Past Cairo, Illinois to New Madrid, MO

Bloggers,

Well, it is official, Joe has begun the last leg of his journey with the start of the lower Mississippi. Similar to Huck and Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Joe passed by Cairo, Illinois and continued on down the Mississippi. Although his pass by was a deliberate one….New Orleans or bust! The river is unbelievably large now; Joe says it approaches the horizon on each side. Sometimes it is as if he is not moving, feeling so small because of the size of the river. The current is fast moving, although it is hard to tell with no point of reference.

The Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers (Mississippi River on Left, Ohio River on Right) (from NASA)

Last night (Wednesday), I spoke with Joe while he was camped up, 6 miles south of the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. There was a muskrat cruising around in the water and birds taking a dip before sunset. Even though it was sunny all day, the humidity was down, affording Joe a great day on the river; no more talk of the unbearable heat (although I’m sure that could change soon). The night continued the great weather, with the temperature dipping down in to the 50’s. Joe camped out under the stars, saying they were unbelievable, brilliant from being away from the city lights. He could just hear Seven Bridges Road by the Eagles in his head as he was lying out. You can listen to the song here.

Joe continued on the Big Muddy today with another long day. He put in around 50 miles, ending up camping near New Madrid, MO. Today ‘s weather was more of the same, very welcome as it should be heating up by Sunday. Tomorrow (Friday), he will be meeting up with our aunt and uncle, Betty and Michael of Washington D.C., who are on their own adventure through the south right now. It will be great for Joe to see some friendly faces tomorrow and reenergize him before a push to Memphis and continuing on down the Mississippi. His goal tomorrow is to reach Caruthersville, MO, putting him in good shape to reach Memphis Saturday or Sunday. I will hear from Joe tomorrow, probably after his meet up with Betty and Michael, and look forward to updating the community at that time.

Paddle on,
Jared

Crystal City, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO

Bloggers,

Since the last post, Joe has been on a physical and mental grind on the Mississippi. The weather was miserably hot and humid for him on Monday; Joe said, “it’s so hot out that I think my eyeballs are sweating.” Monday was, what he felt, his hardest day, mentally and physically so far on his journey. I spoke with him midway through the day, when he was waiting for a storm to pass, and he still felt no relief from the heat, feeling as if he was in a sauna all day. After our midday chat, the weather and his mental state improved. It was still a hot night, but the cooling of the weather helped him physically recover.

Today (Tuesday), Joe felt more relief from the heat. The morning was overcast and cooler, affording him a great morning on his approach to Cape Girardeau. He felt better both mentally and physically, seeming reinvigorated after a cooler morning. Joe met with a local journalist, Kit Doyle with the Southeast Missourian Newspaper, who snapped a few photos.

Joe in Cape Girardeau (All photos courtesy of Kit Doyle/Southeast Missourian Newspaper)

Joe is currently camped a few miles outside of Cape Girardeau and excited about his entry into the lower Mississippi tomorrow. Since St. Louis, he has paddled 130 miles and his goal tomorrow is to camp up below Cairo, Illinois. Cairo is the town where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet, further widening the Mississippi.

In his journeys today, Joe stopped on Grand Island in the Mississippi. It is a noteworthy location as Gary Lucy, the painter Joe met in Washington, MO, has a great painting of the island and was memorable to him. Joe also stopped at the Trail of Tears State Park, a historical area marking a dark time in our country’s history. The park marks the site where the Cherokee Indians crossed the Mississippi in the winter of 1838-1839 under Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830. Thousands of Cherokees lost their lives in this forced relocation of the Native Americans for the encroaching white settlers. More can be read about the park and the Trail of Tears here and here.

As stated above, Joe will be entering the lower Mississippi tomorrow and I look forward to updating the Paddling for Parkinson’s community at that time.

Paddle on,

Jared

Depart from St. Louis to Crystal City, MO

Bloggers,

Hello, this is Jared, back to blogging after a week break for Joe's stay in the Washington/St. Louis, MO area. He had an amazing time in town and would like to thank all for their support and generosity, especially the Hoven's for the great hospitality and company.

