14APRIL2013 @ Springdale, MT -

Too dangerous.  The wind/water/rocks/rapids/cold combined with solo canoeing was too dangerous, so at noon I left the river for the safety of the shore and after about 15 minutes of shivering I left for the comfort of the Super 8 Motel in Big Timber.  OK, OK, OK ... yes, yes, yes I could have set up the tent and shivered it out in the sleeping bags ... but no, no, no ... I am only a few miles from a perfectly good motel and at age 65 there is no contest.  I need comfort.
So ... preparing to leave Springdale at 0900 I was not expecting to see a gold miner.  Sure enough, there he was putting away some pans and telling me that every pan in this area shows color.  Nothing to get rich on but color in every pan keeps one interested.  He departed (Less Crowded Location?) and I pushed off into a cold windy morning.  Not exceedingly fast, the wind was a tail wind and kept moving me along between the riffles.  It was clear that the day would be short as the 13 miles from Springdale to Big Timber would be covered fairly quickly with such a tail wind.  I went along taking each rapid/riffle fairly well (walking the canoe past a tough one) for maybe eight miles when the strong gusts started.  Several times the canoe was pushed far off line and it became obvious that having that occur while negotiating a set of rapids would be dangerous.  At the Grey Bear boat ramp and camp ground I tied up grabbed my gear and made my way to Big Timber. 
I have been surprised these two days that the rapids are more difficult than expected.  The river flow is low and rocks that would normally be non-problems are problems.  The one spot that I lined past was the only really bad one today while there were three yesterday.  I am optimistic that as I progress downstream, the rapids will be a diminishing problem.  Cold water makes me sure hope so. 
Today I saw whitetail deer, geese and ducks.