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Can you see the snake
small rainbow
| Sunrise on at the midway marina way marina |
Monday May 8th I left Columbus Marina around 10:00pm. And it took a few hours to find a place to
camp. The spot I chose was in the high grass and I was concerned about snakes waking up in the morning
and crawling in my canoe. I was up and back on the water as the sun rose. Tuesday turned out to be a nice
day sort of felt like rain but a nice day. As darkness began to set in I found a boat dock at the Aberdeen
park. I decided to set up my tent on the dock and tie my canoe up underneath the dock to keep it out of
the rain that seemed to be coming in. It did rain during the night and a severe storm hit and water got into
my tent because it was not draining off the wood fast enough. There was lots of lighting and wind and I
kept waking up often.
Wednesday may 10th broke camp quickly in the morning my tent, blanket, and sleeping bag were wet.
The rain held off for and it appeared to clear up for a short time before round two of the storms hit. This
storm hit with lots of wind and rain and lasted about twenty minutes. It continued to rain on and off the rest
of the day. Around sunset I locked through Smithville lock into Smithville lake and hunted for a bridge to
keep off the rain coming later. I did finally find a bridge way up in the east end of the lake that would
provide a nice roof. Everything I had was wet. The bow of the canoe slid gently onto what I thought was
nice sand bar, but when I went to step out of my canoe I stepped into water over my head now I was wet
like everything else. It made for a bad night sleeping in a wet tent in a wet sleeping bag. My body heat help
warm up and dry out some of the sleeping bag, but it was not a good night.
Thursday May 11 I was back on the water by 8:00am. This was going to be a sunny day with no rain.
After paddling a couple of hours I found a small beach and decided to stop for a break and dry everything
out It was then I found on the beach an arrow head! Another trip artifact like the deer head. The midway
marina was coming up and this was a scheduled stop which are very far and few between. This was going
to be nice to get a hot shower and relax. Last month I had seen Midway marina’s web site and it just
looked like a cool place to be. I clicked on the contact link and filled out an online forum to get information.
I forgot I even filled out the forum and days went by and I get a call from Monica at Midway. She went
over the information saying asking if I still planned to arrive on the May 14 and she began to tell me about
the electric hook up and cable ect.. I explained I was in a canoe and would not need electric or a cable hook
up. Monica inquired more about my canoe travel and I told her my story. Ginger Conner the owner of
Midway overheard the conversation and said I could stay for free at the marina. So I knew about this stop
for over a month was coming up. It was such a good feeling paddling towards the marina knowing a hot
shower and place to keep my boat was just ahead. As I paddled up to the marina Monica emerged form a
boat and asked “are you John?” she told me where to go and Pat the dock master directed me to a covered
slip. He then gave me a map which showed me where the showers, laundry room, boaters lounge, hot tub,
and courstey van. I was bit overwhelmed. Midway is a very nice marina in fact having paddled in my
different canoe trips over 8,000 miles and 18 states Midway turned out to be my favorite marina. The
people were all so nice and atmosphere is perfect. That is really what makes a marina is the atmosphere.
Gerald and Ginger do a great job with the marina and the boaters I talked with in Columbus told me nice
things about the Conners. I took the van into Fulton and got some supplies at wal-mart and came back and
enjoyed the hot tub and a shower. It felt really good after battle rain the past few days.
Friday May 12 I spent the day relaxing and doing chores and of course enjoying a shower and hot tub.
Saturday turned out to be a fun day. Ginger, Monica, and Gina (Gingers Daughter) were going to Tupelo to
watch a friend perform in the play 42nd street. There was a large art festival going on downtown so I was
able to get a ride and check out the festival while they watched the play. I was not aware Elvis Presley was
born and lived in Tupelo until he was in eighth grade. On the way back from the festival Ginger drove me
by Elvis’s house and I was surprised at how small the house actually was. Gina and her husband Mark
have a weekend cabin that was built back in 1842 just up from the marina. It was just absolutely beautiful
and decorated very nicely. There was huge deck out the back over looking the lake. They invited me to
stay the night and we stayed up to almost two o’clock in talking. And I slept like a rock in a comfortable
bed. Mark made a big breakfast. Sunday May 13 was a nice day in away, however my mother was
hundreds of miles away. Ginger invited me to go along to the restaurant next door with her husband,
grandson, Mark and Gina. I got to talk to my mother which was nice. I went back to wal-mart to get more
supplies and prepare for an early Monday departure. I am behind schedule again, but soon I will be on the
Tennessee river going downstream for until I reach the Mississippi. The Mississippi… that is whole other
story.
camp. The spot I chose was in the high grass and I was concerned about snakes waking up in the morning
and crawling in my canoe. I was up and back on the water as the sun rose. Tuesday turned out to be a nice
day sort of felt like rain but a nice day. As darkness began to set in I found a boat dock at the Aberdeen
park. I decided to set up my tent on the dock and tie my canoe up underneath the dock to keep it out of
the rain that seemed to be coming in. It did rain during the night and a severe storm hit and water got into
my tent because it was not draining off the wood fast enough. There was lots of lighting and wind and I
kept waking up often.
