Camping on the Current River

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways are a beautiful place. I stayed two nights at a campground here, and was the only person there (well, that stayed all night, anyway).
It is a very short hike to Blue Springs, which is one of the most gorgeous places I've ever seen. That's where most of the pictures came from - they do not do it justice. Apparently, the Native American's called it the "Spring of the Summer Sky", which I think a better name, since in the summer the sun should pass almost directly overhead. That would really make the colors pop. For the number crunchers: 87 million gallons/year (~200 gallons/minute? -looks like more than that..), 310 ft deep!
Now, perhaps the more interesting story is the one I have no pictures of. I arrived around 5. The first fisherman arrived around 6. I struck up a conversation with him and he said he and a few fellows were going to go "gippin' for suckers". I found out the "gip" is a trident-looking spear, and the "sucker" is some bony, bottom-feeding rock/roughfish. I think it was this one. 2 hours later, there are 8 guys, 5 trucks, 2 generators, a 5ft high fire, a two-well deep fryer and several dozen fish in the campground! Since I know how to speak "good-ol boy" and am curious, I am invited over to partake. They spear the fish from flat-bottomed boats, fillet-'em on the boat landing, then deep fry them in the campground, while gossiping and joking around. Trash? No problem - into the fire it goes. Styrofoam plates, aluminum cans, even the deep fryer oil (which was on it's last use). They do this twice a week through the whole season, which goes until Jan. 15. Quite a tradition they have! The fish was pretty good too. Went to bed stuffed!
Coldest nights yet. 27 degrees at 7:30 the first morning - 32 degrees this morning. On to Taum Sauk Mountain, then East for hopefully some warmer nights (not crossing my fingers, though). I think I'm getting better at sealing the mummy bag, cause I have not ben as cold as the first night out...