16APRIL2010 @ Fort Benton, MT - I delayed what I expected to be my last hotel stay for perhaps two weeks and got on the river at 10AM. I bought some tuna, butter, cheese and bread to augment my supply of rice and noodles. Also bought two "John Wayne" can openers. At 1000 the river was calm and the air was warm - fantastic! I travelled 13 miles like that when a stiff east wind struck. Think whitecaps coming up the river at you. I can proceed into whitecaps, but not widespread whitecaps, and this was widespread. The last seven miles were a struggle, necessitating proceeding backward much of the time. Thankfully three of the miles were due north and one was actually westward, so it was not as difficult as it could have been. Neverthemore, at the end of the westward mile I called it a day rather than face - back into rather - anymore headwind. Setting up for the night at the Wood Bottoms Recreation Area I realized I had gone only twenty miles. I resolved to get at least 26 miles tomorrow in order to keep my "no less than 1%" intact for a two day period (since the one day period was not going to happen). Also at this camp site were Mssrs. Gillespie and Smithson from Helena. They had had a decent day fishing for Sauger, Walleye, Catfish, Smallmouth Bass and Sturgeon and were good companions for the evening hours. Before leaving Fort Benton I was visited by Game Warden Wendy Kamm. I had no fishing gear to show her and so no need to present a fishing license. My trip intention was to set out a line each night, but chose to not take fishing gear between Helena and Great Falls. Felomina drove her car to Great Falls and my fishing gear was in the truck. Ugghhh ... right ... it is probably still in the truck.
Wildlife seen were Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Geese, Ducks, and Pelicans ... nothing furry at all. Several times I saw snow capped mountains ... Lewis and Clark's entire expedition could have seen the same. The Corps of Discovery's men were relegated to the river banks, pulling the boats while Lewis and Clark often walked the hills far above the river. Today was the 1st day that no snow or ice was seen on the river banks.