time to leave, with this big farm tractor. 

Then I got to visit with Kris and his hulking tall teen son and Kris’ wife and daughter too.  Daughter was fascinated with my artistic talents and so I spent time with her teaching her a little about how to sketch.  I hadn’t spent any time with these fine men since they were mere boys.  It was neat to me how the family values are passed on down the line.  They didn’t want me to leave.  Even one of the dogs who never made up to me, seemed to be sad when I drove off.

One of the boys(?) and his wife are renewing there marital vows in September and want me to return to Indianapolis for that even.  If I ever ran into trouble in a dark alley, I’d want these boys standing beside me.  It’s nice to have them so concerned about me that they are following my adventures.
Then there is the high school gang… Arsenal Technical High School, class of 1962 (never said I was young).  We are having our 50 Reunion in June 2012.  

Third white gown is me.

Our class was over 570 students… 1/4 of whom are sadly deceased now.  I have been working on locationg all class members for the past five years.  It would be great to see everyone still living, especially all the handsome lettermen from the football and basketball teams (one was my first real crush). 

In my travels, I’ve been able to meet a number of them and we have had great visits.

And I have either corresponded or become Facebook friends with even more of my classmates.

		Classmates I’ve been in touch with. VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Indianapolis is going to be a popping busy place this year.  The SuperBowl is being held there next month,  Feb.5, 2012.  Major improvements have been make to our High School campus which will house the visiting team for practice.  The whole town has had a major facelift this last couple years in preparation.  A new facility has been built on our 76-acre campus… that will be exciting to see.  Just checked the events for SuperBowl 56… and Indy must be popping this week, even more so than for an Indy 500.  It will be a grand year for Indy. 
http://www.indianapolissuperbowl.com/_assets/051810-Grassroots-Grant-Release-WEB.pdf
http://www.indianapolissuperbowl.com/_assets/011212%20CNELC%20Preview%20Media%20Advisory.pdf
In August, there will be a reunion for all classes from the 1960s and also the year 1970… in celebration of the 100th year of the school.  I’m very excited about that event… as more is planned than for our 50th Class reunion in June.  Our class was the 49th class to graduate from the school.  Many of my relatives graduated in earlier classes.
So September will be the starting of the 50th class of the school… and many many big activities are planned on and off campus. 

http://www.athsalumniassociation.org/docs/pdf/TS%20Fall%202011%20Web.pdf
I could go on and on… and it is still up in the air if I will get to attend these events.  There are so many friends and relatives there who have been following my adventures and escapades these past few years who are begging me to come “Back Home Again in Indiana.”  Just saying (and thinking).
( I say I hate Indiana until I write about it… then I get all choked up.  Time to visit?)