Overview
The Big Getter Voyage Map
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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
Final Fairwell
After many years of dreaming, months of planning and a summer of blissful living, the Mississippi odyssey has come to an end. It is bitter sweet. Satisfied? Yes I am. From the beginning I knew this trip would be awesome but it surpassed my expectations with ease and magnitude. The scenery was exquisite. Long drawn out bends of river were bound only by the sky's border and her waters swept across the world creating a sense of wilderness that I had not expected. Tornados gave way to tug boats, and dams transformed into dikes, but one thing remained constant through the entire trip, generosity, which I encountered relentlessly from all the people who I met along the way. I am grateful for their friendship and couldn’t have done without. Big Getter’s design, functionality and reliability allowed solid comfort and evoked confidence as I snaked 1800 miles through the flood of ’08 ever approaching the Gulf of Mexico. I am now bonded to part of our country that I had previously not known. The Mississippi River is in my memories and in my soul.
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4 comments:
Justus, it was good to meet you yesterday at the Park Palooza & and get a little more insight into the river direct from you. May your next adventure be just as rewarding.
Cheers, Richard
Hi Justus ~ it was really terrific meeting you at the beginning of your journey, and to follow you and your dream to the end. Thank you for the privilege. I will enjoy following you on the next adventure that becomes your passion, and to what the future holds for you. May the memories you have now remain vivid for you, and bring joy in the months and years to come. Kris Bloom, Kyle and Emily's aunt
Thanks for the info - its been a help, awesome trip
http://bacshortly.wordpress.com/questions/
Tom
I have a couple of really nice pictures of Big Getter - probably the first taken of her on any river. These were On the Minnesota river probably about 3-4 hours into your journey just before joining the Mississippi. If your interested, contact me at MN_Jack76@Hotmail.com
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