The last few days have been an enjoyable paddle with great views of the surrounding bluffs and hills. Limestone outcrops pepper the small green mountains and on either side of the river, train lines carry freight and passengers up and down. Barge traffic yesterday was rather light but today I've already seen 3. I was able to resupply in Winona by pulling into a floating dock/houseboat marina and asking the first owner I saw if I could tie up. It was a safe little nook and a mile from the grocery store. Restocked with food and headed down to LaCrosse where I hear there's showers at the Boat House. I'll probably need one by the time I get there. Heck, I probably needed one this time yesterday.
Having a night of comforts was really nice. I was able to charge my electronics, do laundry and repack some things. It felt great to be back on the water, rested and refueled. Today would be my charge across as much of Lake Pepin as I could muster. It is nearly 30 miles across this long lake. There are high bluffs and limestone hills along the river here making do fabulous scenery. Lake homes dot the shores and I smile at the many small beaches and nice towns on the shore. Sticking to the Minnesota shoreline, I paddle along the edge and stay away from the shipping channel proper. By the end of the day, I had made it past Lake City and was in reach of the end of the lake by the following morning before thunderstorms mid-day.
I was awake at 5am and paddling soonafter. It was 18 miles to the Lock and Dam#2 in Hastings and I told my friend Bill that I'd meet him there around 9. That's 6mph pace when I can really only keep up about 5mph on open water such as this. Large lakes greeted me this morning as I kept paddling on. I kept out of the shipping channel and chose to follow islands as best as possible. The wind wasn't bad and soon I could see Bill up ahead waving from the shore. I looked over my shoulder and in the distance saw a bridge. I didn't remember that being there before. I looked back in Ina few minutes and it was gone. What was going on? Later it rounded a bend and I realized I was looking at bridge supports on a barge headed upstream. It turns out these are heading to Clearwater on the St. Croix River for their new bridge. It had priority and radioed ahead so went ahead of me in the lock. Jeff and I paddle to Red Wing together then meet Bill at the boat ramp. I load my canoe into his truck and we head to his new house in Cannon Falls about 20 miles away. The difference between the river sights and the rows of farmland and limestone hills just a few miles off is quite stark. The river somewhat separates me from the surrounding scene. At Bill's we start with a side-by-side tour of his 14 acres then go out for a ride in his Slingshot, a 2.4l engine in a 1700lb three wheeler. It's fun as hell! Back at home, Bill mentioned he had a generator that wouldn't run well. Bad gas in the carb. I offered to clean it for him and was soon drinking a beer and wrenching in the garage. Ahh feels like normal, back to the old times. Sure enough, it was a clogged jet and we soon had a running Honda 2000 generator. All in a day's work.
Passing through St. Paul, I was clearly in a whole new realm of watercraft. Large barges motored up and down river casting a wake that made my eyes bulge. By the time it reached me I realized it wasn't so bad if one kept away. The rip-rap and metal walls along the bank made for strange return waves, echoes of the first. Sometimes, these would meet a new wake and cause areas of what I call confused water. It can be interesting when waves hit either side of a canoe at once. Despite being in the cities, I spotted wildlife including this bald eagle that was jut north of town. |
Mike Saunders
Following multiple cross-contitnetal journeys on two wheels, in June 2016 I will attempt to paddle the length of the Mississippi River from it's headwaters to the Gulf. Archives |