Day 80 - Zero Day in Vicksburg
Day 80: Vicksburg, MS → Vicksburg, MS
Date: September 26th, 2022
LRM 437 → LRM 437
Distance today: 0 miles
River Time: 0 hours
Countdown to Baton Rouge, LA: 208 miles
Local Gauge: 5.9 Vicksburg Gauge
Today’s post will be short and sweet, as I am relaxing but also taking the day to prepare mileages and food plans to get me from here to at least Baton Rouge.
Before I do though, here are a few things from previous days. The first is a video captured by drone near Helena, AR, by my old boss at the USCAE Daren. Thanks Daren!
The second is photos a tow boat pilot captured of me. This is what I look like to the barges passing me by, I’m nothing more than a smallish log on their radar. Thank you to the tow pilot of the John Paul Eckstein for the great shots! Photos taken in the Leland Cutoff, near Greenville, MS.
Taking Stock
Before I get to today’s activities, I wanted to talk about the journey. I’m doing some reflecting as I rest in Vicksburg. I’ve now paddled just about 1,900 miles, and have 437 remaining. This means I’ve paddled approximately 81% of the Mississippi, and have 19% remaining. It sometimes is daunting to think how far I’ve come. It almost feels like the headwaters was a trip I did last year, a distant memory now.
The last four days were a really strong push to get from Clarksdale to Vicksburg, which have now set me up in a good position to paddle through Baton Rouge on Oct. 2nd. This pace was not sustainable, and now I will slow up, knowing that I am well on pace to get to the Gulf in the time I want.
After Baton Rouge, I plan to take 4-5 days to get to New Orleans, maybe have a rest day there, then arrive to Venice, LA (mile 10) on around Oct. 11th. This will give me one day to rest in Venice, before my final paddle out to sea water, which I will do on Oct. 13th! I may spend a night camped in the Gulf of Mexico before heading back to Venice, who knows.
So that’s the rest of my trip in a nutshell! Oct. 13th is the day I reach saltwater. This marks 96 days on the Mississippi River. If anyone near or far would like to join me in Venice, LA, to be part of the finish line greeting party, you’re more than welcome! For the folks in MN, rest assured I’ll have some sort of celebration there in November.
Day Off in Vicksburg
Vicksburg. The Key to the South.
Here are the day’s activities in photos:
Congratulations on your journey thus far! I will be there in spirit - as would my dad, an addventurer who would have loved reading your posts- for the Minneapolis party welcoming you back! Good luck, paddle, eat, and restwell in the meantime.
loved all your news. wish i could be there. at 90 years, don*t think that is possible. you are my evening entertainment. love you, gma margy