Brothers for the River

A Special Thanks...

2007-01-08T20:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all those who have been following our trip down the Mighty Mississippi and our time in New Orleans. Also, thanks to our sponsors, Wenonah Canoe, Kokatat Watersports Wear, and Red Tail Outfitters. If you have not already done so, please visit our website (www.brothersfortheriver.org) and contribute time and/or money to some of the wonderful environmental organizations that continue to protect our nation's river! Also, feel free to email us. Check back periodically to see what other water adventures we may have planned for this spring.

Last Day: 11/20/06

2006-12-18T13:52:00.000-06:00

After driving through the night (Ben and I got the 11pm to 7am shift!), we found ourselves in the foothills of the Ozarks, in SE Missouri. We would have been further along on our journey home had we not made the decision to take Highway 61 all the way back. Note to anyone still reading this blog: TAKE THE INTERSTATE! Highway 61 is gorgeous in sections, but from Baton Rouge to Davemport, IA it's a long way from the river.

Pulling up to a rural gas station to fill up, we found no gas because the pumps were down, but they did have coon meat! We have no idea if this is a competitive price.

Our traveling companion/heat source, Bella. She behaved extremely well for being the youngest and most energetic of the bunch.

Our canoe, "Minn" rests firmly in place on the last leg of her journey. She got us through so much, yet our adventures with her are only beginning.

Day 73: 11/19/06

2006-12-06T11:36:00.000-06:00

A beignet breakfast on Bourbon. Beignets are a fried French pastry that are usually covered in sugar. What's not to like?

There were all sorts of Katrina-referencing T-shirts available. This is one of the nicer ones.

The second half of the day we spent driving out to Venice, LA which is at the end of the road on the Mississippi's delta. It was already apparent that this section of the river is the most industrial one. Oil refineries and storage facilities were a prominent feature throughout the drive.

Ocean liners frequent the river between Baton Rouge and the mouth. This loaded up vessel has about half of its height below the water's surface. Not only are they humongous, they are quiet and fast. Sounds dangerous.

In the last light of the day, Ben and hop out of the van for a quick pick on the edge of the delta. Funny to think our trip has come down to a roadtrip to the end of the continent, but we're happy with the adventure.

Continuing on in darkness, we reach Venice, LA. The road comes to a T. To the right of the T runs Halliburton Road (no, we're not kidding), where many oil companies have set up shop. To the left of the T is a small settlement where all of the oil company employees live. Somewhere in between, are the helipads that choppers use to go to and from off-shore oil rigs. Wow. What have we done to the river that Native Americans call "The Father of All Waters"? We knew what waited for us at the end of this great river, but it was anti-climactic nonetheless.

Day 72: 11/18/06

2006-12-03T17:21:00.000-06:00

Saturday morning came and our ride arrived. Michelle, Kevin, and Bella (the hound-pup) arrived mini-van style and we gave them a brief tour of the Parish. This picture is from a bridge going over the intercoastal canal, which connects Lake Pantchartrain with the Mississippi. The right shoreline holds a levee that was breached in several places. Surge water topped the levee, eroding the land side of the embankment, and weakenig it.

A shrimping and fishing village that was devastated by the storm. Boats were strewn about everywhere.

The Habitat "Musicians' Village Project" in the Upper Ninth Ward will house returning musicians native to the New Orleans area. Around 50 homes will be completed soon!

Dinner with our friends from the north. Thanks for the ride!

You never know what you're going to find in a New Orleans' back alley. This time we stumbled upon Mardi Gras masks and cross-dressing Ken dolls. I wonder if Barbie knows?

Day 71: 11/17/06

2006-12-01T10:59:00.000-06:00

Our last day in St. Bernard's Parish was spent finishing Mike's house (In which we found 4 air rifles!) and working on a home that was 50% complete.

All of the homes that were flooded in the metro area had to be searched for survivors and victims by rescue workers. To mark a home as searched, authorities would leave an "X" with info in each space. The top is the date of the search, the left is the department that searched the home (in this case "GA", probably for Georgia Firefighters), and the bottom is the number of bodies found.

The water line in this home was 12 feet up, in the attic's rafters. There were three inches of mud in all the rooms of this home that was kept wet by holes in the roof. It took hours to shovel out.

An end of the week photo of our team's survivors. To have so many people from different backgrounds united in one cause was very moving and empowering. The sense of humor that we built as a team in the week helped us undertake what otherwise might have been a somber experience.

Yes, this is a corny shot. We promised some friends we'd pose with our canoes before week's end. Here ya go. Happy now?

We have a group meal at Angeli on Decatur St in the French Quarter. Good times with good peeps.

After eating our fill, we walked toward Bourbon and heard some classic New Orleans Jazz at Preservation Hall, a living museum that we highly recommend! We felt a little bit like the cast of "Lost" walking down the street. So many different people all getting along.

Day 71: 11/16/06

2006-11-29T12:32:00.000-06:00

Today we started back at Frank's house where volunteers on our team take a few final loads of debris out to the gargantuan garbage pile inching toward the street. Frank's son bought all 20 of us poboy sandwiches (subs Nawlin's-style) and Powerade for our help. He was so thankful and it irked us to see him sift through the piles as our bus pulled away. Godspeed Mark!

I wish we would have gotten pictures of a spray painted house up the street that read," Do not feed the cats. I have traps set."

We moved on to 2225 Victor St. On the front lawn of this home sits a FEMA trailer. Inside the trailer lives Mike. Mike has been living in front of his Mom's house since the storm. Mike, his mother, sister, and neighbors were holdouts during the storm. They decided to stick around because they had weathered many hurricanes before. As the water rose, they abandoned this house and broke into the second-floor of a neighbor's home to survive. They waited 8 days to be rescued by boat. Mike explained, "There was no way I was going to take my elderly mother to the Superdome when there were murders and rapes going on. We decided to stay put." The Superdome stories ended up being false, another failure of the media.

Ben found and caught this furry fella. You'll be happy to know that we released him into the wild, probably to run into someone else's home.

As I brought a wheelbarrow-full of drywall out to the garbage mountain, I was surprised to look down and see a doll of Mardi Gras past resting in the insulation and drywall. An ironic image.

Relaxing over a meal back at camp, we noticed a free acupuncture clinic and our team took full advantage (pictured here is Noah). The clinic was provided by Acupuncturists Without Borders for displaced residents and volunteers alike. Did it work? Our friend Johnny from Arkansas summed it up nicely: "It didn't help much, but it didn't hurt nothin' either."

Ben and Charles take Joe out for a drink on Bourbon on his birthday. Jara provided photogenicity and liqueur.

Day 70: 11/15/06

2006-11-28T18:19:00.000-06:00

A torrential rain like nothing we've experienced in MN poured down on our camp in the wee hours of the morning. The sound of rain hitting the tin roof was magnified by the fact that there are no ceiling tiles to buffer the sound. Because of the rain, we weren't gutting houses today. Instead, we lended a hand toward daily tasks at Camp Hope. What we're attempting to build in this pic is a wood-burning turkey oven (not a nuclear bunker). Supposedly it can handle 50 turkeys... Can you tell that we have no idea what the hell we're doing? I haven't heard of any food poisoning over Thanksgiving at Camp Hope, so knock on wood!

We take the afternoon off to travel with new friends to Shell City, a shrimping and fishing village on the edge of the delta. The once-bustling seafood city was leveled by the storm. Many people have begun to rebuild, this time raising their homes on stilts. It's great against floods, but what about wind?

At the end of the road in Shell City is a Hurricane Katrina Memorial. It names roughly 150 people that died in St. Bernard's Parish.

We eat superb pizza with our teammates and friends from Wyoming, Marie and Elise. Thanks for taking us out on the town!

