One word for today: DREARY.

Actually, I did expect days like these, but I thought they would be in the Midwest states. It was sprinkling to start my day and it got more wet and blustery as the day progressed. This felt like Wisconsin or Illinois weather, not Mississippi. I anticipated this journey would be 80% misery and 20% joy; today was a heavy dose of misery and easily my least favorite day so far.

To start the day, I made coffee and instant oatmeal in the hotel room; I guess I felt better about having a camp meal instead visiting that casino restaurant again. I loaded up a luggage cart and started the process of getting everything back to the boat. It took me 4 trips to get everything down. I returned the cart to the hotel and went to the restroom for a final stop; as I was entering the restroom a security guard informed me that it’s for hotel guests only. I went over to her, gave her a smile and said, “I am a guest at the hotel; I don’t normally look like such a vagrant.”

Back at the river, packing the boat was a challenge as I wanted to do it with the boat in the water, but there were periodic big waves from busy tugboat traffic. I was loaded and ready at 9 when the first raindrop hit me. I checked the weather forecast: ‘rain continuing until 11am.’

When I started off, I really noticed the weight of the boat. With 7 gallons of water and probably 30 additional pounds of food, things felt sluggish. I would need to remember this when crossing the channel today: I’m not as nimble as usual.

What started as a sprinkling this morning, then light drizzle, turned into a full rain status around 11. (But the rain was supposed to stop at 11!) Another forecast check: ‘rain continuing until 3pm.’ More wind, heavier rain, and seemingly getting colder. At 4:30 I checked the forecast: ‘rain continuing until 7pm.’

I was really hoping to outlast the weather so I wouldn’t have to set up a tent in the rain. Now it would be hopeless; and the only thing worse than setting up in the rain is setting up in the rain in the dark. So at 5 I found an island and called it a day after 39 miles. As I write this at 8:45pm, it’s still raining and windier. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm; I hope that comes to fruition.

Really not much else happened today. I passed a boat with 3 fishermen 3 times today. On the third pass they asked if I was doing okay and then they asked where I was going. “New Orleans is just around the corner!” one of them said in jest. “Around the corner and 8 days!” was my response.

The countdown is now at 8, whether you’re counting remaining days, days on the water, holes, or playlist additions, there are only 8 planned. It’s certainly starting to feel like the home stretch.

For the first time I had dinner in the tent. I started with a can of Campbells chunky beef stew, then followed that with Chef Boyardee mini raviolis. Chad talked me out of these raviolis when we were in Palisade MN; now on my own I’ll do what I want! I need to continue a 2 dinner regimen to keep the weight on, and the more I eat the less weight I have to push in the boat the next day. I sent the family a photo of me having dinner, and Sarah responded with an image suggesting I look like the Lorax. I think I was happier looking like Poopdeck Pappy!

Though it was a pretty miserable day with not much exciting to report, I was still in pretty good spirits all day. I yelled at the wind and lack of current a few times, which were more frustrating than the rain, really. But in all, it was a tough day, and it seems the Growlers are an appropriate playlist addition today: Going Gets Tuff