Day 15: Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Underway: 7:18 am Motor Off: 3:20 pm Miles Traveled: 28 Stayed At: “Marina”
First Things First: First restaurant meal of the trip; first time dodging debris (branches and logs) in the river; first batch of popcorn.
Mile 286 to Mile 258: We passed by Louisiana – Louisiana, Missouri that is. After getting an early start this morning we decided to stop at Louisiana, a short 20 minutes from our anchorage, to get gas, coffee and other essentials. Louisiana is the kind of town where if you are walking with a gas can, more than one person will stop to ask if you want a ride – even if the gas station is only 4 blocks away. We weren’t out of the parking lot of the landing area before someone pulled up to offer us a ride. We walked to get the exersize but the offers are appreciated.
On the way back from the gas station we passed by a tiny little restaurant – Izola’s Place – that looked interesting. We dropped off our ice and gas at the boat and walked back for our first restaurant meal of the trip – on Day 15. Izola’s has 6 tables and can maybe squeeze in 20 people if everyone inhales. Izola’s sister Vera was hanging out at one of the tables helping her sister (on her vacation) and we chatted for the whole time we were there. Izola likes to cook I guess. She cooks at her restaurant, she caters events and parties and she cooks great food for friends and family whenever anyone is hungry.
I love breakfast so I ordered the #3 – 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns and toast. I also love pancakes. Cindy was going to order 3 pancakes so I could try them out too. Well, Izola told her she didn’t want 3 pancakes. So she ordered two pancakes. Again, Izola said she didn’t want 2 pancakes either – “they are kind of big” she said. We ordered two pancakes anyways. Little did we know that they were 12” in diameter and 3/4” thick with a nice big slab of butter on top (blood pressure, what blood pressure). We had to clean our plates but it was a real challenge. And delicious. That might be breakfast, lunch and part of dinner today. Stop at Izola’s if you get to Louisiana – you won’t go away hungry.
Louisiana, Missouri is a nice place to stop, shop and check out the river. Even though it is another river town in transition, they are trying their best to make the town better. Nice murals cover walls on many building downtown, a convenient courtesy dock was added last year and the downtown is clean and well kept. The architecture is amazing even if many building are empty and for rent. Check it out on your way by.
On the way back to the boat we met Jim, a charter boat captain of the Dream from Key West Florida. We noticed his motorcycle – a unique all terrain bike with big aluminum storage boxes and built like a tank. We are supposed to stop by his old home base at Land’s End Marina/Lost Reef Adventures Dive Ship in Key West and say hi to Nick…in about 4 months.
Wild Things: Today the wildest thing was the wind – 15-20 mph on the nose with gusts to 30. Aurora and Boris did great. Mike and Cindy were wind blown and tired after only 28 miles so we decided to rest and try again another day.