Kyle and Emily left on Amtrak last night. It was a bit lonesome on the boat by myself but I got some organizing out of the way and everything has a secure dry home now. John Loveless joined me this morning and is helping me wait this storm out. I hope the wind dies down soon. The weathermen are forecasting calmer skies late this afternoon. Maybe will shove off then, maybe not till the morning.
Overview
The Big Getter Voyage Map
click here to follow along
In the summer of 2008 I will be taking a pontoon houseboat down the Mississippi River from Minneapolis St. Paul to the Gulf of Mexico. It will be my home and vessel as I descend the mighty Mississip. This will be a healthy and relaxing trip, an adventure worth experiencing, and a good-livin-hell-of-a-time. For six years this trip has been living as a fantastical goal within me. I know the beginning is around the bend, and that makes me smile like I just lost my training wheels.
The boat is not traditional in many ways except for that it floats. It is a unique HPB (human powered boat) that in basic appearance looks like a hybrid between a cataraft on steroids and a traditional houseboat. There are four different systems of propulsion that can be operated individually or in conjunction with one another. Its primary form of power comes from two pedal-driven-propeller stations located at the stern on both sides of the boat. They resemble recumbent bicycles with a propeller instead of wheels. In addition, there is a set of oars for rowing on the front deck. The boat also has, for those occasions when the current is strong, sweeps that can be operated from the top of the cabin. Sweeps are long oars that resemble gigantic hockey sticks. They protrude fore and aft of the boat and are used for steering and lateral movement but not necessarily to gain downstream momentum. Lastly there is an outboard motor that can be used in emergencies, for safety and to make up lost time.
The 3-foot diameter inflatable pontoons are 22 feet long and are attached to a frame constructed from 2” Aluminum pipe. The frame also doubles as the skeletal structure, which supports a hanging floor, two side decks, a front deck and a cabin. Plywood that is cut to the right dimensions and fastened to the aluminum pipe forms the floor and decks. As for the cabin, it is waterproof nylon, canvas and mesh all sewn together and fitted around the aluminum pipe. Inside the cabin there are four berths, a living area, a kitchen and storage. Oh yeah there is a bathroom too, outfitted with all the amenities a camping king would expect.
From June through August I’ll weave approximately 1800 miles through 10 states to the ever-nearing Gulf Coast. Geographically speaking the Mississippi River is separated into two sections, the upper and lower, with the dividing point lying at the confluence with the Ohio River. Both section are as unique as they are long and will offer a river front glimpse at Middle America. One major difference of the Upper Mississippi is that it is a series of pools created by channel dams, while the lower half is free flowing. Due to this, the average current will be much faster downstream of the Ohio River. Along the way I will ‘lock through’ 27 locks, visit the homes of Mark Twain and Elvis, dodge barge traffic, and do some fishing and sunbathing. I intend to explore as much as possible, learn what I can and enjoy life to brim.
If you’d like to come, believe me, I want you to. In fact, I want as much company as possible. The cabin will sleep four, so I hope to have three others with me at all times. The invitation is open to everyone and anyone, family, friends, friends of friends, and especially to characters I meet along the way. There is an itinerary in the blog archive that will help you choose when, where and for how long you would like to join the adventure. Don't worry; I expect the trip will take me 100 days, so you'll have all summer to fit in a Mississippi get-a-way.
Navigation Tips
Once you have selected a blog from the blog archive you will have to scroll down to view it. ;)
Blog Archive
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2008
(131)
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June
(54)
- Day 1, 10 Miles - Rigging / Minnesota river 11 Mil...
- Day 2, 15.5 Miles - 1 Mile above Confluence to Wil...
- Day 3, 18 miles - Willies Hidden Marina to Prescot...
- Availability as of June 5th
- The Comments are Great
- Where to Mail Goodies.
- Day 4, 20 Miles - Prescott Island to 1 mile above ...
- Day 5, 1 Mile - 1 Mile Above Red Wing to Red Wing
- Day 6 - Lay Over in Red Wing
- What to Bring
- A Fine End to My Time in Red Wing
- Johnny Lawless on Lake Pepin
- Day 7, 30 Miles - Red Wing to Wabasha
- Day 8, 23 miles - Wabasha to 2 miles below lock 5
- Can I get some sun
- Day 9, 11 Miles - 2 Miles Below Lock 5 to Winona
- Day 10, 28 Miles - Winona to La Crosse
- The Big Getter Voyage Map
- Driving Through the Driving Rain
- Day Markers and Bird Houses
- Day 11, 21 Miles - La Crosse to 2 Miles Below Lock 8
- Day 12, 29 Miles - Below Lock 8 to Below lock 9
- Mechanical Beasts
- Day 13, 10 Miles - Below lock 9 to Prairie du Chien
- Put-in Sequence
- Day 14 - Lay Over in Prairie Du Chien
- Day 15 - Lay Over P.D.C. - There Aren't too Many o...
- Day 15 - Lay Over P.D.C. - Father's Day
- Day 16 - Pikes Peak
- Comments
- Day 17, 17 Miles - Prairie du Chien to Frenchtown ...
- Day 18, 14 Miles - 4 miles above Guttenberg to Cas...
- Locking Through
- Warm and Unworried
- Day 19, 7 Miles - Cassville to Finley's Landing
- Day 20, 20 Miles - Finley's Landing to Dubuque
- Dy 21, 17 Miles - Dubuque to four miles above Bell...
- Midwest Nice
- Email from JL
- Day 22, 12 Miles - Luke's Landing to Bomb shell beach
- Blogosphere
- Buoy Betting
- Day 23, 15 Miles - Mile Marker 550 to Sabula
- Twilight
- Day 24, 15 Miles - Sabula to Clinton
- Availability as of June 25th
- Day 25, 17 Miles - Clinton to Princeton
- Prairie du Chien Newspaper Article
- Day 26, 17 Miles - Princeton to Moline
- Quad Cities
- Day 27 - Lay Over Moline
- Day 28 - Lay Over Moline
- Can I get twenty six fifty?
- Rusty the Singing Cabbie
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June
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Day 6 - Lay Over in Red Wing
Kyle and Emily left on Amtrak last night. It was a bit lonesome on the boat by myself but I got some organizing out of the way and everything has a secure dry home now. John Loveless joined me this morning and is helping me wait this storm out. I hope the wind dies down soon. The weathermen are forecasting calmer skies late this afternoon. Maybe will shove off then, maybe not till the morning.
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2 comments:
Good luck to you guys on your adventure. Hoping the weather holds out for you. Best wishes. Marianne
Hi Justus,
Joe here. We really enjoyed have you and John last night for dinner. Thanks for taking us up on our offer. If you decided not to push-off from Red Wing (due to the horrible weather that just won't go away) let us know. We'd love to have you over again.
KelliAnne and Quinn especially enjoyed hearing about your adventure, and we are all going to follow you along your journey.
We wish you the best, and hope you will stop by and see us again next time you are in pretty, little Red Wing.
Joe
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