Weather conditions:
High: 73
Low: 47
Skies: Cloudy early, followed by partial clearing with a slight chance of a rain shower.
Winds: NWN 10-15 mph
Today’s mileage: 0 miles (wind day)
Total mileage: 52 miles
Where we traveled: Island at Lake Pepin Head Light, mile marker 785.4
Ate:
Breakfast: oatmeal, quinoa, and fruit
Dinner: spaghetti and garlic croutons
Dessert: banana bread
7:30 a.m.
Yep. It’s 7:30 a.m., and I’m snuggling in my comfy sleeping bag in the tent. Outside it is 62 degrees and windy. John is setting up our living room for the day.
No paddling today. Our alarm went off at 4:00 for an early start across Pepin. When John checked the weather and saw the predicted 10 to 11 mile per hour winds, he called a wind day. Those winds would not be a big deal normally, but for crossing a large open body of water like Pepin, it can create problems. Wind and open water are a dangerous and tiring mix because of the waves. The wind and waves toss Ripple in unpredictable ways. Also, swamping is a possibility when her bow slams into the water after riding a wave. Paddling against the waves and trying to keep Ripple straight drains energy levels quickly. Weather days are a disappointment because you gain 0 miles, but Mother Nature is in control. These days are part of the trip and our story.
Last night the wind blew, rain fell, thunder rolled, and lightning flashed. Under the tarp shelter John created before we crawled into the tent, I slept soundly without stressing about getting wet. This morning, all that remained from the storm was the wind.
After John declared today a no paddle day, even though (or should I say because) it was 4:00 a.m., he bathed in the river. This is a busy section of the river during the day. Downstream a ways (Who knows how far—it could be half a mile, it could be two. It’s hard to tell on the river.), a crane (dredge) is scooping sand out of the river onto a barge. The barge transports the sand upstream and then returns for a new load. Too many eyes for bathing during the day. I stayed in bed; I was more interested in sleep than cleanliness.
I think a cup of mocha sounds good. More later.
Later: no clue what time it is. We are living on river time.
An eagle sat in a tree next to our campsite while we ate oatmeal and drank coffee. He wasn’t happy with our presence. The birds’ noises remind us we are living in nature. Eagles screech as we pass their post in the trees or as they fly over. Last night, Great Blue Herons squawked in the channel behind us, and Sandhill Cranes “snored” in the middle of the night.
I think I’ll read some more. What a great way to spend the day—in the middle of nature with no society influences. Except for an occasional tow, reminding us commerce is everywhere. Speaking of commerce. I just remembered a marina billboard on the bank above Lock 3. How disappointing to see commercialism creeping into nature. Will this become the new normal? I wonder where and when the first highway billboard appeared. Commercialism. I can’t escape it even in nature.
12:30 p.m.
John is warming water in the Jetboil for hot chocolate and coffee after relaxing (sleeping) in the tent for a couple of hours. We originally retreated to the tent to warm up and read but soon fell asleep. Even after a few rays of sun, the chill is still in the air. John tried to capture some of the short-lived rays to charge the solar battery, but I don’t think he caught enough to make it worth the time and effort of setting up everything.
Now, some more down time to read, drink hot chocolate, and listen to the sounds of nature.
4:50 p.m.
It’s still breezy. Staying off the river for wind and not rain is stressful for John. Except for storms, John believes we should be on the river, so today was hard for him. I don’t want to tell him the forecast for Thursday—storms in the morning accompanied by 15 to 20 mile per hour winds. Since we have a limited number of days, he wants to see as much of the upper Mississippi as we can. But weather is weather. I know he alters his decisions because I am here. I hope he never feels I hold him back from what he wants to experience. Then again, I don’t want him to forget I’m a girl. I guess I am a contradiction.
More reading, guitar playing, and an early spaghetti dinner. Bananas sit in hot water awaiting breadcrumbs and nuts to make banana bread. Tonight will be an early night to get away from the mosquitos and rest up for a 4:00 a.m. alarm.
5:30 p.m.
Our friend Irene sent a conversation topic yesterday (it’s what she does). Even though we had an entire day to discuss it, we just now broached the topic.
Irene: What is the difference between assassination and murder? And how important do you need to be so you’re categorized as assassinated versus murdered? Does the media determine this? Is there a special committee?
John: All assassination is murder, but all murder isn’t assassination. Killing of someone who has governance over me to remove his or her governance is assassination. If someone has a controlling partner and they kill that person to eliminate that control, that’s assassination. If they kill that person simply because they used all the toilet paper, then it’s murder. But the news treats them both as murder. The media and society reserve assassination only for government officials.
6:30 p.m.
We are in the tent for the night. The temperature is 68 degrees heading to 46. I may need to wear my Under Armour at 4:00 a.m.
P.S. John picked me wild flowers. I love him.