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Glad you're enjoying our videos!

So glad the winter scenes help cool you off in this summer heat. Thanks so much for your comments!

That's interesting! ...I'm learning more and more about the very unique springs and caves that we have here in Missouri. It really makes this a special place!

Thank you! Cheers!

So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting!

Thank you very much! My hope is that the music helps relay the broad array feelings I had during the trek. I'm glad you were able to feel it!

Many thanks for your comments... maybe we'll see you on the Meramec someday!

Thank you, Simon, for your thoughtful remarks. Yes... it was an incredible place. It would have really been mind bending to ascend from the sand dunes into those snow covered peaks but we didn't have time or the expertise for traversing high-alpine snow fields. Cheers! Ted

So glad you enjoyed it... thank you for your feedback!

Thank you... much appreciated!

Thank you for pointing this out... very unique looking turtle!

So sorry to hear that... although most people are trustworthy, all it takes is one or two trouble makers to ruin things by stealing, vandalizing, etc.. I hope you've found your way back to paddling.

Thanks so much for your comments - so glad you enjoyed the video!

Beautiful place you live!!! ...we're privileged to have paddled there!

Yes, such a beautiful place! And thank you for your remarks! ...so glad you enjoyed the video.

In St. Louis, travel east on Chouteau Ave until it ends on a bike path. Take the bike path north along the river past the Arch and through the Arch grounds to get on the Eads Bridge, which takes you east across the river and into Illinois (you can ride in the traffic lanes or use the separated sidewalk). Continuing east from the Eads bridge the road becomes East Broadway; take this to North 8th Street and turn right. North 8th St. becomes Mississippi Ave, which joins Routh 3 (turn south on Rte 3). I took Route 3 to somewhere around Dupo where I finally got into a few quiet neighborhoods then quiet country roads. FYI, the ride through East St. Louis takes you past a lot of boarded up buildings and abandoned neighborhoods. I did this around first light (~5 or 6 am) on weekday morning and never had a sense of it being unsafe. Also, the southbound stretch on Route 3 had a lot of industrial traffic (trucks, etc.)... the relatively small shoulder was helpful but it wasn't a peaceful ride at 6 am. It would probably much quieter early on a weekend morning when industry is mostly closed for the weekend. Not sure if you intend to ride south to Cape Girardeau but it was really fun riding the levees (mostly gravel) but sometimes hard to navigate (and sometimes I encountered private property signs... which may or may not be valid but I opted to not question them). I actually used a free 1-week subscription to "Ride With GPS" to quickly scout the route (using the route planner function) and then had the phone in my shirt pocket so I could hear verbal cues from the app. It was pretty handy and not perfect but the price was right. Happy riding!

So glad you enjoyed it... thanks so much for your comments!

I totally agree and would add that the massive springs add to the uniqueness of Missouri's waterways. Although I've lived in Missouri for most of my life, it's only in recent years that my wife and I have been canoeing these waterways ...better late than never!

Thanks for the info! Montauk SP is essentially the source of the Current River if I have it right. We hope to paddle the current from just outside of Montauk to Arkansas someday.

Glad you enjoyed the video and that you and your son are also enjoying the OT... great to have such a wonderful trail system near home.

Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the video! Best wishes for your Grumman to take you to wild and beautiful places. Great to hear that you'll soon be paddling in the Pacific Northwest... I envy you!!!

Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for your comments. And wow, paddling the Meramec from source to mouth sounds like a great adventure... congrats!

Sorry to hear that you weren't fond of the music.

I totally disagree. It matched the mood of the video perfectly. Only a GenZ would complain about the music. Smh

That will be great access to the Meramec... I hope you and your son grow to love it!

Yes! ...we did a very short trip on the Black River a few years ago and will definitely be back for a more thorough adventure. The water was so clear it seemed as though we were floating on air, 4 feet above the river bottom. Thank you for your suggestion!

Your welcome. I grew up floating the Black River and playing in Clearwater lake.

Glad you enjoyed the video! As is true for most rivers, the more downstream sections aren't half as pretty as the upper parts. Thanks for your comments!

Sandy and I often talk about visiting you in your Appalachian cabin ...need to move to action!

It's a nice piece of trail... Glad you enjoyed the vid!