Joe's put-in on Sunday with the help of the Hoven's

Saturday was a great celebration as Joe's college friends, who drove straight from Colorado, met up with him at the County Fair where the Steve Miller Band was playing. The concert and, more importantly, the company were great and it was hard for Joe to depart from St. Louis. He had a little taste of normal life, after over 2 months on the river, and it was bittersweet to begin the Mississippi River.

Joe departing down the Mississippi (the last photo really shows how small Joe and the Mary Agnes are compared to the Mighty Mississippi)

The hot weather continued for Joe yesterday (Sunday), remaining in the 90's, feeling like 100 degrees F with the humidity. Fortunately, NRS shipped out a Meshback PFD, a life vest that will provide more relief from the heat than his old lifejacket could provide.

Joe sporting the new NRS meshback PFD (photos and video courtesy of Niels Van Den Boogert and Janet Hoven)

Joe put in the Mississippi at 11:30 am on Sunday, a later start than usual. He paddled 33 miles, ending near Crystal City, MO. Today (Monday), his goal is to make it past St. Genevieve, MO, hopefully totaling 50 or so miles. Joe has also solidified his itinerary for the rest of the trip. He hopes to arrive in Memphis August 17^th and finish the trip Labor Day weekend in New Orleans, with weather permitting. I will speak with Joe later tonight and update the community at that time.

Paddle on,

Jared

Washington, MO rest

Hello all from sunny Washington, MO,

Well, the past four days have been incredible. Judge and Mrs. Hoven have been doing an excellent job fattening me up and showing me the sights and sounds of Washington, MO.

Joe at the landing in Washington, MO

On 8/5, Mrs. Hoven took me into town to see the art studio of Gary Lucy. Gary is a famous painter of all things Missouri River and he had been following along on the blog. Gary took the time to show me his studio as well as his current pieces and then we talked for awhile about the river and ocean adventures. Here is the link to his sight, www.garylucy.com. Check out the art work, it is really fantastic and you can see artistic renditions of many of the areas that I have passed by.

Most of the rest of Wednesday was spent unloading all of my gear; sorting things I need from what I don't need. I have removed the following items from my gear: -15 degree sleeping bag, all cold weather clothing, maps of the Missouri, books I have read and excess warm weather clothing. In their place I have added a very lightweight sleeping bag, a mosquito net, a new pair of shorts and a new shirt.

Joe's set up in the lawn of Judge and Mrs. Hoven in Washington, MO

On Thursday, Mrs. Hoven and I went into St. Louis where I met her parents, Rosemary and Bill Jones. Mr. Jones is himself a river traveler, he motored a boat with his friend Wayne Smith down the Meremac River to the Gulf of Mexico. He fondly recounted his trip and certainly made me excited for the upcoming section of river!

Today, Friday, is promising to be a very great day. Mel Jones, one of my grandfather's college friends will be stopping by to check out the kayak and eat some lunch. In addition, my college room mates, Dave Hoven and Joel Irby drove straight through the night from Boulder, CO to come say hi. I talked with them briefly this morning before they crashed for a bit but we are really excited for a fun weekend in Washington.

Clockwise from Left: Dave Hoven, Judge Hoven, Joe, Joel Irby (photos courtesy of Judge and Mrs. Hoven and Niels Van den Boogert)

This morning, Mrs. Hoven dropped me off at the Washington County Fair where I had an interview with Diane Jones of KLPW 1220Am radio to talk about Parkinson's as well as my journey. The interview was great and the fair grounds looked fun; I can't wait until Steve Miller Band plays on Saturday night!

Well folks, back to adding more music to my .mp3 player.

Joe

A trip to the confluence: Hermann to St. Louis

Hello to all you bloggers out there! Time to tell you what has been happening for the past several days.

On 8/2 I awoke to the smell of fresh coffee. Ambling out through Spirit Hill guest house I walked out to the deck and joined Gary, one of the owners of Spirit Hill, for a morning viewing of the river and some coffee. As the morning sun was rising over the Mighty Mo, Marsha came and joined us and we had breakfast overlooking the river.

