Big River
July 2, 2008
My friend Adam and I have decided to do a quick, marathon kayak down the Mississippi. We plan on starting in Lake Bemidji and kayaking for 36-48 hours, non-stop just to see how far we get. We’ll eat and drink on the kayaks. Our goal is to do a solid 200 miles. It’s ambitious, but not impossible provided our strength holds out. I hope it’s epic.
Mostly I want to learn more about my physical and mental limits. When pushed, how far can I go, how fast, and for how long? Adam and I are both strong paddlers with a lot of canoe experience under our belts. We know how to go for long days, but neither of us has ever gone this long.
Apparently these guys paddled the length of the Mississippi in one month back in ‘07. That’s pretty fast for a 2,350 mile trip. It’s about 80 miles a day. The slowest going was across Minnesota, however. It took them five days just to leave the state.
My wife and I paddled the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers in 2005. The biggest snags you’ll run into in the headwaters area are going to be low water levels and/or beaver dams. You’ll have a blast either way!
-John
http://sourcetosea.net
I’ve been about in the headwaters a bit in a canoe. The water is good and high right now, so it’s definitely the time to go. We are testing the waters for what could be an epic trip in the not too distant future. Adam and I have next summer’s adventure brewing…