Source to Sea - Paddling the Mississippi and Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail

I’m not going to touch the politics of this, but the Appalachian Trail Conservancy should probably give Mark Sanford an honorary membership based on the publicity of the last couple of weeks. Here’s the Google Trend report on “appalachian trail” for the last 12 months. Notice anything interesting in 2009?

Here are a list of webcams for the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Everyone need a little river fix once in awhile!

Mississippi River Webcams

• Algiers Point, New Orleans
• Baton Rouge, LA
• Lock and Dam # 15, Rock Island, IL
• Davenport, Iowa

Missouri River Webcams

• Gary Cooper Bridge, I-15, Milepost 242
• Dundee, Missouri
• Bismark, ND

Thru-hiking isn’t cheap, so here are fifteen easy ways to save money for the trip of a lifetime.

1. Eat In: get in the habit of taking lunches to work and eating at home. A crockpot is your best friend (cook dinner while you’re away!) Take the time to perfect 10 trail recipes that you won’t get sick of.
2. Avoid “Aspirational Overbuying”: I worked in outdoor retail for 10 years, and know full-well the perils of needing “just one more thing” before going on a trip. Your gear doesn’t get you to Katahdin, you do. Have a plan, then wait for a killer deal to come along. Check out Sierra Trading Post before buying anything. Hint: this $12 headlamp is a steal, and has gotten rave reviews from hikers I’ve talked too.
3. Cut your cable: you won’t die, I promise. Between Netflix and other internet content, you can watch almost everything cheap or free.
4. Continue Reading »

This was taken about halfway into the Great Smoky Mountains, around December 15, 2005.  From reading my journal, I was at least a month behind schedule at this point, and was just looking forward to finishing up at Springer Mountain in Georgia. The weather had other ideas. It had been cold and rainy for the previous month with scattered snowstorms, but nothing too serious.

Things changed once I hit the Smokies. Rain turned to snow, and temperatures dropped to around zero at night. We were breaking trail the last forty miles through snow drifts and ice. Can’t say it was alot of fun at some points, but I’ve still got all my fingers and toes and all’s well in the end.

I’ve bought at least 5 pairs of Salomon Techamphibian shoes over the last few years. Love em, but there are some things to keep in mind.
Pros:

• Very lightweight. About 20 ounces for a men’s size 11. These are super-light.
• Dry quickly. Fastest drying shoes I’ve ever owned
• Breathability: you can literally feel the wind blowing through these shoes. It’s the closest thing to wearing sandals that I’ve worn.

Cons:

• Lack of support: These aren’t full blown running shoes, so don’t be looking for heavy padding or support. I use Superfeet insoles in mine, and that works well.
• Heel strap slips: That little strap on the heel slips almost constantly. No big deal to cinch back up, but it gets annoying after awhile. I usually just sew the strap in place with a few stitches and call it a day.
• Durability: I get more mileage out of regular trail runners. The laces can eventually wear out, and finding replacements can be a pain.

Overall, I really like these shoes. They’re great for weekend trips, especially if I know it’s going to be wet and sloppy. If I was palnning a thru-hike, I’d probably go with something with a little more support and padding though.

Weight: 20 oz

List Price:  $80

Overall Rating: 4/5

  OK, I’ve finally broke down and have gotten hooked on Twitter and am having a blast. Feel free to tweet me and follow!

I can definitely see using Twitter as a micro-blog addition on the next long trip. Posting a quick photo and blurb every day would be a fantastic way for folks to follow along in real-time. I wish this was around when I thru-hiked the AT, and would have been very helpful when we paddled the Mississippi as well.

Don’t forget, you can sign up for our website updates by RSS or Email as well. That’s the best way to stay up-to-date on events, slideshows, and book release dates.

Funny name, but a great recipe for spread you can use on tortillas, crackers, or just straight out of the jar.  I got this from Joe’ Ultralight Backpacking site a few years ago and have made several batches. There are some more variants on his site as that you might want to check out. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use regular corn meal for this. Don’t ask me how I know.

Basic Recipe:

• 2 parts honey
• 2 parts corn flour (NOT corn meal! This is the same as Corn Masa, often found in the latino section of your grocery store.  -JP)
• 1 part peanut butter (preservative-laden)
• Mix thoroughly, will take some time.
• Pack into Coghlan’s Squeeze Tube (REI, Campmor, etc), or in cold weather wrap in wax paper. (I just use a cheap tupperware container -JP)

Single Squeeze Tube Proportions (2-3 lunches w/ large tortillas):

• 8 tbsp honey
• 8 tbsp corn flour
• 4 tbsp peanut butter

Per tube:

• 1320 calories
• 172g carbs (70 simple, 102 complex)
• 24g protein
• 38g fat (That’s a high proportion of fat, but what the heck…)

This is one of my favorite photos of the trip. It was taken 60 days into the journey, somewhere in between Memphis and Vicksburg, on July 14, 2005. The weather was scorching, we were getting worn down, and we’d just taken a few days off to dodge Hurricane Dennis. By this point, we still had 13 days left before we’d get to the Gulf of Mexico.

We were taking a break and I was just messing around taking some sand and mud photos. Turned around, and got a shot of Jess stretching out on the gunnels of the canoe. I love the waterline on the boat, and the haze in the air. It had to have been around 100 degrees or so.

