Into Rosedale, MS (Part 1)

“Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side, going down to Rosedale take my rider by my side, you can still barrel house baby, on the riverside”-Robert Johnson

Tuesday, September 23rd

It was nice to awake in a soft bed in Dale’s basement, which has been transformed into a canoe room. Dale and I spent time in the morning discussing the art of paddling and his upcoming Mississippi River trip in 2015.  Dale would not permit me to depart without enjoying his famous waffles.

Goodbye Memphis. I launched from the Memphis Boat & Yaht club and had this feeling of melancholy, I am back to the river by myself and it is was sad to leave such a comfortable environment.

My objective was to paddle past the city, tomorrow I’ll dig in and try to make distance. As I passed West Memphis my disposition improved and I started to focus on Rosedale, Mississippi, where one of my friends, Sam Pitts, has family and suggested I rendezvous with them.  I hope to arrive by Friday.

I called it a afternoon around 3:30, after building up a lather in the hot humid TN sun. Since I resupplied today, I had plenty of good food options.  Red Beans and Rice. Nice.

Goodbye Memphis, yes I’m blue too.

Hey, it was fun.

heading to shore

The canoe.

Whitey’s back.

Wednesday, September 24th

I paddled 50 miles today. I arrived just above Helena, some 70 miles from Rosedale. I can sense the delta blues history.

I passed Tunica, MS today and was able to refrain from heading to the local buffet which I could literally smell from the river.  One of the worries about going places is leaving your boat unattended, I really didn’t have time to stop in Tunica although if I did I am not sure leaving The Helinda at the dock would have been a smart move.

I am now getting a better feel for the Missippi River, up to this point I have felt that I am a Missouri River paddler and just a visitor on the Mississippi.  This is starting to change. The Mississippi definetly has a different personality than the Missouri.  I do miss my old friend, the Big Muddy…but I am enjoying the mighty Miss.

The river continues to deliver many good camping opportunities, my concerns about not finding a suitable nightly location have abated.  I find that around 4:00-4:30 I feel the pressure to start looking.  My preferrence is to give myself at least an hour and a half before sunset to find a camp .  This affords me ample time to make dinner, setup camp and decompress…I don’t like being rushed and then having darkness fall.

My disposition was greatly improved today, my focus has completely shifted to Rosedale.

avoid the buffet

still a big river

at least it was calm today

nice sunset

do you see my tent?

Thursday, September 25th

Another sunny warm day in “The Delta”. I was fatigued from yesterday’s 50+ miles and decided to start out a little later in the morning.

I passed through Helena and had visions of the movie “Mud” in my brain (please, no Matthew McConaughey comments), I almost investigated one of the islands for a boat nestled up in a tree.   I paddled to within 30 miles of Rosedale which I should make tomorrow with relative ease.

Also, thoughts of the Red River are creeping in. 30 miles on the red would be a dream. The Red could define the trip, I reviewed maps again and there is basically nothing on the Red between the Missippi confluence and Alexandria, La .  I still have some time before making the Red but it is there waiting for me.

I enjoyed another agreeable campsite although I was tent bound at dusk-mosquitos were hot and heavy.  I don’t want to wish for a hard freeze, but it is getting late in the journey to be applying deet like it is going out of style.

I was in a good mood today.

Helena Baby, Helena

I wonder if Lewis & Clark had difficulties with the bridges…

which way?

avoid the barge

Friday, September 26th

Rosedale/Cleveland, MS Day.  The river was busy with barge traffic but I successfully managed to make it to Rosedale. Sam Pitts’ niece Amy Vance picked me up at the boat ramp and we headed to town.  We stored my canoe at her dad’s, Leo, house and then she showed me around town ,

It was great driving around town, I can almost feel Robert Johnson . The blues are ingrained in the culture here, it remind me of the relationship that Ft. Benton, Mt has with the Missouri River.

After enjoying Amy’s sightseeing tour, we settled in at the local iconic restaurant, Airport Grocery.  Amy and her husband Jonathan purchased the restaurant back in the early 90’s and have brought it back to life, it has quite the history (www.airportgrocery.net). I enjoyed dome BBQ nachos and met her awesome family. Thet are a true Mississippi group, warm and generous.

I will take tomorrow off and recharge the batteries.

birds are back

my favorite morning photo

Rosedale…just around Victoria Bend

view from back of the truck…made it to Rosedale!!