Tstorms and going into Old Shawneetown kept me off the water until about noon. Shawneetown is nearly a ghost town. There are two city employees: the chief of police and a guy that is charge of cleaning the park/upkeep of the historic bank below.
I talked to the chief of police for a minute about getting some water, but he was busy talking to what looked like a bounty hunter about some dude who’s “been stayin’ in a traila round the corna”.
Wind was light, but was a headwind. Stopped around mile 870 because I found some pretty cool rock formations on the edge of Shawnee National Forest. I dried out my tent and made sausage and rice on the rocks. It was pretttty, pretty good.
Tried to take a nap afterward, but it was just too hot and my sleeping pad seems to have a slow leak (believe the cap has sand in it and its not screwing on all the way). So after about 30 minutes I packed everything up and got on the river again around 530.
Tstorms were showing up on my radar, but it looked like I was right in a clear pocket where I was and was going. So I decided I would paddle until tired or there was threat of lightning. The storms were to the south of me about 10-20 miles and there were zero clouds above me so I was not in danger unless a new system popped up to the right of me.
When the sun went down the storm to the south was quite cool. Lightning and thunder rocked Sturgis, KY, while I just skirted along the dry corridor. It was a memorable sight. No clue how far I paddled, but went until about midnight when it began to rain and I heard thunder coming from the opposite direction. I pulled to shore quickly and found some nice camp under some foliage.
Woke up at the edge of E’town and am currently sitting down to the big river breakfast and a couple cups of coffee. Cheap prices in these little river towns!
Hoping to be within a short paddle of Paducah this time tomorrow. I’d like to restock everything, buy a solar charger, clean my clothes, and maybe get a motel…we’ll see.
Nahum Martin
Jul 16, 2014 -
In the video you took of the outside of the kayak at your house it looked like you had two sets of single paddles. I thought those were canoe paddles. Doesn’t a a kayak typically use a single double ended paddle?
Zach
Jul 16, 2014 -
yea kayak paddles break down into two pieces. I carry two sets bc my primaries are carbon, which could splinter/break if I chip them.
Nana
Jul 16, 2014 -
Nahum, I believe that they fit together to form one long paddle
Zach
Jul 16, 2014 -
righto nana!
Nahum Martin
Jul 16, 2014 -
Sweet, thanks guys!