"Driftin Ol Miss Journal by Wali-G"

Sep 1-15   Sep 16-30   Oct 1-15   Oct 16-31   Nov 1-15   Nov 16-30   Dec 1-15   Dec 16-31  
   Oct 16, 2009 fri

   The Clemens crawl was a success on Thursday. Big thanks to Mike Jr and senior for the tour on Friday; the Ol Mill was interesting....I'd recommend it to any tourist.



   Oct 17, 2009 Sat

   33rd Annual Folklife Fest this weekend. Staying around the Hannibal harbor with this floating billboard (the raft) proved to be good move for getting the word out on the website.... Site visitor numbers have rocketed past 100 views per day.



   Oct 18, 2009 Sum

   Where are the dang deep fried cheese curds?...the main thing lacking at the Hannibal Folklife Fest... I think we should have put together a standselling them to raise money for gas. I would recommend the big turkey legs. Sun came out so we got some good pics. Eric has been entertaining a stray pussy he had named, Hannibal; there is talk of bringing it with.///. The Vikings and Favre pull off another victory (6-0) against Baltimore ( Ravens missed a field goal with 2seconds left).



   Oct 19, 2009 Mon

   Hannibal Harbormaster/DJ, Fritz, gives us a ride to get gas and propane. Thanks, Bud! Meet a couple guys from the Coast Guard that saw us go through our first lock three weeks ago....like the rest of Hannibal, they found us highly amusing. Also, at the same place, we got to meet one of the trio from Winnepeg canoeing to Cancun, Mexico. Should see them on the river tmr.



   Oct 20, 2009 Tues

   Things are getting financially (really) tight; Eric has applied for food stamps. Will stay in Hannibal till they show up./// Met Ed from London last night; musician, 66 years old...starting to see alot of our biggest fans are 50+...need to change up the music to old school genres and riverrat tunes.



   Oct 21st, 009 weD

   Spectral wind did not deter us even though it broke our US flag pole, dropped a solar light on my toe, knocked down Pheng's tapestry, and blew a empty packet of Eric's ramen off the boat....all at once....while we were nursing a broken engine support down pool 22. Pheng made rice; "best meal ever."



   Oct 22, 2009 Thurs

   After repairing the structural integrity of the engine mount (it now looks like the throttle handle) we motored through another lock and stopped in Clarksville, MO for the night. Met cpt White at the Clarksville boat club. Got a shower; don't feel like killing the crew now. Missed the canuck crew from Winnapeg by 7 hours. Must catch them before they hit the gulf.



   Oct 23, Friday

   New single day best for the Don: 40.5 miles traveled. Clarksville to St. Charles, Missouri. In other news, donations have been low, the unemployment office is cutting me off till they review me and drifterRadio.com, and Eric has heard nothing about foodstamps.. How can this nation be so stingy and hating on the bottom, but turn around, smile, and give million dollar bonuses... Maybe we've been asking for to little..



   Oct 24, 2009 Sat

   St. Charles, MO. Parked at the Port Charles Marina for the night. They gave us a courtesy vehicle to tour St Charles and St Louis- Nice! Looking for free tickets to the Rams/Colts game; Pheng is a big fan of the Colts...looking to atleast tailgate. Beautiful day to take pictures of St Lou.



   Oct 25, 2009 Sun

   ..sat update: ran into a Pirate Party at Port Charles Marina. We had a blast! Tim, your pirate ship is topnotch. /// Went to survey the crowd at the Rams/Colts game.... It looked like we were in Indianapolis....all three of us made it into the game...sat in three different parts of the stadium to try to rally the crowd.



   Oct 26, 2009 Mon

   Best time in Illinios last night. Met some good folks in Alton. Fellow river travelers Brad and Marlissa entertained us on the Gypsy Queen. Then local, TS, took us on a tour and provided a roof and shower. Eric's grandparents stopped by on their way to Branson also brought the Ill. vibe up a notch.



   Oct 27, 2009 Tue

   Went 1 mile. First time wearing life jackets. Melvin Price Lockmaster warned of potential problems so we grabbed a stream outlet next to the lock. Rainy.



   Oct 28, 2009 wed

   New record miles in one day: 42.3 miles! Past through the Chain of Ricks Canal and past the mouth of the Missouri River. Stopped at the last gas station on the river for the next 100 miles in Kimmswick, MO. Thanks to Bob and the Gausthaus for the fudge.



   Oct 29, 2009 thurs

   Seven weeks of journey. Got caught in the rain, so we posted up in a swollen stream. River up three feet. Spaghetti for dinner./////Eric and Wali's favorite snack: chicken flavored ramen noodles...uncooked.



   Oct 30, 2009 fri

   Woke to a rising river 20 miles south of Kimmswick, Missouri....the raft is stuck under the large fallen tree we tied to. Really started driftin...Awesome! Finally decent currents that can over power the southern winds. Need to stretch gas from 2.43 miles per gallon to 10mpg. Captain considers abandoning trip due to carbon imprint and lack of efficiency. Stayed at the Kaskaskia river lock/dam. River still rising; they're shutting the lock down on Sunday. Mushroom soup for dinner.



   Oct 31, 2009 Sat

   New record miles in one day: 60 miles! Competition amongst crew begins to see who can drift the raft the longest without the motor. Drifted into Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Army buddy, Burgess, hooks us up with his family; they give us a place to stay for a few days. Thank you!///. When we land at the flooded Red Park, we meet Burgess's dad (in an Isrealite high priest outfit) and Marcus Erickson and his film crew from the National weather service (they are capturing flood footage on the river).