For much of the morning we spent time preparing for the evening's party. There were two excellent diversions, a fantastic massage from Susie at the Arbor Boutique Spa (http://www.arborspa.com/) and a chance to meet some folks with Parkinson's in Hermann. The massage, my first ever, was quite an experience. I left totally relaxed and my muscles felt like they were healing. Next, Gary and I went to visit with Gary's mother as well as several gentlemen afflicted with Parkinson's at a nursing home in Hermann. I was very touched by their kindness and thanks.

After another lunch at Spirit Hill on the deck, we continued getting ready for the party. The Current Designs Storm GT "The Mary Agnes" received a good cleaning and my Hilleberg Nallo GT was set up in preparation for showing them off.

By 5pm, Alex Luft from the online Hermann Newspaper, the Hermann Muenster, came by to talk about the trip. Alex had just moved to the area and we had quite a good talk. Near the end of the interview a totally unexpected event occurred. Rita Grider, the daughter of my grandfather's brother, stopped by to say hi.

Joe and Rita

She drove down from Champaign, IL. This was such an incredible surprise because Rita had been such a supporter of the trip from the very beginning. She had been emailing my story out to newspapers and other media as well as emailing me letters of support. It was very, very nice to finally meet her in person and thank her for her support.

Shortly after Rita arrived, the other guests started arriving. As the evening sun started setting over the Missouri River and the beautiful gardens of Spirit Hill started glowing, I answered questions about the trip, about Parkinson's and had the chance to talk with so many great folks from the Hermann and St. Louis area. I would like to thank Gary and Marsha for organizing this truly special experience. We raised $346 for the National Parkinson Foundation!

On 8/3 I had a special paddling privilege. Gary had organized a large flotilla of kayaks and other boats that would accompany me to New Haven, MO.

(The Flotilla Prepares to Leave Hermann)

Among the paddlers were Gary, Tommy, Joey, Steve, Karen, Julie, Suzie, Alex, John and Amy. What a great group! All levels of paddlers were represented. We had kayaks, canoes and a really pretty motor boat. Laughter filled the river valley and we paddled down passing bluffs and sandbars. Luckily we dodged a thunderstorm and then enjoyed a great lunch at New Haven.

The flotilla broke up a bit at New Haven and I was accompanied by Amy to Washington, MO. By this time the temperatures had started to climb and the sun was getting hot but the paddle was fun nonetheless.

At Washington, I was greeted by Karen, a reporter from The Missourian as well as Mrs. Janet Hoven and Katherine Graham. Judge and Mrs. Hoven, the mother of Dave Hoven (my college roommate's mother) would be hosting me in Washington after I arrived in St. Louis. Katherine, the Hoven's neighbor was one of the most spry 90 year olds I have ever met. She nimbly hoped up rock steps and was a real pleasure to meet. After the interview, Mrs. Hoven handed me some water as well as homemade peanut butter cookies and two succulent peaches. Peach juice dripping from my face we talked for awhile before I headed back onto the water. I was headed toward the Augusta/Klondike ramp.
(Klondike/Augusta Ramp)

The afternoon paddle was quite pretty and the sun set, basking the river in a warm glow. As I pulled into the Klondike ramp, I was greeted first by a couple of dudes fishing on the river who showed me some Missouri hospitality and invited me over. After talking with them for a little bit, both Judge and Mrs. Hoven showed up for a picnic dinner.

We sat down at the river enjoying great company and food as the sun set and the stars came out.

Early the next morning I put-in. My goal was to paddle to the confluence of the Missouri and the Mississippi, some 56 miles downstream. I was a little apprehensive as the weather was calling for severe thunderstorms. Luckily though, the weather gods looked favorably upon my trip and I enjoyed a pleasant paddle to the confluence. Wading through the thick Missouri mud, I climbed up on the most downriver section of land separating the Miss and the Mo and just took it all in.



