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Last year we took a break from the river in the middle of the week because it was really hot. This year we found ourselves taking a break in the middle of the week because it is cold and rainy. We were not expecting the cold part of that. So last night we paddled into a marina in Evansville, Indiana, and we were able to pull our canoe up onto their docs under cover. They allowed us to use their bathrooms including a shower which was a wonderful gift. And then we set up our tent up on the grassy knoll behind the metal shipping container. About 4 AM this morning the rain started and it’s now 8:30 PM and it is still raining. We were surprised early this morning to find a friend of a friend in the driveway of the marina. He offered to take us into Evansville and treat us to breakfast. We ate at Penny Lane Café and then Gary drove us to the visitor center which is in they called building shaped like a pagoda. We went up on the roof and looked at wet views of the Ohio River. And we met another couple from Texas and visited with them for a while. Gary then took over to the Evansville others stadium which is also the stadium that was used for filming A League of Their Own. By the time we had driven around Evansville and made the stops it was time for lunch so we went to a local German restaurant. Gary returned us to a campsite and we spent the next couple of hours learning about and touring the LST 135 which is permanently docked Right next to where we were camping. We learned about this interesting World War II vessel and the history of Evansville in the making of hundreds of LSTs.

Since much of the tour of the boat was outside, we were cold and wet by the time we were done and decided that wisdom demanded that we spend the night in a warm hotel. The tour guide from the ship and his wife volunteered to drive us from the ship over to the hotel in downtown Evansville where we are now hunkered down for the evening with our laundry and wet camp gear draped all over the place.
We consider days like this part of the adventure and, as usual, we found interesting people with interesting stories…and also offering us hospitality! We are grateful for all the days we have on this river and with its people.

We completed 23 miles today for a total of 90 in three days. We are pooped! We are camped tonight next to a storage container at a marina with music from the bar to lull us to sleep. Here are a few photos of the day, including lunch in Newburgh, IN, where there is an old lock house; a small channel we canoed on off the shipping lane of the river (we actually had two opportunities to do that today); a view of the river where it looks like a lake; an old log cabin and a beautiful gabled house overlooking the river; and of course, our humble home. We continue to marvel at the kindness of strangers…we are here in the marina as a gift from the owner. Tomorrow promises lots of rain so we plan to explore Evansville and possibly stay here another night. While the campsite is unusual, we have access to a bathroom and shower! Yay!

1000 miles since 2001. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, we made a short video. Enjoy!​

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We have just completed a little over 30 miles on the river today. That’s second to the most number of miles that we have done on the river in one day. It was a cool day with a little bit of a breeze on and off but we made great time and mostly the water was very calm. We enjoyed a little break in Rockport, Indiana, a little town where we walked to get ice cream and coffee and some fresh fruit at the grocery store.As usual we have met some wonderful people along the river and have had interesting conversations. We talked to one fisherman, an old guy, who had lived all of his life in Rockport and he told us about how they used to get the shells off the bottom of the river and use them to make buttons in the factories in Rockport. One man we spoke with yesterday said that everyone has a story. We have certainly discovered that to be true as we talk to people along the river. Today because we pushed on a little farther it was getting later into the afternoon and evening before we found a place to stay. We were starting to head across the river from Owensboro, Kentucky, when we saw what looked like a little marina on our side of the river. We decided to take the chance and paddle down and discovered a yet-to-be-open-for-the-season club and a bunch of guys enjoying the late afternoon together. We learned that we had landed at the Redneck Boat Club. Their description, not ours. In talking to Billy Joe, one of the guys at the boat club, we learned his definition of redneck. For him a redneck is the opposite of a gentleman. This definition we had ever heard. They all appear to be gentlemen and most of them have now gone home and we feel very safe in our temporary home. Pictures below.

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A view of where we have come from  and where we are going. I love the panoramic view! What you can’t see if s the power plant just out of view to the left. 

We left this morning atound 6:30 from our site at a new friend’s rv garage. The waters are calm so far thorough I feel a wind picking up. We will see if we can do another 11 in three hours!

I also had to photo these cool tree roots!

After a somewhat sleepless and raining night under the shelter in Rome, Indiana, we headed out onto the river around 7:15. I will elaborate at a later date but we had a wonderful day on the river in spite of a rainstorm and some pretty strong headwinds at times. We saw some great wildlife including a bald eagle and turtles, heron and vultures. But the very best part of the day was the people we met who were, as usual, very helpful. One couple found us a place to stay down the river in Tell City, Indiana. Yes, named after William Tell as there were many Swiss immigrants in the area. So right now we’re sleeping in a tent outside a block building right inside the flood walls of tile city. And we have cold running water and a toilet and electricity which is always very exciting. We expect to be sore tomorrow morning as we paddled 26 miles today which was a lot for a first day going against the headwinds. Here are some photos of our day. 

While Karen enjoys showing off our new bent paddles that are supposed to carry us faster and further on the river, I spent the evening packing the few things I will take in the canoe into this tiny bag. In less than 24 hours we will meet in Cincinnati and drive to Perry County, Indiana, where we will put in the river on Sunday morning in Rome, Indiana.

I happened upon this article last night and it captures some of the excitement that Karen and I feel when we meet new people on the river…at marinas or restaurants…or when we learn something interesting about the local region.  Click here to read some stories about the mile marker stops along the Ohio River.

There is little more exciting to me than making the contact with the people who will help us with the transportation we require from our put-in to our take-out locations. We were fortunate last year to have met a new friend, Mitch, who was not only a great camping companion on 12 Mile Island but who also invited us to the boathouse in Louisville where we could get a proper shower. Then he toured us around Louisville including a trip to Churchill Downs. What a fun day we had with him. Usually, when we meet people on the river, we do not see them again. But we have stayed in touch with Mitch via Facebook and asked if he could help us with transportation this year. He said he could and so we will not only see him again but he may join us for part of the way in his kayak.

In addition, I found another new friend via the Perry County Parks and Recreation Department. When we landed in Rome, Indiana, last year, we were in Perry County. Last week I went searching for ways to connect to see if it would be possible for us to camp right there at a county park on the river. After an email and a phone call, I connected with Greg Hendershot, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department. When he learned that we were asking to camp on the county park land, he decided to be certain it was ok with the county attorney before giving us permission. I held my breath when he told me on the phone that he had asked the attorney because I figured the answer would be no. But he said: YES! It may sound mushy, but when people are that nice to us, I find tears coming to my eyes!

He shared with me where to pitch the tent. And he said he would watch out after Karen’s van which we could leave right there at the park. And finally he told me about Hawk, a man who lives near by and rents out camping sites. He told me that Hawk might pay us a visit. I sure hope we get to meet Hawk and Greg. It is the people we meet on the river that we enjoy the most…maybe because after hours of paddling just with each other we are happy to see another face and hear some interesting stories. But even more…the occasional new friend we meet along the way is always a gift of grace in some way. And sometimes a gift that comes with water, or a hot shower, or other simple kindnesses. In what often feels like a mean world, these encounters remind us that humans are humans and we can care for each other. So, thanks, Greg and Mitch, for being there for us on our journey. It is so cool.