On the 4th of July we packed up our stuff and drove to New Ulm to go camping at Flandreau State Park. I brought my kayak. After arriving and setting up the tent I decided I would try to navigate the Cottonwood River. I printed a map of the river but I needed a magnifying glass to read the small print. The water was high so I thought a short trip would be best. My plan was to put in up stream from the state park but that didn't work out because the nearest put in point was six miles upstream. I wanted a shorter trip. So I put in at the state park and got out at the county road 15 bridge. First we drove through New Ulm to the Highway 15 bridge. I wanted to see what to look for when the time came to get out. After looking around I thought I could handle this trip. All I had to look for was a bridge and then get out on the right side of the river. Not too difficult for me. Then we drove back to the park and it was quite a long drive.  I had not been to this state park in over 30 years. The last time I camped here we had a golden canvas tent and a brown Datsun pick up truck plus two two year old boys along (Offspring #1 and his cousin). So when we drove the kayak to the river I was very surprised to see a swimming beach with a life guard. At some point in the last thirty years they put in a human made lake for the kids to swim in. The picnic area and beach were crowded with families. Kids were laughing and crying and wandering through the parking lot without looking for cars. I ended up parking quite far from the river. I got out of the car to find the carry-in location for boats. I came back to the car and we carried the kayak across the picnic area and down some steps to the Cottonwood River. The river was flooded and running fast. The water looked very silty and brown in color. I was concerned that I saw no other boaters around. I considered backing out of this adventure but then decided to go ahead. We set the boat down. I stepped on the mud to get closer to the center of the kayak. The mud on the Cottonwood River is as slippery as ice and I fell. Now I had a huge mud stain on my rear end. I took awhile getting in but I made it. The water pulled me forward but I had to navigate under the trunk of a fallen tree. I could not paddle because there was no room so I just bent my head backwards until I cleared the tree trunk and away I went. The water was fast. I didn't want to paddle forward because I was already moving so fast. I basically steered the entire trip. I came upon a huge cottonwood tree in the middle of the river. As I zipped by in my kayak I could see this tree once held an eagle nest. The nest was mostly above water. I could tell some branches of the nest had come off but there was still a huge nest in place. I saw no houses, no signs, no docks, no electric lines and no signs of humans around for a good 45 minutes. I saw rapids made from trees under the water. Sometimes the shore was sloped gently and sometimes there was a cliff to one side. The currents under the water kept turning my boat around. I felt like there was a presence under my boat that wanted me to look this way then that way so I just let it happen for awhile. But then there was a commotion ahead. On the left were several downed trees and the water was rapidly going through those branches. Ahead was a cliff. To the right was a marsh. Ahead on the left was a sand bar or possibly an island. I didn't know which way to go. I avoided the downed trees and went forward to the cliff. I knew the river wasn't going into the marsh so I had to go left. I hoped the river went behind this sandy spot and luckily it did. I calmly floated around the sand island. Once I got past the island I looked back at what I missed and I was glad I made the choice because going through those trees would have been more treacherous. I saw a soft shelled turtle leave a sandy bank. I saw the white tail of a deer in the tall grass. I said, "Hi deer." The deer looked up at me totally startled and I laughed because I saw it before it saw me. Then I saw a brick building and some town homes. I know I was paddling right through New Ulm but I only saw maybe 12 homes. Why so few homes on the Cottonwood river? Maybe the people of New Ulm prefer the view of the Minnesota River which also runs through town. Before I wanted to see the bridge I saw the bridge. I got myself over to the right side of the river. I managed to get out of the kayak without falling. I pulled my boat up to the parking lot. My hands were shaking from all the adrenaline. I wondered how I would be able to open my dry bag and dial the phone to call Offspring #2. I looked up at the road and saw her sitting in my car so I just yelled, "Yooo Hooo!" She helped me carry the boat and load it in the car. Although the river excursion was a tad frightening, I sure had a good time on the Cottonwood River.