Day 69:11/14/06

2006-11-27T18:51:00.000-06:00

Another day, another house to gut...but not just any house. This is Frank's home. Frank lived here with his wife for some 40 years prior to the hurricane. They raised a family in this home. Frank's health had deteriorated since the storm and he wouldn't be able to move back. His son Mark was on hand to tell us there story and watch us demolish his childhood home. It was almost as gut-wrenching for us to bring one wheelbarrow load after another of belongings onto the front lawn as it must have been for Mark to watch us.

What keeps us going through hour after hour of intense, smelly, physical labor you ask? FEMA water of course! Pallets of the stuff remain at Camp Hope and despite it being both expired and recalled, we guzzle it down with smiling faces. Like fruitcake, a can of FEMA water makes an excellent doorstop.

The "after" shot of Frank's kitchen. We completed most of the work, but there's still an attic to go through and a ceiling to remove. We'll be back tomorrow.

Okay, so we haven't found the hissing variety, but we have found many happy, healthy cockroaches. Anybody seen Joe's Apartment? (The movie, NOT my apartment.)

Frank's next door neighbor doesn't even have the option to rebuild. This "Involuntary Demolition" notice is posted on countless doors all over the parish. Stupid structural soundness!

Day 68: 11/13/06

2006-11-24T22:57:00.001-06:00

Day 1 of our volunteering landed us with a remarkably fun group of volunteers from across North America (Canadians are people too, EH?). Represented on our team (but not all pictured here) are Toronto, Boston, Denver, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit, St. Paul, Duluth, Seattle, Washington D.C., Texas, Los Angeles, Virginia, Arkansas, and New York. Pretty amazing. The majority of these amazing people found it within themselves to come on their own to help out. Our mission today, under the guidance of our fearless leaders, Jim (of Habitat) and Brett (of Americorps) was to finish the partially-gutted Fernandez Nursing Home (no, not THE nursing home) that will be turned into a rehab clinic.

Ben and I were assigned the task of clearing out the home's laundry room, which was untouched since the day of the storm surge. We had to break doors down. Once inside, we discovered linen still in the washers and muddy debris everywhere.

Ben points out the water line in the laundry room at about seven feet. The water likely got higher, but remained at seven feet for the longest, thus the line. Luckily, everyone was able to get out in time.

Joe follows the S.O.P. for "Katrina Refrigerators": duct tape without opening and dispose of carefully. We admit we broke protocol out of curiosity...a sort of Pandora's box. Nothing good inside. (What would Habitat do, fire us?)

On a more somber note, the clock on the wall shows the flood time (11:38) and the calendar shows the flood date (August 2005). A reminder of how quick and terrifying this must have been for millions of people and how much work still needs to be done.

The finished product, nothing left but studs and foundation. We hope rebuilding starts soon. We also hope to return someday.

Day 67: 11/12/06

2006-11-24T22:18:00.000-06:00

Driving from the tourist-trap that is the French Quarter to the war-zone of St. Bernard's Parish is quite dramatic. On our way we passed the famous Upper and Lower 9th Wards, two of the poorest neighborhoods in NO and two of the hardest hit by Katrina. St. Bernard's Parish is home to many tiny suburbs of NO, like Chalmette, St. Bernard's, and Violet. Camp Hope is located at the W. Smith Jr. Elementary School in Violet, LA. It was a once thriving school and you can almost hear the echoes of little feet in the hallway. Like the buildings we would be gutting and clearing of debris in the next week, this school had to be gutted. It's uncertain if kids will ever run these halls again.
On an afternoon walk, we pass by our first debris pile. Garbage is piled up everywhere in the Parish and they've had to open up closed landfills to handle the immense amount of garbage.
The Camp is located no more than a quarter mile from the Mississippi River. The levees here are the most enormous that we've seen. Luckily the river levees held, it was the levees lining the intracoastal canals that were breached.
Our sleeping quarters were shared with 15 other volunteers in what used to be a classroom. You can see that the ceilings and drywall had to be removed. Hard to believe this school was once under eight feet of floodwater. That said, we're happy to not be in our tents from now on. We'll take mice over bears any day.

Day 66:11/11/06

2006-11-16T22:07:00.000-06:00

After driving into the wee hours of the night, we found slumber in a Hammond, LA hotel, just an hour north of the Big Easy. The overcast morning was pushed aside by the excitement and anticipation of New Orleans. We'd finally made it, albeit through a different mode of transport...

Interstate 55 runs south across the western edge of Lake Pontchartrain. The lake was visible along the horizon, but the dominant feature of this stretch of asphalt was the bayou. Black Vultures circled ahead as we drove over what amounts to a really long bridge built out of the water. How many gators did we pass above this day?

After dropping our gear off at Habitat's Camp Hope, we drove back to the French Quarter for an afternoon in downtown. Ben poses in front of Jackson Square, a tribute to General Andrew Jackson (and soon to be President Jackson) for his role in the Battle of New Orleans, which helped end the War of 1812.

The New Orleans waterfront was busy with traffic. In the background, the riverboat "Natchez" passes. Fleeted and moving barges were EVERYWHERE with the fall harvest in full swing. We're happy to be volunteering and not paddling at this point!

Day 65: 11/10/06

2006-11-16T20:41:00.000-06:00

On the road again...We pass through the bootheel of Missouri and move into the flatlands of Arkansas. If Arkansas is pronounced AR-CAN-SAW, shouldn't Kansas be pronounced CAN-SAW? Just wondering your opinion. We debated the issue for 15, maybe 20 seconds.

Since we're such HUGE Elvis fans, we hopped off the interstate and gave the king a quick shoutout. Everybody lip twitch in unison. Thank you very much.

A little further down the road, we hit Winona, Mississippi. Kind of like our hometown of Winona, MN, only without the hotdish and bars don't ya know. Oh geez...

Day 64: 11/9/06

2006-11-13T19:24:00.000-06:00

Driftwood dominated the river on our last day. We felt a bit like Frogger, trying to get to where we needed to go with logs rushing by. Sometimes tree trunks longer than our canoe would shoot past, adding another obstacle to be aware of.

We each strike a pose as the New Madrid levee and landing appear on the horizon. We didn't make it to New Orleans, but we did make it to New Madrid (pronounced MAAAD-rid). Would we be able to find a way to New Orleans eventually? We had faith in our fellow man (and woman).

We step out of our canoe and leave the river behind. It was strange to feel the creaking in our bones while standing and know it would be the last time for a while.

Four of our heroes pose with us in New Madrid. Those pictured are (from left) Curt, Evelynn, Mary, and Bud. The first four people we met in New Madrid took care of all of our problems. Funny how the world works sometimes... Curt and Evelynn were walking around the levee and promised us a ride to Sikeston, MO (where we could rent a car) if we could find a place to store our gear. Bud (an 85 year-old army vet) called the New Madrid towboat captain and asked him if we could store stuff at his house. Bud also gave us a ride to the captain's house. The captain's wife, Mary showed us where to hide our things! Thanks guys!!

On our way to Sikeston, we pass a cotton gin and shipping plant.

The great beard-off is officially over as we decide to clean up a bit for our re-entrance into civilization. Joe is disappointed to find only 15 species of insects in his beard, nowhere near Bob Marley's record of 28. Maybe next time.

You gotta know when to hold'em...

2006-11-11T22:14:00.000-06:00

We have to break some news to ya... The canoeing portion of our trip has come to an end. We have decided to cut our trip short because of rapidly increasing barge traffic, eddy currents, wingdams, and tons of floating debris. The extremely low river levels that have come with this year's drought have actually created whitewater rapids over many of the wingdams. Although we cherish adventure, we cherish life more. A few near-brushes with disaster forced us to make this tough decision.

Although we didn't make it as far as we would have liked, we were able to experience all of the three river sections: the infant Mississippi north of the Twin Cities, the upper Mississippi from the Twin Cities to St. Louis, and the lower Mississippi from St. Louis on. Each has its unique features, but the lower is by far the most treacherous.

