Day 87 on the Mississippi River

September 1, 2022

Thursday

LRM 809

1486 miles completed

(1341.5 on Upper Mississippi River Jim

953.5 is start of lower mile makers minus 809 equals 144.5.

1341.5 + 144.5 = 1486.)

I paddled 30 miles today.

Yesterday I drove from My Home in Jonesboro Georgia to Dyersburg Tennessee. I got a room at the motel six where I stayed the last time I was there, when I came off the river. There is a Mexican restaurant on the same parking lot as the motel. I went back to the Mexican restaurant and ate at the bar like I did last time. The bartender is Ashley. She remembered me from the last time. She knew I drank Modelo Negro. She knew I like to have a shot of tequila. She remembered my name. She remembered that I was there three days before her daughters birthday.

This morning I drove to Mike Bohannon‘s house. He rode with me to the boat ramp, and helped me unload the car and carry my gear and kayak to the water. He took some pictures. Then he drove my car back to his house. He is going to keep it there for me until I get through, or until I flake out, which ever comes first. Thanks Mike, I really appreciate it. I know I’ll see you again, you have my car.

It was a beautiful day all day. There was very little wind and there weren’t very many barges.

In the afternoon I saw a rainbow around the sun. I understand that is caused by ice crystals in the stratosphere. I think it means it’s going to rain.

The water is low here. Mike says the water is about 5 feet lower than it was when I came off the river in July. The water being low didn’t bother me any. There was still good current. Also, there are a lot more sandbars on which to camp.

I started paddling about 8:50 AM. I didn’t push real hard. I stopped several times for breaks. I stopped for the day at 4:30 PM. I’m camping on a flat sandbar. The sand is good, it is not muddy at all.

I had a nice dinner of food that I cleaned out of my refrigerator when I left home. I had raw carrots and celery and some hard-boiled eggs.