Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Bicentennial

April 1-4, 2004

May 23, 1804 " we passed a large Cave on the Lbd. Side called by the french the Tavern- about 120 feet wide 40 feet Deep & 20 feet high many different immages are Painted on the Rocks at this place the Inds. & French pay omage. Wm. Clark (Site of Tavern Rock- Defiance, MO)

May 25, 1804 "Camped at the mouth fo a Creek called River a Chouritte above a Small frnech Village of 7 houses and as many families...;" Wm. Clark (Near Marthasville, MO)

May 27, 1804 "...passed a creek on the Lbd. Side called ash Creek 20 yds. Wide, passed the upper point of a large Island on the Sbd. Side back of which comes in three creeks one Called Otter Creek, here the man we left hunting came in we camped on a Willow Island in the mouth of Gasconnade River George Shannon killed a Deer this evening." Wm Clark (Present day Gasconade, MO)

Meriwether Lewis was lucky he wasn't killed when he fell down the steep ravine at Tavern Rock. As I looked up from the base I could almost here him yelling as he tried to obtain a foot and hand hold in the loose muddy hillside.

Photo above: Meriwether Lewis fell a couple hundred feet while exploring the steep terrain along these limestone cliffs. He was able to arrest his fall by digging into the hillside with his knife. The railroad tracks lie at the base of these beautiful cliffs.

I arrived at Tavern Rock the last day of March just as the sun finally made its presence for the day. It had rained most of the day. The sight of this 300-foot bluff is a beautiful contrast to the rather flat landscape of the Missouri flood plain. At the base of the cliff runs the Union Pacific Railroad, which has been in close proximity to every place I have camped for the last few days. I stepped off the tracks and down in the brush when I could here the fast pace of the train approaching me. The rumble starts off like an earthquake and increases in intensity until the iron horse speeds by. I walked about a mile down the tracks through the forest just below the large cliffs where the Lewis and Clark party stopped as did other traders and explorers in the 17 and 1800's. I was awakened about every hour through the night as another train raced down the track. The last several days have been getting more challenging both physically and mentally. Since the rain stopped about a week ago the river has dropped nearly 4 feet exposing more of the wing dikes which have giving me problems from day one.
The river is expected to drop another foot tonight as well. What is required to get around the wing dikes is a burst of forward speed as you approach the rocky (sometimes log) edge where the fast current rushes and with a lot of luck and skill (more luck than skill), I am catapulted around them as I ride my boats forward wake. With the water being low they have the appearance of small sets of rapids which you have to make sure you don't get stuck on a rock that waits just under the surface, because it can cause you a lot of problems trying to get off. There is nothing more dangerous than high centering your post against an opposing current. I managed to paddle 17 miles one day, which is the most so far. I had hoped to camp at the town of Washington, MO because my map listed a camping place at the supposed "dock". After arriving near sunset I found there was no camping to be had. I paddled a mile up river to where Johns Creek (La Poceau River in the L&C Journals) emptied in. There was no good place to climb out of my boat. It was once again about 18 inches of mud. My mud boots are 19 inches high. I think you get the picture. One needs to slowly pull your foot out or your foot will come out of the boot which which will be encased in the mud by the suction from the mud. I had to literally hold onto my boot while I lifted my foot from the mud for each step. This process can take several minutes just to reach dry land. After struggling for an hour I had a descent camp set up and a well deserved dinner cooking on the stove.

(Photos : 1:Me looking over river charts. 2: Distant steep hillside that Lewis fell from and nearly died. I camped at the base of the hill in a pleasant forested area.
I managed to find some drinking water in town the following day and filled my gallon jugs. The river is too silty and will easily clog my water filter, plus I have a hard time drinking from the Missouri knowing all the pesticide and heavy metals that have been dumped into it over the years. I managed to paddle to New Haven, MO but once again had to camp just beyond the town as there was none available place to camp at the boat ramp which the map claimed. The area was home to the late Daniel Boone who settled and farmed in this area the last years of his life.

