Jul 26

Well, yes, I did wake up this morning feeling like I had been run over, sore everywhere. Just can't take sleeping on the hard ground any more. But I perked up with breakfast at Quinet's. I just couldn't do the buffet though, still full from the night before. So I just had a waffle and at least four cups of coffee. You know, coffee in those big heavy mugs just tastes better.

Several islands in the paddle today - the narrow part opposite from the main channel of the river is referred to as the shute. I like taking the shutes, usually overhanging trees, narrow, shallow channels, not suitable for larger craft so I have them all to myself.

Did fourteen miles and got to Sistersvllle. Named after two daughters of a famous Wells guy that Wellsburg is named after. Famous for something, not sure what. Sistersville is, as many of the Ohio River towns I am passing through now, very scenic, very old, historic, celebrated by the inhabitants. I like these towns. Sistersville also has a ferry. Now they claim to be the oldest ferry in operation on the Ohio River, but the Anderson Ferry, near Cincinnati makes the same claim. They both started in 1817, so not sure which is the oldest. One sign I read says the Sistersville Ferry is the oldest ferry in West Virginia still in operation, and since the Anderson Ferry runs from Kentucky to Ohio, that claim may very well be accurate.

The town is beautiful, full of large homes obviously predating the Civil War, an old hotel, a very large veterans' park, which I will sleep in tonight. I love walking around in these quaint old burgs.

But alas, no restaurants. Had to settle for chili cheese dogs at Dairy Queen, not too bad if you are hungry enough, which I seem to be every day. My meals don't come at times when we usually schedule meals, so I have to eat when I can. The other day I bought a ham and cheese sandwich and put it in the boat to eat later. Forgot about it and the next morning half of it was gone, wrapper and all. Must not have liked it since the whole thing wasn't eaten. But I left the rest just in case the forager returned. Probably a raccoon, although there are all sorts of wild creatures along these banks.

Rain was forecast today but didn't materialize. Also forecast for tomorrow. I'm sort of hoping it will hold off but I know it will rain sooner or later. I dread that. Getting wet in the boat is miserable, and all my stuff gets wet too. I have almost everything in waterproof bags but it still gets wet. And the boat gets water inside and gets very unstable. When it rains I just have to find a place to sit and wait it out.

Bunch of photos of Sistersville. Hope you like them as much as I like the town.