05-06-2015

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Weather conditions:
High: 85
Low: 58

Since the weather is getting warmer, we are trying to get an earlier start. To accomplish this we are getting up earlier and eating our lunch, which I will prepare the night before, for breakfast, and eat breakfast when we stop for the day. Today, though, instead of our lunch, we enjoyed a loaf of bread, honey, and peanut butter – courtesy of Rhonda and David from The Red Geranium last night. With our changes in routine, we were able to be on the river by 8:00 and land on a sandy beach 22 miles down river at 1:30, with a stop to eat a snack. We haven’t eaten breakfast yet – this plan may need tweaking.

Our adventure sitings today were five Bald Eagles and watching a train approach and cross a bridge. This is the first time I have floated under a bridge while the train was overhead – it is very noisy.

Although today’s paddle was longer than Monday’s, we weren’t as exhausted when we landed. I’m sure the heat has something to do with our endurance. And we are still in Indiana!

We had originally considered stopping at a DNR boat ramp 15 miles from where we started, but decided the conditions were too favorable for paddling to quit at that point. Instead we took a brief snack break at the ramp and continued on to what the charts identified as a “sandy beach”.

When we arrived at our destination we found that there was indeed a large and expansive sandy beach. Positive – there would be few mosquitos. Negative – it would be a long tough haul to get the boats up the beach far enough to ensure they would be secure and accessible.

John landed his boat first and was greeted by a small turtle, which he grabbed to show me. Be assured that no turtles were harmed during the taking of this beach. The next thing we noticed was a lot of coyote tracks crisscrossing the sand. A few days ago we had actually seen a coyote trotting along a beach, so they must enjoy this type of habitat.

It is 4:30, laundry is done, courtesy of the river, and hanging on a clothes line strung between our separate boats, and we are sitting in the tent to get out of the sun. It was only two weeks ago we climbed into the tent to escape the cold. The sides are pulled back and a cooling breeze is blowing through. I look out and see the untouched sand both directions. I’m beginning to realize Indiana’s landscape is as diverse as its weather.

It is now 8:20. Dinner eaten – chicken Mexican rice on tortillas and ride pudding. (Dinner was eaten under the of a tarp to protect us from the heat and sun.) Laundry dry and put away. Boats packed and placed close to tent – in case an animal decides to take a closer look. Face washed and teeth brushed. We’re in our “beds” now enjoying a pretty active dialogue between some owls as the air now begins to cool off. Tomorrow is our last full day on The Wabash. Wow!