It had taken me 63 days to paddle the 2,321 miles from Three Forks, MT to this point. What a ride!




Unexpectedly, my travels for the day were not finished. Judge Hoven was originally planning on picking me up at the confluence. Unfortunately though, when I arrived at the confluence I found the State Park closed. In order to meet Judge Hoven, I would have to make a 4.5 mile portage which wasn't really an option. After talking with Judge Hoven, we decided that I would paddle down into St. Louis where he would pick me up.

Tired and muddy I got back into the Mary Agnes and started hoofing it downriver. This was one of those times that my training, both mental and physical, paid off as I pushed my body further than it wanted to go. I pushed hard, and speedily portaged the Chain of Rocks, a dangerous feature on the Mississippi. This was my last portage on the trip. WWWWAAHHOOOO.




As I continued on into St. Louis, the Arch slowly came into view. I had been dreaming of this moment for some time and I was a bit overwhelmed.



However, I was so exhausted that I really just smiled and kept paddling. Judge Hoven was waiting for me down at the waterfront and we loaded the boat and my nasty smelling gear. Whew! I had made it. My 56 mile day had turned into a 72 mile day with a portage but I had arrived safe and sound. In celebration Judge Hoven took me out to eat before my drive back to Washington.

So, there is the synopsis for the past several days. I am so thankful for all of the folks who have helped me out in Hermann and Washington as well as the folks who donated at the Hermann Party.

I am going to be blogging later this afternoon as well as during my stay here at Washington with the Hovens' so stay tuned.

I want to leave you all with a quote from David Miller used in his book The Complete Paddler when he discusses paddling the entire Missouri.

"If you have made the distance from Three Forks to St. Louis, what have you accomplished? I have talked with several paddlers who have made the trip and reflected on these conversations for common themes. What follows is a distillation of experiences.

First you have made more than just a river passage. With or against the current, you have learned to read the river well enought and that new lessons are always just ahead. Now you have learned to move in cooperation with the twined currents of wind and water. For so long you sat at the air/water interface, subject at times to brutally uncooperative flows of energy that support the environment. You have learned flexibility and greater patience, and have experienced long periods of silence. You watch the sky and water; you pay attention to the rustle in the brush. You watch for snakes. You forever look and see elements of your world differently. In addition, it is fairly safe to assume that you have become a river rat.

Second, you understand that any day on the river can be at once a test and a lesson. You have had time to sort out which is which. You may find that you are quieter, and that you look more carefully at faces. You appreciate signs of weathering - the crows feet and undereye tracks of those who have spent time outside. You, and fellow voyagers, will forever have Missouri River mud flowing in your veins. You know more profoundly than anyone reading a historical account, looking at the river on a map, or driving along a highway, what a long passage is truly like on this river.

Third, after you return, people hearing about your adventure will ask you what it was like. How to reply? A meaningful response is difficult.....I cannot get it right, not yet at least. Perhaps I'll someday assemble the right combination of anecdotes to give those asking a glimps of the beauty, the silent endless miles of Dakota barrens, the sweat, the mud, the discovery of a single tree for shade, the burning heat and cottonmouth of thirst, the unrelenting bastard headwinds, the shoulder pain that you mentally can no longer numb, the terror/joy of racing with a storm tailwind up then down waves at an insane velocity, and the full body cry of relief when the dam at the end of a 250 mile long reservoir comes into sight. All these things have to be wrapped into the telling.....

....You understand that you do not conquer or bag this river as some might think about a successfull ascent of a high peak. Succussfull passage is earned because you approached the river with respect....Your passage was aided by prudence, reasoned judgement, good seamanship, the kindness of strangers, and, if you are honest about it, luck........you finish this river understanding that it granted you passage."

- David Miller, The Complete Paddler

Hermann, MO to Klondike Boat Ramp

Bloggers,

Hello again, Jared here with a little intermission from Joe’s blogs. He is currently camped at the Klondike boat landing, 56 miles away from the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. He had an amazing past 2 days and he’ll be blogging about it all tomorrow when he completes the Missouri River! The post will be a long one, full of pictures from Hermann and the flotilla from today, so get ready.


