FRIDAY OCTOBER 21 DAY 62 ON THE WATER – As I hoped the wind blew the storm out and we got up to another bright and windless day. It is unbelievable to me that the weather is absolutely perfect for this trip so far. I am seeing a few bald eagles. Lots of deer tracks on the bank but seldom see any along the bank. If a guy got up real early he would probably see them. There is a tremendous amount of wildlife habitat behind the bank of the river. I am averaging a good 30 to 35 miles per day. What throws that off is when I have to stop and get supplies. That normally can take about 4 hours.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 22 DAY 63 ON THE WATER – Once again we got to take off looking at a beautiful day. Stormy does exceptional in the boat. She obviously loves to get out at the end of the day and run around. Once she does then she eats and that is pretty much it. I stop at least once and sometimes twice. I am enjoying the Mississippi much more than I thought I would, even in spite of the river traffic.. the tug boats and the barges. It is very, very big after the Ohio River comes in at Cario. It is pretty much the same day after day. It is up till now the absence of wind that is making this final leg of this trip go so well. I stopped in Columbus, MO and got a few supplies.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 DAY 64 ON THE RIVER – Nothing much different today. I am starting to read the current better and starting to understand how to get out of the way of the river traffic with as little water turbulence as I can. It is not too bad when they are going down river. But up river against the current they create a lot of waves for miles. Fortunately the river is very wide and the channel they stay in is probably about a third of the water surface. That is what is looks like to me. There are river buoys that are easy to track. They never go out of the channel.
MONDAY/TUESDAY OCTOBER 24/25 63 DAY ON THE RIVER – I stopped in Hickman, KY to resupply again. There was a Ferry crossing the river and one of the guys said it was about a mile to the store. I try to always walk to the store. After sitting as long as I do it helps get the soreness out. I stopped at a restaurant on the way and plugged my phone and note book in and ordered a hamburger, fries and a coke. Don’t do that very often. One of the guys in there gave us a ride to the store and I ate it before I went in.
Everyone really likes Stormy (I am changing the spelling of her name), she is so easy with literally everyone. I normally always get the same stuff. 3 Gallons of water, ice, apples, yogurt, some sweets, cheezits, couple of bananas and that is it. I have yogurt and granola for breakfast and a sweet with water. Then for lunch a Cliff Energy Bar and a Red Bull. I always have a bottle of water between my legs and in my day pack in front of me I have a few things. I also keep my ear cover, pair of water proof gloves, tooth brush and tooth paste and the note book and phone and chargers so they are easy to get to. The day pack is water proof. Once again it took about 3 hours.
WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY OCTOBER 26/27 DAY 65/66 ON THE RIVER – We have been sleeping good. I have been trying to pick camp sites that get us up off the bank and it is quiet. I have been pulling the kayak all the way up on the bank. The river traffic at night seems more, but that is only because I am not moving. If they come close to the bank it can raise hell with the kayak. Stormy just can’t quite except the fact she can’t sleep with me. She has been sleeping in the chair.
I took this picture to show the current. 
Couple of nights I haven’t put the cot up and course she loves that because I am sleeping on the floor of the tent. The mosquitos are still prevalent but once the tent is up and organized no issues with them.
I almost got into trouble today. We got sucked in behind a barge pushing 35 barges up river. Huge mistake and miscalculation on my part. Fortunately I know what this kayak is capable of but it was no fun. By the time I got to the bank we were soaked, kayak half full of water and Stormy was in my lap. It will never happen again.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 28 DAY 67 ON THE RIVER- I think I am off on my days on the river. Not a big deal. I should be hitting Memphis, TN on Sunday. Then it is downhill from there. Another week to Vicksburg and then there is for sure only another week left or less. I should be in New Orleans before the 15th. The weather looks the same for the next 10 days.
I stopped in Caruthersville, MO for supplies again. Once again it took the 4 hours. Both the phone and notebook were dead so needed to get them charged for sure. Once again walked the 2 miles to the store and got a ride back and got packed up and we layer on the grass while the two items were charging at the city park. Never seem to have a problem finding plug ins.
We got a good place to camp tonight. Once again lots of river traffic right out my front door. That will never change.
