Paddle With Bernie – 5/7/2017

Posted on by hogan

I asked Bernie in passing if I could borrow his 4 person aluminum boat for the South Dakota Kayak Challenge. He surprised me by saying yes. So I was going to pick up the boat from him with a test float. He agreed to go out with myself and my kids for the test paddle. Of course, we went to the flooded area in Valley Park from the Meramec river.

A selfie from the front. Somehow, Sonora managed to hide.
The river is still up a ton, blocking the road.
Guess this means people wading across the street?
This is a 2 story structure. I didn’t realize it till the waters receded and I saw the rest of the damage.
Since the flooding started, I’ve been wanting to paddle to Simpson Lake and see what it looked like!
Look, the roof of a picnic shelter.
Paddling under the picnic structure. Could have changed a light bulb in the middle without getting out of my canoe seat!
I just missed a perfect photo with the reflection of this tree on the calm water.
In case he forgets his name Bernie wrote it on the back on his PFD.
Looking straight down Marshal Road in Valley Park.
This sign is slightly ironic.
The aluminum battleship on top of my van. I wanted for help before getting it down!

Hogan Haake