Post trip update: Near Disaster: An incident occurred which nearly ended my trip and possibly my life. I never told anyone about this until my journey was over months later. I did'nt want them to worry about the rest of my trip. During this time I capsized and flipped trying to get around a wing dike. There was a narrow gap between the walls of the dike and I attempted to sprint through the rushing current. Just as I was about 1/2 way though with my canoe, I high-centered on a submerged log. Within seconds the canoe turned over and I ejected out of the canoe by the fast water. Thankfully I was wearing my lifejacket which helped in my ability to stay afloat and allowed me to reach my now submerged canoe. I climbed onto the hull of the canoe which was now sticking up in the air. I attempted to pull the boat right-side-up but the current was too strong. I then climbed onto the piles of logs that were caught on the wing-dike. By now the only part of my canoe that was visable about the water was about 1 foot of the bow. The rest was completely submerged and getting pushed by the strong force of the water up against the rock wall of the dike. I quickly responded by grabbing the bow line and tied it off to one of the huge logs this kept the water from pushing my boat up and under the debris and completely destroying my canoe and dreams. I stood there in disbelief as I watched my equipment being washed downstream into the eddie below. I grabbed a large driftwood log and used it to pry my canoe out away from the wing dike. I jammed the log down into the murky water between my boat and the rocky dike and pryed with all my might hopeing that it would get ejected out from the dike. To my amazement it worked. It still floated even though completely filled with water. The canoe drifted behind the wing dike where I jumped in as if it were a bath tub filled to the rim and bailed it out using a small pail. After several minutes I was able to paddle around in the eddie and collected the things that were floating around in the debris and sludge of the muddy river. My camera case, maps, raingear, and other important things were found undamaged. I did however lose my movie camera, GPS, some food, a knife and other minor things. It was amazing that I didn't lose more. Everything was wet even though it was packed in drybags. I imeadiately paddled to shore where I set up a cloths line and laid everything out in the warm sun. My maps were soaked but salvagable. It took all day and part of the next day to dry most of my things. I reluctantly set out on the river the next day with a horrible sick feeling in my stomach and dreading every wing-dike I encountered. This was the desciding factor in paddling "downstream" the last section fo the remaining "wing-diked" river to avoid this again. A day or so later I nearly flipped again when my canoe high centered on another object. Thankfully I was able to free it in time.

Photo above: Drying everything after flipping over while going around a wing dike. Luckily I survived without losing my life. I kept this mishap a secret until the end of my journey.

Each morning I wake to find the river a little lower and more wing dikes ( river data)exposed. I have decided to get rid of a few items I am carrying to help save on weight as well as space in my boat. I plan on sending them tomorrow from Herman, MO which is a beautiful Norman Rockwell sort of town. Settled by Germans in the 1800's it has a rich river history. After trying to pull my canoe around a wing dike only 400 yards from the town dock, I was defeated by the strong current. I tried to pull my heavy laden canoe through the opposing current but it was just too much to handle and I felt as if one slip and my load would capsize in the strong current. I then had to paddle across the river and up the other shoreline which seemed a little calmer and with just one more exposed wing dike to climb over. Once that was accomplished with great effort, I paddled back across the river just above the wing dike that defeated me half and hour before. I was greeted at the ramp by an elderly man named Dallas Kropp who let me camp at his bait shop right at the rivers edge. This was a great opportunity even though I would be 30 feet from the railroad tracks. It should be a peaceful nights sleep. WRONG! The trains rocked the small building Dallas let me sleep in and caused me to wonder if it would collapse.

I can tell you from first hand experience that if your load is not balanced, you will paddle uncomfortable. This seems to compound itself to your mental state over the course of few days. You start to second-guess why you've brought everything. When it comes down to long term paddling in my opinion, it is all a function of food, water, and dry shelter. Anything else that you bring, results in dead weight as you lug your gear up from the boat to the shore, to your campsite. If you don't use it, you should loose it, (or not bring it next time) and this is what Norm is saying that he is doing.

Nothing worse than putting something in the way of your legs and feet. You need several comfortable feet positions, and taking away even one of them can result in fatigue and more mental stress. All it takes in a fully loaded boat is one distraction from balance, stroke, etc, and you get a wet head.

The mental game that is played out in the paddlers mind is one of balance, stroke, wind, navigation, water and food as fuel, and getting to the next campsite safely. Concentration in high seas, high wind, strong currents, and changing water level all has to be focused on often during paddle time, while keeping balance. Balance does become second nature after a time. Loosing concentration in any one of these areas can be a bad thing. That is why Norm spent four years planning for the trip so that some of these areas to concentrate on can be second nature. A misplaced log or rock can strand a heavy laden boat on the rocks forcing you to have to get out of the boat. This can lead to a change in your mental concentration into a different set of circumstances. I personally have paddled in areas of water where it is so beautiful and the paddling was so intense that you could only keep your mouth shut and paddle. Any second a lapse in concentration and you would dump it. Same thing with all the wing dikes. As the water level lowers, these dikes expose more rocks and capture more debris, wood, and flotsam behind them. This makes for some pretty intense need for concentration.

