Perfect day. Calm to mild wind and almost glassy water. The lack of headwinds and waves means the difference between mental and physical challenge and relaxing easy-going day.
It's Saturday, but the speedboats have been a minor presence. Last weekend was a holiday, AND, as any Chicagoan knows, people go to WI and MN for their partying boating holidays. Only a fuddy duddy would go speedboating in IA or IL.
Nice roasted chicken lunch in the pleasant little riverfront town of Bellevue Iowa. Ate at the riverfront picnic tables where the tiny farmers market (3 vendors) offered very cheerful conversation.
And a nice popsicle afternoon stop in the tiny island town if Sabula. Chatted for a while with Sam, raised in the next county. over, now a NYC artist, restoring a couple old buildings in town. He gave us a tour of an ~1846 (before Iowa became a state) hotel that he is 7 years into restoring. Very interesting collection of eclectic stuff, and a major restoration effort.
Alan asked about how a long paddling trip differs from a long walking trip...
Fundamentally similar - a long line on the map ahead of you, wake up, move forward, eat a few times, chat with some folks, find a place to nest, sleep, repeat many times. If you like one mode, it seems likely you'd like the other.
The biggest difference is that when you are canoeing you are tied to your boat the entire trip: you can't just stop in a town and easily have a meal or go shopping. Somebody has to watch the boat and all your stuff so no one takes it. When you are backpacking by definition everything is on your back so you have it with you wherever you go. So, much more freedom and flexibility on a walking trip.
Birding is better walking. Big birds are plentiful on the river, but passerines are impossible.
Hiking has occasional rude biting dogs. Canoeing has occasional rude speedboats.
Hiking it is easy to forecast how far in a day you can go. Canoeing that's impossible, as the winds control everything. Other than lightning threat on ridgetops we've never been stopped by weather when hiking. Two days back when we stopped in Guttenberg we were literally incapable of moving downstream due to headwinds and waves.
Hiking - ounces matter. Now that our portages are done, pounds still matter but ounces don't. For example, we left the farmers market with two cantaloupes! And a few days back we bought a 12-pack of hard cherry-lemonade.
In both types of trips you're non-threatening (no car = no threat) and kind of a novelty. Local people are enthusiastic with their kind words and deeds. It's a lot of fun to meet so many diverse and kind people.
Hiking doesn't have barge tows, and barges are cool.
Hiking long days gives me tired and sore feet. Canoeing long days gives me tired and sore elbows and hands.
More comparisons later if I think of other things.
We are healthy and very happy to have spent a sunny calm-wind day on the river.
P.S. The photo quality is usually so crummy because the iPhone is inside a waterproof case and the camera is shooting through the extra layer of soft plastic case material. Sorry.
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