The day Michael arrived to Cairo to join the journey, Andrew and I woke up to watch the sunrise over the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi River. It was breathtaking to see the mighty Mississippi flow into the lethargic Ohio. At the confluence, it appeared that the Ohio was actually wider than the Mississippi, but the Mississippi was moving much more water.
As the sunrise marks the beginning of a new day, so this day marks a new phase in our journey. It has now been over four weeks since Andrew, Dustin, Dan, and I started on this journey. The memories that stick out in my mind the most of the interactions with the people we meet along the way. The generosity of those we meet is surreal.
A notable encounter was when we met a father/son duo, Jerry and Peter, at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. They are in the midst of biking from L.A. to New Jersey. That was inspiring to meet another group that is off on an adventure as well. You can read more about their adventures here.
Almost every small town we stop in is a treat as people offer us rides, showers, food, and/or conversation. (Not every town is like this though. Some are just quiet affairs and we are back on the river in no time.) I love talking to these people. Whether it is just to hear their comments about how dangerous the river is and how crazy we must be to those that simply see the adventure and desire to live our adventure vicariously. I love them all.
As this new phase is well underway, I am understanding just how blessed we are to experience this trip. The people around us are merely the icing on the cake to this grand adventure.