As an alternate ending to our adventure, we've decided to go to New Orleans anyway and take on a different challenge. The cleanup and restoration in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are ongoing. Volunteerism in the area has dropped remarkably in the year since the disaster, though a vast amount of work remains. We've decided to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in one of the hardest hit areas of the New Orleans area, St. Bernard's Parish. We will be staying at the volunteer community of Camp Hope in Violet, LA, where 150-200 volunteers stay (in very minimal facilities) every day.

Thanks for following our progress and the blogging will not stop here. See how we got from the middle of nowhere in Missouri to New Orleans!

If you have not done so already, please go to our website and check out the number of great environmental websites protecting the Mighty Mississippi and donate time or money to their efforts. The river thanks you!

Day 63: 11/8/06

2006-11-11T21:33:00.000-06:00

The amount of debris (both natural and unnatural) has increased dramatically since in the days since the Ohio River joined us. We're trying to figure out why this might be...fewer dams holding up debris, larger cities on the Ohio, or lack of river cleanups? Maybe the we need to be brothers of the Ohio too?

Why are we celebrating like the goons that we are? Today, we cruised through Kentucky, conquering our 5th state AND touching Tennessee! Whoop whoop! Elvis here we come.

Ben collects firewood for our nightly sandbar fire. Dude, you forgot your saw.

We keep our legs strong and limber each night by firejumping. Nice distance.

Day 62: 11/7/06

2006-11-11T20:46:00.000-06:00

Here we show off our organized campsite and Joe peaks out of his home like a prairie dog. We were delayed by fog this morning, but once the sun was up it burned off and a-paddling we went.
Ben looks on from his tent as Joe prepares a mighty breakfast once again, that will surely get us going. Breakfast in tent, is a rare but welcome occasion for Ben.

We bathe in the sun, as we make our way south towards it. We at least think we feel it getting warmer as we migrate.

Day 61: 11/6/06

2006-11-11T08:27:00.000-06:00

A thick blanket of fog cover the Brothers' campsite this morning. Barge traffic is heavy, just south of Cairo, IL where the Ohio and Mississippi meet. We opted to wait out the fog this morning. While waiting, we heard reports on the radio that the night before, 20 miles upriver on the Ohio, a tow ran into a bridge, losing some of its barges in the process. Even more reason to stay put. No sightings of the wild barges to date...
After the fog burns off, we made our way through a narrow river chute where there were 16 tows within one mile. We used our marine radio A LOT! I think they were more shocked to see us than us them.

Day 60: 11/5/06

2006-11-11T07:25:00.000-06:00

This morning, we woke up on a vast, rocky island with lots of topography. I felt a bit like the first human on mars...only I could breathe.

The river has gotten a little wingdam crazy since leaving St. Louis. They have become very unpredictable, some rising out of the water, some just under, and many with whitewater. We've taken to yelling "Winger!" (no, not your favorite 80s rocks band) as soon as they appear on the horizon.

Today, we reached the southern tip of Illinois, reaching another milestone, Mile Marker "0" of the Upper Mississippi. In our minds, the Upper Miss stopped a few days ago, north of St. Louis. The current has gotten 2-3 miles an hour swifter, and the barge traffic has gotten much heavier. Also, we've gotten a little bit more looney. A triple 0 of celebration from Ben!

Day 59: 11/4/06

2006-11-05T01:09:00.000-06:00

A lone coyote prowls the farmland bordering the river. We've heard them almost every night, but they're rather shy when the sun is out.

Now we not only have to worry about Poison Ivy, but Poison Oak as well. Luckily, they look very similar, so we shouldn't have too much trouble.

Our kind of radio station! Not only is it named "The River", they play "whatever". What?

Day 58: 11/3/06

2006-11-05T00:56:00.000-06:00

Ben and Joe woke up to a hard freeze. Ben holds up a canoe-cicle. Not very tasty.

We came across a mini-Devil's Tower, called Tower Rock near Grand Tower, IL. Although it almost looked volcanic, this unique feature was carved by the Mississippi.

Day 57: 11/2/06

2006-11-05T00:47:00.000-06:00

The section of the river between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau was fairly industrial. We were told to watch out for a number of cement plants (pronounced SEE-ment) along the water's edge.

Not only is there industry along the water, Ben and I were thrilled to find this Illinois State Penitentiary. We decided to paddle on.

Day 56: 11/1/06

2006-11-02T19:50:00.000-06:00

Our friends and hosts, Kay and Bill of Brentwood, MO see us back to the river. Thanks so much for your hospitality, knowledge of the city, and great conversation! We'll be back for sure!
Joe enjoys a brownie sent with us from our hosts. Treats like this are usually rationed.
The first black bear of our trip munches on a fish near our campsite...I mean at the St. Louis Zoo. This was another free attraction in St. Louis' Forest Park that we couldn't pass up. So much to do, yet so much more to canoe.

Rest Day: 10/31/06

2006-11-02T18:45:00.000-06:00

While Ben gets targeted (accurately) by pesky pigeons above, Joe tries to decide how to spend the next 24hrs in the great city of St. Louis.

Kay, our gracious host, entrusted us with her car for the day to tour as much of the city as we could pack in. It's a scary experience to go from 5mph on the river to 60mph on the city interstate, but we handled it well after the initial shock. Thanks Kay!

The first stop was the (free!) St. Louis Science Center which had great displays of natural history as well as an excellent IMAX film selection. The Mississippian Period was dominated by diverse sealife in a vast ocean that covered the region.

Our next stop on the whirlwind tour was the Anheiser-Busch Plant. Mark the Clydesdale takes a break from his strenuous day of eating hay and sitting in a warm stable to eat hay and sit in a warm stable. Go Mark!

Day 55: 10/30/06

2006-11-01T00:23:00.000-06:00

Before entering the city of St. Louis, we had to pass through the Chain of Rocks Canal which safely ferries all river traffic around a low-head dam which spans the river after its confluence with the Missouri. The current picked up noticeably after that point.

At the end of the shipping canal stood the final lock of our trip, #27. Have we really gone through THAT many? It's beginning to all seem like a blur.

Greeting us on the St. Louis riverfront were two actual adventurers. Lewis and Clark returned from a successful survey of the west exactly 200 years ago. Don't they know it's easier to go downriver than up?

A couple different views of the arch. We were thankful to make it to St. Louis when we did. The winds picked up to 35mph that afternoon. We could feel the arch swaying in the wind. It wasn't as scary as paddling through St.Louis' barge-packed waterfront.

Day 54: 10/29/06

2006-11-01T00:10:00.000-06:00

Joe composed this tribute to the dreaded "Vanilla Crisp" PowerBar. It's not our favorite...

PowerBars sustain us on this river trip.
But there is one flavor that forces us to flip.

Peanut butter and chocolate are palatable at best,
But Vanilla Crisp is the subject of this jest.

From your crunchy, rice-filled paste,
to your artificial taste,

We won't miss you one small bit
At the end of this river trip.

We wanted to show you the beautiful bluffs between Grafton and Alton, IL. Yes, we are following the colors south, and no, it has not been warm.

Ben is a blur, setting up camp on top of a massive wing dam on the eve of our entrance into St. Louis. The suspense is killing us! (Actually, the suspense has nothing to do with it. We're hungry for real food and a warm bed!)

Day 53: 10/28/06

2006-10-31T23:57:00.000-06:00

This odd-shaped river craft is a ferry. Many smaller towns are not connected to the other side of the river by bridge. The old-school ferry works swell!

For the first time, we shared a lock with a tow. This 1X2 barge was carrying concrete. It's nowhere near the size of the 6X10 behemoths we'll be seeing after St. Louis.

