Following the Fourt of July weekend, which seemed to bleed on through the week, I enjoyed a pretty quiet few days of paddling. The large barge traffic is hit-or-miss and I have yet to find any kind of schedule. I give them plenty of space and am enjoying the various names of the vessels painted on the sides. A few storms rolled through but with my radar and the ample pull-offs on the side of the water, I had no problem keeping safe and taking breaks when they came. The man small towns dotting the river bank offer water, grocery stores and libraries to stop at, |
The river has grown wider and the flow seems more noticeable just after the lock and dam and right before the next one. The large pools generally open up on the south side to form large lakes with many small islands. Some are manmade and some are just created when enough matter piles up. Flocks of birds such as coots, Canada geese and pelicans frequent the small isolates spits.