July 11, 2022
Monday
URM 52
1280 miles completed
I paddled 36 miles today.
The wind was in my face all day. That slowed me down. Also, my right forearm is giving some pain. I think it is the tendon that goes up the back of the wrist from the thumb. It swollen some. I have an anti inflammatory cream that helps reduce the swelling and relieves the pain. The plan is to immobilize it, use the cream, and keep paddling.
I made it to Cape Giardeau, Missouri. I camped across the river from town center. I found a beach that has mixed sand and mud, with enough sand that my feet don’t sink in after I get a couple of feet from the water.
I used my hammock for the first time on this trip. It was very comfortable. I tied both ends of the hammock to the same tree. It had fallen toward the river but fell across an other tree. It was still five feet off the ground and worked perfectly.
The weather has been hot and cloudless for two days. I use lots of sunscreen and a big hat and a neck gator.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I had an encounter with a wing dam. Wing dams are everywhere. I’m almost never out of sight of one. Usually they are either out of the water and I see them. The current helps push me around and into the channel. Or, they are under the water enough that I only see a little turbulence. Then I paddle around to stay in the fastest current. But, this one was just at the surface and the water was flowing over with about a foot drop. It slipped up on me. I took a fun ride and got spun sideways. I had to paddle out of the dead spot.
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