Start: 7:30 AM - MM 578 East Dubuque, IL
Finish 3:00 PM - MM 540 Savanna, IL
Time: 7:30 hours
Daily dist: 38 miles
Lock 12: 11:15-12:15 (1:00 hr brings paddling time to 6:30 hrs)
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: None
Weather: Overcast - drizzle/mist most of the day, 70’s, calm winds
Notes: First significant slowdown by a lock
Three hours on the water brought me to a county campground/marina where I stopped to top off my water bottles. At least two days of water remained in the MSR Dramadary Bags but time has taught me to never pass up a chance to fill up. At the campground I chatted with a man who was in the process of relocating his giant RV. The rains last night had flooded out his site leaving it a muddy mess. It was funny to think that I fared better in my tent on an island in the river than this guy did in an RV at an established campground. I’ve said it before that I’d gladly take the backcountry over dysfunctional civilization any day.

True to form I didn’t have anything pre-planned when I set out from Boscabel Monday afternoon, just a rough idea of who I may be able to visit on the way down the river. It was today, during the one hour I had to kill waiting for Lock 12 to clear, that I finally had time to touch base with the folks I was thinking about visiting. It was a productive couple of calls and plans are now in order for me to pay these folks a visit. The Pregrackes I expect to reach by tomorrow night and Strosakers by the beginning of next week. It’s always a relief to have a plan in order, I wonder why I don’t do it more often.