I slept really well last night except for the 3 trains that rolled by 50 ft from our camp. Still, the alarm went off at 5:30 AM and we all ignored it – we weren’t on the water until after 8:00 AM today.
The second patch job seemed to hold and the boat did well today. We picked up Crib Digger in Elkton, where we went in to town to have lunch at a country cafe. We’ve been having to paddle more than I expected, it’s still not as tiring as hiking but it’s not all laying around. There just isn’t much current along this section of the river.
Crib Digger bought himself a cheap dingy from Walmart so that he could float in his own space. We ended up tying him to the back of our boat so that he didn’t get left behind but the dingy got a hole in it after the first set of rocks we passed. It’s probably better to junk it and make room in the bigger boat, but he seems attached to it.
So far there’s been more wildlife along the river than the rest of the trail we’ve hiked. I’ve spotted multiple bald eagles, foxes, rabbits, and even a bear. It’s been a really enjoyable float so far.
Day 83 Mileage: 22.2 mi [~38º 48’35”, 78º 20’56” -> Shenandoah Dam]
Total Mileage: 926.9 mi