The physical demands to go over even a 6" rise in water,upstream in a fully loaded boat, while balancing, breathing faster, steering, and making sure that you can maneuver around debris and the jetties themselves, can tax the paddlers mind. I can hear Norm's mind as he successfully beats one of the jetty's here in his story. He paddles by and says, " I beat you." By the time dinner is made and sleep is had, those physical and mental victories are well earned.
Comments by moderator Jamie at Core Comm.

April 5-8, 2004

I reached Chamois, Mo after several long hot days of humid weather. My stay in Herman was a nice change of pace from life on the river. I managed to send a box home which contained items that were taking up too much space and weight in my boat. Since the water levels have dropped considerably, it is important to have less weight to pull around the challenging wing dikes. The more weight I carry, the more the canoe sinks in the water and thus increase the chances of it lodging on a submerged log or rock. I was also able to do some laundry while in Herman. Once laundry was completed walked around town which is an historic German village. Dallas Kropp who owned the fishing shack where I stayed last night was very helpful and let me use his place as a base camp and watched my boat and gear while I ran errands. The sign on his door reads; "Wanted- Woman who can cook, clean, sew, dig worms and clean fish, must have own boat and motor. Please send photo of boat and motor." The store had a dozen or more flags flying along with as many wind chimes blowing in the breeze from the river. Unfortunatly they didn't drown out the sound of the train which passed about 30 feet from his door.

I left Herman monday afternoon and made it 7 miles to the Gasconade River where Lewis and Clark camped across from its mouth. This river flows in from the south and is heavily used by local fisherman trying to catch a 70-80 pound Blue or Buffalo fish. I talked with a local man named Cecil for a long time about the fishing, river, and the town which seems to have been deserted over the last decade or two. He said the econmy was tough in the area and most of the people have left. He wished me luck on my journey and departed.

The wing dikes are very problematic now that the water has dropped again. I can no longer sneak close against the shore around them but now must paddle out into the heavy current and make an attempt around them at the most dangerous part.

Photo above: Sometimes the water is too strong to paddle around the wing-dike so I look for a narrow gap in the dike in which to pull my canoe over the top. I usually place logs down to help aid in dragging the heavy laden canoe across. This is where I dislocated 5 ribs and put my hip out of place.

I had to pull my boat over a few yesterday causing me to pull a muscle in my back or put a rib out of place in the process. Its hard to paddle under this pain and it even hurts to pull my sleeping bag out of its stuff sack. Often there is a log or rock just under the surface where I must pass through in which you can easily get high centered. This causes the current to take control of your boat, and you have to be very careful not flip over. I have been pondering the question of this potential danger and if it continues I may paddle the remaining section of wing dikes downstream from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to wherever I leave off. By paddling downstream I will eliminate about 2000 wing dikes that I would otherwise have to negotiate. I will be able to stay in the main channel and current and not have to hug the shore to avoid them. I hope this does not have to happen but it is a serious issue I must look into. The wing dikes are spaced about one every 600 feet of so depending on what side of the river I am on. I dread each and every one. Lewis and Clark along with there three boats did not have to worry about wing dikes since there were none. The river in 1804 was much wider and at times very shallow since it was not channelized like it is today. The Corp of Discovery did have to load their boats so most of the weight was in the front to avoid high centering on a submerged log just like I have to do. The ran aground on many sand bars and logs and had to pull the heavy boats off of each one. This was very laborous work. Today, the Missouri is much narrower and channelized which causes the current to be twice as fast as the days of Lewis and Clark. This faster current helps to flush out debris and sand from accumulating in the cannel.

I've had a few tech problems trying to send photos, sorry there is not as many for a while. Sending photos takes almost the entire batterys life to and unfortunately I only have three. I have not had the opportunity to use my solar panels from Iowa Thin Films because I have been trying to put some miles behind me while the sun and weather are still nice. In order for me to charge my batteries, I need to be on shore and thus not be paddling.
Photo of Dallas Kropp at his K&S Bait Shop on the river front in Hermon Missouri. He was kind enough to let me sleep in his shop and shuttled me around town.

April 6th, 2004

I received a call from Norm this morning. All is well and he should be on his way by the time this is posted. He currently is in Jefferson City, MO. He expects to be arriving in Glasgow, MO by this coming wednesday. There are a couple of low pressure areas heading his way and this may cause him to stay tent bound until the weather passes. This would delay him making it by wednesday to Glasgow.

