So today was a rest day both because we needed a day to recover and also to prep for our attempt at paddling 100 miles in 24 hours or less...let's hope less. We slept in today and had some delicious blueberry and chocolate chip muffins which really were more like pancakes. Then we walked the dog, Dave jumped into the freezing cold river and washed off, thank goodness. Then we ate an amazing meal of Amanda's cheeseymac which always fuels us up for long paddles. Anyway it's 415 pm and time for bed because we are waking up at midnight to start our paddle! Goodnight and stay tuned for the epic result of our paddle to Memphis!
Monday, November 9, 2015
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Thank you for Donating
Thank you very much to the following people for your support of our fundraising efforts. If you made a financial donation and your name is not listed please email us at bigmuddy2015@gmail.com. Also if you have donated recently we also may have not received the updated donor list since you donated.
Catherine and Piere Martin Colleen and Tom Zolper
Tyler and and Amanda Bies
Also we want to thank all of you who have helped us along the way. The little bits of help make a big difference!
A note from Randi J Edwin
I want to take a second to introduce myself. I'm Randi J, Amanda and Dave found me on a beach in Iowa. I got lost one day when I went out for walk. I have been hanging out with the Mosse family which is great. Anyway just wanted to say hi and assure you that I'm supposed to be on the trip and Dave and Amanda have not lost their minds! Also I have just found out that I get to be the angel on top of their Christmas tree this year!
Wearing the life jacket safety first !!
Hanging out with Captian Dave
Across the way from Caruthersville, Mo
Days 65 and 66
Day 65: Sky on fire
We the picture attached to this entry will say it all really but I'll share some thoughts anyway. We did the usual thing today. Paddle 43 miles, saw some barges, found a sand bar. The only thing and it was quiet a thing was the sun set! Whoa! It was freaking epic, and that's saying somthing considering the sun sets we have seen on this trip. It filled the sky, I mean really filled it. To the sand bar we were camped on covered our view of the trees behind and to our sides so the sky went to the ground. It was firey oranges, reds and a deep deep purple. We oohed, ahhed and giggled like litter kids as the hues of the setting sun changed. We sat in silence and complete awe of this great scene. Then ate a crappy bowl of instant potatoes and went to sleep.
Paddled a short 27 miles to Curuthersville, TN. Why only 27 miles and why to Curuthersville? Well because it is from here that we will be launching out bid to paddle 100 miles in less than 24 hours, but there will be more to come about this later. Anyway as we approached Curuthersville we saw a small object moving quickly across the eddy line on the right side of the river. I assumed it was just a large piece of wood swirling around in a whirlpool which often happens. However, as we approached it was clear that it was a deer. Now I know deer swim but what could have been so appealing on the far shore line or so terrifying on the near side that motivated it to cross a very swift moving part of the river? I don't know and never will but it was moving quick and I couldn't help but be impressed. Anyway we stopped in Curuthersville to get water and charge our phones at a pavilion next to the boat landing. As I walked into town a man pulled up at the intersection I was nearing and asked what I intended to put in that jug. I told him water and he said I would be hard pressed to find a spot within walking diatance. His name was George and he would bring me to his place and I could fill up my jug there. He told me all about the town and how before Walmart came to town that there were dozens of long standing and successful businesses in town but they had to close because they couldn't compete. After he dropped me back at the boat landing we thanked him, loaded up the canoe and paddled across to a nice sandbar where we will take a rest day tomorrow.
Day 63
Today started out as any other day would. Breakfast, coffee, took Reggie for a walk and we were off. We paddled 40 miles which put us 5 miles north of the Mississippi/Ohio River confluence. After putting things up for the night we took Reggie for another walk and yep that's it. For those of you whom imagine this sort of experience as one filled with non stop excitement I respectfully tell you your wrong. Thank goodness it's not, because it's the long and uneventful days that allow you to think and be inside your own head.
Days 58-62
Today was fairly boring but nice. We slept in and basically lounged in sun room at the front of Mikes house, it was great. We spent the da y playing cards catching up on some much needed rest and that's about it. Around 5pm the rain had subsided enough to outside and get a fire started with the dry wood we had collected the day before. Once a proper coal base was established Mike set about chopping away at the various ingredients he used to make a soup/stew that was awesome. We talked for a bit then all went to bed. Tomorrow we will be paddling through St.Louis.
