{"id":5278,"date":"2020-09-27T17:38:20","date_gmt":"2020-09-27T22:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billheinz.net\/?p=5278"},"modified":"2020-11-10T11:56:43","modified_gmt":"2020-11-10T17:56:43","slug":"9-26-2020-root-river-whalen-to-rushford","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billheinz.net\/?p=5278","title":{"rendered":"9\/26\/2020 Root River (Whalen to Rushford)"},"content":{"rendered":"

9.26.2020 <\/strong>Root River (Whalen to Rushford \u2013 River Gradient (3.4 ft\/mile )<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today marks the COVID 19 trip. We have finally \u201cgot\u201d COVID-19 under control.\u00a0 It was, however, a sick start to our triumphant trip.\u00a0 We started by finding a kayak strapped improperly and dangerously from our last trip, then problem #2 was nearly having a kayak fall off the trailer because someone failed to put a strap on it, I discovered it after going down the highway nearly 2 miles, and if that isn\u2019t enough bad omens, we discovered a broken seat at the river bank\u2014requiring some innovation and fast thinking by yours truly to save the trip.\u00a0 In spite of our sickly start, we finished the day with full speed ahead and a fun and successful trip, proving that one can recover from COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Our 15.9 mile trip down the Root River on a 71\u00b0day with 64\u00b0water temperatures was another fun and perfect day in spite of heavy cloud cover.\u00a0 We enjoyed the company of the \u201ckids\u201d again\u2014Mark and Michelle, who definitively answered the age old question when Michelle clearly stated, that Mark was the \u201cbetter looking\u201d brother, in spite of what Dan had said earlier.\u00a0 The rest of the crew for the day included; Bill, Teresa, Steve, Pat C., Art, and Me.\u00a0 I only had to discipline Mark 1 time today\u2014a vast improvement, when he really wanted to try paddle back up and over the last dam and try it again, you can see him looking longingly at the wall in one of the last pictures in the video.\u00a0 We did see a couple of Eagles, King Fisher, flock of Ducks and gaggles of Geese.\u00a0 We did cruise along briskly at an average speed of 3.9 mph and completed the trip in just over 4 hours with an additional 1 hour and 20 minutes of leisure stops.\u00a0 We did have the first signs of fall as well, quite a bit of color in the trees\u2014pretty, but NOT YET, we want more paddle time this year, we WILL exceed and put COVID-19 in its place with our next trip\u2014demonstrating that COVID-19 can be beaten .<\/p>\n

As always there is no better way to spend a day, than one the river, and today was one of those days.\u00a0 We always enjoy company, so keep on coming Mark and Michelle, but you might let your brother use his own kayak once in a while.<\/p>\n

To watch the video click the arrow and then enlarge the screen with the icon in the lower right of the screen.\u00a0 To get back to this page just shrink the page back to normal.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

No still pictures this week, they are similar to our 8\/29\/20 trip <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Our music selection for today was decided by :\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Steve & Pat: Ride Captain, Ride<\/u> & \u00a0The Stroke<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n