Monday, August 24
We decided to take a float trip before Savannah started school. Since the rivers were all low from the lack of rain, we opted for the Gasconade River, which was fairly close and still passable, according to river reports. The temperature was in the 90s, and no rain was in sight, making it a perfect day to float. Although the office advised against rafting due to the low water levels, Savannah and Lisa didn’t want to kayak, and canoes felt too cramped with three people.
The trip took about four hours, with a few stops along the way, to reach the campground. I had chosen a route with many hills and turns for the final leg, which slowed us down. We agreed we’d take a different route home, even if it took longer.
The campground was mostly empty since it’s busiest on weekends, except for a tent on the other side. We had our pick of trailer sites, with full hookups priced at $35 per night.
The campground was right next to the river, so we enjoyed a relaxing swim after setting up. The river had a greenish tint due to the vegetation and a sandy, gravelly bottom that made for a smooth, pleasant dip.
However, the flies were relentless, driving us inside the trailer for dinner. Later that evening, I gathered some firewood from the empty trailer sites, and we started the fire. We ended the night with some delicious s’mores by the fire.
Tuesday, August 25
After a hearty breakfast of blueberry pancakes and checking in at the camp office, we set out on our four-person raft for a four-mile float that started right from the campground. We were instructed to call for a pick-up when we reached a concrete boat launch near three bridges crossing the river.
Though the river was low, we scraped the bottom a few times, and the current was strong enough to keep paddling from feeling too exhausting. We spotted some large gar, striped bass, trout, herons, bright yellow finches, and a few vultures along the way. We also passed a herd of cows, with a bull cooling himself in the river, and noticed only a couple of turtles, which seemed unusual.
We made several stops at gravel bars, where tiny minnows and some larger fish nibbled at us, which I wasn’t too fond of. Savannah did some rock hunting and found several interesting specimens. The shores were scattered with tiny shells, a reminder of the river’s history of being underwater.
The float took us about six hours to complete. After showering, we were again driven indoors by the swarming flies during dinner. Later, we used the last firewood to enjoy more s’mores by the fire.
Wednesday, August 26
After a hearty breakfast of blueberry pancakes and checking in at the camp office, we set out on our four-person raft for a four-mile float that started right from the campground. We were instructed to call for a pick-up when we reached a concrete boat launch near three bridges crossing the river.
Though the river was low, we scraped the bottom a few times, and the current was strong enough to keep paddling from feeling too exhausting. We spotted some large gar, striped bass, trout, herons, bright yellow finches, and a few vultures along the way. We also passed a herd of cows, with a bull cooling himself in the river, and noticed only a couple of turtles, which seemed unusual.
We made several stops at gravel bars, where tiny minnows and some larger fish nibbled at us, which I wasn’t too fond of. Savannah did some rock hunting and found several interesting specimens. The shores were scattered with tiny shells, a reminder of the river’s history of being underwater.
The float took us about six hours to complete. After showering, we were again driven indoors by the swarming flies during dinner. Later, we used the last firewood to enjoy more s’mores by the fire.