Any good day excursion starts with a degree of excitement especially one that involves a new way to float down a river. Some of the best trips start off in unforeseen ways. This trip idea was born from a conclusion to a long drawn out work issue that finally settled, and a governmental furlough. Sometimes it is these unexpected events that a new trip idea is planted. With Alex and myself, the get out of town prospect doesn't need much germination to grow into at trip, although those were two big reasons. 

Alex excels at thinking outside the box when it comes to trips. He was the one to introduce me into packrafting. This combines my love of floating (and an excuse to go fishing) with an added outdoor experience such as hiking, or in this case, biking. This opens up all sorts of new water that you cannot easily access with a car. You are only bound by your creativity on how to get from A to B. It’s also a great way to avoid crowds.

The plan was to float middle/lower Meramec River. We'd get to see new water at a late summer flow. We picked this section due to close proximity to home. We packed all of our gear for the day including the boats in our backpacks, and embarked on a 4 mile bike ride to the put in. The bike route had a little elevation but nothing that would induce a heart attack. The only soul we saw was a fellow who looked suspiciously like Father Time. He is a good reminder that, even at 41, one needs to warm up before doing any sort of activity.