Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Here and






now we are in Burlington, Iowa.
An odd sized town, full of many things, an australian coffee shop, many empty storefronts, a huge beautiful library, here, and we are dry and warm for the first time today.
The Iowa river came in and confirmed our suspicions of late that we are going
2 miles an hour.
amazing.
the town of keithsburg came and went
with its trains toppled from the flood
its watermarks at chest level
its old old buildings derelict and sighing
its populus, living their entire lives in this tiny river
view

and we spent the night tied up on a beach next to (as we will again tonght) our new friends



Doug and Laura from madison

floating now since Wabasha in a houseboat running solar power
floating a little past the current
a little past us in the current
but stopping just long enough for us to catch up
again and again

i think we're having
venison shitake stroganoff
with them tonight.
slumber party
and music.

We talk about the end of the world. about the economy crubling.
i wonder what signs will tip us off
(here on the river)
to it when it crashes.... maybe the barges will stop. maybe everyone will hide in their houses.

but the strings of cormarants flying north and then south
and the pelicans intermingling with them
the duck blinds fooling even us humans
the rain coming and the wind changing
the blankets increasing in number
the knitting increasing in haste


continuing on and steady.

breathtaking. color changing.
we're so lucky here.

5 comments:

Laura Kane Scher said...

Yeah - you're back online...been thinking of you, I know I could pick up the phone, next week I will call you. Love the facebook photo huh!!! Lucy turned 5 yesterday and talks about you all the time, checking your blog with me often. Stay well and warm and onward you go on the journey of a lifetime would love to see photos soon. MISS YOU BOTH!

Anonymous said...

Hi there………..this is the fellow that floated along with you a while and shared a visit and a beer with you two on pool 17.. I saw and read the article in the Burlington Hawkeye about your journey. It was a very nice read ,as well as your blog. I went to your blog spot and read your entries. Congratulations on your success and happy rafting to your destination .....Brock

Anonymous said...

ahoy...got y'alls mail at the ddbc today!
very nice surprise. i DO have stuff for you two too,
but what'll i do?
i forgive you for shortchanging the post office 34cents...i covered it (til i see you).
i'll pass along the info to everyone.
josh, by the way, knew to be on the lookout for you...
he was in Winona almost a month ago. he left on
Oct. 1st i believe and is making great time.
maybe you'll get a third pedaler, unless he's fully committed to be a paddler.

more later,
alex

ps--katie got herself a junkhouseboat now, so...

Anonymous said...

they are watching you... check your email for details

Kevin Kerwin said...

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