Hello everybody,
Just a quick post to say that I’ve been prepping like crazy, and will begin my journey at the headwaters of the Mississippi River tomorrow! Things are coming together!
To see the trip overview, and more information generally, see the orientation post.
Here’s a little timelapse I put together of my final pack. It’s crazy how much smaller all the gear looks all squared away in bags!
Purpose of this newsletter journal
My goal is to bear witness to the Mississippi River, from source to sea, as it is in 2022. My goal is to document something for every single day that I’m on the river, even if it’s only a single sentence or paragraph. I will be spending the 24 hours of each day on the Mississippi River for the next 80-100 days, so there should be something to write about each and every day. It’s to share the experience with everybody here, but also to have as a memento for myself when all is said and done.
One reason I’m making this journey is to test myself and see what I’m made of, and if I’ll have the endurance and fortitude to finish it out.
Some days will be tough and challenging, that’s part of the ride. But it’s important for me to remember even the tough days in order to appreciate the good ones.
I am going to try to keep up, and post at least 2-3 times per week. Each post covering 2-4 days worth of entries at a time. That’s the goal anyway, even the best made plans…
River Log
I am also going to be keeping a River Log of my experience on the Mississippi. The Mississippi River is dynamic and ever-changing, and my trip will be but a snapshot in time that I wish to document. This section will probably be less interesting to the average reader but could be deeply interesting to the average river rat. In any case I’m doing this simply for my pleasure of documenting how the Mississippi River appeared to me on my trip in summer/fall of 2022. Things like water levels, good campsites, which side channels are passable, etc will go in the river log. Feel free to skip it if it’s not your cup of tea!
Bon Voyage
Tomorrow I begin to paddle the Mississippi River. Especially in the northern sections, it will be difficult to come by cell service. The next time I talk to you will be from the river! My current plan is to stay night 1 at Coffee Pot, night 2 at Iron Bridge, and night 3 at Silver Maple campsites. I will likely have cell service only at Silver Maple.
Here is a photo of the river at Lake Itasca. It’s so narrow you can touch both sides at the same time in places. This is the section I paddle tomorrow!
Look forward to watching your trip! Good luck & Godspeed! Whoo-whoop!
Bon voyage, Jean-Canot - et bon retour!