Day 52: 10/27/06

2006-10-31T23:53:00.000-06:00

This barge struggled to make it upriver, as we struggled to make it down. The wind was just too strong, and the rain was on and off all day. The weather kept us at Red Landing south of Hamburg, IL for a couple nights. We caught up on journals, read novels, and sudokued until the sun came out. We were also entertained by the Cardinals big win on the radio.

Day 51 :10/26/06

2006-10-31T22:30:00.000-06:00

Here we float along with debris from a dredging project going on up river. Amongst the debris included foam, chewed up wood, and other organic matter.

In Clarksville, MO a gentleman came out and warned us of the Mississippi Queen being enroute. We were quite impressed by it, but unfortunately we were unable to hear the worlds largest calliope which is housed within.

Day 50: 10/25/06

2006-10-31T11:26:00.000-06:00

Louisiana? That was quick! Awe dang it's only Louisiana, MO.

While passing Louisiana, MO Joe and Ben cross the 1,000 mile mark. Joe celebrates by screaming like he did when we saw our first flying Asian carp later in the day. Unfortunately, we don't have a picture of that!

Ben shows his excitement by signing the milestone...can you call that signing?

Day 49: 10/24/06

2006-10-31T10:45:00.000-06:00

Ben is shocked when he sees the Reggie G., a tow boat that we have heard stories about. One of them involved the Reggie G. running into the lock gates twice of lock 17. It is an abnormal tow having around 7,000 horsepower and two propellers, which spin in the same direction. These two factors somehow make it a very difficult tow to maneuver.

Hannibal a statue of young Mark Twain piloting a paddle boat looks over the river. He was a pilot in this area for five years before turning to literature.

While safe on a Army Corps sandbar we watched the Reggie G. pass us in the middle of the night. The spot light on these tows are so bright that they've woken us on numerous occasions, having us think that our time on this earth is up.

Day 48: 10/23/06

2006-10-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

Ben tricked Joe into thinking that white-washing this picket fence in downtown Hannibal was fun. Joe doesn't read signs very well.

Hannibal, MO was a natural stop for us on the way to the gulf. Mark Twain was born here and piloted a paddleboat on the river for 5 years. His stories chronicle life on the Mississippi and serve as inspiration to river rats everywhere. We are no exception.

Hannibal, although touristy, has a certain hometown feel about it. We'll definitely be back. Thank you Mr. Clemens!

Our favorite Mark Twain quote: "Don't let schooling interfere with your education."

Day 47: 10/22/06

2006-10-23T15:24:00.000-05:00

Today we left the hospitality of Quincy, IL behind us. We found many kind people in this river town, including the volunteers at the Boat Club and the skipper of a docked yacht from Stillwater, MN. Thanks for your help and encouragement, we won't forget ya!

Most of the cabins and homes on this section of the Mississippi inside of the levees are built on stilts. Hopefully, despite the fuzzy pic, you can make out that this cabin is a converted, caboose train car.

Day 46: 10/21/06

2006-10-23T15:07:00.000-05:00

This tiny turtle nest graced the shore of our campsite. This nest was likely discovered by a prowling predator, because the eggshells are visible. When the baby turtles crawl from their birthplace, the sand is usually minimally disturbed. Let's look at the brightside though, at least a raccoon or coyote was able to feed the family!
We have seen a lot of ridiculous, illegally-dumped garbage on the river but this one takes the cake. We have this qestion for you, Columbus Road Baptist Church, Quincy, Illinois: WWJPHB? (Where Would Jesus Park His Bus?) Probably not on the banks of the Mississippi! For shame!

Day 45: 10/20/06

2006-10-23T14:44:00.000-05:00

Last night, after leaving Nauvoo, we had very little daylight to find a campsite. Usually near the end of pools in the Mississippi, there are no islands and Pool 19 was no exception. We ended up camping on a tiny peninsula sandwiched between the river and the BN-SF railroad tracks. It was okay though, because this peninsula had a fridge. Anything good in there Ben?

The great migration south continues! We wonder if some of these pelicans were with us when we crossed Lake Winnibigoshish nearly two months ago. This was another reminder of how important the river is as a flyway. We're glad we don't have to do this migration every year. Once in a lifetime is good enough.

Day 44: 10/19/06

2006-10-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

We have become good at using what we have to stay as warm as possible. The wind being from left to right is diverted over the canoe, glances off the top of Ben's tent, and lastly glances off Joe's tent, leaving Ben warm at the end.

We awe at the city of Nauvoo, IL and it's gigantic Mormon temple. In this city 70,000 Mormons gathered with Brigham Young and started their journey to Utah. Supposedly plans on an arch over the river are being discussed to represent the point at which they crossed the Mississippi. Holy Cow!
As we entered Fort Madison, IA we were impressed by a double-decker bridge with a road on the top and railroad on the bottom, still with one section that is able to be raised allowing barges to pass underneath.

Day 43: 10/18/06

2006-10-23T12:51:00.000-05:00

This type of weather looks nice, but even though it's sunny and calm, it's not necessarily warm. Days like this tend to be colder and cloudy, rainy days are warmer. Either way we paddle onward.

Ben shows his approval of the fine weather and his fancy new slicks purchased in Burlington, Iowa. These fine outfits make us even more visible to river boat traffic, which is always a good thing.

Joe enjoys some delicious chocolate milk and a Caesar salad while loitering outside a grocery store in the small town of Oquawka, Illinois. We walked over a mile and a half from our campsite in order to experience this town and the fine dining within.

Day 42: 10/17/06

2006-10-18T16:03:00.000-05:00

Bill and Sue from Lake City, MN caught up with us while we were held up at Lock and Dam #17, where we were held up by a coal-bearing tow. They invited us on board "Sweet Caroline" and provided us with hot oatmeal (complete w/blueberries) and coffee. They were on their way to Florida via the Mississippi and “Ten-Tomm” Waterways. Odds are they’ll beat us to the warm weather. Thanks for your company and kindness!

Ben and Joe display their own techniques of tent-drying after a rainy night in Illinois. Ben’s worked better, but Joe gets style points.

Day 41: 10/16/06

2006-10-18T15:43:00.000-05:00

This section of the river was highlighted by scattered gigantic trees, mostly Cottonwoods and River Maples. This particular tree dwarfs Ben. It probably was around to see Mark Twain float by on a paddlewheel.

Ben and Joe spotted a contraption on the horizon that was neither barge nor pleasure-craft. Upon binocularization, it was a crazy, cobble-jobbed raft! The five brave souls on deck were the remnants of the Miss Rockaway Armada (known as the "Door Raft"), which started in Minneapolis-St. Paul in mid-August. They are traveling artists that are hoping to make it to St. Louis in true Huck-Finn-style before the cold hits. Check out the blog of our fellow river-travelers. Good luck guys and we hope to run into you again!

Joe is bummed (but not too bummed) when the Canadian Goose he proudly caught turns out to be a decoy. Duck and goose decoys littered the water near our campsite aptly named ÂBogus IslandÂ.

Day 40: 10/15/06

2006-10-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

Over the past couple of days, we were finally able to escape the whirlwinds that have engulfed the Quad Cities and us. While in Davenport, we had a bite to eat with the lovely servers of the Front Street Brewery. It was excellent!

Passing through Davenport and Rock Island, we passed one of the barges operated by Living Lands and Waters, a fantastic group that has focused their efforts on cleaning up the Mississippi and other watersheds by doing huge trash cleanups. In their last “XStream Cleanup" of the Quad Citie area, they removed hundreds of old tires, 50 pieces of furniture and dozens of appliances illegally dumped in the river. Learn about this and other projects by visiting (and donating) their website. They run cleanup and educational oportunities across the midwest!

This was our first bird’s eye view of a passing barge. At the Mississippi River Visitor Center, we learned that most barges passing upstream carry coal, salt, and oil, while downstream barges carry primarily grain for shipment overseas.

