The Mississippi River provided 5 weeks of incredible paddling, many nights camping under the stars (and storms), and a life changing experience. Sadly many of these nights were spent in the incredible temperatures of an America-wide heat wave in my two man tent; mosquitoes prevented me from opening the door and the threat of rain often prevented me opening the outer sheet too.
One night in particular has stayed with me, we set up camp in the pitch black surrounded by bugs; the temperature was unbearable and within minutes I was lying in my tent in a pool of sweat - this pool only grew throughout the night, the bugs kept buzzing and I remained wide awake for much of the night, not fun with a dawn start. Dave Cornthwaite asked me how I was in the morning on camera; my answer was 'sweaty and tired' - no words could cover how uncomfortable a night it was but I suppose we got on with it and carried on with the trip, Dave commenting on camera that it had been his worst night's sleep in a tent (this is a man who's spent a lot of time in a tent!). I'll forever remember that I could have a worse nights sleep; lying in your own sweat being bitten by the many mosquitoes who creep in to your tent in the short moments your tent zip is open.
The location might have been beautiful but the night in question was incredibly miserable:
Mind you - some camp spots were beautiful, comfortable and will remain with me for the rest of my life for the right reasons, the sheer pleasure I took in camping there.
