Vicksburg, MS

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty.  Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing you can do is keep your mind young.”-Mark Twain

I’ve learned more than I could have imagined on this trip.

 

Tuesday, September 30th

I had difficulty sleeping last night after the Patriots loss. I managed to eat a few donuts and one of Jonathan’s home made biscuits prior to my date with the Mississippi.  I enjoyed more fortune when John Keen and Park Neff, Greenville River Angels, called as I was just above Greenville, MS.  They wanted to buy me lunch and meet me at Warfield Park. Not one to turn down a meal, I quickly paddled to the park for our meeting. We had an enjoyable visit, they shared information about the Greenville section of the Mississippi. It’s remarkable how knowledgeable locals are about “their section.”  It was a short visit, but great to swap paddling stories.

We said our goodbyes and I headed out. I am trying to get to Vicksburg on Friday and soon to “The Red.”  I passed under the newly built Greenville bridge which was recently constructed. The weather was steamy and I seemed to take quite a few “float breaks”…periods where I do not paddle and simply enjoy the current taking me down river.  I found another great sandbar for a campsite and called it a night.

I'll be OK.

I’ll be OK.

Park and I

Park and I, thank you for the burger

John and I

John and I

The Bridge

The Bridge

Time to change my shirt?

Time to change my shirt?

 

Wednesday, October 1st

One day closer to Vicksburg.  The calander says fall and the leaves are softening, but it was another summer like afternoon.  I found myself in a reflective mood today, perhaps to avoid thinking about the heat and humidity. At this point in the journey I have seen and experienced quite a bit.  The voyage has been a series of small segments, I was focused on Great Falls, then the White Cliffs, Fort Peck, Sakakawea, Bismark, Oahe, off the Lakes, KC, St. Louis, etc. I generally focus on the next major destination although now I find myself reflecting more on my experiences while still looking ahead.  In some ways it is hard to believe I have been at it for four months, in others it’s like I’ve been paddling forever. No regrets baby, no surrender….or something like that.

Today was a fairly uneventful afternoon, more paddling, more barge avoiding, more enjoyment of the MS River.  I pulled into another great campsite (getting redundant now) and made a few calls arranging a meeting with Layne Lough in Vicksburg on Friday. It’s also strange that I am running out of big towns to paddle past, after Vicksburg there will be Alexandria, Shreveport and then Dallas-if all goes according to plan.

Yep, good morning Mississippi

Yep, good morning Mississippi

sunrise

sunrise

Take me to the river

Take me to the river

beach

beach

Thursday, October 2nd

I didn’t quite make as much distance as I wanted, stopping around 2:30 because of weather and wind concerns.  Today was the first day on the Mississippi that wind was a factor.  I paddled under threatning skies and a storm is suppose to blow in later tonight.  I setup my camp and skies cleared.  Who ever knows with the weather?

I also stopped prior to my campsite at a river service company, the workers there suggested I stay if weather worsened.  I hung out about an hour, the employees were nice but the vibe just wasn’t right…perhaps because it was  an industrial location I just wasn’t feelin’ it.  I decided this was no place to hole up and left for a better camping spot.  When I left, the winds picked up and it was tough sledding. I felt the need to get closer to Vicksburg so I buckled down and finally called it a day about 15 miles shy of Vicksburg.

Hopefully the storms to the west dissipate.

even on a cloudy day

even on a cloudy day

first harsh winds on the Miss

first harsh winds on the Miss

storm coming from that way

storm coming from that way

sunset

sunset

sunset with Keith

sunset with Keith

Friday, October 3rd

Today was about last night and meeting Layne in Vicksburg.   No luck on avoiding the storms, I looked at the radar around 9:00 last night and saw a serious system moving East to West.  No avoiding this one.  I was somewhat nervous about river levels rising so I pulled my boat way up and staked it down.  The system blew in around midnight and…wow what a storm.  This was comparable with the thunderstorms just outside Washburn, ND.  The wind just ahead of the system was incredible.  I sat Indian style in my tent praying it wouldn’t collapse, I think it was on the verge of cratering but managed to stay upright.  I kept peeking out my window and with every lightning flash it appeared the river level was ineed rising.  I ran out ouf my tent in the middle of the storm and pulled my boat even further inland this time tying my boat to my tent (thank you Muddy Mike for the 25 foot rope).  I figure if the boat goes I’ll know it immediately.

I was soaked, full of sand and generally grumpy about my current state….eventually the storm died down and I was able to get a few hours sleep.  My tent held up well and didn’t leak although inside there was sand everywhere.  Not fun.

I paddled into Vicksburg and met Layne, he took me to lunch and drove me to a local grocery store for a last resupply before The Red.  Layne is my age and a big sports fan, I enjoyed learning of his passion for the Saints.  We discussed the year they won it all, he was fortunate enough to be in the Dome during the Vikings-Saints NFC title game.  Also, he took a great video of me as I passed the Vicksburg bridge (see below)-thank you Layne.  I left Vicksburg around 2:00 and paddled another 20 miles.  Weather is suppose to be great the next couple days, hopefully I can take advantage of the upcoming favorable conditions and get to the Red River on Monday.

Let’s Canoe.

clouds

clouds

Vicksburg lunch

Vicksburg lunch

short detour...

short detour…

...with Layne

…with Layne

flood wall, cool

flood wall, cool

just east of Dallas, sorta

just east of Dallas, sorta

Vicksburg

Vicksburg

Layne took this awesome photo, do you see me?

Layne took this awesome photo, do you see me?

This entry was posted in Adventure. Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to Vicksburg, MS

  1. TG says:

    Hey bud, just caught up on reading the blog since you left Memphis. I was a little behind. It felt like you weren’t in a hurry to leave that day, and there was no reason to rush off – it was good having you here.

    I was sitting at my desk when the same wall of wind that slammed your tent also rattled my windows. That was a serious front, and interesting in that the rain didn’t follow right away. As my view is to the west, I get to see those storms approach. Looks like things are going well, I fired off a message to John and Layne to keep an eye peeled for you. Glad you’re getting to enjoy the famed Delta hospitality. Cheers!

  2. Michael Callaway says:

    I would like to see a Def Leppard quote in there Keith

  3. Donald Zinter says:

    I really like the bright flourecent green shirt, with that and the pink canoe the tug boats should be able to see you pretty well. Great video of you buggying under the bridges, you were making really good time in that clip. Sounds like the adventures just continue to get better as you progress. Keep up the pace.

  4. Sam Pitts says:

    Keith, It’s good to see you wearing your new Mississippi cap on the Mississippi while in Mississippi. After wearing that, my Bulldogs of Mississippi State have become the #1 ranked team in the nation and the Ole Miss Rebels have become the #2 ranked team in the nation! Coincidence or karma? Hmmm…

Leave a Reply