Also, be sure to check out another water race that is coming through the same area at the same time as Joe, the MR340. It is an endurance race, by boat, across the state of Missouri, starting tomorrow in Kansas City and ending 88 hours later in St. Charles. More information can be found at their website, http://www.mr340.com/.


After Joe’s stay in the greater St. Louis Area, I will be taking the blogging duties back over until Joe’s completion of the Mississippi in the Big Easy.

Enjoy the upcoming blogs and paddle on,

Jared

Cooper's Landing to Hermann, MO

Hello all you bloggers out there from Hermann, MO!

What a great past two days I have had out on the water. I wanted to first blog about my itinerary for the next week and then discuss what has been happening in the wild, wonderful world of the Mighty Missouri.

8/1 and 8/2 - Hermann, MO: Gary and Marsha, the owners of the Spirit Hill Guest House have put me up for the both nights. On 8/2 they will be hosting a party for Parkinson's, an open house on Spirit Hill to allow me to present my trip to many folks around Hermann as well as fund raise towards my goal of $20,000.

8/3 Hermann, MO to Augusta Boat Ramp, MO with a lunchtime stop-over in Washington City: A flotilla of paddlers will be accompanying me from Hermann to various takeout points along the river. I will be stopping off for a mid-day break at the Washington City ramp before continuing on to the Augusta boat ramp.

8/4 Augusta Landing to Confluence State Park, MO: I finally will get to see where old Mo' drops in to the Miss! After arriving at the confluence Judge and Mrs. Hoven will be picking me up and taking me back to Washington City, MO where they will be hosting me for several days.

8/9 Depart down the Mississippi and point my nose towards the Gulf!

Ok, now onto the past two days!

(Cooper's Landing)

When I arrived at Coopers Landing(http://www.cooperslanding.net/) on 7/31, I was immediately struck by how unique a spot this area was. A potpourri of unique styles and folks blended together to create a beautiful mix of people enjoying river life. There were folks who had biked in on the Katy Trail(http://www.bikekatytrail.com/), there were college folks, and there were genuine river rats like myself. After introducing myself to Mike Cooper and Kara, I went and set up my tent and started cooking dinner. Before too long, Jodi and Jon, reporters from the Columbia Daily Tribune came and interviewed me which was a lot of fun. Just after the interview ended, the live music started and the vibe really picked up. There were just so many people outside, enjoying the fantastic weather, having such a good time that I couldn't help but think that this is what life was really all about. As the sun set, I slowly worked my way into my tent and drifted off to sleep. I had big plans for the morning.

(Sunset from Cooper's Landing)

Pitter, pitter, pitter. That was what I heard when I awoke. A light drizzle was falling, where there had been sun the night before a wet blanket covered the river. At this point I have become accustomed to the rain, so I knew that all was not lost; I would just need a stronger cup of coffee. After a radio interview and a delicious breakfast generously provided by the folks at Cooper's Landing I took off in the rain.

(Jefferson City, MO from the river)

After getting in my boat at 9 am, I would end up not getting out of the boat until I arrived at Hermann, MO, 73 miles down river. The day was one of those days that I dream about paddling. The rain kept the temperature cool and the wind down until the late afternoon when the setting sun warmed me gently. As I kept paddling and the miles ticked away my perception of the normal pains and discomforts of sitting in the boat seemed to dissolve. My muscles seemed to work in rhythm with the music blasting through my .mp3 player and I really felt I could paddle endlessly. Paddlers find themselves in a unique situation while on the water. They are caught between two fluid mediums (air and water) and sometimes time just disappears. Today was one of those days. As I arrived in Hermann to see the smiling faces of Gary and Marsha of Spirit Hill Guest House(http://www.spirithill.info/); I was really rejuvenated even though my body was tired.

