I’m going to be kayaking down the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca, MN to New Orleans, LA (and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico, but that last bit is uncertain right now).

I’d planned to start last Wednesday (May 7, 2014) after a leisurely drive from Las Vegas with a friend of mine, but Lake Bemedji still had floating ice when we arrived.

Insult to injury, even though I’d visited the dentist and doctor a few weeks prior to ensure I’d be fine for the trip, I had something sore in my mouth, something gritty, and puffy (like a gum boil) that erupted during the drive.

It was probably fortunate that Lake Bemedji was iced. My friend flew back home while I went to get a room for a few days, and perhaps see a dentist.
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