On one of the bridge pylons in Davenport, was a high-water mark from the flood of 1993. This interstate bridge was spared, but much of the south was hit hard.

10/11/06-10/14/06

2006-10-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

Joe shows off some amazing flora near the city of Hampton Illinois. Not only is it poison ivy, but it is a mega-flora version of P.I. It winds up this tree to nearly half of the tree's total height. Poison Oak is the next greenery that we will have to look out for as we meander further south.

Here Ben and Joe wander down some lonely railroad tracks towards Fisherman's Corner Campground, as they return from the local Porter's convenience store.

We were held up at Fisherman's Corner Campground for a few nights, as winter caught up with us for a while. We experienced 40mph wind gusts, temps in the upper 20s, and small amounts of sleet/snow, all of these conditions not being very keen for canoe travel.

The wonderful Smith family (Our Motorhome Neighbors) was extremely helpful to us while we hunkered down for the cold weather. Bob was kind enough to chauffeur us to East Moline where we got our computer fixed, allowing us to keep the blog going strong. Thank you folks for all you did for us :)

Day 38: 10/10/06

2006-10-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

Today we passsed through Clinton, IA, but didn't have time to go to the showboat. Sorry Dan!

We've had to deal with wake from all sorts of vessels on our trip, but this one produced absolutely none. If only there were just canoes, kayaks, and hovercrafts...

Joe's head had a fight with a poison ivy vine while setting up camp. Joe lost. His punishment is to get rid of the ivy's oil by washing his hair with soap and water. Too bad the only water around is the Mississippi. Joe is sad, but covers it up well. Nice tan man!

Day 37: 10/9/06

2006-10-10T19:25:00.000-05:00

After a long weekend break, we're back on the water!
Pool 13, just north of Clinton, IA. The river is 3.5 miles across at this point, the widest point in the Mississippi! We battled a hard cross wind and were unable to progress toward the Lock and Dam holding back this mass of water. Insstead of locking through, we opted for portaging around the near side of the dam.

This is a boat ramp coming down to the water's edge. You can see a large swinging gate that can be closed to seal off the levee. You only find structures like this as you move south down the river, where flooding becomes a greater concern.

Day 36:10/5/06

2006-10-08T23:37:00.001-05:00

This morning in Savannah, IL, we met with Bill Scott, the Vice President of the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges. This non-profit has been instrumental in conserving the natural and cultural resources of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge and the Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge. Please visit the Brothers for the River homepage to donate and/or volunteer for this group!
We caught a huge crayfish in Pool 13 of the river. Ben wanted to eat it, but those little beady eyes stopped him just short.
We ended our day just north of Clinton, IA and are taking a few days off from the river. But on our way back north to MN, we swung through Dubuque for a couple of hours at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. The exhibits were stunning and hit home for us as we experience this river firsthand. Check it out for yourselves sometime.

Day 35: 10/4/06

2006-10-08T23:22:00.000-05:00

We awoke this drizzly morn at Bellevue State Park, overlooking the Mississippi Valley. It also overlooks a cornfield. Only in Iowa.
For the next two days our father and a family friend, Nick, joined us on the river. The company is welcomed and they don't even slow us down. Much.
We happened upon an island crawling with tree frogs. This little fella was only an inch long and clung to our canoe like glue. Tasty too. ;)

Day 34: 10/3/06

2006-10-08T23:07:00.000-05:00

Leaving Dubuque, we noticed that painted alongside most of the storm drains in downtown, were stencils saying where the sewer drains to...in this case the Mississippi and the Gulf. Hoo-ray stencils! Hoo-ray Dubuque!
Ben tries his hand at snake charming. Somebody's got to take over where The Crocodile Hunter left off. This was the second Garder Snake that we intercepted swimming across the channel. We think he was eager to take a break on some solid ground. We weren't going to deny him a breather.

"I HAVE CREATED FIRE!" Ben celebrates successful combustion with a 4-armed wave in front of the fire, on top of a sand dune.

Day 33: 10/2/06

2006-10-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

Among the many people we've met thus far, one of the most colorful was Mark, a fellow who bought this sailboat on Ebay and is "sailing" it from St. Paul to St. Louis. He told us he had only been able to actually sail a couple of days and has been relying primarily on a tiny motor. We've crossed paths with Mark a couple of times and hopefully we'll run into him again down the river. It's nice to know we're not the only crazies on the Mississippi.

Since we usually don't have time to rest and charge our electronic equipment along the way, we use a small, flexible "Solar Roll". It has enough solar panels to charge a cell phone in a couple of hours and a laptop in a day.

Arriving in Dubuque, we were pleased to meet with Madelin, a reporter for a local newspaper and Tom, the owner of the most authentic Irish Pub we've been to in the states, "The Busted Lift". Dubuque has very lively downtown and levee neighborhoods along with a rich history that make it a great weekend destination.

Day 32: 10/1/06

2006-10-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

This morning, loud booms echoed through the river valley. We thought that Iowa had finally declared war on Wisconsin, but we later learn it's just the beginning of duck hunting season. Perfect timing, we thought we might miss it. Hunting is allowed in sections of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which will be our home for the next few weeks, while we wind our way to St. Louis.

Our new shelving system helps us store gear while camping in the wild.

Pushing through morning fog, we hug the western shore, choosing wingdams and shotgun fire over potential collisions with passing river traffic.

Tonight Joe and Ben camp near (and play on)
huge river buoys which line the main channel.

Day 31: 9/30/06

2006-10-03T00:32:00.000-05:00

This is one of the those days that makes you feel justified in calling this trip an adventure. Last night, we paddled until dusk and had to scramble to find a campsite before it was too dark. Unfortunately, near Lynxville, WI there are few islands to choose from. We settled on a low, flat island. This island happened to be covered in poison ivy. At least we are seasoned veterans in identifying poison ivy. We were very careful in setting up camp.
This morning, we awoke to a flock of roosting cormorants in the trees overhead. It was also now that we realized that the light rain we heard the night before was actually cormorant poop hitting our tent. Lest I remind you that cormorants eat a diet solely of fish. Awesome. This pic shows the poo-covered fly with poison ivy fields in the background.
As if poisonous plants and copious amounts of animal poop isn't enough at this island, there are ridiculously huge spiders. This hunk of worthless land will now be known as Hell Island.
Our luck couldn't possible continue to be this bad, so upon arriving in Marquette, IA, we decide to make a stop at the Isle of Capri Riverboat Casino. First thing's first, we eat at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
Here we rest and digest with our friendly server, Shantel.
We go to the casino, fully prepared to lose $20 each playing blackjack. After 15 minutes, Ben has won $40 and Joe has won $70. We quit and decide to pose with the casino's pink elephant (???) Do you know how much jerky you can buy with $110?!

Day 30: 9/29/06

2006-10-03T00:27:00.000-05:00

After leaving our sandbar island this morning, we ran into three fellows from Madison and Chicago enjoying an annual river trip. They were very enthusiastic about our trip and photos were taken by both sides. One of the best things about a trip like this is meeting people along the way...even if those people are Chicago Bears fans.
Shortly after making new friends, we happened upon this sign. We have officially put all of MN into the books. Bring on Iowa! Flat Stanley and Madison were excited to be part of this border crossing. Along with a change in bordering states came a change in river features.
Large sloughs and backwater areas away from the main channel became a prominent feature of the river in northeast Iowa. Large areas of water lilies could be seen everywhere.
Doesn't this picture make you want to go immediately to the nearest grocery store and by turkey jerky? ;)

Day 29: 9/28/06

2006-10-02T23:22:00.000-05:00

Ben packs up camp in the background as someone else's trash litters the sandbar. We do our best to do minimal impact camping and have left our campsites as clean or cleaner than when we found them. This campsite was too much of a mess for us to clean up. Leave No Trace is an organization that specializes in minimal impact practices and education.
This morning, leaving LaCrosse, we passed a bunch of boathouses lining the shore. These floating homes dot the river in MN, WI, and IA.
We stop for a break on "Treasure Island". This campsite had a paddle with a skull and crossbones and a still-smoldering fire...YAAAARRRRRR!
Later in the afternoon, Ben and Joe pass a series of exposed wingdams near the main channel of the Mississippi. Wingdams are (usually) submerged lines of rock used to change the flow of the river to provide a 9-foot deep navigation channel. We also see large flocks of pelicans, gulls, double-crested cormorants, and geese in this pool. We later learn that this pool, behind Lock and Dam 8, was drawn down 1.5 feet in an attempt to increase natural vegetation and with it, waterfowl use. We'd say it's working!

