Ferron Landing to Grand Tower, IL - June 27th
I was on my way, with all my gear, at about 6:00AM! I got to Mound City at 8:45 and Bob was there waiting. The night before, I told him I'd be there at around 8:30, so I was close. He'd been there since 7:30, watching me at different spots paddling down the river. He said I looked like a buoy floating down the river next to all the barges.
Well, Bob followed me across to Thebes and at Olive Branch, IL we stopped for lunch and a guy there said Thebes was going to be a tough place to start from. Current was bad for a number of miles and felt it was a whole lot better to move upstream to Grand Tower, IL. Now this was not planned and I felt like I was cheating myself by not being in the river, but Bob said he would stay with me up to Grand Tower. Again, I could not turn him down. In fact, he said if the river is going to be that bad he'd take me all the way to St. Louis so I could do it the other way. I know that is why I consider him such a great friend. More concern for others than himself.
Well, we got to Grand Tower around 3:00, me pedaling away and Bob following. Grand Towers had a nice campground so I decided to stay there and try the river in the morning. I needed to let Bob be on his way. Tough to say good-by, but heck,,, too much of me was rubbing off on him. He'd misplaced his sunglasses three times today!
A note: Last December one of Bob's daughters emailed me and asked if I'd write my thoughts about Bob. She was asking a number of his friends to do this and she was going to put it together in book form and give it to him for Christmas. What a great gift. I never got mine done and have felt bad about it ever since. I tried four times, but nothing sounded right. Today I found out why - a friendship like Bob's I cannot put in words. Don't even have to say much to each other. I just know (proven today) he's always there for me and I hope he knows the same is true of me! Just a couple of words Bob: you are a very special man and your family and friends know it!
Well, Bob followed me across to Thebes and at Olive Branch, IL we stopped for lunch and a guy there said Thebes was going to be a tough place to start from. Current was bad for a number of miles and felt it was a whole lot better to move upstream to Grand Tower, IL. Now this was not planned and I felt like I was cheating myself by not being in the river, but Bob said he would stay with me up to Grand Tower. Again, I could not turn him down. In fact, he said if the river is going to be that bad he'd take me all the way to St. Louis so I could do it the other way. I know that is why I consider him such a great friend. More concern for others than himself.
Well, we got to Grand Tower around 3:00, me pedaling away and Bob following. Grand Towers had a nice campground so I decided to stay there and try the river in the morning. I needed to let Bob be on his way. Tough to say good-by, but heck,,, too much of me was rubbing off on him. He'd misplaced his sunglasses three times today!
A note: Last December one of Bob's daughters emailed me and asked if I'd write my thoughts about Bob. She was asking a number of his friends to do this and she was going to put it together in book form and give it to him for Christmas. What a great gift. I never got mine done and have felt bad about it ever since. I tried four times, but nothing sounded right. Today I found out why - a friendship like Bob's I cannot put in words. Don't even have to say much to each other. I just know (proven today) he's always there for me and I hope he knows the same is true of me! Just a couple of words Bob: you are a very special man and your family and friends know it!
posted by Coach at 2:24 PM
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