Day 47

Day 47
I slept unwell last night and I think it was because of the adrenaline from the storm. As I packed the boat i could hear a group of chain saws running across the river in the small town. I hoped no one had been hurt and took comfort in knowing it was the sound of neighbors helping one another after a tough night. I paddled on with a stiff west wind cutting across the channel. I was confused on my dam numbers and location and was surprised to see Dam 25 in front of me. I locked through with a pontoon boat and was again warned about lock damage at Dam 26. Most of the dams have a town directly next to them where I would stop for lunch. Dam 26 had no such town near so I ate a snack on the shore. The wind was still blowing hard from the west but the map showed the river making a hard turn to the eat just above St Louis only a few miles away. I paddled a half dozen miles to the turn in the river and sat back enjoying the west wind as it pushed me along at a nice pace, no paddling required. A google search showed Kinder's Restaurant was ahead about 8 miles. I paddled and floated with the breeze, watching a set of ferries far in the distance race back and forth across the river. Arriving at Kinder's I found it sitting on the bank beside the ferry landing. I docked the canoe next to the pontoon boat I locked through with hours ago. I found a seat at the bar, ordered a basket of chicken livers another solid Southern food and a beer. The bar top showed the history of the place with pictures under a clear finish. Henry Kinder had lived here and went to serve in WW2. He had been part of the famous Merrill's Marauders. They were a special jungle warfare unit that started with 3,000 men and finished with 200 of which Henry was one. They marched and fought in the worst of the jungle battles. After Henry returned home he opened Kinder's and it has been in the family ever since. The family in the pontoon boat bought me a drink and told the bartender what I was doing. She suggested I eat dinner and stay in one of the rooms they rent up the hill behind the restaurant. We quickly agreed on a rate and I was given a key. I took a quick shower and much needed shave before returning for dinner. While waiting for dinner I meet Matt who works on the ferry. He told me he had worked the ferry 5 to 6 days a week for 15 years to provide for his family. He explained the ferry was privately owned and it took several thousand people a day into St Louis and back, for work. I asked why a bridge had not been built and he said it comes up every few years but people want to hold onto this piece of river heritage. By 8 I had a full belly and was in bed.