June 25, 2005
Hannibal, Missouri
1045 miles
We’re taking the day off in Hannibal, MO, at the Bayview Campground. Jess’s folks come down on their Goldwing motorcycles from Ohio for a visit. They pulled a trailer that converted into a camper about the size our apartment. I need to see if that’ll fit into the canoe.
We arrived yesterday and will be taking off tomorrow morning on the way to St. Louis and beyond. Our host at the campground had arrainged for two TV stations and the local radio affiliate to be at the marina when we pulled in. It’s great to get the word out about the Audubon Society, our trip, and the sponsors that have made this happen. We’ll get the film clips on the website as they become available.
There are about more seven locks to go till we’re in the free-flowing river beyond St. Louis. Our mileage will increase, as will some of the things that can make the Mississippi “interesting’ to a small craft. We’ve got our eyes peeled though and will be keeping a lookout for everything. We’ve been paddling about 40 miles a day the past week even with the locks and expect to canoe about 40-50 miles a day after St. Louis.
The End of the Sweet Tea Drought
I’m from the south, raised in the grand metropolis of Climax, NC. Sweet tea is just a matter of life in the south, as is BBQ. I’m not going to get into the argument on western vs. eastern BBQ, as I think its best to not take contentious religious matters lightly.
From the time I had left NC for the hinterlands of Minnesota, I had not seen or heard about any sweet tea in 47 days. It was a profoundly dark point in my life, and not to be repeated soon if at all possible. That black cloud of despair ended yesterday.
We rode over to Hannibal to take in the sights and grab a bite to eat. We eventually ended up at Bubba’s Catfish House. Looking over the menu, the first things that we’ve looked for haven’t been the entrees, sides, or desserts, but the drink selection. Looking past the array of soft drinks, coffee, domestic and imported beers, we came to the Holy Grail. That simple, glorious, understated line that said “Tea: sweetened or unsweetened.”
The heavens parted and a soft ray of shimmering light shined on that menu. A choir of angels sang the Alleluia Chorus. I’m getting weepy just thinking about it.
We ordered a round of that delicious nectar, then asked them to just leave a pitcher at the table. After almost a month and a half without that delicious liquid, my thirst was finally quenched. The BBQ wasn’t bad either.
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