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May 22, 2013
NATURAL TREASURE
A view of the Kansas rolling hills along Larry Christy’s Missouri River route.
Local man hopes tours promote river
Story by JENNIFER GORDON • Photos by MATT REID St. Joseph News-Press
L
arry Christy doesn’t leave the atmosphere to play Neil Armstrong. If he wants to make the first footprint on a piece of land, he hits the Missouri River.
Larry Christy with Missouri River Rafting Outfitting and Canoe Rental rows north of St. Joseph.
Larry Christy paddles into Worthwine Island Conservation Area. The island is used as a stopping point for lunch during the river tour.
Skip the flip-flops By BROOKE VANCLEAVE St. Joseph News-Press
Flip-flops are the defi nitive summer shoe and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon. However, that doesn’t mean you have to stick with just one style for four whole months. Shoe stores offer many sandals, wedges and flats that are just as comfortable and easy to wear as flip-flops, but with much more eye-catching appeal. “We have more selection this year than any year before,” says Michelle Mueller, employee with the J.C. Penney shoe department. Ms. Mueller says wedges are the most sought-after style this spring and
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He demonstrates on a sandbar by Worthwine Island Conservation Area, making the fi rst human print in a sandbar marked up by duck and deer tracks. Before the U.S. Corps of Engineers restored the chute in 2007, Worthwine Island attracted more foot traffic. Now that it’s truly an island again, saplings emerge from the old campgrounds. The growing trees and the footprint-less ground make the spot the perfect halfway point in Mr. Christy’s 12-mile float from Nodaway Island Conversation Area to the dock by the St. Jo Frontier Casino. Mr. Christy makes the trek as part of his new company, Missouri River Rafting, Outfitting and Canoe Rental. The river tour venture means more to him than additional income. He wants to encourage exploration of a river he sees many in the area taking for granted. “When people go experience something, they start to care about it,” he says. “You care about it in a way you wouldn’t otherwise.” Mr. Christy’s interest in rivers started several years ago when he took a job as a river guide on the Snake River, near the Grand Tetons
in Wyoming. He knows the Missouri River well, too. He also once canoed alone from Fort Benton, Mont., to St. Joseph. The journey took him three months. To the layperson, the trip sounded grueling. And long. And lonely. To Mr. Christy, it sounded fun. He’s had to wait to start river tours locally. Mr. Christy acquired the whitewater raft he uses for the tours a few years ago. Then the river flooded. Last year, the heat made a five-hour float out of the question. He’s optimistic this year will be better suited for floating. The weather cooperates on a day in early May. The sun, which by the end of the day will redden cheeks and hair parts, feels just right. A breeze wafts up the mineral scent of the water. The river does seem different once you’re out in the middle of it. On Mr. Christy’s raft, the shore appears to be just a few swim strokes away. The surface of the water lies very still. “You get out here, and you’re not as aware of the current. It’s almost like you’re sitting on a lake,” Mr. Christy says.
Expand shoe wardrobe with fun summer styles
summer. Although wedges saw a resurgence a few years ago, she says they’re more popular this year than they were last year. “The wedge, I mean that was back in the ’60s and the ’70s, and now they’re back again,” she says. Ms. Mueller says the shoe department is featuring a new line this summer called Yellow Box, which she says have “a lot of bling.” Even though this is only the fi rst year, the store has offered this brand, it’s already been very popular with shoppers. “It’s a fl ip-flop. There’s some wedge ones and there’s some flat ones but they’re all sparkly,” she says. Yellow Box shoes combine the comfort and ease of a rubber f lip-f lop
with the look of a fancier sandal. This is a great compromise for women who love cheap, colorful rubber f lip-f lops but realize they aren’t always appropriate to wear in certain situations. Ms. Mueller says J.C. Penney also carries comfort sandals such as Clarks that have the look of a trendy shoe but are better for your feet. So go ahead and keep the fl ip-flops for family cookouts and afternoons by the pool, but try to branch out when picking shoes for other summer occasions. Some women might even fi nd that the flats and heels they’ve been avoiding actually are the perfect way to fi nish off their summer wardrobes. Brooke VanCleave can be reached at brooke.vancleave@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPVanCleave.
Please see LOCAL/Page A2
Check it out Hit the road with traveling dogs In “The Adventures of Bella and Harry” book series, kids can learn about international travel and foreign lands in a fun, informative way. Chihuahuas Bella and Harry explore cities like Paris, Barcelona and Athens in these colorful books and teach young readers about the area’s culture. Find them at bellaandharry.com. — Brooke VanCleave, St. Joseph News-Press