Click on the thumbnails to see an enlarged version of the photos

  The Super Outdoor Weekend

        by Rocky Shire

Check in point.

Virginia Lefferd at the check in station.  This bus belonging to Bud and Dolores Baker has been at every Super Outdoor Weekend.

This is below the dam where it all starts and ends.

Ready and waiting for the rest of the 72 riders.

Board members, Harriett Barber and Olivia Huddleston rounding up the last of the riders.

Heading for a launch on the Elk River near Elk City.

                  What is it? Where is it? When is it?

[Click on the thumbnail above to see an enlarged view of this year's (2002) Super Outdoor Weekend activities.]

About twenty years ago the board of directors of the Kansas Trails Council determined a need for some kind of outdoor activity that would bring together as much of the membership as possible to share mutual interests, experiences and fellowship on the common ground of hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, horseback riding and camping. They found a more or less permanent location to hold this activity and that place was Elk City Lake near Independence, Kansas. As evidence of the rapport that has existed between the Corps of Engineers and KTC, the Corps at Elk City Lake made the campground below the dam and the shelter house next to it available to the Council membership for a designated weekend. They also agreed to open the hiking trails at Elk City Lake for horseback riding and mountain biking provided of course that the trails were dry enough to accommodate those activities. The first Super Outdoor Weekend took place in April 1981 and has become an annual KTC event. The board of directors also conducts one of its quarterly meetings during this weekend outing.

The board of directors has traditionally set a date in mid April for this annual event. Horseback riders, mountain bikers, canoeist, and hikers among the membership gather from around the state. A barbecue (usually venison burgers) and potluck supper are held on Saturday evening followed by a campfire and board meeting. The board meeting is open to all interested members of the Council. For the exorbitant sum of one-dollar members can sign up for a bacon, eggs and pancakes breakfast cooked at the shelter house by members of the board on Sunday morning.

This year's (2000) KTC Super Outdoor Weekend took place on April 14, 15, and 16. As members began to check in at the shelter house on Friday evening it was warm, sunny and windy. The clouds rolled in during the night and campers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, canoeists and hikers were greeted by a gray, chilly morning with rain seemingly imminent. No one's spirits were dampened by the weather conditions and by 9:00 AM seventy-two horseback riders headed west for a four or five hour ride. Eight or ten canoeist soon followed heading for a launch on the Elk River near Elk City. Fifteen or so hikers were shuttled to the Elk River Trail and other trails around the lake. Several KTC mountain bikers joined local riders on Eagle Rock Mountain Bike Trail for a fast ride on a dry trail.

It did not rain (at least not until early Sunday morning) and the sun won the battle with the clouds off and on during the remainder of the day. Given the potential for any kind of weather in southeast Kansas in mid April it turned out to be a good day for all the activities of the membership including the free (donations were accepted) venison barbecue and covered dish dinner that welcomed all those who were hungry and fresh from the trail or the river. During the pot luck dinner and around the campfire later that evening members swapped yarns (some of them possibly true!) about their experiences or experiences that they had heard about. Topics of conversations overheard by this interested observer included bear attacks in Alaska, misadventures with overturned canoes, upcoming horseback rides, volunteer work for the National Park Service in the Rocky Mountains and other trail experiences too numerous to mention.

A board of directors meeting followed in the shelter house next to the campfire. A few members stayed to observe the meeting or converse around the campfire. The board members conducted some necessary and important business and mixed in some not so important business and laughter from time to time. Later during the night campers were awakened by Mother Nature conducting some business of her own in the form of a brief but convincing thunder storm. Early Palm Sunday morning turned out to be gray and very chilly but that did not deter gourmet chefs and KTC board members, Harriett Barber, Virginia Lefferd, Kathryn Olden, Rocky Shire and former board member Dolores Baker from fixing a bacon, eggs, pancakes, orange juice and coffee breakfast for twenty or so members who paid the exorbitant one-dollar charge for this gourmet breakfast. Consensus of opinion? The chefs did a good job given the early hour, the chilly morning and the challenges of cooking on camp stoves. Yes, Harriett and Virginia, the pancakes really were delicious and several went back for seconds!

On a scale of one to ten I would personally rate this year's Super Outdoor Weekend as a nine. Sunny skies and warmer temperatures would have made it a perfect ten. The trails were dry, it only rained for a while early Sunday morning, it did not snow, members from across the state attended, no one got lost or hurt, and KTC accomplished its mission of bringing members together to share experiences and have a good time on Kansas trails. If you missed this one stay tuned for news about next year's event and come and join the fun. If you are not a member we invite you to join our organization and share in the good things that the Kansas Trails Council does for Kansas trails and trail enthusiasts.

[Photos by Rocky Shire]

Kansas, home to Dorothy, Toto,  great trails and great people.

Board member, Jim Copeland cooking the first of a hundred venison burgers.

Fresh off the trail and ready to eat.

New board member, Phil Morris  going back for more. Are those seconds or thirds, Phil?

Delores Baker and Virginia Lefferd working the last shift at breakfast. In the background are KTC members waking up and warming up by the fire.

Was the Super Outdoor Weekend a success?  Ask former KTC president, Harriett Barber!

The new KTC patch  may be ordered from this web site.  Go to the home page and hit the button to the Hiking Guide.