I have asked him to get pictures of the wing dams. There are times when these are as high as six foot high rock walls, showing, as the water recedes. Making the trek more difficult is the fact that behind every rock jetty wall there is debris that has collected. Wood, logs, refrigerators,etc, all twisted and just an inch or two beneath the surface. This is especially dangerous when you have forward speed built up and you are trying to go up a 6" lift in water, which also happens to be the faster moving water,and you get "high centered" on one of these submerged logs. When this happens you can be in special danger as you loose much of the control of your boat. The water current can take over and completely overwhelm your strength, and mental stamina, causing that important lapse in mental concentration on your balance, and whoops you are either floating back down the river cause the current turned you around or, worse yet, you flip.

Norm seems in good spirits. His pulled back muscle is not very major, while still bothering him, didn't seem like too big of a concern to Norm. If he is able to make a land line phone connection, besides charging his batteries he will be sending more pictures in higher resolutions.

April 9-12, 2004

Norm has met a few friends along the way. The next report is from a man that is doing a survey of the river.

I met Norm today at Marion Landing where he camped last night and spent the day today (rained all day). My name is John Arter, and I work for the Missouri Department of Conservation taking user survey information at Marion (river mile 158). In spite of little sleep due to hourly train traffic next to the campground, Norm indicated to me that he would spend the Night at Marion Landing (no food, water, or store nearby) and weather permitting, try to make Lupus tomorrow. I informed him that Lupus (I take survey information there too) is a city of 39 people, and also has no store or supplies (he seemed a little disappointed). I wish him well on his endeavor (if I was only about 40 years younger...) John

April 9th and 10th Norm's Journal Entry

I am writing this from a sand bar upstream from Jefferson City, Mo. The dome lights of the capital building are shining giving the entire surroundings an usual feeling. More city life than a typical wilderness experience in some sense. The last few days have been difficult now that the water levels have dropped even more. I usually paddle within a boats length from shore as this is where the slowest current is and it sometimes flows slightly upstream depending on how the river bank has been carved by the current. Man has certainly tried to tame this river by putting levies and wing dikes. These wing dikes were constructed to help divert the flow towards the center of the rive.This helps to flush out sand and silt so it does not create sandbars in the main channel where the large barges travel. When we try to tame the river it becomes something that it is not. It is very unpredictable with huge boils(whirlpools) and currents coming in from many directions. The north side of the river is heavily busy with barge traffic as I approached Jefferson City, so I managed to stay close to the south side next to the walls of the state prison. I wondered if the guard in the tower thought I was helping in an escape. A I paddled close to the barbed wire fence of the prison, I could see the armed guard glaring at me through tinted sunglasses while carrying a machine gun. I tied up at an old boat ramp which looked like it had not been used this season since it was full of logs and debris from the high water and there were no foot prints in the fresh mud.

Photo above: Downstream a mile or so from Jefferson City, MO the capitol of the state. This is an emence sandbar with only one dead tree for privacy. The dome of the capitol can barely be seen to the left of center on the horizon. Note the train on the opposite side. One of hundreds that roared along the river.

I walked a short ways into town in search for some clean drinking water which I found at the library about a block from the river. It is very helpful to have clean drinking water instead of trying to filter the heavily silted and polluted waters of the Missouri. It is hard for me to drink any water when I see oil cans, anti freeze containers, and other debris floating in the river. There doesn't seem to be much respect for the river and many of the people I have talked to have called it a sewage canal instead of a river. Garbage litters the shores all along this part of the river. Plastic bottles, styrofoam cups, tires, water heaters, plastic toys, oil containers, and more add color to the rather colorless landscapes. A bright orange TIDE laundry bottle gives me something to focus on as I slowly approach it at a very slow rate.

The miles sometimes feel like hours as I pass one wing dam after another, they are placed in the river about every 600 feet all the way to Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota. From there there are no more the entire journey. Since there is so much potential danger in these dikes not only in ones life but also losing your boat and equipment, I have decided to paddle the last 450 miles of wing dams downstream in order to be able to stay directly in the channel. When I reach Boonville, MO I will try and locate a means of transporting myself, boat and equipment to Gavins Point Dam and then paddle all the way back to Boonville. Once I reach Booneville again, I will once again need to be transported back to Gavins Point Dam in order to continue up the Missouri to Montana. This has been a hard decision to make but one I feel is not only smart but less stressful knowing the possible outcome in trying to get around each one. I will probably regret it down the road. If I should happen to flip crossing over a wing dam I would lose my boat and the means to record this journey. It may take a day or two to locate transportation. I may even have to rent a car to haul my equipment to Gavins Point Dam. Since this will be a difficult logistic challenge I may be out of contact with updates for several days.
PHOTOS: 1: My camp area with limestone bluffs along the I-70 Highway bridge near Boonville. 2:WIng Dike! Imagine if the water was over the top of this dike with the logs inches from the surface. These dikes are very dangerous especially for the upstream traveler.

