First off, I have really enjoyed this particular thread. That said, I have been watching this one for months and writhing in jealousy of all the slices of paradise that have been posted; some of you guys really have it made! There is nothing more serene than a crystal clear sea, ancient glacial sculptures, sandy beaches, palm trees, year-round kayaking, sunny and 80, etc. ...I'm from South Dakota.

Well, this weekend a friend and me took an overnight trip. We've been planning it for a few weeks; it is about an hour from home. We hopped on the Missouri River at Ft. Randall dam (43°03'17.94" N 98°33'13.73" W). Day one we picked off 35 miles and camped on an island in the middle of the river by Niobrara. Among other things, this offered sandy beaches, large cottonwoods, a perfect sunset, open fire ribeye's from a steer my Dad raised, and a full moon. Day two, we finished with a 12 mile stretch of the river to Springfield (42°51'22.34" N 97°52'58.63" W), then packed out and headed for home. The weather was perfect.

While not the cleanest body of water, the Missouri River has painted a beautiful landscape after all these years of slicing through the Midwest. We experienced an abundance of wildlife along our trip but none more majestic than the bald eagle. This stretch of the Big Mo is adjacent to the Karl Mundt Eagle Refuge which houses the largest concentration of bald eagles in North America. Along our paddle, we saw numerous eagles and eagle nests with younglings peering over the side. Below is one of the images I captured. I have always been fascinated with the Bald Eagle: the power, the grace, the intent, the focus. I'm not a bird lover or watcher, but I sure enjoyed this, and man, that is one "bad-ass bird"!

There was one particular point in the journey when I was watching a momma eagle feed her young, that I reflected back to this thread. The thought that came to mind is: "it would seem there is a little bit of paradise in everywhere we paddle!"

Tyler N

P.S. don't get me wrong, I'd still love to hit those spots ya'll are talking about!