I love nothing better than putting on a backpack or jumping in a canoe for months at a time. Here are my Top Ten Travel Quotes, with comments.

1. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain (We saw this quote all up and down the Mississippi River. It’s going to be in the forward of my book.)
2. “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Lao Tzu - (This came to mind while watching my ride drive away just before starting my thru-hike. You’re a long way from home son, so start walking.)
3. “People travel to faraway places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home.” - Dagobert D. Runes - (More true than I care to admit.) Continue Reading »

I’m being especially nostalgic for the Mississippi River today. Four years ago we paddled our canoe into Red Wing, Minnesota. Red Wing was a planned stop for us, and we took a day off to hang out with one of Jessica’s friends from Americorp. It also gave us a chance to dry out our gear, as it had rained practically every day since we got on the river on May 14.

Enjoy,

-John

June 9, 2005
Red Wing, Minnesota
550 miles

We’ve spent the day and a half off the river here in Red Wing. Jessica has a friend here from AmeriCorps that has given us the run of her house. It’s nice to have a cozy bed and hot showers on demand to help recharge our batteries. Yesterday was our first complete day off in three weeks and it was about time for some real rest. The day went by quickly and we’ll be leaving this afternoon after running a couple of last minute errands. The river is calling.

Docking at the marina here in Red Wing was pretty funny. We tied up the canoe at the end of a long string of yachts, sailboats, and houseboats. Some of those craft cost a cool half million dollars or more. I could smell the jealousy in the air as we pulled in. Our tiny, muddy canoe doesn’t cost a dime to run other than a constant intake of food and water. We’ve been told that many of those boats never leave the slips because they are too expensive to operate. Nice place for a glass of wine though.

Continue Reading »

Just a reminder that National Trails Day is this Saturday, June 6. Visit the American Hiking Society for more information or to find a NTD event in your area.

“American Hiking Society’s signature trail awareness program, National Trails Day® (NTD), inspires the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out their favorite trails to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails while participating in educational exhibits, trail dedications, gear demonstrations, instructional workshops and trail work projects.”

I’ll be out working with our friends from Great Outdoor Provision Company and the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) building trail at Fall’s Lake Recreation Area. For info on this event, visit the MST website.

No surprises here. The Mississippi River basin is an incredible ecosystem, with the river acting as a 2,300-mile superhighway for migratory species. The Upper Mississippi area was awash with eagles, herons, egrets, red-wing blackbirds when we started down the river in May, 2005.

In introducing his top 10, author Kenn Kaufman of Ohio, wrote: “Incongruous as it might seem, the center of the continent funnels millions of migrating birds, providing vital rest stops for weary shorebirds wading in its wetlands and for woodland species retiring where the prairies give way to forests.”

Audubon’s Great River Birding Trail is being set up to follow the Mississippi River, and will eventually have maps, trails, and other resources all the way from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.

It never ever fails. I always have songs stuck in my head. Here are my Top 10 list of songs that got stuck between my ears on the Appalachian Trail and Mississippi RIver.

1.  Baby Got Back. Sir Mix-a-Lot is a poet and a fine American. This is song I’ve had in my head the most. I’ll always associate both Central Virginia on the Appalachian Trail and the Lower Mississippi River with this song. 
2. Poison, Bel Biv DeVoe. Never trust a big butt and a smile. 
3. The Thrill is Gone, BB King.  This was the song I shouldn’t have been singing to my future wife while on the Mississippi River.
4. Let Me Clear My Throat, DJ Kool. Yes, I am an aficionado of the Ed Lover Dance. 
5. From Four till Late, Robert Johnson. Another love song. Not really.
6. Catfish Blues, Traditional.  Great song. No regrets here. 
7. Minnie the Moocher, Cab Calloway. Yes, I know how to reel the ladies in.
8. Width of a Circle, David Bowie (especially the Live at the Tower, Philly version). Every guitar hero should bow to the alter of Earl Slick. 
9. I Got the Power, Snap. The perfect song for communing with nature for 20 miles a day on the Appalachian Trail.
10. Thunderbird, ZZ Top. My oldest sister Mitzi gave me this tape (Fandango) for my 13th birthday. Although the tape gave up the ghost long ago, that song is still seared in my head. 

Anybody else get songs stuck in their head while outside?

I’ve received a few emails about this recently, so here’s the deal. It depends on who you ask.

According to the National Park Service,  every agency has a different estimation. The sign post the beginning of the river in Lake Itasca State Park says 2, 552 miles. The U.S. Geologic Survey gives 2,300 miles. The EPA puts the length at 2,320 miles, and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area gives its length at 2,350 miles.

So whomever you ask, it’s a long, long way down! We estimated that we paddled about 2.5 million strokes over the 73 days we were on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers.

-June 5, 2005

Chances are I’m jumping in anytime there’s a good swimming hole around. Nothing else gets the blood moving like jumping into the water wearing nothing but your birthday suit. Yes, I’m a skinny dipping addict.

Last night I went swimming au naturale for the first time since we’ve been on the river. It’s just been too damn cold to think about swimming until just the last few days. Maybe not if you’re one of those folks that like Polar Bear Swims on New Year’s Day, but I’m kind of a wimp. It’s been a shame to skip these great swimming holes, but turning into a human icicle ain’t in my vision. Continue Reading »