Stage 1 Completed

I am now back in the Twin Cities having completed 500 miles which constitutes a kayak "expedition"This is 200 miles longer than my previous longest  trip although it is not yet my longest in time. That will be in another three days.I am now over 3 days ahead of my schedule which added to the 2 days earlier than expected start is giving me plenty of room if I have to stop for a few days for some reason.
Tomorrow I start the second stage of the 29 locks to St Louis. The locks in town have been shut to small craft for some time but reopened on Monday. I would have been disappointed to have missed them.
As you may have gathered from previous posts ,the hospitality has been amazing. Last night ,for example, I knocked on the door of the Kraus household in Montecello (despite the sign saying No Solicitors). They gave permission for me to put up my tent on the front lawn and later father and son came down to fish and talk.We were soon joined by the grandfather who lived next door who invited me out to dinner.His son and grandson joined us at the local corner cake/restaurant where I had roast beef,mashed potatoes and gravy with a good beer. Other people have cooked me lunch and dinner and driven me to the local Walmart to resupply. A special mention must go to the Northland Lodge at Lake Winnie. I had just completed a gruelling 5 hour crossing with  a continuous storm for over half of whipping the waves enough to make it interesting, I arrived wet and cold and the owner agreed to let me put my tent up. This was bettered by an offer from a visitor to put me up at his place nearby. The owner's son then advised that a cabin had come free with a bed that had not been slept in which I could have free of charge. Within 5 minutes I went from feeling like a drowned rat to having a hot shower in a warm cabin.All warm and clean I adjourned to the bar where I enjoyed a pitcher of beer and conversation with visiting fishermen and the owner and his son. (Actually,I think the son was the owner) The father, Ray,is convinced I am not going to make it all the way so I have to prove him wrong.
The weather certainly changes from one extreme to the other here. After enjoying pleasantly coolish weather we have had 2 scorchers. The first day the temperature reached 95 degrees and was a record here for that day of the year. That was exceeded the next day when the temp reached 103 degrees and it was the hottest in the country. It was accompanied by a strong warm headwind,strong enough to negate the current if I stopped paddling. I drank copious amounts of water all day