I finally roll out of the tent around 7:00. I have been waking up at five and been on the river by 6:25, with sunrise just before 7:00. I didn’t sleep much last night thinking about family and worrying unnecessarily that my boat would float away.

It was warm already and promised to be hot. The sky is cloudless as the rising sun clears the trees. It has been in the 90’s all week and the forecast is 90’s for the foreseeable future.

I cover myself from head to toe and use sunblock SPF 30 on face and ankles, the only exposed skin. Still the sun overhead and the reflected glare off the water tries to burn me.

I make 40 miles for the day. That’s enough. Make camp on a sandbar, on the east bank, now Kentucky, eat and watch the stars come out.