Day 45

Day 45
I woke up to my best sunrise yet, took a picture and went back to sleep. When I woke up again around 7 the wind was really blowing, 15 mph steady and gusting to 25. I ate breakfast and considered the situation for a few minutes. I was super hungry and knew I was just a little on the dehydrated side. I decided I would stay put and spend the day trying to eat my entire food bag, drink a couple of gallons of water and rest. After eating 6 oats and honey granola bars, half a container of peanut butter and washing it down with 3 liters of water I returned to the tent. I picked up a book and next thing I was waking up at 2:30 in the afternoon. I felt wonderful. I got my fishing pole, food bag and my chair and walked to the floating dock. There was another couple fishing at the dock when I arrived and we quickly got to know one another. Both of them had grown up in the area and the lady was a great story teller and kept me entertained. She told a string of ordinary stories about topics like going to the store 20 yeas ago, describing the car, the roads and I was hanging onto every word for 2 hours.  A local man on a 4 wheeler arrived around 6 and explained he owned the dock. He adjusted the dock landing and wires explaining the river had fallen 4 ft in the last week. I mentioned it was odd he had a private swim platform anchored in a public campground by thank you for providing it. Mike said his father always kept a swim dock on this part of the river for whoever wanted to use it. When his father passed he kept the tradition alive placing one at the park. Mike told me about a paddler he meet a week ago. The paddler had come down some river from the middle of Wisconsin and paddled into the Mississippi all the way to the campground. The guy stayed a few days before he saw he had a spider bite that needed attention. Mike charged his phone for him and his dad was coming to pick him up in a few days. Over the next couple of day the guy picked up most of the sticks and trash left by the flood, Mike brought his chainsaw and they cut up several driftwood logs. It was cool to know that the guy took a few days to give back to the river not caring if anyone knew of not. Back at my tent I cooked up a large supper and thought about how nice it was to talk with some great people for several hours. I have paddled the last two weeks solo, It has been wonderfully peaceful and relaxing and I haven't given much thought to paddling with anyone. The few hours of socialization reminded me that we are wired to be social. Not having paddled a mile I felt a very positive feeling of satisfaction at how well my battery had been recharged by a just being being here.