Day 63

Day 63
I woke this morning at sunrise to a strong storm slamming into my tent. I had to sit up and brace the tent poles before it was blown down on top of me. The game of me vs storms was getting old after two rounds of storms during the night, I just wanted to break camp and move along. I packed up best I could and laid wet gear out on the canoe to dry as I paddled into another stiff south wind and nasty sky. I found the current waves again and bounced up and down making slow but steady progress towards New Madrid MO. After noon the winds picked up again and I found that only by sitting cross legged in the bottom of the canoe and letting the current push the canoe along could I make any forward progress. To make matter worse I was fighting a series of small rain storms that were passing over every 30 to 45 minutes. Late afternoon I made New Madrid where I visited the museum and refilled my water jug. Like many old river towns it may bustled in its day but has fallen on harder times in the last 50 years. I pushed on past town making camp some hours later. I knew yet more storms were coming and went to sleep early confident I would have to wake up several times to battle mother nature. The weather the next few days is supposed to be more of the same. I have been joking with myself and saying Old Man River doesn't believe in credit, when I got off for family vacation my river ticket was erased so I am being force to earn a new one in order to access the beautiful days and nights. I am OK with that because I know the price is worth the show.