Day 28: 9/27/06

2006-10-01T16:24:00.000-05:00

As we departed, our mother's 4th graders came down to the Winona levee to see us off and get a 101 in canoeing the Mississippi River. Thanks for your support and interest in our adventure.

Here we pass by Trempealeau Mountain in Perrot State Park in Wisconsin. This mountain is an island in the Mississippi, which was and is a significant holy place for Native Americans.

As we made it to LaCrosse Wisconsin we met up with a few friends. Thanks Ian and Alia for letting us play dress up in your coffee shop. Also thanks to Gabe for surprising us on our island campsite and joining us for a lovely dinner of Mac-n-Cheese-n-Chili.

Day 27: 9/26/06

2006-09-27T08:53:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday there was a feature article on our trip and our cause in the Rochester Post-Bulletin. Also, Wednesday's Winona Daily News had an article on us. Make sure to check out the articles (We don't yet have links to them) and our trip homepage for information about our cause. The hompage can be found at www.brothersfortheriver.org Thanks for your interest! More updates to come soon!

Day 26: 9/25/06

2006-09-27T00:22:00.000-05:00

Our father enjoyed a helf-day paddle with us where we left off in Wabasha, MN. His Current Designs Pachina kayak was fast! We paddled through Alma, where a dam and power plant are located. This is the first part of the trip where we noticed a slight color change in the trees covering the hillsides. This is one nice thing about being behind schedule!
We met up with a former coworker of Ben's in Minneiska, who resupplied us on the riverside. Thanks Kenny!

Rest Weekend: 9/21-9/24/06

2006-09-26T23:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we arrived at Slippery's Restaraunt in Wabasha, MN for pickup by our support crew. Wabasha and Slippery's pride themselves in appearing in the Grumpy Old Men movies. What they SHOULD pride themselves in having is being the home to the National Eagle Center, which will soon have a brand new facility.

Our extended weekend allowed Ben to make it to a wedding (not his) in Duluth (pic), while Joe hung with friends and cousins (pic) in Winona. In addition to resting, we each made aconcerted effort to gain back the 5-10 punds we each had lost. Success is sweet.

Day 25: 9/20/06

2006-09-24T11:16:00.000-05:00

At Hok-Si-La Municipal Park north of Lake City, we enjoyed a good night sleep. We slept well not because we battled waves on Pepin the day before, but because we were HIBERNATING! The temps got again in the mid-30s, and there was frost 10 miles north of us. Hok-Si-La is a perfect stop for paddlers and cyclists along the Mississippi. It offers a friendly and knowledgeable staff, hot showers, beach, campground, breathtaking views of the river. Apparently, it is also perfect for watching the fall migration as we were swarmed while departing by a flock of 400-500 pelicans! It has become blatantly obvious to us over the course of the last few weeks how important of a flyway this is for waterfowl. Approximately 40% of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds use the Mississippi Valley as their road to and from their winter homes. If you haven't already, please read about (and donate to!) the Audubon Society's Mississippi River-Headwater's to Gulf Campaign. They have clear goals and a feasible plan to achieve them. Let's make sure the river is a success story for not just the human species!

Joe looks bewildered as he takes in the mammoth pool that is Lake Pepin. And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.

Day 24: 9/19/06

2006-09-21T19:25:00.000-05:00

Near Trenton, WI a dredging barge passes us going upriver. Barges like this one pump sediment off the river bottom to maintain the 9-foot channel that commercial boats use. This changes the makeup of the natural river bottom, but we do enjoy the benefits of camping on islands made of dredged sand.

Joe and Ben take a break in Red Wing, MN. This river town is known for its pottery industry and historic downtown next to the river. At far left in this pic, you can see Barn Bluff, a conspicuous cliff on the Red Wing horizon. Both we and Henry David Thoreau have climbed it as a tourists and it offers a spectacular view of the river valley below. After listening to today’s weather report, we knew that we’d have a favorable wind as we approached Lake Pepin, so we decided to keep Joe’s tent fly handy. Ben sets up the fly as a makeshift sail prior to entering Pepin. He actually had to lean back to counterbalance the 20-30mph wind out of the northwest. We clocked ourselves moving between 8-9mph…Okay, so maybe that doesn’t seem very fast, but for a couple of guys traveling at 4-5mph the last three weeks, we felt like NASCAR drivers. (Sailing was much more fun than we imagine NASCAR driving to be.)

Day 23: 9/18/06

2006-09-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

We were so happy to paddle around the corner of an island between St. Paul and Hastings and find the S.S. Minnow. Unfortunately, Gilligan and the Skipper were nowhere to be found. A number of "shipwrecks" like this one littered the riverbank just south of St. Paul. Tis a shame.
Passing through Hastings, MN we encountered rain, but it had mostly cleared up by the time we had reached Prescott, WI, home of a fellow Mississippi River traveler. Directly upriver from Prescott, the St. Croix River enters the Mississippi. We witnessed an interesting sight at the confluence. A "seam" forms between the rivers, with a very noticeable difference in water color. Hopefully in the picture you can distinguish the dark, clear water of the St. Croix from the murky, light brown of the Mississippi. The color difference is due to where the respective rivers originate. The Mississippi/Minnesota river system flows through many urban and agricultural areas (with lots of sediment runoff) while the St. Croix comes from the northern forests (with relatively little runoff). Another stark reminder of what we've done to the river and how we can improve our ways! Friends Nelson and Tracy visited us at our campsite and drove us out to get a warm meal. We camped this night on the shore between the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant and Treasure Island Casino. Who could ask for anything more?

Day 22: 9/17/06

2006-09-20T21:02:00.000-05:00

,

Our Saturday of rest became a memory on Sunday morning. We had to shake off the dust and get those joints moving again. However, before we set sail from the U of MN's Coffman Union for St. Paul and beyond, we need to give props to our Tia Luisa, Uncle Tom, and Cuz' Kathryn for picking us up at the river's edge, opening their home to us, feeding us way too well, and of course being tons of fun. It was a restful and enjoyable weekend! Thanks so much for the recharge!
Urban sights spotted the shoreline through Minneapolis and St. Paul. Here another storm sewer network drains to the Mississippi. In the Twin Cities, volunteers with Friends of the Mississippi River have done a great job of stenciling sewer drains with the river or stream that the sewer drains to. Find out how you can do this in your neighborhood!
A medium-size paddle boat passes us on our way past Fort Snelling State Park. Minneapolis and St. Paul have done a great job of maintaining a fairly natural shoreline for such a populated area. Bike and walking trails line each bank. We just came across a plan to make a network of trails and roads for bicycle traffic along the entire Mississippi River. The project is called the Mississippi River Trail. Maybe that will be our next adventure, if we know how to use our legs when we're done with this one...

Day 21: 9/16/06

2006-09-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

Finally, a full rest day. Our excuse? There is no way we could have passed through the Twin Cities without taking time out to hang out with family and friends. They NEVER would have forgiven us. (Really, our bodies NEEDED a break)Our parents made the trip from Winona to the Twin Cities, so we were able to celebrate their birthdays with them.

