David Johnson's Travel Blog

Bicycle Trip 1999
Okefenokee 2002
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 2003
Texas 2003
Road Trip West 2003
Sequoia National Park 2004
Hiking Florida 2005
Nomadic 2005
Bicycle Trip 2009
Bicycle Trip 2010
Nomadic 2010
Winter in Wisconsin
Little Bicycle Trip 2011
Wisconsin Bicycle Trip 2011
Bicycle Trip 2011
Nomadic 2011
Voyage 2012
2012-04-12Most boring trip ever?
2012-04-13Muddy Pecatonica
2012-04-14Say Yes to Drugs
2012-04-15Add a little Sugar and Rock
2012-04-16Worst campsite ever.
2012-04-21Island Of Honking Geese
2012-04-22Hennepin Feeder Canal
2012-04-23Locks, sand and muck
2012-04-28Henry
2012-04-30No Current on Peoria Lake
2012-05-01Industry and Locks
2012-05-02Rain and Eagles
2012-05-04Half-Way on the Illinois
2012-05-05Medium-Rare Meatloaf
2012-05-06Always Pepsi-Cola
2012-05-08Onto the Mississippi
2012-05-09St. Louis
2012-05-10Short Day
2012-05-12Barge Full of Rocks
2012-05-13Between Green and Red
2012-05-14Now comes the hard part
2012-05-15Metropolis

A map of my latest trip!

< 2012-05-14

mebuilding a new lock and damcatfish trappersgot a big oneturtlesmore turtleswater levelsWelcome to Metropolispanorama of Fort Massacgiant Superman statue

Metropolis

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Metropolis I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but camping along these rivers is great. Other than those towboats and occasional animal cries it is all very quiet. And due to my isolation I never have to concern myself with "stranger danger". There is almost nobody on these rivers during the day, and even fewer at night.

It was pretty hot today. Fortunately a continuous procession of leaping carp kept me well splashed. I lost count of how many went over the deck. Some cleared it by a good three feet. Another almost landed in my lap, but I had an open container of granola that I didn't want fish slimed, so I batted the carp away. I really wanted to get a picture of those carp, but that proved impossible.

I came across some catfish trappers. They were hauling a trap out of the water as I arrived. There were a bunch of little guys and one great big catfish that could have weighed forty pounds. It's hard to see in the picture.

The day was spent chasing eagles upriver, scaring turtles off their logs and dodging carp. I saw a coyote and some deer, both of which gave me a good long stare before deciding I was worth running away from.

I had to cross the river again to get back on the north shore. Unlike when I was on the Mississippi, I have to make a real effort to cross the Ohio River. Not only does it take a good twenty minutes, but I have to fight the current or I end up downstream.

I stopped at a hotel in Metropolis where I will spend a few days before continuing on.

< 2012-05-14
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