Wednesday may 10th broke camp quickly in the morning my tent, blanket, and sleeping bag were wet.
The rain held off for and it appeared to clear up for a short time before round two of the storms hit. This
storm hit with lots of wind and rain and lasted about twenty minutes. It continued to rain on and off the rest
of the day. Around sunset I locked through Smithville lock into Smithville lake and hunted for a bridge to
keep off the rain coming later. I did finally find a bridge way up in the east end of the lake that would
provide a nice roof. Everything I had was wet. The bow of the canoe slid gently onto what I thought was
nice sand bar, but when I went to step out of my canoe I stepped into water over my head now I was wet
like everything else. It made for a bad night sleeping in a wet tent in a wet sleeping bag. My body heat help
warm up and dry out some of the sleeping bag, but it was not a good night.
Thursday May 11 I was back on the water by 8:00am. This was going to be a sunny day with no rain.
After paddling a couple of hours I found a small beach and decided to stop for a break and dry everything
out It was then I found on the beach an arrow head! Another trip artifact like the deer head. The midway
marina was coming up and this was a scheduled stop which are very far and few between. This was going
to be nice to get a hot shower and relax. Last month I had seen Midway marina’s web site and it just
looked like a cool place to be. I clicked on the contact link and filled out an online forum to get information.
I forgot I even filled out the forum and days went by and I get a call from Monica at Midway. She went
over the information saying asking if I still planned to arrive on the May 14 and she began to tell me about
the electric hook up and cable ect.. I explained I was in a canoe and would not need electric or a cable hook
up. Monica inquired more about my canoe travel and I told her my story. Ginger Conner the owner of
Midway overheard the conversation and said I could stay for free at the marina. So I knew about this stop
for over a month was coming up. It was such a good feeling paddling towards the marina knowing a hot
shower and place to keep my boat was just ahead. As I paddled up to the marina Monica emerged form a
boat and asked “are you John?” she told me where to go and Pat the dock master directed me to a covered
slip. He then gave me a map which showed me where the showers, laundry room, boaters lounge, hot tub,
and courstey van. I was bit overwhelmed. Midway is a very nice marina in fact having paddled in my
different canoe trips over 8,000 miles and 18 states Midway turned out to be my favorite marina. The
people were all so nice and atmosphere is perfect. That is really what makes a marina is the atmosphere.
Gerald and Ginger do a great job with the marina and the boaters I talked with in Columbus told me nice
things about the Conners. I took the van into Fulton and got some supplies at wal-mart and came back and
enjoyed the hot tub and a shower. It felt really good after battle rain the past few days.
Friday May 12 I spent the day relaxing and doing chores and of course enjoying a shower and hot tub.
Saturday turned out to be a fun day. Ginger, Monica, and Gina (Gingers Daughter) were going to Tupelo to
watch a friend perform in the play 42nd street. There was a large art festival going on downtown so I was
able to get a ride and check out the festival while they watched the play. I was not aware Elvis Presley was
born and lived in Tupelo until he was in eighth grade. On the way back from the festival Ginger drove me
by Elvis’s house and I was surprised at how small the house actually was. Gina and her husband Mark
have a weekend cabin that was built back in 1842 just up from the marina. It was just absolutely beautiful
and decorated very nicely. There was huge deck out the back over looking the lake. They invited me to
stay the night and we stayed up to almost two o’clock in talking. And I slept like a rock in a comfortable
bed. Mark made a big breakfast. Sunday May 13 was a nice day in away, however my mother was
hundreds of miles away. Ginger invited me to go along to the restaurant next door with her husband,
grandson, Mark and Gina. I got to talk to my mother which was nice. I went back to wal-mart to get more
supplies and prepare for an early Monday departure. I am behind schedule again, but soon I will be on the
Tennessee river going downstream for until I reach the Mississippi. The Mississippi… that is whole other
story.
Will all of that fit in there?
