The word for today: ENDURANCE. In fact, I told Strom this morning, we have but one objective today – 60 miles. Nothing else matters. I was bent on making it to the casino in Vicksburg for Monday night football, that’s 101 miles in 2 days, and we needed to get far enough today to virtually assure that goal.

With plans for cold breakfast and use of the campground bathroom before dawn, much of my gear was packed on the boat last night. So just a quick breakdown of tent, sleeping pad and bag, and we’ll be off. As I got ready to go, problem… uh, where’s my paddle? Habitually I stick my paddle through the straps on the seat so it can’t just fall overboard and float away. I remember doing that last night, and I remember thinking, should I add a bungee for extra security? Looking back at photos, the paddle was there when I went to bed, and this morning the driver’s seat was full of water from the waves of passing barges. They must’ve washed out my paddle in the violence of the waves.

I looked around the immediate shore, but nothing. “Well Strom” I said, “that’s why we’re carrying a spare.” That paddle and I have been through a lot. “It be the paddle what whacked that horsefly!” But, I couldn’t afford any sentimentality right now. Though this added a smaller secondary objective for today, look for that paddle (and that slice of bread).

I woke up a few times last night feeling like I had sand in my left eye. It was watering and slightly painful, and a few times I tried to see if I could wash it out with my copious tears. In the morning when I went into the bathroom it seemed worse, and it was sensitive to the light. I tried flushing it in warm water in the sink, but that didn’t seem to help. Oh well, there’s nothing more I can do about this in Greenville today. Onward.

I asked Strom to remind me every time I thought about it: no photos today. Unless it was something really exciting, I wouldn’t let the camera slow me down. In fact, I took 3 photos on the water today: one when the sun rose, one of me at the Arkansas-Louisiana border that I just happened to be sitting when I took a break, and one of the American Countess paddle wheel boat. Otherwise it was paddle/peddle, short rest, repeat for 11 hours and 30 minutes.

Again being Sunday, there was very little tugboat traffic. I longed for a little more traffic as it helps keep me keep sharp and focused, but today I wouldn’t get that.

The weather cooperated pretty well, though there were a few periods with bursts of headwinds. And the flow continued to be fickle: some incredibly fast sprints followed by some long lake like conditions. I now expect this will continue to be the case all the way to New Orleans.

I’m happy to say my objective was reached. Though I spent some of the day paddling with my left eye closed; it still felt like a grain of sand was in there. 60 miles landed me in… Transylvania! Of all the places. I had anticipated water moccasins, alligators, even sharks, but vampires! Sheesh. Would these challenges never cease.

I know from seeing a production of Dracula at the community Playhouse in Cedar Falls Iowa that there are only four ways to kill vampires: 1) Drive a wooden stake through their heart (um, there’s no sticks or even a blog log on this beach, I can’t fashion any stakes!) 2) Expose them to natural sunlight, for a seemingly long time (“Hiya vamps, why don’t you all take a seat and I’ll put the kettle on, we can chat for 12 hours awaiting the sunrise.”) 3) When they are in bat-like form, smash them against the living room wall (Huh? That’s a new one, but I can’t imagine smashing anything effectively against the nylon tent.) and 4) Cut off their head with a plastic kayak paddle. (Hey! Now we’re talking. The legend of the new paddle! Captain Charcuterie, vampire slayer.)

Upon landing, I set up camp and got dinner prepared, though it was pretty dark when I started to eat. I hadn’t had dinner by headlamp since that night Chad cooked fresh fish on the beach in Minnesota. As I was eating, I realized I was utterly exhausted. There would be no blogging by the light of the moon tonight. And we weren’t going to hunt vampires; if there was going to be a fight with the undead it would have to come to me; I’ll be sleeping with my paddle regardless as I can’t risk another disappearance. I laid down in the tent at 8:15 with a watery left eye and I was asleep within minutes.

I expect I may get some comments about possible vampiric playlist additions, or something along the marathon of a day theme. But hey, we’re in Louisiana now! I’ve been waiting for this to throw out another Elvis tune (my family knows this is one of my favorites). Tony Joe White did the original, and Elvis more or less copies Tony Joe, but hey, he’s the King and just carries more charisma in the delivery of: Polk Salad Annie