Day 21 Mississippi River

Max and I both rolled out of the tent around 7AM. We planned on paddling together for the day, as our intended campsite worked for both of our schedules.

It's almost unbelievable how similar Max and I are. Very similar background stories, similar interest and hobbies and almost identical gear. It's almost as if Max is my doppelgänger....that doesn't look exactly like me.

We hit the water and share stories about an interesting fellow we both encountered earlier on the river. He was also a through paddler and had stories for days. Just a true character that we both took some humor in.

It's great to paddle with someone else, as we all read the river differently. I enjoyed following Max's path. It was a different than the route I would have chosen for myself. Variety and new perspective. Always good.

Today also consisted of two portages. At the first, Little Falls Dam, max and I both beached our boats near a public park and walked into town to grab a few resupply. For Max, a fuel canister and snacks from Walmart. For me, fresh fruit and lunch snacks at the grocery store.

We met back up and prepared for our first portage. It was rather painless as we teamed up to carry the canoes. Max had a set of wheels that hook up to the boat and make it rollable. We made light work of it.

The second portage came 9 miles after. Blanchard dam was a doozy. A long winding trail through thick low lying forest. The mosquitos, ups and downs and uneven dirt trail made for a difficult pass. After 2 trips back and forth to lug gear we hauled Max's boat about 100 yards until the trail became flatter, which made the wheels a viable option. After repeating this process with my boat we knocked off the portage and celebrated with a cool dip in the river. It's amazing how great a swim in cold water can feel, especially after working up a good sweat.

After relaxing for a few minutes we got back on the water with our sites set on an island campsite, Seven Sisters. We passed and chatted with a few fisherman and enjoyed the setting sun. By the time we reached our destination darkness had begun setting in. After spending a bit of time looking for the designated site we decided to call it good on a large sand bar created in a channel between two islands. With headlamps and one lantern we set up camp, cooked dinner on the river and spoke of what the Mighty Miss may hold in store for us later in our journey.

Solid day. Good company. Miles made. Success.