Heavy winds from the south and over hundred degree heat index made for an Ohio River sort of day. I’m 20 miles downriver from Helena. Its cool though. I got off early and have spent the day getting my mind right. I’ve become so soft…
I’m writing early bc I wont have service until rosedale which could be tomorrow night or early the next day, idk. I stopped here in Helena to meet the famed adventureist, John Ruskey. A friend of mine, Mike Waterford paddled the Mississippi last year and…
I paddled and then I stopped. Tomorrow Im meeting with some Lower Miss experts in Helena. Until then here is a video from tonight.
Woke up before the breakfast bar was setup. I’ve been getting up at 430 local time, 530 eastern–still dont want to change my watch. Had all my errands ran by 1030. Laundry, grocery, pharmacy, hardware store. Had to run to the Home Depot because I…
Woke up 55 miles from Memphis. Wanted to hit it early bc I knew a storm was blowing in this afternoon and that could push me out until tomorrow if I were to get caught in it. So I paddled hard, not looking at mile…
Short bc of battery. 50 miles. Hoping to make it to Mud Island tomorrow and spend all day Thurs checking out Memphis. Its hot finally. Mosquitoes are out. I’m not complaining. Life is good.
I paddled 68 miles today between 645am and about 630pm. I also lost about an hour backtracking when I tried to take a shortcut outside the main channel. So that makes for 3-5 miles more not on the stat sheet. Just woke up wanting to…
I went about 45 miles today, no more than 50. Id told myself I just wanted to get to Hickman (20-25ish miles), and was there by noon. So making good time I just leisurely paddled for about 4-5 more hours. It worked out. Weather was…
Before I tell you about day 21, let me first write about the strangest thing that happened on day 20. About 7pm Im sober, reading, and suddenly all the fish on the surface of the water. All the fish. They get spooked and they jump…
I can see Cairo! Which is significant bc its the city that sits on the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi. Woke up across from paducah and calculated I had to paddle 47 miles in 48 hours to meet my friend Rachael in Cairo on…
Woke up around 730 on a big ole sandbar that was exactly 13.5 miles from Paducah. So I had a nice litte paddle into town and made it in probably around 11 or 12…idk I didn’t check the time because of what happened as I…
Apologies for the slow updates the past few days. I was traveling through BFE (which was beautiful) and did not have a data signal and low battery. Yesterday was beautiful. 75 degrees and sunny. I woke up, paddled ten minutes and was in Elizabethtown, IL….
Tstorms and going into Old Shawneetown kept me off the water until about noon. Shawneetown is nearly a ghost town. There are two city employees: the chief of police and a guy that is charge of cleaning the park/upkeep of the historic bank below. I…
Posts will be short until I get to Paducah, about 75 miles away. Battery pack needs a higher amp charger I think. Anyway, wind was pretty nasty so I only got in 15-20. Saw some jumping fish. Holed up for thunderstorms passing through. Looks like…
Well, its already been two weeks and without question a lot of fun. I feel like the luckiest dude I know, cruising down this big water. Day 14 was another good one. I awoke at 530, but was feeling pretty rugged so ended up letting…
I meant to have this up as well before the trip but never got around to it. I realize that I never showed you what Squami (short for Squamish, the model) looks like in expeditionary mode. Of course she’s not as clean now, and there…
Up from a good night’s rest and going strong again. By 3ish I was 25 miles into Mt. Vernon, IN. Thats 75 miles in about 46 hours. Stopped at a cool bar called Koodie Hoo’s and ate a bunch of food. Walked outside into 90…
Woke up around 10:30 and was on the river about 12:30. I felt a little hungover from my all-nighter and didnt really get into a groove at all today with paddling. I did take the best photo ever though, of anything you’ve ever seen. Sarcasm….
If you’ve been following my last few posts you know Ive been doing more camping than kayaking the past few days. Well, while I was holed up there in the tent I came down with a case of PADDLE FEVER! I awoke at 530 as…
Inventory In an effort to be a resource for future kayakers I compiled a complete inventory of everything on the boat and on me (excluding food which will have its own post when I’m up to it) 10 days into the trip. Outside of kayak…