April 13th,2004

As of this morning (April 13) I am camped near where the I-70 bridge crosses the Missouri river. Yesterday was extremely difficult I had 20-30mph headwinds which slowed my progress down considerable. The wind was a constant factor in the progress of Lewis and Clark as well. Since the river was much wider, shallower, and exposed to more sandbars in 1804 they were often pushed into sand bars trying to fight the ever present wind. I managed to paddle about 11 miles in 9 hours of paddling yesterday, and could have easily fallen asleep once I set up camp due to fatigue, but I had to prepare food and organize for my push to Boonville on Tuesday. This pace is extremely slow. A person can easily walk faster on shore than I managed to paddle. This has been very taxing on my mental spirts. Its difficult wanting to continue when you can see where you will be four hours from now. Inch by inch, its a cinch. Yard by yard its real hard.
(Click on underlined links to view photos I took.)

April 13-17, 2004

Wed- April 14th Boonville, MO- I arrived here Tuesday afternoon after paddling about 13 long miles into a strong head wind. The wind would be even more difficult for a small craft such as mine except that I have a foot-controlled rudder which helps me keep a straight course. Without the rudder, I would be spending more time and energy trying to keep my boat going straight. The weather controls river travel more than anything else. The Corp. of Discovery encountered many days where they could not proceed due to high winds. They also had to negotiate more sand bars compared to the present river. I encountered a few in which I had to change course in order to find deeper water. I only need about 4 inches for my boat to float, but need at least a foot in depth to get a good hold with my paddle blade. The Corp. of Discovery at this point in their journey had a large 55 foot keel boat and two smaller perouges which needed more water depth than I to proceed up the river. It was much easier for them to see the sand bars since their boats stood much taller out of the water allowing them to see ahead for any obstacles which could easly cause them to be grounded. When paddling my Kruger Sea Wind, I sit fairly low in the water where it is much more difficult to see ahead.

Several members of the Missouri Fish & Game Dept. were shocking fish along the section of the river I paddled yesterday. Unfortunately I didn't ask more about their research but it had something to do with monitoring the effects of sediments on the fish. They seemed to be enjoying their work while spending the bright sunny day along the river.

Photo Above: Limestone cliffs near Boonville, Missouri. A beautiful backdrop considering the vegitation had yet to shed its greeness around.

I encountered several large barges all heading down river. They all create a good size wake. I usually pull by boat in behind a wing dike for at least several minutes until the water is calm enough to proceed. The speed and power of the tugs pushing the barges is very impressive. The ones I have seen were much bigger than a football field. After a few minutes they disappear out of sight around the next bend. Once again I have the river all to myself.

It was near Boonville, MO that the Corp. of Discovery encountered there first signs of Buffalo. The closest wild buffalo found today is 1500 miles further west in Yellowstone National Park. In only 200 years we have slaughtered millions of these docile animals. The buffalo was and still is a scared symbol for the Native Nations especially those of the great plain regions which was the main territory of these animals. The land traveled by Lewis and Clark was called Louisiana Territory having recently been purchased by the U.S. from Napoleon for only 15 million dollars. What a deal! I can just imagine the members of the expedition seeing new animals and plants that they have never seen before.

Photo: Early morning camp along abandon railroad bridge in Boonville, MO. There was barely enough room for my tent and less than 3 feet from an active train track.
As I pass mile after mile pushing further up the river, I encounter new things as well that I have never seen before. For the last couple weeks the trees were all void of vegetation. The surrounding colors were all grays, browns, and blacks. Now, there is the hint of green budding out more and more each day as if a painter is slowly adding more green to her canvas until the green is more prevalent than the darker colors. Morel mushrooms are popping up under the dried leaves and are popular with the local mushroom hunters. Occasionally I encounter someone walking the shore in search of this delicacy. I have yet to have the eye for spotting them but hope too soon. The nights and mornings are all filled with bird calls some I have never heard before along with the typical honking of geese. Owl hoots and turkey gobbles fill most of the late night hours sometimes simultaneous with one another. Gobble gobble whoo whoo.

Logistics planning is much quicker than the days of Lewis and Clark. As I mentioned in my last post, I will be paddling downstream the last 450+ miles of the Missouri to avoid the danger of the wing dikes. Thanks to my brother Bob for offering to drive all the way here from Ishpeming, Michigan to help me shuttle my gear to Yankton South Dakota. There are a few benefits of paddling this section of the Missouri downstream. By having more time each day will allow me to stop to explore more of the lands visited by Lewis and Clark.

