15MAY2012 @ Glasgow, MO - Gary Wright is an ebullient guy.  This morning he insisted that I not head out without a full breakfast, so he cooked sausage, scrambled eggs, toast and coffee.  Amazing how good that tasted, and indeed I was not hungry all day.  Gary is a carpenter with a crew and therefore must be on the job at 0800, so I was deposited at the river and by 0800 I was attempting to get the canoe in the water ... the river dropped maybe two inches overnight, so the mud I had to push through was more.  Half way between my ankles and knees again - need I say more?  As the day went on it turned to alligator skin, was peeled off and returned to the Big Mo.  Early on I entered the "S" curve and had two sections that coursed to the SW, and into a head wind.  Despite being unpleasant, it went along well and basically that was the end of any wind problems all day.  The cottonwood cotton was often drifting down in the same direction as the river and for much of the day my travel was being wind boosted.  The river has gotten quite wide, approximately 500 to 600 feet yet shallow, difficult areas are noticeable and easy to avoid.  My guess is that the channelization has resulted in an adequate depth essentially everywhere, certainly deep enough for a canoe.  Often the inside of bends has jetties and/or wing walls, however that both extend out into the river and that causes swirling on the downstream side,.  It is therefore better to paddle wide on all bends.  While this is a longer distance, the canoe stays in the current and passage is actually quicker. Near Rocheport - gorgeous area by the way - I encountered the Tarkio moving a barge.  Swinging wide as normal I endured the wave upon wave and was just getting back to a semblance of normalcy when from behind me came - the Tarkio.  It had stowed the barge, and quickly, and was returning to get another.  So I positioned my self for more waves and got waves only a foot high if that.  So there is yet another curiosity - how can a boat that can push such a huge loads as a barge up against a current motor past going downstream and cause no appreciable wave?  Is it not necessary to have a deep push?  Perhaps they have two propeller systems, a high for unloaded use and a low for barge-pushing use.  Whatever, the Tarkio connected to another barge and I passed downstream before it got underway. 
Between Jameson island and the Lamine river a fisherman motored over and chatted.  It is fun to talk about my trip and I am always grateful when other river folk will do as this gentleman was doing.  In addition he showed his catch, a catfish that weighs about 30 pounds.  That fish was causing him to cut his fishing day short as he wanted to get it home before it dies.  How fascinating to go out and catch such a fish.  Later as I was about to bed down I walked across a bridge where two folks were engaged in shooting fish with an arrow.  One would shine the light down and the other would shoot ... and actually hit the fish.  This world clearly has never ending ways to be entertained.  I halfway expect to see noodling soon.
At Boonville I pulled over for a cool drink and to stretch.  As I approached Main Street I saw the Boonville Daily News and decided it would be a good opportunity to trade my story for a ride to the best ice/soda spot in town.  Sure enough, Ben Bennett popped up and drove me to a place where I was told I could top off my drink (which I did several times) and I related some particulars of my trip to him.  To my astonishment Mr. Bennett is from Helena Arkansas.  He assured me that he would inform many local folk there about my trip and my blog ... a reception by at least one person now seems within reason.  In addition his uncle would - says Ben - allow me to store the canoe at his house until December.  I enjoyed talking with Ben so much that I was almost sad to get back on the river.  Go to the Boonville Daily News website to read Ben's writing about me and the trip.  He uses the arrogance word when writing about me ... to which I arrogantly reply "Ballderpucky".
Just below Rocheport I passed under the interstate 70 bridge and examined the map.  Only fifteen miles downriver was/is Coopers Landing where David Miller says everything can be obtained.  That sounding attractive and it being barely early enough, I chose to go for that, and thus began 15 miles of vigorous paddling.  The last rays of the sun were disappearing as I was about two miles away, so I came into Cooper's Landing in ample light, tied up, entered the store, purchased a ginger ale and tent space and began jacking my jaws with Carl Orazio, a Columbia area resident who also owns a cabin on the river here.  Carl was hosting a bunch of co-workers for a foodfest and more; I helped finish off some of the food and arranged to sleep on Carl's porch.  What a deal to not need to pitch my tent.  As it turned out, Carl left the cabin unlocked and mosquitoes drove me inside ... perfect.  The scenery I passed in the interstate bridge area is remarkable.  Cliffs over 100 feet high are surprising given the flatland I have seen since leaving Yankton.  It's very enjoyable to view something different.
Today I saw geese again, ducks, bald eagles and Great Blue Herons.  One heart rending sight was a small duck close to the middle of the river near Boonville.  No larger than a tennis ball, this little ball of black fuzz was peep peep peeping along as it headed for the south bank.  In Montana it would be trout food, but here I expect it will reach the bank.  While it probably has the ability to find enough food, I imagine it will become some larger animals meal.  I'm not sure I could have caught it and I did not try.  Hopefully it will find a way.
Today I paddled from river mile 226 to river mile 171, a distance of 55 miles.