Round Two

We couldn't have stopped in a better city. St. Louis was a perfect halfway mark, especially during the 4th.

Rest:

Lenny and Suzie took us in as their own family. They treated Luke and I to some haircuts and beard trims at Salon 278. If you're in O'Fallon, MO stop in, you won't regret it.

Giving our bodies time to heal and repair has motivated us to get back on the water. Back to the tent we go.

River:

No more locks or dams. The current is swift and we are looking to paddle through Memphis on the 14th, New Orleans by the 28th.

Efficiency is going to be a priority for the second leg. We have made some mistakes during the first stage. Learning from our past experience, we hope to push our performance daily.

Gear:

We unloaded a decent amount of gear to Emily, food capacity is up and we weigh less overall.

We stopped in at the Alpine Shop, an outfitter recommended by an REI employee. I hit it off with Miles, a fellow paddler. He got us set up with a new paddle and a seat cushion for Luke. Awesome local store and amazing service. Check them out for sure.

The sun is our biggest burden currently. Zapping energy and forcing us to wear long sleeves to protect ourselves from its rays.

Early morning and late night paddling, siestas in the heat of the day is our strategy.