So glad you'll be taking this voyage! If you can do it in the shoulder seasons (instead of summer), you'll have the river mostly to yourself. Not sure if backpacking is of interest to you but the Ozark Trail is another great way to escape the concrete jungle and fall asleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere while listening to the coyotes sing.

Glad you enjoyed the video and that you frequently enjoy this beautiful piece of river! Thank you for your comments!

Glad you enjoyed it! Sorry for a long reply but here are many more details in case you would like to replicate this trip. We left our car at the "put in" location... Woodson Woods Memorial Conservation Area. When we finished the trip 3 days later (Blue Springs Creek Conservation Area), family shuttled me (Ted) back to our car while Sandy stayed with our gear at the take-out location; I then returned to the "take out" location to get Sandy, the canoe, and our gear. Both the put-in and take out locations were public land - Missouri Department of Conservation - which provides details about parking, etc. A Google search for the specific name of any Missouri Conservation Area will bring up a webpage with links to specific regulation. Here's the webpage for our put-in location... mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/woodson-k-woods-memorial-conservation-area It's a bit vague but based on my read, parking of a non-commercial vehicle overnight during "closed hours" is permitted. Of course, the other issue is whether your vehicle will be safe for several overnights in these remote locations. We have a fairly old car and have left it several times at places like this... never had a problem but always hoping for the best. Another alternative would be to hire a canoe rental operator so you could leave your car at their location and have them shuttle you. For this trip, there is a very large operator near the take-out location (Blue Springs Ranch) that might be of help. If you want more options for put-in and take out locations, here is a great resource that lists all public access points for all rivers/creeks that can be paddled in Missouri... missouricanoe.org/ The upper and middle portions of the Meramec River are definitely the most scenic. Anything downstream from river mile ~100-130 is less scenic (very worthwhile for day trips but if you are going for multiple days, it's much nicer upstream). Here's a link to a "middle Meramec" trip I took with a friend last winter (ending at river mile 127). th-cam.com/video/JBzAYMv2Rzg/w-d-xo.html Lastly, if you are looking for solitude and wildlife viewing, aim for cool weather in spring or fall (or a warm run of weather in winter but you won't have spring blossoms or fall colors). In the summer, the river gets busy with lots of canoes, kayaks, and motorized boats in the summers... not necessarily bad if you like a more social/festive vibe. Best wishes if you venture out onto the Meramec!

So glad you enjoyed it... thanks so much for your comment!

So glad you enjoyed it... thank you for commenting!

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments... glad you enjoyed it!

...and mother nature gained my respect too; what an awesome woman she is! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!

Many thanks for the comments, and the well wishes! A friend reminded me about the line from the movie, Dirty Harry... "A good man understands his limitations." I'm learning that the hard way.

I have learned that lesson myself @@thebikeweiss

So glad you enjoyed the video! Best wishes for your tandem adventure down the Pacific Coast! If time, resources, and energy allow for it, for sure the Southern Tier would be a great move. Firstly, I think its always good to take on these adventures now and whenever possible; we never know what tomorrow will bring to our lives. Secondly, although we've never ridden the Southern Tier, it seems like an ideal time to do it, given that weather can be oppressively hot during other times of the year. You should have predominantly west winds to help you along (I assume!). And, you'll also be arriving in the Gulf of Mexico area after hurricane season has died down (we have friends near the Everglades of Florida who advised us to also avoid November in Florida due to hurricane risk). Happy Adventures!!!

You are welcome!

Interesting observation but I got to know the guy in the green hat (in my video at 15:07 as you mentioned)... he's Canadian and his dialect certainly wasn't Irish. Never hurts to be on the lookout, though!

OK, then he's the one Kyle metioned was seen who looked similar. It's been a few years so would be great if the family had some 'closure'. namaste@@thebikeweiss

Thank you for your thoughtful remarks! I'm always happy to hear when people enjoy the film and are inspired by it. Best wishes for getting to the start of your thru hike and for a successful journey!

I'm so sorry about the loss of your sister. I hope you can find peace and comfort out on the trails. I'm touched and honored that my video helped you a bit. Thank you for your kind remarks.

Thank you as well@@thebikeweiss