(73 miles straight)

Gary and Marsha are very generous and are letting me stay at there guest house for two nights as well as hosting a party to help raise awareness about Parkinson's and my cause. Spirit Hill is a really beautiful house overlooking the Missouri River and I feel very lucky to have been invited to such a wonderful place with such great hosts.

(Gary and Marsha picking me up in Hermann, MO)

Well, Jared is going to be taking of the blogs again for a couple days. Then I will have some more blogging time with you all when I am resting in Washington, MO with the Hovens before my final push.

Joe

( View from the backyard of Spirit Hill)

Miami, MO and Glasgow, MO

(Sunset on "Miami Beach")
Bloggers,


From Lexington, Joe put in a 53 mile day to arrive in Miami, Missouri on Thursday. The weather was better, with the temperature remaining in the low 80’s all day. The manageable heat and humidity continued on today as well. Upon arrival, he headed into the local trading post, located in a local’s home, and got a few hamburgers, which he said were amazing after a decent day on the river. Miami is a very small town, but still has some internet history on the area. Feel free to visit http://www.sullivansfarms.net/friendsofmiami/ to learn more on the area in Saline County, Missouri (A small coincidence that our grandfather and grandmother live in Saline, Michigan).

(I had the Will Smith song stuck in my head the whole time I was camped here and couldn't help but laugh.)

(The Trading Post at Miami where I had my hamburgers)

The following day (Friday), Joe paddled a relaxing 37 miles on the river, traveling to another historic city on the river, Glasgow, Missouri. On October 15, 1864, the town hosted the Battle of Glasgow. It was part of Major General Sterling Price’s Missouri Expedition in the Civil War. We met Price in the last blog as he was the commanding officer in the first Battle of Lexington in 1861. Price’s Missouri Expedition was a diversionary tactic to try and draw the Union away from the struggling Confederate forces in Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia. In Glasgow, the confederates were led by Brigadier General John Bullock Clark, Jr., who began attacking the town at 5 am, driving the Union forces to the hill. The Union forces, led by Colonel Chester Harding, realized their chances were slim and surrendered around 1:30 pm. The confederate troops sacked the town, taking muskets, horses, and horses before rejoining with Maj. General Price. (More information about the battle can be read here and here).

("Tank" from Glasgow, MO. Thanks for the pizza and breakfast sandwiches!)

Tomorrow, Joe will be arriving in Cooper’s Landing for a great evening of music, food, and fun. He should be paddling around 56 miles tomorrow before the fun begins. Norm Miller’s friends in the area have set up a Party for Parkinson’s and it should be an awesome time for all. I hope to talk with him tomorrow, before the festivities begin, and look forward to updating the community at that time.

(Glasgow, MO)

Paddle On,
Jared

Kansas City to Lexington, MO

Bloggers,

Hello again, this is Jared, back at it after Joe's brief stay over with Kara and Chris in Kansas City, MO. He had a great time with them and wanted to thank them again for the hospitality and companionship. That said, he was excited to get back out on the river yesterday. That excitement was slightly dampened by the fact he had to paddle all day in the rain though. He was the lone soul on the water yesterday, but a couple of gar, a freshwater fish also known as a gar pike, decided to swim up and investigate The Mary Agnes.

He felt good on the water, rejuvenated in both mind and spirit after Kansas City. It was his first rest since Pierre, SD and much needed after crossing the rest of South Dakota and the entire state of Nebraska. He paddled 51 miles yesterday, and after a one mile walk into town, Joe arrived in Lexington, MO. The town is a civil war historic site as the Battle of Lexington, also known as the Battle of Hemp Bales, was fought here in 1861. The Missouri National Guardsmen, led by Major General Sterling Price, attacked the Federal military post, commanded by Colonel James A. Mulligan on September 18th. Some of Price's men used hemp bales as protection as they moved up the bluff towards the military post, and hence the battle's name. Mulligan and his troops surrendered after the third day of the siege . In total, 73 died and 270 were wounded in the battle. A historic landmark is preserved from the battle as Mulligan's men, in an attempt to crush Price's headquarters in town, fired cannonballs, one of which is still lodged in the leftmost pillar of the Courthouse.

