Big update AUG13-Aug 16, 2016

I can't seem to keep up with this thing and still find Facebook to be a waste of time. I haven't been managing my time as well as I thought I might but each day is a new start. 

Recently I've been listening in on podcasts set up by bigger universities and lectures on coursework I plan on implementing into my studies. Current podcast, Thermal and Statistical Physics.  Lesson 6 

We have landed ourselves in Iowa and it has been the least pleasant of the trip thus far for me. The claim of "Minnesota Nice" certainly left quite unfortunately in a very quick manner. 

Quotes to remember from this portion of the trip

"You're all dumb as *#%^%"

"You're all gonna die"

And the one that brought my fave to my palm and my head down in dismay 

"Dilution is the solution to pollution"

Maybe Oregon is getting to me and I'm just becoming a hippie but when I see people who live, thrive, and depend on such a vast and necessary river as the Mississippi and treat it's life giving force in such a way that will only continue to destroy its beauty I begin to think that we deserve what's being thrown at us as humanity. 

This river and its many estuaries, boundary waters, flood plains, and vast array of fortunes is certainly a gift to us and could be life sustaining if not for the many ways in which we destroy it daily.

"The care of rivers is not a question of rivers, but of the human heart"

-Tanaka Shozo

August 13, 2016

We being the three leftover paddlers Nate, Dan, myself and Samson, finally reached where we all originally flew into

Minneapolis! 

Crazy to think the place we flew into on seperate flights, drove 3 hours north to Lobos Cabins, and doesn't nearly a month of wear and tear has finally been such an achievement for us all. 

I noticed small changes in my body including slight weight loss, posture, and paddle form. This drove me to want to push it further and on top of daily stretching I have attempted to initiate yoga and skipping rope back into a daily routine ( which has turned into a every few day routine admittedly).

We passed our first Barge! 

 

Being one of the biggest and most dangerous aspects of this trip aside from the water this was quite a sight to see! The wake they put off is astounding and creates ocean like waves for us to paddle through that then hit the edges of the river and bounce back at us as lateral and unstablizing waves for their second time around. Believe it or not some of these waves create such depth that you can't see over the next one. Sometimes they have as much space between them as an entire house would fit and sometimes they are in such repitition that the boat can't recover from the first one before the second crashes over the bow.

We weighed my boat, dog and gear and realized that not only do I carry the most weight due to mostly improper planning and also having to care for a dog( food and medical) as well as having he dog that I am actually at the weight capacity of this boat!!! That's huge and plays a huge role in the boats stability. 

This has made me hit most the waves I come across from the side with great hip control as the standard is to go directly into them or perpendicular I am lined up parallel.

We also saw the first dead dog 

A little terrier that had been in the water Lon enough to bloat but not quite long enough to "pop"

@"Dead bodies on the shoreline and river beds of Iraq"@

 

----

AUG 14

A beautiful night lead into a better day, 

To be sure a "sailors delight".

We hit our first lock and dam on this day, the first of approx 27! 

We have all been looking forward to this for some time 

 

Samson decided to rip my tent today... But not like the untrained service animal from the beginning of this trip. He waited for the command to enter and snagged his claw on the mesh. This was my first tent repair and I got to see firsthand just how useful Leuko tape can really be (sorry no photo) 

 Though a great place to paddle through and a major excitement when I called the wife on skype in the boat to attempt to show her what I was seeing we had to push on as there weren't as many places to park a canoe as you might expect...

We stopped in Hasting for lunch at the local American Legion which is probably the most established and best located post of any of the post-military clubs I've ever seen. 

I got to mail my muck boots, water filter (as after Minneapolis the water is so polluted not even boiling and then filtering is recommended which is really sad to say and hear), and a few books home. 

To some degree I now call myself an idiot

But I must be inasane as I keep repeating the key words in this phrase

WEAR SUNBLOCK

I burnt my lips nose and cheeks pretty bad

I don't remember if I've ever burnt my lips before or at least not to this degree smiling though infrequent hurts and it has been a good reminder to wear sunblock indeed. 

