20APRIL2010 near Landusky, MT - Today I awakened to gloriously clear skies and calm. Since the fire from last night was still smoldering, I opted for a cheese toastight breakfast ... easy to fix, great to eat. Pushing off at about 0700 I had paddled less than a mile when I got a fantastic surprise - in front of me was the Kipp Cabin. I last visited the Kipp Cabin in 1978 and had not documented it's location, so who knew it was so close? Had I known I would have continued last night and stayed inside on springs and with a stove.
So why do I care about the Kipp Cabin? Well, it sort of saved my life back in 1978. I had been paddling all day in rain that year 32 summers ago. Of course I was dry at first, yet as the day wore on I got wetter and wetter. Finally at some point after noon I was totally wet. Expecting the rain to cease I continued on ... and got progressively colder and colder. The weather did not get colder - I did. Finally I - having given up on the possibility that the rain would stop - decided to pull off after the next bend. My plan was to invert the canoe, set up my bedding and settle down for the night. I would be dry and probably would sleep OK, but the task of getting it all set up in heavy rain would be tiring and not fun at all. Stated otherwise, it would get done but I would be exhausted and disgusted. I also would have been hungry because I was not about to start a fire. So, upon rounding the bend and sighting the Kipp Cabin I was very happy. At the door I was happier because it was, and still is, unlocked. Oh wow! I made one other trip to the canoe and entered dripping all over. I rolled my bedding out on the springs, cooked up a can of chili and the next that I remember the sun was rising. I had slept the entire night in great comfort when I had faced the probability of a fitful night at best.
So today I signed the guest register and pushed off again. Next was passing Cow Island, a famous site in Montana history. Many years the steamboats had to stop at Cow Island because the river did not allow them up to Fort Benton. In 1877 the non-treaty Nez Perce crossed the river at Cow Island on their way to the Bear's Paw surrender site. Several miles below Cow Island a SE wind (head wind) began and did not subside all day. Sometimes I could get relief in the windshadow of a steep bank but mostly I fought the wind for 20 miles. Wind being a meaningful force, I saw very little wildlife ... only Geese, Ducks and 4 Pelicans. I arrived at the Fred Robinson Bridge at 4PM, hitchhiked to Grass Range, ate supper and checked into a hostel (my word) at Mike and Deb Vlastelic's house. Contact them at Box 84, Grass Range, MT 59301.