Cool quick Thanksgiving paddle on beautiful Creve Coeur Lake, St. Louis County, MO.

This trip was not my first choice for the day.  I had set out a few hours earlier to go to Horseshoe Lake, IL.   I thought it would be cool to paddle and see the St. Louis skyline on a kayak again.  Note to self: It is duck season and the lake is closed to duck hunters.  So I left there and drove up towards Alton.  I figured I would paddle the Mississippi River area on the Missouri side.  Note to self: It is duck season.....areas are closed and people are duck hunting.

So out of frustration and heading towards my house, I was debating not even getting in the water.  However, I figured that to be a self-defeating attitude, and very "counter productive" to the kayak "lifestyle" so I stopped at Creve Coeur Lake.

What an incredible paddle!  Almost the minute I hit the water, the sun came out, it warmed up a tad, and the paddle was on.  Was not my first choice.....sometimes you have to be grateful for the trip that you got :)

Paddle ON!

Mike

48 degrees....time to get the kayaks out! Paddeling Lake St. Louis, St. Charles County, MO. November 23rd, 2011

Sometimes the best kayak trips are the impromptu ones.  My friend Ray Schroeder lives right on Lake St. Louis in St. Charles County.  I just happened to have my kayak strapped to the top of my car.  I had left my sea bag in his van from our trip on the Meremac River a few days prior.  We had just enough time for a quick paddle before the sun went down.  Started with a light drizzle (it rained off and on all day) and a temperature of about 48 degrees.  It made me appreciate my spray skirt (I consider this a must have if you want to get out in the winter).  We paddled about 3 miles total.  Felt really good to get back out on the water.

Paddle ON!

Mike

Kayaking 10.5 mile stretch between Route 66 SP and Castlewood SP, Meremac River Missouri

Great 10.5 mile paddle between the Route 66 State park and Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County, Missouri.  The weather was semi-cool and cloudy, but not too awful.  Weather like this really helps you to appreciate a spray skirt.  I had it strapped to the kayak for about 1/2 of the trip.

 Came up on some trapped raccoons close to shore.  Missouri has a season for this, however, I find it to be incredibly inhuman and just down right mean.  I am not "anti hunting" or anything.  But I think in todays world, there are other methods other than trapping.  I had thought about trying to help release them, but they probably would have tried to tear my arm off.  It had looked like a couple of them (still alive) had been trapped for days (that part is not legal).  In a kayak, I was really inequipped to handle it.  If I had a 9mm or something, I probably would have put them out of their misery...one more reason to pack when you kayak.

Sorry to be a buzz-kill......

Other than that, it was an awesome trip with my friends Ray Schroeder and Dan Main.  I think everyone really enjoyed the fellowship and kayaking.  We had a couple of rapids that were semi-challenging (the colder the water gets, the more challenging, at least in my book).

It really has been awhile since I have been out....I think it was like therapy or something

Paddle ON!

Mike

Kayaking the Meremac River from Route 66 SP to Castlewood SP, Missouri

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Missouri River, Race for the Rivers Kayak race, 20 Miles October 8th, 2011

The Race for the Rivers river kayak/canoe challenge is usually held in August, but due to the river being so high for most of the summer, it was moved to October.  This was my second year in the race.  I have to say, I finished higher, but was still disappointed in how I did on this one.  After talking to my friend Ray for a bit, I am thinking that the challenges I had were more to do with my paddle and my stroke technique, than ability or the craft.  I am used to paddling up current on small rivers, and cutting water on lakes....the Missouri is a different animal.  We will be back next year to see if we can do a little better.

Race for the Rivers 2011- Missouri River, St. Charles County, Missouri

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Missouri

The river seemed more dangerous this go around.  There was one point I was paddling, and the water appeared to have a "hill" with a divit right before.  I though that it was my eyes fooling me...no, it was a "divit"...the kayaks bow slightly went down, then up.  Very weird, considering it was probably in about 20' of fast moving water.  This is a river you want to respect!

Paddle ON!

Mike

Kayaking the Bourbouse River, Chouteau Claim Access, Franklin County, MO, September 10th, 2011

I had said to a friend of mine the other day that I did not really care for the Bourbouse River in Franklin County Missouri.  I said it was "too wrangly" with "not enough portage spots, etc".  After this kayak trip, I stand corrected.  It just goes to show that you cannot evaluate an entire river on one 4 mile stretch.

Kayaking the Bourbouse River near the Meremac, Missouri

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I put in at the Chouteau Claim Access in Franklin County.  This is right at the confluence point for the Bourbouse and the Meremac River.  This trip was absolutely INCREDIBLE!  I did over 8 miles, and fished all the way back (caught one really small smallmouth, but nothing to photograph or comment on).  However, the scenery was absolutely incredible.  I had to portage about (4) times or so on the way up current.  Three of these spots I just paddled right through on the way back.  I was fishing on one spot and I saw a very large deer walk across one of the portage spots from a distance.  I swear it look larger than average....look like an elk, believe it or not.

The wildflowers were in bloom, and the temperatures were moderate.  I am looking forward to going back to the access point and paddling up the Meremac side to see how far I can go.  Looking forward to my journeys back to this amazing river!

Paddle ON!

Mike

Mississippi River, Dresser Island, Sept 9th, 2011: Rain cannot stop a true river rat!

Sing me the legends of the river.
Tell me a story of the sky.

Because I want to grow.
Because I want to know.
Because I want to understand.

In the river is the model of creation.
Our lives like the river to the sea.
Paint me a picture of the landscape.
Dance me the dance of the waves.
Sing me of the legends of the river.
Tell me the story of the sky.

~Author Unknown

Small stream paddling on the Loutre River, Montgomery County, MO. Sept 5th, 2011

The beginning slide of my Youtube video shows my 14' sea kayak attached to a kayak cart.  I debated even bringing this along....I am thankful I did!  I ended up doing about 4.5 miles, but much of it was dragging the kayak along the rock/sandbar to get to small pockets of water to paddle.  This would NOT be an enjoyable trip for an inexperienced paddler, or someone who was out of shape, or had any kind of joint injuries. 
So why did I continue to portage and move along the river?  I call it "Commitment to the paddle".  What else was I going to do that day, anyway?  Sit on the couch and watch other people be physically active?  I had told myself I wanted to explore this river.  I guess I get it from my military experience or something.  Seems like when you set out on a trip, you need to go all in...or don't go at all!

One of the rewards was the satisfaction of the trip.  This was a river I have been eyeballing for several years, always thinking "man, I would like to see what is up the river."  The second reward was getting on a bunch of fish towards the end of the trip (most were small, but I caught more than 10!).  I feel like it was a good day to get up on this river due to the wind anyhow.  If I would have been on, Horseshoe Lake, Illinois, for example, I probably would have had to "surf" the kayak back to shore.  Rivers and streams are much nicer on windy days.

Kayaking and Portaging the Loutre River, Missouri

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Missouri
If you ever want to know the difference between a stream and a river, the Loutre will help you to define the difference between the two.  It is a stream for sure!

Paddle ON!

Mike