Once I reach Boonville again in mid May I will need transportation back to Yankton for the final 1500 miles of upstream travel on the river. I moved my camp and boat closer to town today with permission from a local shipping company who have let me store my boat for the night. Without the use of my Globalstar Satellite Phone for voice communications with the more than 2 dozen phone calls today I would probably have not accomplished as much as I did today. As far as my data and updates with the website, I use an Iridium phone from Telestial. Both have worked great and regular phone calls to family (DeeDee) has lessened their worry as to my safety.

Boonville is a town of about eight thousand people. The part of town closest to the river is the historic district while the new part of town is a few miles out near the highway. The people I have met have been really friendly and helpful. All seem curious about my journey and perplexed why I would want to paddle upstream. I often ask that same question on a daily basis. I am also supprised by the locals who have no clue that the Lewis and Clark passed by or that they went upstream!

Photo Above: Taken from the bridge in Boonville, Mo. Looking upstream at the many wing-dikes that line the river for nearly 800 miles. I had to paddle next to shore until I reached each one where I would then have to paddle around the tip of each dike. The water going around the ends is extreamly fast flowing. I would have to paddle as fast and hard as I could to get around each one. In some instances there may be a "break" in the dike such as the first one in the photo above. If the current is not too strong, I may be able to sneak through the middle or even get out of my canoe and pull the boat through. The was mentally and physically draining!

I had a brief conversation with a nice elderly couple. We both had to yell out to be heard. They were walking across the bridge above where I was unloading my boat below. With the stiff wind blowing we had to yell to be heard. From what I could make out she said her son kayaks, but mainly white water in Colorado and Southern Missouri. I'm sure they were curious about my boat since Boonville doesn't seem to have a lot of canoe or kayak visitors.

My next date will be out of sequence for any of you who are following along with the Lewis and Clark Journals.

I have a lot of notes from my conversation with Norm from Saturday 17th. As of this After noon Norm has been transported to Yankton, South Dakota His Brother drove all the way from Ishpeming, MI to give him a ride. ( What a brother!)

I asked him how he came to the conclusion to take the river down. His response was that the wing dikes that he and I had paddled over had now become exposed walls as high as 8' tall. Counting up how many wing dams he had already passed, that tally was at least 875! The struggle he faces with,( remember folks 375# of gear) going up stream past these wing dams he would find 6" to 12" rises in the water elevation. This may not seem like much. however in a boat the amount of forward momentum needed to make a 6" rise can require 3-4 miles an hour forward speed. This is constant speed too. Once past the rise it is the best if you have a wing dam to the left as you transition the rise to swoop the boat top the left just past the rise. If you miss you get swept back down and you have to try again. Many times Norm would have to leave the boat and pull the boat around the rise. Rocks, sticks, mud, the flow of the river all make for a treacherous task.

Okay now for some fast facts to put this task in perspective. The days trip to Boonville from the bridge at I-70 consisted of at least three dams where he had to get and pull the boat around. Out of 875 dams there were 15 climb over. Any wing dam river rise that was 6" Norm could pretty much paddle past them Anything that was 12" or more, were definitely ones that needed to be pulled around. (I can't emphasize the physical and mental struggle/toll this takes on a person)

Each of the towns, Norm goes on to say, are reinforced with as many of the wing dams as they need to keep the might river from moving itself through the town. All the towns are trying to do is keep the town from moving.

Norm expects to take until May 10-20th of May to go from Gavins point dam to Boonville. He will take a slow time down to explore the places Lewis and Clark were. Then Norm's Friend Stan will transport Norm back up to Gavins point dam. He said that there was "big water" on the lake. Big water is when wind drives waves over long distances.Waves can grow to 2-3 foot easy. He'll have to paddle closer to shores (leeward of the wind) to use them as a break from the wind. Waves are usually smaller here.

Last comment from Norm was the mud. His boat was absolutely covered in mud. The boots, and the mud was 16" deep and more. Luckily, the water has "blues and greens" in it at Gavins Point dam, Norm says. (Submitted by Jamie- Update moderator)

April 18-21, 2004

Aug 24th, 1804 "...in an emence Plain a high hill is situated, and appears of a Conic form, and by the different nations of Indians in this quarter is suppose to be the residence of Deavels. That they are in human form with remarkable large heads, and about 18 inches high, that they are very watchful and are arm'd with Sharp arrows with which they can kill at a great distance; they are said to kill all persons wha are So hardy as to attempt to approach the hill...;" Wm Clark ( Seven miles west of Vermillion S.D)

Aug 25th, 1804 " from the top of this Mound we beheld a most butifull landscape: Numberous herds of buffalow were seen feeding in various directions: the Plain to North N.W. & N.E. extends without interuption as far as can be seen. Wm Clark

Aug 27th, 1804 "At 2 oclock passed the Mouth of River Jaque one Indian at the mouth of this river swam to the Perogue, we landed and two others Came to us, those Inds. Informed that a large Camp of Soues , were on the R. Jaque near the mouth." Wm Clark (James River-Near Yankton S.D.)

