Start: 6:15 AM - MM 361 IA/MO border mouth of Des Moines River
Finish 12:00 PM - MM 327 Quincy, IL
Time: 5:45 hours
Daily dist: 34 miles
Lock 20: 9:15-9:45
Total dist: 5400+
Companions: None
Weather: Clear blue skies, 70’s, W wind 10+
Notes: A great day on the water
As it turned out winter shut me out long before Quincy and my re-start was below, so I never did need Becky’s number. As I came in to town on a very beautiful day with sublime weather the stopover was much more social than logistical, yet (as you know) I always appreciate a comfy bed and home cooked meal. Ahead of schedule, due to the river pushing me incredibly fast, I arrived at the boat launch at noon less than six hours after starting out 34 miles above. David knows this river well and figured I’d be moving faster than I expected and he and Esther were there right on time to pick me up. Once the Ikkuma was emptied of gear and loaded on their van, David whisked me back to their house where I got cleaned up before we headed down to Hannibal Missouri.
From the cave we made our way downtown where we saw Mark Twain’s childhood home and the famous white fence. Capitalizing on it’s Mark Twain connection a short walk down Main Street in Hannibal also allowed me to see; The Mark Twain ice cream parlor, The Mark Twain bookstore, The Twain Pub, The Mark Twain diner, The Mark Twain drycleaner… I think I even saw a Mark Twain septic pump drive by. It was a neat little town and one worth visiting if you get the chance, especially the cave.