When the heat is stuck securely in the triple digits, the river can be a welcoming spot.
But for river-based races like this weekend's Missouri River Freedom Race, the combination of high temperatures and low water levels can make the river less than welcoming for canoers, kayakers and boaters.
Due to the extreme heat, organizers of the race have moved the starting time up an hour in hopes of getting people off the river sooner.
On the race's website, www.mrfreedomrace.info, organizers note: "Because the river is significantly lower than it has been in the last few years, it is going to take people longer to finish, and we want to be able to get them off the water earlier and out of the heat."