Aug 30th 1804 "a verry thick fog this morning after Prepareing some presents for the Cheifs which we intend to make by giving Meadels, and finsihing a Speech which we intended to give them...;" Wm Clark (Vicinity of Gavin Point Dam)

April 21,2004

Norm's log entries follow.

Photos: 1-3: From Ponca State Park Nebraska. The river was very wide with many sandbars here. The area upstream from the park probably is very similar to what it looked like when Lewis & Clark passed through. #4: Dawn and Phyliss Taylor at their Bake Shop at 519 E. Morgan St. in Boonville Missouri. Thanks for the hospitality!

Tuesday April 20th Severe lighting and rain. Tent bound. The last five days have been such a whirlwind of activity. I have now been transported up the Missouri to South Dakota from where I will paddle back to Boonville staying in the main channel and bypassing the 2000 remaining wing dams I would have had to negotiate had I paddled upstream.

I spent my last few hours in Boonville exploring the old historic buildings including the jail which ones kept Frank and Jesse James. I strolled to the top of several Indian burial mounds high atop the hill overlooking the river valley. From the wind swept mounds one can see for over 30 miles to the northwest. It's a wonderful place to be buried and very sacred to the Native people. The mounds sit well over 200 feet above the river never to be reached by the flooding waters. I had a wonderful lunch while waiting for my brother at Taylors Bakery and Coffee Shop. Dawn Taylor and her mother in-law Phyllis were very busy making flavorful baked goods. They made me a tasty lunch and a hot cup of coffee. Having cooked over a one burner stove for the last few weeks it was nice to sit down and not have to prepare any food.

My brother Bob drove down from Michigan to offer his support in the matter. We spent over an hour securing the boat to the roof of his van before heading north to Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, South Dakota. The landscape here in South Dakota is much more open, with large vistas, colorful yellow and orange rocky shores, blue green water void of garbage like that of the lower Missouri. Lewis and Clark were in a land totally foreign to them. Buffalo, elk, and deer were hunted here and supplied the members with fresh meat. The land was also home to the Yankton Sioux who had lived here for a long time.

April 18th- The small sandbar was barely enough shelter from the fast approaching cold front. I had just enough time to set up my tent when the wind gusted to well over 50 mph. Three ropes held my boat in place while I sought shelter within the tent. Without leaning against the tent wall the wind would have easily broken the tent poles. After an hour of listening to the flapping nylon fabric the wind suddenly abated. The water became as smooth as glass and as I looked to the east where the storm clouds went I expected to see a funnel cloud in the distance. I had left Gavins Point Dam earlier that day near the Calumet Bluffs where the Corp of Discovery stayed on August 28-31st and met with council with members of the Yankton Sioux. The river below Yankton is very wide and braided with numerous sandbars. Finding the deepest channel was the most challenging. In several places I ran aground and had to exit my boat and pull her to deeper water only to repeat this again a few hundred yards later. To anyone on shore it must have appeared as if I was walking on water for I was standing in the middle of a ½ mile wide river in 2 inches of water.

White chalky bluffs aligned the fast flowing river in many places giving a more picturesque view of a flat Dakota prairie. I paddled close to 50 miles to Ponca State Park on the Nebraska side of the river late last evening. The days travel was void of people, motor boats, and trains with only the sounds of honking geese and Least Terns and a few Piping Plover which nest along the sand bars. This land was where the Corp killed their first buffalo. The meat being salted to help it from spoilage. It was here too that the Captains ordered a vote among the men for a new sergeant to replace Charles Floyd who had died just days before from a ruptured appendicts. Patrick Gass received the most votes with 19 making him the new replacement. I am sure the men were very somber the days following Floyds death just as the river was for me except for the bird life. I hope to make it to Sioux City tomorrow and pay Floyds grave a visit.

