Livin' Life

Sept. 12, 2012

Alton Marina to Asheville, NC

Gator and I woke up on “the Belle” for the last time this morning, it’s been a good run, no regrets. We take our time getting things organized for the trip home. Joe arrives around 8:00 and hooks up the trailer. I pull “the Belle” around to the boat ramp but not without a little trouble. As I approach the ramp, the prop digs in to some shallow mud and stalls. Once again, the river will not let us leave. Gator steps in to the 2 foot water and pushes us back until the prop clears. I try again from a different angle with no luck. I try yet again and still no luck, it appears that we cannot reach the boat ramp, so close and yet so far. Our last try is to approach the ramp from inside the marina under the bridge. Steadily, we make headway and swing around to the ramp, finally. It doesn’t take but a moment to get her centered and pulled out on to dry land.

Dry Land

We begin the task of dismantling sections of the boat for travel and packing everything up for the trip home.  About an hour later, we are ready to cruise.

Great Trip Gator! Thanks

Now what makes an adventure a true adventure is the unknown. You can plan and you can prepare all you want to but when you get out there with “Mama Nature” you better just accept what she throws at you and hang on for the ride ’cause that is the true adventure. This is my third attempt at this river and I’ve logged over 2000 miles on her but she just took me wherever she wanted to. Sure, I steered the boat but that’s about it. Even though we didn’t get from point A to point B, we still enjoyed the time we had. Spending that much time on a small craft in those conditions with your brother or a good friend is something you will not forget. The challenges you face each day and the decisions that have to be made, right or wrong, are the things that create the tales that you will tell for the rest of your life. This, to me, is what makes an adventure and it is why I am already thinking about my next one. To “the Joanie Belle” I say thanks for carrying me down and up the river and returning me safely home. To the river, the mighty Mississippi, I say thanks for carrying me down and up as well only in a more dramatic way and to you out there, whoever you are, I say “just do it.” Now, I ride off into the sunset………………for now.

Until We Meet Again