Intuitions

We've entered a non-communication zone with limited cell phone reception and rural take-out and entries point. My tracking skills have been put to the test--intuition and local guidance have been key, but we've had some hair-raising moments. Many of these banks are nearly impossible to see from the river and landmarks at times are fewer and fewer. Luckily, we have managed to find one another, but not without close-calls.

On Sunday, while nearing Vanceburg, KY, Barbara and Mimi were flying (not that it was an 'easy' day as it was not--with heavy rain, thunderstorms and no map or marine radio) with the current. I stood on a random porch as the kayak approached and called, hoping that Barbara would hear me. I asked the boy next to me, "where's the swimmer?" and he pointed a quarter of a mile ahead of the kayak. Oh, no! I thought (they were only less than 3 miles from the little creek we thought might be a good take out) I got to go!

With a set of poor directions and nothing but small country roads and a few scattered residences, off I went to find the creek. This took me into fenced off private properties, dead end roads and abandoned barns until I was finally directed to the empty campground by the creek. There I waited for near an hour--this hidden, muddy bank was dubbed by Barbara as something out of Deliverance...and having been there alone, I'd have to agree. I thought I must have missed them, and took off to track the 2nd kayaker, who I had guessed must have taken out at the town earlier.

Meanwhile, probably an half hour later, Mimi and Barbara arrive at the same bank. Mimi hikes it up the rocky road barefooted, while Barbara waits on 'Deliverance Island'. Mimi stops a woman on the road and asks her to call me when she gets home, another truck pulls up to her and asks directions. She says, 'I'm as lost as you', something she soon regrets. As her eyes wander to the passenger seat, she sees a woman slumped over, 'like jelly', the whole side of her face is bruised. Mimi quickly tries to keep cool and reveal nothing to the man, walking away from the car and toward a house. The truck lingers and then takes off. She goes off trying to warn some people who seem to think she's freaky one in her suit and swim cap, but finally wanders onto a woman's residence whose husband is a retired sheriff. It is at this point that our stories intersect. I have been convinced by others that they will go further than the creek, but as I drive along the road I am compelled to double check the deliverance bank, and find Mimi with the older woman.

The sheriff was notified, but we haven't heard anything, and it haunts both of us. In Vanceburg we stayed at a beautiful historic house, had gracious hosts, the best homemade veggie pizza and pancakes-- even her send off spot was an amazing abandoned Lock and Dam. Really, though, all I could think about was the woman, Mimi's intuition about the situation and how I felt that day on Deliverance bank. In these remote places, I sometimes feel at peace, but this was not one of those days.

A Photo parade of the positive:

Roger and wife, Julie at the site of their new pizza restaurant
Vanceburg, KY (mile 378)

original engine, old locks and dam- Vanceburg, KY

Now leaving Maysville (at this moment Mimi approaches Maysville, KY from Moyer's Winery on the Ohio side). Stayed at an AMAZING hotel, the French Quarter Inn, with lovely workers that were hilarious. The people at Moyer's were also so kind. On Sunday, they let me trudge along their winery looking for any place to take the kayak out at. Luckily, there was one point on the property--too bad that it was also a vortex that sucked all of the drift wood and floating trash! The manager gave me some balloons and I did some high wire acrobatics to make them visible from the river. As I balanced on a log, a barge passed--I wondered if they saw me and thought I was some sort of crazy person.

Moyer's Winery, OH (mile 400.5!)