We rose early in the morning in anticipation of crossing our wake just a few hours later as we cruised to the Cumberland River. We left Paducah with a dozen other Loopers, including Tinn, one of our most favorite buddy boats, and Rival, Loopers we'd just met the previous day. As we cruised down the Ohio River and reached its intersection with the Cumberland River, we slowed our speed so that I could climb out onto the bow with our gold flag. Tony monitored the map on the chart plotter and iPad and signaled me to take the white burgee down and raise the gold burgee. Tinn waited along side us with Lisbeth poised to take pictures from her bow. Tony and Huibert blew the horns! We cheered! We celebrated! We did it!

We arrived at the Barkley Lock with everyone and found that we'd caught up with Bill and Sue on Blondie who'd stayed at an anchorage the previous night. We cruised into Green Turtle Bay together where they crossed their wake. We blew our horns! We cheered! We celebrated! They did it!

That night, we all gathered together at Patty's Settlement Restaurant where Tony had arranged for Town and David Richardson to join us, friends that we'd met early in our loop as we cruised from Louisville on the Ohio River in September 2021 to Green Turtle Bay. Towns and David were planning to begin their loop in just a few days. At dinner, we shared stories and laughed together. We continued to make memories.