Middle Fork Illinois Bayou
Kayaking the Middle Fork Illinois Bayou from Snow Creek to the East Fork5/3/19
Rain can be quite the deterrent when one has the want to get out into the shrubbery. My original plan was for an overnight hike on Friday, but the rain made this prospect less than desirable. Luckily, when the rains come the rivers rise. Enter whitewater action. I typically paddle alone and also have the handicap of being an old bastard. Short runs without high risks of death tend to suit me just fine. The Middle Fork has these fine attributes. Therefore, on this day, I did partake of its easily accessible beauty.
Breakfast be at Denny's in Russelville. By 6:45 with 65° and cloudy skies, my entry point was before me. This was after a 2 mile foot shuttle in order to leave my vehicle at the bottom of the run. I rammed my craft into Snow Creek and the river's flow became one with my kayak. It was a serene morning with an occasional wisp of fog hovering just above the turbulence. The air temp was 65°...very pleasant, by my standards. The water had a greenish murkiness, but at least it was not muddy brown. My kayak drifted effortlessly with the current. When the speed increased, adjustments were made with my paddle to move the boat in the direction that would best enable passage through the rapids. The combination of these motions along with the spring green banks filled with morning birds was quite pleasing to me.
After a time, the bridge of the highway rose above the trees, indicating the end of the section. Here, I would exit the stream and thank it for the experience. Some time was spent in the area before driving back to the south towards Hector. Here, a road painting parade hindered my progress somewhat. Luckily my skunk supply was just refilled ensuring that each crew member received his or her skunk allotment. None were grateful for these fine gifts. The remaining drive home was uneventful and by 10:00 arrival was made there.
