Day 81 on the Mississippi River

July 13, 2022

Wednesday

LRM 936

(953.5 is start of lower mile makers at Ohio river confluence. 1341.5 is the upper mile marker at the source)

17.5 + 1341.5 = 1359.0

1359 miles completed

I paddled 36 miles today.

I met several interesting people today: a looper, a game warden, and the whole crew at the Wickliffe Pharmacy and Home Health.

The looper is Jim Gallagher. A looper is some one who is circumnavigating or has circumnavigated the eastern half of the United States. Jim is just about finished. To get back to his starting point he has to turn left at the Ohio river and then go up the Tennessee river.

Jim is in a very small sailboat with an outboard motor. I paused shortly alongside and talked. He wants to kayak source to sea and I want to do the loop.

The game warden is Travis Phillips. He probably has the Best job in the world. He has Mississippi County, Missouri: riding around in a boat over 30 miles of the river. And gets to wear a gun. He wants to paddle source to sea. He offered my all his water when I told him I need to replenish mine.

The crew at the pharmacy got real interested in my trip when I was buying a wrist brace for my tendonitis.

Now that I have three days supply of water I plan to paddle on to Caruthersville.

I am still going to need a day off soon.

After the Ohio river joined me the current got real slow, because the river became much wider and maybe deeper too. No more 4 mph drifting. I’m going to have to work for my miles now.

I had another beautiful hot day, and ended it with a beautiful moonrise.