Wednesday, August 12 - Been gone a week!

Things are going really great. We've been going about 80 miles a day and that seems to be the magic number: any more than that and it seems too much. Weather has been wonderful the last two days again and that makes it so much better. I have to admit it's really hot though. Well in the 90's.

No matter where we go, we meet very nice people. All are helpful and full of information.

Tuesday night we stayed on the boats overnight - it went well but we learned a few things: put up the enclosures before the bugs come out! Our place was full of mosquitoes and these little moths. As least the moths don't bite. Also a no brainer is make sure you know where the flashlights are before it get's dark! Believe me, we do now.

Sunset was beautiful on the river (hopefully when I'm done here the picture attachment will work - I know it's operator error but......) and with it being August the meteor showers are active so there's lots of shooting stars to watch for. What more could a person ask for?

I have to tell you they grow stuff big down here - just before dusk the 'Japanese summer beetles' began buzzing and it got louder and louder surrounding us in the woods. We all looked at each other and said 'holy s...'. They didn't bother us though, they were just really loud.

During the night, about three or four times, it sounded like a log coming out of the water and splashing back in - it was some BIG fish jumping out . I wouldn't want to meet it;them. Two barges went thru during the night. They just purr by even though they're sooooo big. They have one mighty bright light on the front of the tug that goes back and forth from shore to shore continuously, that's the most obvious way you know it's coming. Not much sleep but the bugs were keeping me busy anyway.

Wednesday night we slept at a Fairfield Inn in Keokuk, Iowa. It was laundry day too. Well, here we go into a new day and a new state: Missouri. We'll be sleeping under the stars again tonight.

Talk to you all later. Love to all. Bye.