Twilight to Moonlight

Dry-land  training

 Everyone has heard the term "when the stars are aligned". They were definitely aligned for this past Monday's adventure when there was a full moon and the flooding of the river bottoms had just crested. My plan was to paddle about 5-6 miles of the main channel and flooded back waters in the light of the full moon. On board for the trip was "always up for anything" Steve, and the infamous " The Legend".  I tried doing this same trip last year but missed it by a few days due to low water. We went anyway and had a good time, but I didn't fulfill the challenge I had laid out. Monday was ours for the taking.

There was no shortage of duck weed here

This scene had me singing "born on the bayou" by CCR . (to myself of course)

 We got out a little earlier than expected, and got to enjoy some daylight for the first hour. This was nice, but I was anxious to see the moon rise. Fortunately the clouds started breaking up just as the glow of the moon appeared on the horizon. I was lucky enough to see it through the cattails in an open part of the swamp we were navigating. I've watched the moon rise many times as I'm sure you have too, but this one was awesome. At that very moment, I was a a spot accessible only by the means of the craft in which I just arrived, a light cool breeze was shuffling the cattails, the moon was starting to weave it's way through the cloud bank, and the remaining light from the sun in addition to the rising moon created a "vanilla sky".  

How many times have you ridden your bike over this bridge?

This looks like it could be a sunrise

 After the moon came up we didn't really need our head lights except to navigate some tricky sections through tall grass, flooded, tree lined river banks and when we got back on the main channel of the river. By the time we got to my van, which I had left in a predetermined spot on my way home from work, it was just after midnight. I got home, showered the mud and plant debris off, and was in bed by 1am. I was up by 6am for work, needless to say it was a tough day but well worth it.

Souvenirs