terrain July/August 2020
23
paddling
Haven riverfront the first evening. I typically sleep great when I'm in a tent, but on that night, I was woken up every hour or so by trains chugging through town, the conductor blowing his horn. Not only did it reminded me that the world doesn't revolve around my sleeping patterns, but it ended up being a nice, memorable change of pace. The second night, we camped at Howell Island Conservation Area, which we had all to ourselves. During our campfire cocktail hour, a searchlight shone upon us. It was from a tugboat slowly crawling down the river. To say it was moving like molasses would be generous, but apparently, that was the pace the captain needed to travel at in order to safely navigate a bend in the river. And that was the only moving vessel we saw. Now aware of how cathartic it is to be alone on a giant river with just a few friends, I'd choose that experience any day over the crowded, beer-soaked scenes on our area's smaller float trip rivers. We kept a steady paddling rhythm during our days on the water, but post flood-stage, the river level remained high and the current did a lot of the work for us. Amidst the exercise, we had plenty of time for conversation. Bird calls and woodpeckers mixed with talk of sports (who would win the World Series?); politics (who would win the Democratic primary?); and regulations concerning the river. As we pulled into the St. Charles riverfront, I didn't want the trip to end. Missouri may not have the 14,000-foot peaks of western states, but enjoyable outdoor recreation need not require reaching a high elevation. Being surrounded by a vast river can be just as awe-inspiring.
VISIT
Illinois
CARLYLE LAKE
Make Illinois' largest man-made lake your next outdoor destination. With 26,000 acres of water and 11,000 acres of public land you're sure to find adventure!
Contact the Carlyle Lake Project Office at (618) 594-2484 for a copy of a Carlyle Lake map. Carlyle Lake offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities such as biking, boating, hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, and swimming.
Beautiful
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I'D CHOOSE THAT EXPERIENCE ANY DAY OVER THE CROWDED, BEER-SOAKED SCENES ON OUR AREA'S SMALLER FLOAT TRIP RIVERS.
LEFT:
The solitude of the river is one of its best kept secrets.
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