I joined MountainTrue for an Asheville river clean up. Below is my video report of what happened:
My family and I are making a movie about the French Broad River, the people who use it, and the social and political issues that surround it. We Torgs are traveling the French Broad River from Rosman, NC to the Rankin Flats in Tennessee and using that trip as a narrative thread to “hang” all the other stories that we find along the way.
Whew, thanks for digging in Anna!
Got questions, comments or ideas for our project?
Love to hear from you!
Please consider sharing this post via email or social media platforms.
Thanks for being interested in what we are up to at Torg Stories!
Mile 11 to 19 Asheville on the French Broad River movie update
My family and I are trying to make a movie about the French Broad River, the people who use it, and the political and social issues that surround it. We hope to raft 149 miles of the river from Rosman, NC to Newport, TN. We plan to do this in sections.
The plan for today was to put in near mile 11 at what is called Island Ford River Access and get out of the river at HapSimpson Park just outside of Brevard, NC.
Here’s our video report of how it went:
***
Getting Ready For the Journey
Click on the French Broad River Movie Tab at the Top of the Page for All of our River Movie Updates
David Donnell of Asheville Outdoor Center and Torg
Asheville Outdoor Center owner David Donnell and I talk River People and about his twenty-five years in business on this week’s Torg Stories Podcast.
I met David when he did me the good deed of helping my family make our first 48 Hour Film Project movie. Dave put my oldest daughter in a kayak and then guided a raft next to her so we could film her on the French Broad River.
This an “audio only” podcast available here and in the podcast app of your iPhone if you search for “Torg Stories” and Podcasts.
It’s also a video podcast. Both the audio only and video versions are embedded below.
iTunes link
Some stuff that might be worth knowing or checking out:
The AOC is located at 521 Amboy Road. Asheville, North Carolina. 28806. Click here for their Facebook page.
AOC has a tap room. It’s a beautiful spot to grab a beer along the river.
Dave says development has impacted the way that the river handles heavy rains.
When the CFS (cubic feet per second water flow) is over 5,000, Dave doesn’t allow canoes.
A new bridge on his 7 mile float trip doesn’t allow boaters to pass under it if the CFS is over 5,000.
What new challenges does the river face because of its popularity?
I’d like to see one of these tire dances.
Scotty Richards, the original tire plucker, weekends spent picking up tires and trash, 12-15 years. Can I see his rubber tire plucking boat?
Dave gave a shout out to White Duck Taco. I’ve never been there. He said the fish tacos are good. I am a connoisseur of fish tacos. I’m planning a visit!
Podcast with Dave Donnell from Asheville Outdoor Center
Our plan to go from Mile 0 of the French Broad River to 149 at the Rankin Bottoms in Tennessee was in immediate jeopardy when we were told by several people that the put in at the headwaters of the French Broad River had a private put in and was likely too shallow to raft.
Lying in bed unable to sleep the night before we started our journey of rafting the entire river in sections, I tried to decide on whether we should get up early and try to put the boat in as the sun came up, ask for permission at Headwaters Outfitters to use their private access, or just start as suggested by our river guide book to start in Champion Park in Rosman, NC.
We’re off on the French Broad River!
We decided to just go to Headwaters and ask about the possibility of us putting in there and if they thought our raft could get through that section of the river.
You can watch a short video summary of our trip below:
In short, our plan is to make a movie about the French Broad River, the people who use it, and the political and social issues that surround it.
Let us know if you have thoughts, questions, or suggestions. Thanks for checking out this update on our project!
I want to make a movie about the French Broad River…
I want to make a movie about the French Broad River, and so on this week’s Torg Stories podcast, I talk with Hartwell Carson, French Broad Riverkeeper. Carson works for an organization called Mountaintrue.
You can listen to the podcast on the player below or on your iPhone by clicking here for the iTunes link.
Click player below to listen to podcast from this site
editorial note: I uploaded the raw file without the intro and music
Hope you enjoy getting right into my conversation with Hartwell!
***
For the first time ever, this week’s episode is also available as a video podcast:
I think my interest in making this movie probably has its origins in all the years I spent dinking around in a john boat on the Tippecanoe River in Winamac, Indiana. Now I live in Asheville, North Carolina where you can’t go anywhere without seeing a kayak or canoe on top of somebody’s car. I wanted to get on the river and as my wife and I looked at the cost of our options and what might fit us best, we decided on a used whitewater raft. We could be together as a family. The raft could do both the calm and more rowdy stretches of the river. To start the process of making the film, I knew I wanted to learn about the river, the community that uses it, and the social and political issues that surround it.
Carson and I talked water quality, Duke energy and their coal ash pits, the work he does as riverkeeper, and his favorite spots on the river.
If you’ve got ideas for how you could help with the Torg Stories river movie, please let us know in the comments section. I also hope you’ll take the time to share the post via social media or by email if you know of those who would be interested.
I hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with French Broad Riverkeeper, Hartwell Carson. Thanks for listening!
Check back or click around on the site for more updates on our French Broad River movie project.
