Day 75 on the Mississippi River

November 4, 2021

Thursday

Sonny Hankin’s houseboat at Alton Marina, Illinois

RM 202

1140 miles completed

I paddled 30 miles.

The previous two nights I camped and the temperature was below freezing. I did not want to do that again. I had a warm place to sleep but it was 30 miles away. Sonny Hankins and his girlfriend Teress live on his houseboat at Alton Marina and he had room for me.

I paddled hard all day an made it to Sonny’s around 5:00 o’clock. I got out of my wetsuit and wet clothes. Then Sonny opened his hot tub for me. Yep, he has a hot tub on the back of his houseboat and it was 104 degrees. I finally got warm. Then I showered and put on dry clothes.

Sonny has a broken and separated rib from a fall and is in terrible pain. In spite of the pain he was a great host. I hope to go back for a visit when the weather is warm and he is not hurting.

The three of us went out to eat at Mac’s, a steakhouse and bar. I had a nice filet with baked potato and salad.

Back at the houseboat I learned that the marina had just been winterized. The water was off and all the waterlines had been blown out.

Then I found out the next marina was Hoppies Marina and it’s 48 miles away. Between Alton and Hoppies there is no place to stay and I would be paddling through St. Louis.

Winter had been chasing me down the river and she finally caught me, and she was not going away.

So I rented a one way car to New Orleans where my car was waiting for me at my daughter’s house. Teress took me to the airport in the morning to pick up the car. She helped me load the car and strap the kayak on top.

I’m going home.