We also took this opportunity to check in on the beard-growing competition. Joe thought he had won, but then our dad was a late entry. Ben won the best Magnum P.I. mustache-growing competition.
Although zonked from 500-plus miles paddled, we enjoy a few adult beverages on a patio with friends and family. We quickly find out that although our muscles have gotten bigger, our tolerance of alcohol has not. One pint of beer makes us sleepy.

Day 20: 9/15/06

2006-09-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

Today, Minneapolis rose on the horizon. We are definitely feeling sweet/sour about leaving the infant Mississippi and entering the "Old Man River" Mississippi. There won't be nearly as diverse wildlife from here on, though we'll leave those pesky rapids behind too.

No, this isn't a crafty plug for any particular product...Ben is simply ecstatic to reenter civilization...and possibly enjoy a cold pint of a particular product.

Joe might be a little too excited to enter the first lock of the trip, just above Upper St. Anthony Falls. Before entering the lock, you pull a cord that signals your arrival to the lockmaster. They were very friendly at this lock and we only had to wait 15 minutes for the chamber to be filled. This lock has the biggest drop (49 feet!) of any lock and dam on the river. We were shocked to learn that it alone accounts for 10% of the elevation change between the Twin Cities and St. Louis!

After being lowered to the level of the river below the lock and dam, the gates open and we are free to go. We were surprised to find complete strangers standing on the Stone Arch Bridge taking pictures and cheering on the lone craft in the lock. How many of YOUR tax dollars were spent simply allowing our 18 foot canoe to pass?

Joe's mad scientist friends from the U of MN's CIDMTR lower down a care package from the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. The package made it into the boat using the paddle-reach method. Thanks for the support you guys! Excellent choice in treats Sunny! Thanks a ton!

Day 19: 9/14/06

2006-09-16T16:34:00.000-05:00

At the Dimmick Island campsite, Ben found a baby Softshell Turtle swimming near the canoe. We saw many of these on rocks right after the Champion Dam north of St. Cloud. They can grow to over a foot in diameter.

A large amount of sediment is added to the river through storm sewers. Here you can see the build up of sediment after the drain. What we put on our lawns and drains goes to the river!

Ben's buddy Chae came to get us and give us shelter for the evening. Chae has been on many canoe journeys with us to the Boundary Waters and wishes he could tag along. Thanks for the support bro!

Day 18: 9/13/06

2006-09-16T13:18:00.000-05:00

At the same Clearwater landing that we were picked up from the night before, we prepare ourselves for departure. There is no river skipping on this journey.

Here we passed the Monticello nuclear power plant. The cooling towers are behind Joe and the water used to do the cooling runs off back into the river on the left side of the pic. Thermal pollution is a term given to this event, since the water from the plant tends to be fairly warmer than the natural river water.

A daring Garter Snake crossed our bow as we were traveling on a rather calm section of the river. It was only about ten inches long, so we both thought some large fish would come along and gobble him up, but he made it to the other side without any trouble.

Day 17: 9/12/06

2006-09-16T09:46:00.000-05:00

Today was our most difficult day on the river so far. We fought with rapids, wind, and two lengthy portages. In Sauk Rapids we were greeted with some class III rapids. We've found that although nerve-wracking, rapids are a blast!

Although the rapids are a blast for us our canoe disagrees as you can tell. Being a drought year it makes it even harder for us to avoid getting hung up on rocks and riffles. We have had to get out and drag our canoe numerous times starting just south of Bemidji all the way to the outer suburbs of the Twin Cities. We shouldn't have any problems once larger tributaries like the Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers join the Mississippi.
We reached Clearwater, MN that afternoon greeted by our loving Aunt Joan and Uncle Randy. They took us away and spoiled us with meals, showers, and beds.

Day 16: 9/11/06

2006-09-13T08:52:00.000-05:00

Today, we travelled past Little Falls to Charles A. Lindbergh State Park.

On our trip, we wear only the newest in sports apparell. At left, Ben and Joe model the new "Mud Jordan's" by Nike. They offer a cushioned fit because of a layer of mud between the sole and the ground. They're Real Cheap.

This night, we faced a light drizzle and so we decided to take shelter under a nearby bridge. Ben cooks up dinner hobo-style with the bridge overhead. It's a wonder how good instant mashed potatoes taste when you've paddled all day and are freezing cold.

Day 15: 9/10/06

2006-09-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

Signs, signs, everwhere signs. Today we went by a dam and found this sign scary and amusing...but mostly amusing. Apparently if you fall into the water below a dam, not only do you stay underwater, you do cartwheels WHILE underwater. I doubt I could do a cartwheel, even with the help of an undercurrent.

We decided to heed the warning anyway and stay in our canoes at all times.

Our travels today took us through the Camp Ripley Military Reservation. We heard loud booms the night before while camping at Crow Wing State Park. Nothing like a little high-power explosive to break the still of an evening in the wilderness.

Day14: 9/9/06

2006-09-13T08:32:00.000-05:00

Our savior Rachael picks us up and whisks us away to our "campsite". Our "campsite" has Wi-Fi and a hot shower. We didn't have enough time to visit Brainerd's Paul Bunyanland Amusement Park, so we settled for photos at Paul Bunyan Bowl. Yes, Babe is chewing on bowling pins.

Cousins in Brainerd meet us on the banks of the river with words of encouragement and a care package. Thanks Amy and Patrick!

Day 13: 9/8/06

2006-09-12T23:24:00.000-05:00

We woke up this morning with the temp outside down to the upper 30s. Ben becomes sleeping bag-mummified overnight.

At this rate, we'll be waking up with frost covering our tents instead of dew. We decide we must paddle faster.

Coming around a bend in the river leading up to Brainerd, MN we discovered a new species of wild feline. We're tentatively calling it the "Prairie Lion", but we're waiting for a field biologist to confirm our discovery.

Day 12: 9/7/06

2006-09-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

This morning we awoke early for another long day. Before taking off, we thought we'd take a couple pictures with our favorite flat travelling companions who were a gift from our mother's 4th grade class. Flat Stanley (top) has been hiding out in Joe's luggage while Flat Madison (middle) has been a stowaway with Ben. They definitely look a little more awake than Ben and I do.

Before we left our campsite, our new friend, Charlie snuck over to our campsite with batter-fried Northern Pike that he had kept in his cooler for us overnight. At bottom, Joe enjoys some of the fish during a morning snack break. It's funny what tastes good when you're exhausted. Protein....mmm...mmm

Day 11: 9/6/06

2006-09-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

We paddled our little hearts out today, covering 31 miles in the hot sun. This section of river, between Palisade and Aitkin, MN is characterized by high, sandy banks, pastureland, and lots of wildlife. On top, a Leopard Frog basks in the morning sun.

We've been seeing tons of bald eagles, osprey, kingfishers, and wading birds. These shorebirds (Dad a little help?) weren't shy, dancing around as we floated by.

Not only did animals frequent the river's banks, trash found its way there as well. We've seen old pontoon boats, junker cars, and just about anything else you can imagine. This far north and people already littering?! Whatsupwiththat?!

At the campground in Aitkin, we were helped out of the water by Charlie and Pete, a couple guys from Clinton, IA who were up fishing for a while. We were surprised and humbled to hear that Charlie had taken the same river trip we were on. Twice. He had canoed it once and kayaked it a few years later. He kept us up later than normal with stories of his adventure. Maybe we'd run into him again in Iowa. Lots of friendly souls so far on this trip...

Day 10: 9/5/06

2006-09-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

Today we paddled 27 miles from near Jacobsen to Palisade, MN. Palisade is a tiny river town with one major road running through it. On that major road, semis and school buses ran constantly ALL MORNING. This wasn't appreciated because we had coyotes yipping at us ALL NIGHT.

