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Started By
Message
Paddling the Entire length of the Mississippi River
Posted on 8/6/20 at 8:48 am
Posted on 8/6/20 at 8:48 am
I meant to post this a few months ago. A friend of mine had a dream sine he was a kid of paddling the entire length of the Mississippi River. He was supposed to do it with his dad but his dad passed a few years ago.
He started out on June 1st At the beginning of the River and just passed Gretna yesterday. It was in the local news.
He has a Facebook page, Expedition H2020 (sorry, don’t know how to link). He posted every few days about his progress and some pics. Pretty cool stuff.
I thought some on this board would enjoy it. Apologize for not posting sooner where you could follow him live but you could catch up in a short amount of time.
He started out on June 1st At the beginning of the River and just passed Gretna yesterday. It was in the local news.
He has a Facebook page, Expedition H2020 (sorry, don’t know how to link). He posted every few days about his progress and some pics. Pretty cool stuff.
I thought some on this board would enjoy it. Apologize for not posting sooner where you could follow him live but you could catch up in a short amount of time.
12
Posted on 8/6/20 at 8:49 am to Tiger55
Does he not have a job?
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:02 am to Tiger55
That seems like it's going to take forever 
However I do like his boat's name.
However I do like his boat's name.Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:02 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
Does he not have a job?
He's a river pilot...no seriously, he is
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:19 am to GoAwayImBaitn
quote:
He's a river pilot...no seriously, he is
So he can afford to take 2-3 years off and not miss a beat with the salary they make..........
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:22 am to Tiger55
quote:Dayum.
He started out on June 1st At the beginning of the River and just passed Gretna yesterday.
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:25 am to Tiger55
Surprised it took two months. I know the river is long but the current doesn’t naturally push south? 
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:26 am to Tiger55
We met some guys a few years ago from Illinois that did this same thing. Started on the Ohio River and paddled all the way to the gulf. We met them at ZeeZee gardens by chance and got to talking, let them shower and hang out a couple days before they finished. One of the guys ended up moving in for 6 months or so. They did road construction up north and when winter hits they are shut down...they had some pretty insane equipment to clean MS river water and an ammo can they turned into a waterproof boombox/gps. I wanna say their total time on the water was around 62 days.
But man I can honestly say I have never encountered a smellier human being than those 2 the night we met them. Miss you fellas, the river gypsies. The other guy that didn't move in with us ended up biking from Miami to Los Angeles, only time he didn't peddle on the whole journey was the 20 or so miles across the spillway Bridge. We dropped him off on the other side and said our goodbyes. Got a postcard from him from Roswell 2 or 3 weeks later. Some people operate on a different level because I have never once in my life thought I was willing or able to do anything close to that
But man I can honestly say I have never encountered a smellier human being than those 2 the night we met them. Miss you fellas, the river gypsies. The other guy that didn't move in with us ended up biking from Miami to Los Angeles, only time he didn't peddle on the whole journey was the 20 or so miles across the spillway Bridge. We dropped him off on the other side and said our goodbyes. Got a postcard from him from Roswell 2 or 3 weeks later. Some people operate on a different level because I have never once in my life thought I was willing or able to do anything close to that
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:30 am to Tiger55
Growing up I always thought about it, my dad had family in Minnesota and saw the proclaimed beginning of the mighty miss. I used to spend a lot of time between Venice and the mouth and after seeing several people on the end of the voyage realized it was nothing but a long trip that mostly people who appeared to be homeless were completing.
Not on my bucket list but congrats to your buddy
Not on my bucket list but congrats to your buddy
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:38 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
Does he not have a job?
Hell paddling a boat 2500+ miles is a JOB....driving a powerboat that far would be one but paddling it???
People should work to live not live to work....our job should be to enjoy life because it is precious and short. I will guarantee you very few people lie on their death bed and thing "Damn, I should have worked more......"
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:39 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
Does he not have a job?
Wait until you learn about the vast community of long distance trail hikers
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:42 am to Tiger55
Some buddies and I decided to take our boats out to an island in the river last weekend. It was my first time ever going to hang out on that island. We hung out for a couple hours and then see this guy paddling down toward us. Didn’t know what to think at first and then he told us he had been paddling all the way down and was headed for Venice. He drank a couple beers with us and then off he went. Cool arse guy.
