So just a quick update while I have access to a computer…
Anyway, when I reached the Fort Peck Marina again I was humbly greeted by Tara (who owns the marina) and the local fisherman. Zane came to pick me up and took me to Lewis and Clark point where you can see the muddy Milk River come into the Missouri. We partied too hard (if that is really possible), which resulted in me pitching a tent on the other side of the Fort Peck Dam at 230am.
I was waked by an airboat the next morning and on the river by 6am. I had met a man named Jeff Neubauer at the marina the previous day who lived in Wolf Point on the reservation that said he would let me stay in his house when I got there. That day was the hardest day of the trip so far…
I immediately had a headwind coming out of the east and it continued until 1pm. I went through two sets of rapids (nothing extreme) and was stuck on two sandbars. I called Jeff around 330 since the wind had died down and told him I was about 4 hours away and I would call him when I was under the bridge. As soon as I got off the phone the wind kicked up again and I found myself leaning forward, head down, paddling my tail off until 530 when I called and told him I might not be able to make it that night before dark.
His response was simple, “Paddled your ass off, I’ll see you there.” I bit those words for the next 3 hours. During that time I hit another set of rapids. This one I approached the completely wrong way and found myself turned sideways heading straight for a rock. It slammed against the front right of my kayak and turned me backwards and I was left paddling backwards for about 30 more yards saying, “oh crap, oh crap.” Looking back I wish I had an aerial view of that moment so I could laugh at myself.
I got stuck on another sandbar and by the time I reached Jeff’s house I had screamed every 4-letter word in the book in anger at the wind, river, government, ducks, anything really…I was tired. But, I had a good shower, meal, and conversation with Jeff in his extremely well-kept home and slept hard on the couch.
I was on the river by 7am the next morning and paddled through Poplar around noon. I drifted for the next several hours and read before pulling over to escape from the heat under some Cottonwood trees where eagles nested to have lunch (good ole’ Mac & Cheese).
After paddling around a corner I saw a possible storm approaching and some people on four-wheelers and asked if I could camp on their property for the night. They (Larry and Lauri Handy) invited me to their house for dinner (salad, steaks (meaning multiple), potatoes, etc) and let me sleep in their spare room.
Currently I am sitting at their table after having an amazing omelet and toast with homemade jam about to head back on the river.
I have not heard from Tom in a couple of days. My guess is he is probably 100miles ahead or so, I can only hope he is having this much good fortune.
A friend texted me this quote the other day…”the man at the top of the mountain did not fall there.”
I will hike into Williston in a few days and update there if possible.
Charles