A photo of the cannonball (photo from http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/population/photos/ShowCH.asp?FIPS=29107B)

The town is also well known for one of the largest steamboat accidents in the Missouri's history. The Saluda sunk after a boiler explosion, killing over 150 people and orphaning many. Fortunately, the townspeople took in all the newly orphaned children and created a mass grave at the Machpelah Cemetery and a memorial at 13th and Franklin Avenue. (All information gleaned from Norm Miller and the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. More can be learned about this historic city on the Missouri here: http://www.historiclexington.com/)

Today's goal for Joe is to paddle between 55-60 miles. This puts him on schedule to make St. Louis as early as August 3rd, so he'll have plenty of time to rest and recuperate in town. I will speak with him later this afternoon and look forward to updating the Paddling for Parkinson's community then.

Paddle on,

Jared

Kansas City, MO Rest Day

Hello to all you bloggers out there from hot and steamy Kansas City, Missouri!

It seems like it has been a long time since I have checked in but I am happy to see that Jared has been keeping you all up to date on the trials and tribulations of river life. I am going to give you a brief synopsis of the past day and then end with some thoughts about the trip.

Meeting up with Kara yesterday was really awesome; even in my vagrant (looking and smelling) state I was greeted with a hug. We loaded the boat and gear into Kara and Chris's (cousin and cousin-in-law) Pathfinder and headed back to their house in Overland, MO. After a much appreciated and needed shower Kara and I headed out to a local Mexican joint where we shared some laughs and ate some great food. When Chris got home later we talked a bit and then I headed off to bed (in an actual bed).

Today Chris and Kara let me borrow their Pathfinder in the morning so that I could go out and resupply my food stores before my push to St. Louis. I also hesitated and almost broke down and got a haircut. I actually stood outside of the store deliberating if I really wanted to cut my hair for some time before deciding to keep the mane alive.

Chris and Kara then took me out to lunch at Jack Stack's, a local KC barbecue joint. The food was great and I was treated to some real delicious Kansas City "que". Kansas City has a long history of fine barbecue and more information can be found here http://www.kcbs.us/.

After lunch Kara and I went sightseeing in Downtown Kansas City. We visited the "Plaza District" which was really cool section of town that totally surprised me. The architecture was stunning and there were a ton of fountains all over the place. Kara informed me that Kansas City is actually known for its particularly high density of water fountains. More information can be found here http://www.garden-fountains.com/articles/city-of-fountains.html

Having become a little hot walking around we decided to go to the Arabia Museum. The Arabia Museum is a museum dedicated to the steamboat Arabia, that sunk and was then re-excavated in the 1980's just north of Kansas City. Here is a link to the museum's website, http://www.1856.com/. This is a very well-laid out and well-run facility and very interesting too. I would highly recommend stopping in if you are ever around the Kansas City area. The preserved pickles and "unknown medicines" were particularly amazing to me.

As with any day, the day seems like it is winding down all too fast. For me, I have a hard time believing that my last rest day was in Pierre, SD. The river really is moving fast, and I moving right along with it through the heartland of the country. Before long I will be in St. Louis and entering the final leg of my trip.

What has been most remarkable about this trip hasn't been the sunsets, sunrises or scenery, nor the suffering, success or silence of a long day of paddling, but it has been the humans I have encountered on the trip down. On a trip that is based on isolation and solitude, it has been the congratulations and support of friends, family and total strangers which has allowed me to be as successful as I have been so far. Without all your help, this trip would not be what it has become, which is truly an adventure for not only me but many of you following along as well. I sincerely appreciate each act of generosity, sometimes it might seem pretty small but even a well intentioned boat honk can keep me going when the sun beats on The Mary Agnes.

Well folks, thank you once again for following along and thanks to Jared for doing such a great job with the blogs. I look forward to blogging with you all again here when I get to St. Louis and have a "rest break".

WWWWWAAAAHHHHOOOOOO!

Paddling On,

Joe