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:43 am to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:I wish I had known about this before I started working. I actually had a chunk of time between graduation and my first job, and a couple buddies who would have probably done it with me.
Wait until you learn about the vast community of long distance trail hikers
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:43 am to Tiger55
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:45 am to AlxTgr
Same here. I've done about 120 miles on the Appalachian trail. Making it to Maine one section at a time
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:45 am to Riseupfromtherubble
That's what I would have done.
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:49 am to Ol boy
I know a guy who got out of the Marines after 8 years and the first thing he did was walk the pacific crest trail. I think it took him about 5 months...from Mexico to Canada along the crest of the cascade mountains. Dude is now a utilities manager in a small alaskan island where the only access is by boat or seaplane...traps bears and relocates them to even more remote areas as part of his job in the community. His wife is the only medical professional within a couple of hours of flying and also the only teacher in town....they are living life. Dude hunts or fishes at least 4 days a week as his job is 24-7...anything goes wrong with the water or power and he is the only person there to respond. Flies all over Alaska hunting and fishing....they live in a 2 bedroom house that is probably 700 sq feet and are out and about doing something meaningful or something they enjoy every minute of every day...between them their income is less than $100K and the can't imagine living in the lower 48 in a 3500 square foot home with $300K income, which they could easily do....life is for living, not existing
Posted on 8/6/20 at 9:53 am to Tiger55
Two guys from Ruston did this trip a few years ago
James Davison, son of Jim & Margaret Davison of Ruston, will speak about his adventure paddling the entire length of the Mississippi River. James and a friend started at the headwaters of the Mississippi in Minnesota and journeyed all the way to the Gulf of Mexico in tiny kayaks.
James is a fine young man who just graduated from Louisiana Tech and is preparing to enter the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary soon. Please come support him and the museum. You will want to hear his fascinating story. 6:00pm at the Lincoln Parish Museum.
A boat trip of more than 2,000 miles – with no engine, just paddles and determination – gave two Northwest Louisiana college students the adventure of a lifetime.
Louisiana Tech students Jacob Brister and James Davison kayaked the entire length of the Mississippi River earlier this year.
“It was 2,552 miles to be exact, from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico,” Brister said. “Took us 59 days total. We originally estimated about 60 so we were right on it with 59 days. We left just toward the end of May, all the way through the month of June then finished July 28."
Davison described the physical aspect of this Huck Finn-style adventure.
facebook link to story: LINK /
James Davison, son of Jim & Margaret Davison of Ruston, will speak about his adventure paddling the entire length of the Mississippi River. James and a friend started at the headwaters of the Mississippi in Minnesota and journeyed all the way to the Gulf of Mexico in tiny kayaks.
James is a fine young man who just graduated from Louisiana Tech and is preparing to enter the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary soon. Please come support him and the museum. You will want to hear his fascinating story. 6:00pm at the Lincoln Parish Museum.
A boat trip of more than 2,000 miles – with no engine, just paddles and determination – gave two Northwest Louisiana college students the adventure of a lifetime.
Louisiana Tech students Jacob Brister and James Davison kayaked the entire length of the Mississippi River earlier this year.
“It was 2,552 miles to be exact, from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico,” Brister said. “Took us 59 days total. We originally estimated about 60 so we were right on it with 59 days. We left just toward the end of May, all the way through the month of June then finished July 28."
Davison described the physical aspect of this Huck Finn-style adventure.
facebook link to story: LINK /
This post was edited on 8/6/20 at 9:56 am
Posted on 8/6/20 at 10:03 am to MrBobDobalina
Some close friends of mine have a camp on the river in the basin. It’s not all that uncommon to see people paddling down from way up north. They’ve fed a lot over the years and enjoyed some cool stories. Most will pitch a tent and spend the night in their camp yard then take back off in the morning.
Posted on 8/6/20 at 10:04 am to Gtmodawg
quote:I'm curious what you do for a living?
..life is for living, not existing
Who pays your Alaskan friend and his wife?
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