On top, a railroad bridge turned bike path running over the Mississippi near our campsite.

Below, Ben prepares one of our favorite meals, one box of mac and cheese and one can of chili. It makes one of the midwest's staple foods...HOTDISH!

Day 9: 9/4/06

2006-09-04T19:34:00.000-05:00

Day 9 greeted us with some 50 degree temps, which had us grabbing our stocking hats. There was also some low fog on the water, which we parted as we left Ms. Keto Campsite to meet with our expedition manager a.k.a. our father. Above we encountered some old bridge pilings.

Here we ate brunch at Aitkin's Roadside Cafe' fueling up again. We also got some more supplies, including a different stove, a new dry bag, and yes some more delicious food (Thanks!) Above we enjoy our meal and are blinded by our father's bald spot or to him what he calls gleaming wisdom.

Day 8: 9/3/06

2006-09-04T18:50:00.000-05:00

As we made it further south we started running into cattle land, and with that a new negative impact on the river. Poor cattle and land management, with little to no buffer zone (vegetation) leads to added sediment and nutrient load in the river. Above Ben gives his disapproval.

At the end of day 8 we arrived at an appropriately named campsite "Ms. Keto" it was the nicest campsite thus far on the trip, aside from a muddy entry way. As day 8 ended Joe felt obliged to show some of the beauty contained in the Mississippi.

At "Ms. Keto" we relaxed a bit and put some bluegrass on the ole' radio. Joe does his best to keep up with the mandolin from the band Trampled by Turtles.

Day 7: 9/2/06

2006-09-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

The windy, oxbow-filled river continues southeast of Grand Rapids. The river travels 120 miles in the 60 miles it takes the crow to fly. Our skies were graced this morning by Sandhill Cranes. These indicators of healthy wetlands at one time coexisted with dinosaurs and have succeeded ever since. There are 15 species of cranes world-wide and the majority of them are endangered. The International Crane Foundation is working to bring them back!

The river has already changed drastically since we left a week ago. We've left the wild-rice-filled marshes of the north and entered the transition land before the low-lying forests. The high, sandy banks now lining both river banks were called Piquadinaw, or "it is hilly" by the Ojibwe. Ben models his newly bought aviator sunglasses. And no, that's not a hat, it's the official BrothersForTheRiver.org flag! Represent!

Day 6: 9/1/06

2006-09-04T17:19:00.000-05:00

Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the liquid blue road. We couldn't resist this photo op with Dorothy on our way through Judy Garland's hometown, Grand Rapids, MN (top). We look more excited to be there than she does. Maybe she's sad because she's 10 feet tall? Too bad we didn't have time to check out the Judy Garland Museum. Maybe next time.

Joe points to ginormous log piles ready to be turned into paper (middle). Roughly 410,000 metric tons of paper are made annually at the Blandin Paper Mill alone. We remind you to Reduce, Reuse, and RECYCLE!!

Ben takes a break while portaging around the mill (bottom). This is the longest portage of our trip at nearly 3/4 a mile long. It would make even the voyageurs proud!

Day 5: 8/31/06

2006-09-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

At 7:15 we took off from Gambler's Point, marking our earliest departure yet. We continued our winding path down the Miss, facing a strong south southeast wind. We continue to build our paddling muscles with new challenges like this wind. We ended our day 25 miles later in Cohasset where we re-entered civilization to update this blog and resupply.

Day 4: 8/30/06

2006-09-01T09:07:00.000-05:00

Today we took off from Tamarack Point around 9ish and headed toward The Winnie Dam Recreation Center, where a 300 yard portage awaited us. As we portaged across, we ran into a couple of guys that we had seen in the previous days, so we said hello, Joe gave them our card and we continued on our way. After the dam, the river continued meandering its way south southeast. We ran into our usual friends like the Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Eagles, and Cormorants. We also saw a couple Otters, and some turtles. To the left is a home of the Beaver that we have seen continuously on our trek down the river. We ended our day at Gambler's Point, putting 23 more miles of the river behind us, we had some Zataran's Rice to recharge and went to bed.

Day 3: 8/29/06

2006-09-01T00:31:00.000-05:00

Today we conquered the third largest inland lake in Minnesota, Lake Winnibigoshish.
It conquered us back... You see, no sane person canoes straight across all 10 miles of Lake Winnie, because of huge waves. Hugging the shore makes it more like 15-20 miles. We still hurt.

Top, Joe rings out our bailing towel from water we took crossing the lake. Middle, Ben makes friends with a baby snapper that we named "Minn". Bottom, the sun sets over the western shore of Winnie. Victory is sweet!

Day 2: 8/28/06

2006-09-01T00:19:00.000-05:00

Mealtime at the end of day one (above) consisted of couscous and summer sausage. mmm mmm. Below, Joe gets gear ready in the morning before leaving our Island Point campsite. The island was tiny and the mud was everywhere. Day one we paddled 12 miles and day two we paddled 16, although it felt like 3o paddling into the wind across Cass Lake.

Day 1: 8/27/06

2006-08-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

Aha! Finally we found a connection to do a little o' the updatin'. After driving all over the place between Lake Itasca and Bemidji on Saturday, we determined that the first section of the Mississippi was impassable. The river level for this entire section is extremely low and would require carrying our canoe and gear the entire way. At one river level guage, the water was two feet below the lowest reading and much lower than during the drought of 1988.

We decided to do a quick paddle/photo op at Lake Itasca (bottom) with all of our supporting friends and family. Thanks for making the drive! We then "portaged " to Bemidji where we had our actual sendoff (top). They apparently don't make paddles in Paul's size (middle).

And We're Off!

2006-08-26T23:37:00.000-05:00

Ben and I arrived at Itasca State Park to scope out water levels this afternoon...it' not looking too good. The drought has left the river at its lowest in decades ( inches at the headwaters!). We'll see what we can make of it. We may not be able to post for a few days, so bear with us!

T-minus 24hrs!

2006-08-26T08:12:00.000-05:00

After roughly 12 hours of packing and re-packing last night, we finally can fit everything into the canoe! (This means that we got next to no sleep) Left: Pictures at the starting line of the First Annual Mississippi River Beard Growing Championship. Place your bets!

Almost Ready To Get Wet!!

2006-08-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

The culmination of months of planning is almost upon us. This weekend I met with the Vice President of Wenonah Canoes, who provided us with our expedition canoe. We will be paddling a variation of the Minnesota II canoe. It is an 18' 6" boat with an ultra-lite kevlar hull as well as a reinforced felt layer along the keel for protection against pesky rocks near the Mississippi's headwaters (note: the most recent river gauge reading near the headwaters was 1.7 feet, not too promising). This canoe has a natural kevlar finish with a toe brace in the stern for maximum efficiency while paddling. Wanna race fool?!

Wear for the Water

2006-06-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

Check out the website of Kokatat, a company that makes some of the highest quality watersports apparel around.

http://www.kokatat.com/

Best Canoes and Kayaks in the World....

2006-01-07T14:41:00.000-06:00

...and they're from our hometown, Winona, MN. Check out their website for cool links and tons of product info: http://wenonah.com/

2006-01-07T13:53:00.000-06:00

On an April 2005 trip, Joe and 5 friends took a weekend trip to the Big Easy. The first picture on the right is the Port of New Orleans' Harbor on the mighty Mississippi. This was not the levy that burst into downtown New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit, though I'm sure it was close! The lower picture is of Joe and friends at the picturesque, cultural center of New Orleans, Jackson Square.

Hopefully, upon our arrival in Novemeber 2006, these sights will be returned to their original beauty.

2006-01-07T13:36:00.000-06:00

Finally we have a Profile picture of the Brothers Palmquist. This shot was taken in August 2005 on a week long BWCA trip into Lake One along the Kawishiwi River. It was a change from our previous trips on bigger water, like Brule Lake, but it was fun nonetheless.