Day 59: Back on the river
Today we headed back to the Chain of Rocks to set up to paddle through St.Louis Harbor. When we arrived at the chain a group of fishermen hanging out having lunch and a few drinks. When they saw our stuff they asked if we were running the chain t which we promptly responded no. We explained that we had started at the source of the Mississippi and we're headed to the Gulf of Mexico. The were astonished and thought that was amazing. Thier names were Sergei, Misha, and Tyler. We talked about everything from fishing to children. They were very nice and man-a-live were they enthusiastic! When we started to load our canoe in the cold rough waters below the chain Misha came down wearing is waiters and held the boat for us so we didn't have to get wet or freeze our feet. Once loaded Dave plotted a route across the enormous eddy we were in past the large swirling eddy line and over to the right side of the river. As we paddled away Misha was shouting wordsnof encouragment along with "Look at them go, just like Louis and Clark!" When paddling through the St. Louis harbor you have to stay on the right side. The reason for this is that the barge Captains expect that a paddler, if they know they are headed down river, will be on that side thanks to years of work between Big Muddy Mike and the barges. We braced for a melee of boats and barges, waves and wind. However as we paddled into St. Louis Harbor we were very suprised. Yes there were a higher concentration of barges and yes the waves from those barges were more varied but all in all it was simple. Every time we saw a barge ahead we would announce over the radio our location in the harbor and route of travel. By the end of the day we paddled 41 miles and made it to Plattin Rock Boat club where we camped for free and met Patrick. Also check out tyis sweet video of us paddling through St. Louis and doing our best National Lampoon re-inactment! https://youtu.be/bHn9LjfA1bQ
The Arch
Today was a great day to paddle. The weather was cool but not cold, no wind and we were both feeling great. Our goal was to paddle 43 miles to Chester to set up for a short paddle tomorrow to meet up with Friends in Grand Tower, IL. The miles went quickly and by a little before 4pm we had made it to Chester, IL the home of Popeye. We had been there before when we lived in Carbondale and were excited to get a picture near the statue. The problem was that the statue of Popeye was atop a small hill before the bridge. Sadly we couldn't find a safe place to stash our boat and the hill was too steep to walk up. We paddled a bit further down stream before stopping on an enormous sand bar just past Chester.
Day 61:
This morning we woke up early, paddled quick and by 1230 made it 26 miles to Grand Tower where we had planned to meet our good friend Jack Wides and Alex Holmes. We were headed ti a campground called Devils Backbone Campground. Jack arrived at the same time we did. He offered to drive his car down on the beach to help us load up our stuff and although Amanda and I were both hesitant we agreed. As Jack drove onto the sand things appeared to be going well and then it happened. Jack in his kindness hearted attempted to get as close to the water as he could to shorten our walk had gotten his car stuck. Every time the car moved the front tires sank deeper. Luckily the campground manager owned a tractor and after waiting about 45 minutes for him to get there Jacks car was pulled up to the road and we finished unpacking our gear. After Alex arrived (shortly before the car was pulled out) we went to Bottoms Up, a bar in Jacob, IL. We ordered fried chicken and it was amazing! Not amazing because we haven't had it in so long, it was seriously the best fried chicken ever made. Anyway we ate till we were stuffed then we made our way over to Murphysboro for trivia night at a cool little bar that Alex frequented. After discovering we were terrible at trivia but having a blast anyway, we headed back to camp and hit the sack.
Day 62
We slept in today because we were up till midnight yesterday. We enjoyed some instant chocolate chip muffins, although they didn't look at all like muffins. The day started with very heavy barge traffic and ended 35 miles later just past Cape Girardeau on a rocky sand bar. We had some amazing beans and rice tonight, first time on the trip suprisingly. Thanks Jack for the bean flakes, you da man!
Friday, November 6, 2015
Day 64
Today we headed to the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The morning was cool, clamy and cloudy. Dave was in a sour mood when he first got out of the tent but promptly got over it. With breakfast done a Reggie walked we loaded the boat and we're on our way. Shortly after launching we encountered our first barge of the day. We notified them of our position and paddled on. After they had passed we began to make our move back toward the channel just as we have done a million times before. Large waves from the barge surged towards us and at first appeared no bigger then before however this time the waves crashed over our bow filling our boat with water. Instantly I screamed, "crap the boat is sinking!" In pure shock over the amount of water that had filled the boat I froze. "Shut up and paddle the boats not gonna sink we're fine!" Dave shouted. Immediately we began to paddle back to shore the boat teatering from side to side from the water disrupting it's normal balance. Suprisingly Reggie hadnt moved, not even an inch. He just layed there in 5 inches of water as if he hadnt noticed at all. After the first near tipping sway of the canoe he suddenly realized that somthing was indeed amiss and stood up. As we paddled back Dave continued to reassure me that we were doing fine and that we would be there in no time. Once on shore we unloaded the boat and poured the water out. All we could do was laugh and get back in the boat. Reggie was hesitant and has since developed a clear mistrust of barges. Shortly afterwards we arrived at confluence. This was an amazing moment. It not only meant we were done with Illinois but more importantly that we had entered the final part of our journey. We had crossed an imaginary line that to us signified that it was possible, that we were really going to the gulf of Mexico. Now this isn't to suggest that at any point we believed that our resolve and skill wouldn't be adequate. No, this moment was a pat on the back, an acknowledgement from the river. Today we stopped after 43 miles on a nice little island 25 miles north of New Madrid we called tuckssouri since the Kentucky/Missouri run down the middle of it.
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