Picture: Matt Knoth (CC)
In early June of 2008 I went on a 130 mile canoe trip down a portion of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. I put in at Sauk City, WI, on the Wisconsin river and ended the journey at the mouth of the Platte River, just before Dubuque, Iowa, on the Mississippi. I paddled every day for five days and camped every night on white sand beaches. This journey went through some very beautiful and sparsely populated areas, as well as rolling hills and farm country. I saw a lot of wildlife like herons, and hundreds of turtles sunning themselves on logs. I occasionally saw other boaters, but for the most part I was alone and spoke to no other human beings for days on end. It was a very surreal experience.
Once, I decided to paddle through the night under the stars. The water was very still as there was little wind that night and no moon, but hundreds of stars were reflected on the river, and those lit my way.… Read the rest
