FYI – This is my longest update.

Morning went smoothly and I was into port of Natchez by 12:30-1.

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Storms have been looking like spots on a dalmation. Small violent red/yellow cells no wider than a couple miles..they do their thing and i skirt around or wait to pass by. Took me 3 days to do the 75 miles between Vicksburg and Natchez…those 3 days equal a cumulative rest day. I certainly feel rested.

BUT, that is the boring part. All the friction/fun happens when you start talking to people. Right off the ramp I chatted up a couple who was down from Flint, Michigan. Saw Gas City water tower on their way down I69. After that I was packing my bag with my gear, about to walk to one of two casinos and eat the buffet when I began speaking with another couple…I only know them as Jackie and her husband. They didn’t know it when they woke up today, but they were going to be river angels. They sat on the ramp with their two dogs and we talked for a good 10-15 minutes, saw a snake pop its head out of the water, we all wondered if it was a cottonmouth. Then as they were going back up into town, Jackie turned back and said they wanted to put me up for the night at the Mark Twain Guest House–an inn at the top of the boat ramp. what?! you dont have to do that!

But she insisted. They wanted to help me. As amazed as people are by this trip, I AM AMAZED at the sheer kindness that has been extended towards me–without exception the most beautiful part of this trip. I always feel undeserving of it, and plan to balance that feeling by putting that love and generosity back into the world as soon as I enter back into it. From here on at least being a road angel (for cyclists) and if near water, paddlers as well. All future journeys will also be for charity–to funnel that kindness to people that need it more than I.

My room is the balcony above the saloon.

My room is the balcony above the saloon.

This is what it looks like from that balcony, downriver.

This is what it looks like from that balcony, downriver.

And upriver.

And upriver.

And inside. Absolutely incredible digs.

And inside. Absolutely incredible digs.

My favorite part is on the inn’s website it talks about how Silver St. (Where the inn is located.) is where all the pirates/sailors used to come for booze, gambling, and hookers. And today on Silver St. you’ll find booze and gambling, but the rest is up to you, haha.

Silver Street

Silver Street

Jackie and husband! Thank you! Thank you a hundred times, you do not know how much something like this means to a guy who’s been on the river for 5 weeks. I’ve washed/dried my clothes, showered, eaten too much, and now feel as good as new. I wholeheartedly appreciate your gesture and want only good things to happen to you and your son from here on out!

So after that adventure I go to my first ever riverboat casino. Ive seen plenty, but have never been on one until I heard that they had a $7 lunch buffet thats actually pretty good. Interesting thing #2 happens. The door guy, jason johnson, lived in Gas City for a couple of years. He’s from Elwood and our high schools wrestled eachother in the same conference. when he was a senior and i was a freshman we were in the same gym multiple times competing, but in different weight classes. Small world.

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Walked around Bluff Park and took some pics. The city overlooks the river from very high up, and i doubt it ever floods past silver st. The bluff that it sits atop though is made out of accumulated/hardened mud from thousands of years, according to Laynes dad (civil engineer for the Army Corps of engineers). So the corps for years had a project to build a retaining wall for the city so it didnt erode into the river. The wall is pretty impressive.

Bluff secured by Army Corps of Engineers

Bluff secured by Army Corps of Engineers

Then I end up walking around visiting the only thing that seems to be open on sundays…bars…prob more coffee than booze. At a bar on Silver I’m having a drink watching the SEC 2014 Championship rerun, when I see a tandem fiberglass kayak go by (very nice). So i tell the bartender Im not dashing and leave my id on the bar–rush to the ramp to meet them. A couple about to do 4 miles upstream then back. I start name dropping some of the other paddlers I’ve met in the area and it turns out we know the same people. Pretty cool!

Anyway, the night is young and I’m going to explore a bit more. Cant leave town until after 11am bc i want to get a pound of bbq from the Pig Out Inn since Layne talked it up.

Exciting stop as I enter the Lower Delta! Tomorrow I will paddle my 1000th mile at some point.

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