But alas I usually do not bother and instead wear the awesome buffs sent to us over my face and what can I say it's probably showing the better side of my fave while I'm wearing it ;p

 

The ever pounding army of bugs have finally started dyin down and what a relief it's been for nights and for my canine companion traveling with us. 

According to the DNR

2 batches a month of mosquitos usually hatch

This year

4 batches PER DAY

YEAH THATS ALOT OF MOSQUITOS

 

With 100 miles left to get to Lacrosse, WI We took a lunch at mile marker 802.1 and let me say it's much quicker to eat while we float down the river together rafted up. Stopping countless times throughout the day not only holds up pace but kills morale and makes every day longer when up here it seems the days only gets hotter after noon hits. Yep that's the Midwest for ya. YOU BETCHA....

we got put up in an amazing room by treasure island resort and casino and although their theme music on the phone is horrible this place has a kickin atmosphere even if you only come for the $10 buffet which is amazing for a place in the middle of nowhere.

 We went bowling and Nate had his first hand of blackjack played at a Casino.

Finally on the River! Days 1 & 2

Today (July 13 2016) was our First official day on the Mississippi River starting our thru paddle journey. Below is a list of the people I will be completing this journey with:

4 veterans 

1. Kevin & Samson

2. Nate

3. Traci and Gabbi (dog)

4. Dan

As well, there are 2 epic Vietnam veterans  One of which thru paddled the entire length of the Mississippi last year. I mention them separately from our group because they are here with us for a period of time at the beginning and the end of the trip only (interesting note: they are brothers 2 of 13!!!) They are here to show us all the stupid we bring to the table in the most kind of ways :)

I joke on a lot of things but still only have one liner conversations with the rest of the group and continue to work on my social skills :p 

Warrior Expeditions is the organization that has organized this trip for us. Sean is a guy who started this organization as "Warrior Hike", and recently incorporated their non profit to include more trails as well as biking and paddle trips which is why the name has now changed to "Warrior Expeditions". 

Sean is only one of the awesome employees who put this all together for us and got us epic gear to use on the trip!

After an early wake-up we thought we'd arrive at camp nice and early, but Mother Nature played her usual games which is always fun.  The weather called for sun and we got hit with showers and wind all day... The weather calls for sun a lot.... 

Someone here keeps saying its Un motivating but the rain is a huge reason I live where I live now (i.e. Oregon coast) and I love it. 

We were seen off from lake Itasca which is the disputable winner (by the local Bemidji VFW commander) as the largest source of this amazing Mississippi River that spans our nation north to south. 

It's always so humbling to have random strangers who don't know you, from Tom, Dick, and Harry come out and support you because of what you "did for this country". I hope to continue that support in kind to my fellow veterans for years to come. 

I have been eagerly waiting to see this pillar for months and months

Would've been years if I ever knew it existed

 

I need to interrupt this message to give a real heartfelt shoutout to my boy Joshua with whom I served with in the military. It's  his wedding shortly and I feel like a douchebag for missing his wedding when invited.  Today he told me tux rentals were due and I had no way to respond, but Josh it would've meant the world to me to be there to support you and of course see the whole gang again. I hope you send an address so I can get my gift mailed to you. Also the gang needs to come join me on the coast for a week or something beCause life might get crazy for a while with a baby on the way in December, but we currently have a new house that needs good company like you bunch.

You are Always welcome!

And on the most positive note 

I'm having a baby! 

We're having a baby

As some, but very few know,  this wasn't an opportunity I thought I'd have because of some medical histories.  It is a blessing and a gift to my lovely wife Sara and I. And the only part that's a curse is me being here on this trip away from her. 

But four months and I'll be there to experience all the beauty I'm missing. I wish I could sit at home and eat ramen, popcorn, and ice cream with you in our finally finished home.

 

We bought a new house in December.  

Not even 20 years old at the time. Unfortunately it flooded weeks after moving in...almost $30,000 had to be used to repair the home. It took our contractors and water mitigation teams this long to correct the house. Literally 6 months and they are not even finished yet. 

This happens to be one of the fun things we get to deal with long distance because of our unique living situation.

