Join me as I live my dream by paddling the entire Missouri River.
5.12.07
I checked my gear one last time last night. I can't think of anything I've forgotten and
everything fits in the boat. I guess I'm ready.
5.13.07
After twenty hours of driving, we were within ten miles of Missouri Headwaters State Park.
The weather had been eighty degrees and sunny all day. It was only three o'clock and I
was looking forward to making some miles. Unfortunately, mother nature had other
plans. The sky turned dark as we neared the park. Then the wind and rain picked up.
I'm checking my gear.
It's the morning I leave for my 2007 Missouri River journey.
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The Missouri River
starts here.
Click on the photos to see
larger versions.
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We drove around the park in the middle of a thunderstorm. It was pretty, but there wasn't
any chance of getting on the water today. We had a nice meal in Three Forks and back
tracked to a hotel in Bozeman for the night.
The forcast for the next few days doesn't look too promising. I'm sure I will be cold and
probably wet, too. It does look like I'll be able to start tomorrow and I'm looking forward to
my journey whatever the weather may bring.
The country we drove through today was vast and empty. I still can't imagine being alone
out there on the water. There won't be anyone around to help me. I have to be strong and
make good decisions. I'm looking forward to starting. I"ve trained hard all winter and am
in better shape and have better gear than I did starting the Mississippi. The weather and
the world were beautiful today. I thank God for the opportunity to do this. I am living my
dream for the second time.
I lived out my dream of paddling the length of the Mississippi during
the summer of 2006. It was wonderful and it made me want more. I've
now headed to Montana to give the Missouri a try. It will be a much
different river than the Mississippi. There will be fewer towns to stop in
for supplies, portages of many miles, and massive lakes to overcome,
but I know I can do it.
This website journal will be much like the Mississippi one. I plan to
update it with pictures and text as I journey down the river. I can't wait
to paddle by the St. Louis arch again.
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Special thanks to Richard
Mohler of Maxwell, Iowa,
whose support of my 2007
Missouri River Trek is
appreciated.
Alan and Gina stopped by this morning and we loaded the boat and gear in their Volvo
and headed west. We stopped for the night in Sundance, Wyoming. Tomorrow we
should be in Three Forks, Montana, where I will start my trek to St. Louis.
Missouri River Quest '07 - Introduction
