JOHN LEFT DEMOPOLIS ALABAMA ON THE TOM BIGBEE WATERWAY ON NOVEMBER
16TH 2005; COLD DAYS WERE THE NORM WITH THE TEMPETURES DROPPING TO
THE MID 20'S ON SOME NIGHTS. OUT ONLY A FEW DAYS A RAINSTORM DRENCHED
THE AREA SOAKING JOHN AND HIS BELONGINGS. IT TOOK A WHOLE DAY OFF THE
WATER TO DRY HIMSELF AND CLOTHING OUT.
THE NEXT DAY AS JOHN WAS PADDLING ALONG HE SPIED SOME LARGE FRUIT
GROWING ALONG THE BANK. CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALED IT WAS
WATERMELONS. THIS WAS ONE OF TWO PATCHES HE DISCOVERED ALONG THE TOM
BIGBEE. 50% OF THE MELONS WERE RIPE,JUICY AND SWEET, TRULY A GREAT
FIND AND A WATERMELON FEAST. JOHN SPECULATED SOMEONE THIS PAST SUMMER
TOSSED OUT A RIND AND A FEW SEEDS GERMINATED PRODUCING THESE PATCHES.
ALONG THIS 156 MILE TRIP TO CALVERT, ALABAMA JOHN OBSERVED DEER AND A
HEARD OF FOUR LARGE WILD BOAR.
JOHN ARRIVED IN CALVERT,ALABAMA ON NOVEMBER 25TH AND HAS LOGGED 4130
MILES THUS FAR ON HIS TRIP. ON NOVEMBER 31ST JOHN WOULD HAVE BEEN ON
THE RIVER SIXTEEN MONTHS.
JOHN IS STAYING WITH JACOB AND CHRISTY COLEMAN WHO HE MET ALONG THE
RIVER. JOHN HOPES TO LEAVE CALVERT THE FIRST WEEK-END IN DECEMBER AND
JOURNEY UP THE ALABAMA RIVER TO HIS NEXT MAJOR STOP, SELMA, ALABAMA.
JOHN IS WAITING FOR THE WEATHER TO BREAK AND THE ARRIVAL OF HIS
WINTER GEAR.