 

Alright sorry

Had to vent now back to the good stuff

So we load our boats up

And definitely do not follow military land nav skills as a very funny joke happened I won't repeat on this blog. 

Im realizing now how crazy my normal bag that I pack for week-long trips is so full of useless things. The difference between my army duffel I carry everywhere and the four months of supplies I have all on this tiny craft is astronomical by ratio.

We set out and already things were looking up. Last year the guys had to walk their boats he first few miles because the water was trickle shallow. But this year we got to ride the Old Town Canoe (that's the brand name of the canoe we were supplied with) almost all the way minus a few hang ups. This also meant high water right from the very start, Which meant unusual Rapids later.

 

I was in shock...At the beauty and peace I felt along the river. It was like there was nothing else except the constant and everlasting wish that my wife and partner of almost 8 years could be here by my side. Even though she doesn't like these long endurance trips, she supports me to the end and I've never had that before with anyone. 

 

Right away we saw tons of wildlife. Eagles and other birds of prey, fish: though none worth pulling out my fishing pole I brought along, which was one of the few luxuries I added to my gear. Deer everywhere hiding in the bushes and a bear!

Hahaha someone's gonna get why that's funny.... (Instead of bam I'll just say Banff...)

 

We zigged and zagged across the question mark shape headed north on the Mississippi. The northern most point we don't get to for days; this is a unique feature brought on by changing elevations. The river flows north and south. And it goes north before south which is not common. 

 

I've been reading Mark Twain for the last bit. He actually did this trip back before the days of modern boats operate, and that is where the pseudo name Mark twain came from. It's really interesting to read and be able to see the differences between his (Twain's) novel "life on the Mississippi" and what it is currently. 

He says in there, "Only the mistress Mississippi could span a few hundred miles by crow and wind that to 2600 miles from source to sea" (or something to that extent). 

"THE Mississippi is well worth reading about. It is not a commonplace river, but on the contrary is in all ways remarkable. Considering the Missouri its main branch, it is the longest river in the world—four thousand three hundred miles. It seems safe to say that it is also the crookedest river in the world, since in one part of its journey it uses up one thousand three hundred miles to cover the same ground that the crow would fly over in six hundred and seventy-five. It discharges three times as much water as the St. Lawrence, twenty-five times as much as the Rhine, and three hundred and thirty-eight times as much as the Thames. No other river has so vast a drainage-basin: it draws its water supply from twenty-eight States and Territories; from Delaware, on the Atlantic seaboard, and from all the country between that and Idaho on the Pacific slope—a spread of forty-five degrees of longitude. The Mississippi receives and carries to the Gulf water from fifty-four subordinate rivers that are navigable by steamboats, and from some hundreds that are navigable by flats and keels. The area of its drainage-basin is as great as the combined areas of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Turkey; and almost all this wide region is fertile; the Mississippi valley, proper, is exceptionally so. It is a remarkable river in this: that instead of widening toward its mouth, it grows narrower; grows narrower and deeper. From the junction of the Ohio to a point half way down to the sea, the width averages a mile in high water: thence to the sea the width steadily diminishes, until, at the 'Passes,' above the mouth, it is but little over half a mile. At the junction of the Ohio the Mississippi's depth is eighty-seven feet; the depth increases gradually, reaching one hundred and twenty-nine just above the mouth. The difference in rise and fall is also remarkable—not in the upper, but in the lower river. The rise is tolerably uniform down to Natchez (three hundred and sixty miles above the mouth)—about fifty feet. But at Bayou La Fourche the river rises only twenty-four feet; at New Orleans only fifteen, and just above the mouth only two and one half."

#Mark Twain

I will have to find the better quote but here's one to start

"Although the shortening of the Mississippi River he referred to was the result of engineering projects eliminating many of the bends in the river, it is a thought-provoking spoof:

The Mississippi between Cairo and New Orleans was twelve hundred and fifteen miles long one hundred and seventy-six years ago. . . . Its length is only nine hundred and seventy-three miles at present.

Now, if I wanted to be one of those ponderous scientific people, and “let on” to prove what had occurred in the remote past by what had occurred in a given time in the recent past . . . what an opportunity is here! Geology never had such a chance, nor such exact data to argue from! . . .

In the space of one hundred and seventy-six years the Lower Mississippi has shortened itself two hundred and forty-two miles. That is an average of a trifle over one mile and a third per year. Therefore, any calm person, who is not blind or idiotic, can see that in the Old Oolitic Silurian Period, just a million years ago next November, the Lower Mississippi River was upwards of one million three hundred thousand miles long, and stuck out over the Gulf of Mexico like a fishing-rod. And by the same token any person can see that seven hundred and forty-two years from now the lower Mississippi will be only a mile and three-quarters long. . . . There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact."

#Mark Twain

We had slight issues with the rapids. Where most people walk this section of the river, we could not because the rocks would create nasty entrapments. We had two flip overs today already. 

From what I've read this only goes on so long and then it's all the way to the gulf rapid free. 

One of the flips was bad. 

We lost gear, and lost morale. We even set up a quick rescue plan as things could've gone really wrong quickly. Sometimes we have hours inbetween us and no contact with each other or the outside world to speak of. (This was another member of our team not myself). Although with Samson and me and the gear, we are at the max boat capacity so that presents its own fun challenges like taking on extra water from the sides. 

It was worrying. 

I've had great friends die in multitudes because someone wasn't there at the right time to save their life whether from suicide, war, or other... I've pulled bodies from rivers that were decayed and bodies that were fresh and that is how it became in my head today, decayed and fresh full of memories as I paddled upstream a large number of miles to catch the veteran whom had a bad day. 

One of many though, As much as I've had my doubts all along the way everyone here has their moments of stepping up just when it helps the most and that camaraderie always ties us military folk together and is timeless. This is gonna be a great trip with a great crowd. Someone even set up my tent for me before the rains came so I could act like a idiotic hero with an empty boat in case stuff really hit the fan...

 

We sat around talking for a while but now it's time for bed

I'm done :p

kW

 

 

 

 

Lake Cass and the infamous Lake on an island on a lake on a river

Oh yeah that title says it all

Went and did our long day of paddling to the lake on an island on a lake on a river which is even cooler because it's one of only two in the world and the only one in the northern hemisphere and is natural forming from a natural hot spring in the island which makes the water significantly warmer than the surrounding lake. It is called lake windigo and we camped on the very same island

 

Here's a satellite image

And here is the lake

 

And here is our camp and the beautiful sunset that followed along with it

 

 

That was a long day we had to hit 28 miles when all said and done because we hadn't paddled the day prior but funnily enough we are only about an hours drive from the last town we stayed at. There are so many twists and turns on this lake it's absolutely crazy how you can paddle all day and from point to point only go a few miles no matter how many true miles you paddled.

Stopped at an amazing boat house restaurant called

"Break on a lake" which had an amazing deck view o the whole lake Cass area. We were bought a round of sodas so we sat on the porch and joked for a good bit.

 We continued to our destination being the lake on an island on a lake. (That's just fun to say)

Set up camp ate backpackers pantry meals and tuna wraps and potatoes

Lake Cass and the infamous Lake on an island on a lake on a river

Oh yeah that title says it all

Went and did our long day of paddling to the lake on an island on a lake on a river which is even cooler because it's one of only two in the world and the only one in the northern hemisphere and is natural forming from a natural hot spring in the island which makes the water significantly warmer than the surrounding lake. It is called lake windigo and we camped on the very same island

 

Here's a satellite image

And here is the lake

 

And here is our camp and the beautiful sunset that followed along with it

 

 

That was a long day we had to hit 28 miles when all said and done because we hadn't paddled the day prior but funnily enough we are only about an hours drive from the last town we stayed at. There are so many twists and turns on this lake it's absolutely crazy how you can paddle all day and from point to point only go a few miles no matter how many true miles you paddled.

Stopped at an amazing boat house restaurant called

"Break on a lake" which had an amazing deck view o the whole lake Cass area. We were bought a round of sodas so we sat on the porch and joked for a good bit.

 

 We continued to our destination being the lake on an island on a lake. (That's just fun to say)

Set up camp ate backpackers pantry meals and tuna wraps and potatoes

Lake Bimidji to lake Cass

Day 3/4/5

Had a beautiful nights rest

And woke up to a beautiful paddle

Nice long 18 mile day

Explored a haunted abandoned house and probably got asbestos poisoning and seriously say that would be the least concern haha

 

 

That same field had 200+acres of soy beans

 

We sat and had lunch amidst a beautiful view over the river and reeds

 

Everything is so peaceful

So many turtles sadly no snappers yet 

 

 

Passed our first person finally  but they were going up River and into a house from a pontoon boat

No other kayakers yet or canoers

It was really crappy Traci lost her iPod which was a birthday gift to her and we are all disabled veterans and though nobody says it I know we are all similarly strapped for extra cash

I think I am still numb... This trip is amazing but I'm not feeling much... I thought more would kick in but we have many months to go until we are done... Not everyone will understand being emotionally numb and that's fine

Then a super short day of 4 miles for a long day in town of bemidji where the local vfw put us up at the Hampton inn they shared food and stories of fishing and local town celebrities as "grumpy old men" was filmed here

 

Got some tips on fishing I hope to apply tomorrow 

Finally finished my book

"Life on the Mississippi" by mark twain

Next reading 

"the theory of everything" by Stephen hawking

And also a great first read before making this kind of trip would be "the first 100 days"

I think somehow I am still just putting off reading my textbook for school to get a pre start but mainly because I don't think I could do that and paddle

We were supposed to leave the next mornin. However high winds in the 30s put us off the water as swells of up to 3 ft were expected 

And this isn't even the biggest lake! Winnebegoshish is coming up and has had 7ft swells from the wind but a really cool one we should hit tomorrow after makin up some miles is one of two in the WORLD where it's "a lake, on an island, on a lake, on the river" which is pretty crazy and I can't wait.

We were very fortunate that thy gave us a night out of our pockets at 90$ so we pooled money together and shared a suite

Lots of pizza and bonding over tv series naked and afraid xl premier

We outfitted the boats a little better for the pups so now they have an optional shade that is a cooling mat we can pull back, they'll be happy

 

We also glued our trinkets to the boat

My good luck Buddha from Iraq

A paul Bunyan statue for Nate

Traci found this solar powered hula girl

And we will have to find a Michigan something for Dan

We went to the local art fair to look around and even though I was only looking for elephant ears I managed enjoy seeing what hey had to offer and get a few ideas for some wood projects in the future 

 

 

We also visited the interactive Paul Bunyan and Babe museum but I will have to obtain hat photo later

 

 

Early morning tomorrow we have to make up 20+miles across to large lakes and into a few river streams But we will be fine. Got a couple great silhouettes of us paddling hopefully better ones later

 

 

We saw sand cranes and lots of them what cool birds, a few Eagles, a few Hawks, oh yeah and I've been picking off ticks and bloodsuckers everyday and I seriously never remember leeches and bloodsuckers being this big as a kid!?!

 

 

We had to portage the boats over lots of downed trees 

The people everywhere are so nice here and supportive of us 

And then we hit the most northern point of the Mississippi River making it all finally south bound (aorta) from here, if you missed it earlier we had to paddle north for a long ways before actually heading south  you might have to zoom in on the photo to read the sign on the door 

 

My wife's belly "popped" today and I know her and bough she's been expecting this to happen I know she's a little self conscious about those things so I hope she knows how beautiful she is. Just as the day I met her

I hope the new stretchy clothes fit and as always wish you were here baby I love you

 

Portaging around one of many dams on the river 

We get to lake Bimidji and are spoiled 

First off we must say this is where we said goodbye to our initial guides and help who were there to make sure we weren't to crazy and didn't get exceptionally lost

So goodbye for now

Mark, Dennis, and Shaun

 

We were hosted by the local vfw chapter at the Hampton inn at lake Bimidji

Just a few photos from paddling