Aug 13, 1804

"&...we formed a camp on a sand bar on the L.S. & detached Srg. Ordeway, Peter Crusatt, George Shannon, Werner & Carrn to the Mahar Village with a flag & some tobacco to envite the nation to see talk with us on tomorrow..." M. Lewis (Near present day Sioux City, Iowa)

Aug 18th, 1804 "...Cap L. Birth day the evening was closed with an extra gill of whiskey and a dance untill 11 oclock" Wm. Clark

Aug 18, 1804 "our men Returnd and Brot with them the man and Brot with them the Grand Chief of the ottoes and 2 Loer ones and 6 others of thare nation." Sgt. Charles Floyd (Last journal entry of Floyd before his death)

Aug 19th, 1804 "Serjeant Floyd is taken verry bad all at once with a Biliose Chorlick we attempt to relieve him without success as yet, he gets worst and we are much allarmed at his situation, all give attention to him." Wm Clark

Aug 20th, 1804 "Passed two islands on the S.S. and at the first Bluff on the S. S. Serj. Floyd Died with a great deal of composure, before his death he said to me, 'I am going away, I want you to write me a letter.' We buried him on the top of the bluff 1/2 mile below a small river to which we gave his name, he was buried with the Honors or War much lamented, a seeder post with the Name Serg. C. Floyd died here 20th of august 1804 was fixed at the head of his grave. This man at all times gave us proff of his firmness and determined reolution to doe dervice to his Countrey and honor to himself after paying all the honor to our Decesed brother we camped in the mouth of floyds River about 30 yards wide, a butiful evening." Wm. Clark

April 22-25, 2004

The 100 foot obelisk monument stands proud overlooking the Missouri River and the busy interstate highway. It was here on Aug 20, 1804 that Corp. member Charles Floyd died from an appendicitis. As I stood looking across the valley shrouded with gray clouds I could almost hear and see the burial service given to him by fellow expedition members. With full military honors he was placed in a shallow grave high on the bluff, becoming the first U.S. military man to die west of the Mississippi River. It was to be my moment alone with Floyd. The monument empty with people stood silent with the nearby highway buzzed with traffic.

I arrived at Sioux City on Wednesday the 22nd about an hour before a horrible storm which brought high winds, hail and two inches of rain which found a resting place on the floor of my tent. In the 30 minutes I was using the showers at the Scenic Park Campground the wind blew my rain fly off my tent and forced water through the meshed screen ceiling. Had it not been for me leaving most of my belongings in their protective bags, everything would have been soaked. I sponged most of the water out of the tent and dried it with my towel I had used during my hot shower.

Since my arrival I have been treated well by the friendly staff at the campground. Jim Steele, the aquatics director for the recreation dept. treated me to lunch and was kind enough to drive me to the Lewis and Clark Center where Dr. Sharon Ocker welcomed me and later drove me to Floyds monument. When not singing in the barbershop quartets, Sharon is often discussing topics on history of the area to local people and visitors at the Center. I feel the same friendship and generosity of the Indian people Lewis and Clark met here has carried over two centuries later.

Photo above: Sgt. Floyds grave from the river. The original site was near where the river is now but was moved the first part of the 1900's to prevent it from washing away.

Photos below: #1: Approaching storm. This was a typical high wind, possible tornado storm that produced high winds, hail, and lots of rain in a short period of time. This storm soaked the inside of my tent. #2 View of Sargent Charles Floyds grave and monument in Sioux City, Iowa. Floyd was the only member of the expedition to have died. His gave was moved back to its present location since the Missouri had begun to wash the original site away.
Norm

Jamie: Norm just left South Sioux City, NE @ 11:20am, Headed for Decatur NE! We hope Norm enjoyed his stay here in Siouxland, we sure enjoyed his company! Take care and keep in touch. Jim Steele, South Sioux City Parks and recreation.

April 26-30, 2004

Aug. 8, 1804

"passed a island 2 miles above the litle Scouix R. on the upper point of this Isld some hundreds of Pelicans were collected, they left 3 fish on the sand which was very fine." Wm. Clark (Little Sioux River)

Aug. 11th, 1804

"Capt. Lewis myself & 10 men assended the Hill on the L.S. to the top of a high point where the Mahars King Black Bird was burried 4 years ago. A mound of earth about 12 feet diameter at the base, & 6 feet high is raised over him turfed, and a pole 8 feet high in the Center on this pole we fixed a white flag bound with red Blue & White...;" Wm Clark (Near present site of Decatur, NB)

Sunday- 40 miles south of Decatur, NE
What I had thought were pulled muscles in my back for the last couple of weeks turned out to be much more. Prior to departing the Sioux City area on friday morning I visited Chiropractor James Bjork who generously offered to help me with my back pain. He quickly diagnosed several ribs out of place as well as my hip. After several adjustments I imeadiately felt better with less discomfort. (Thanks Dr. Bjork, I appreatiate it!)

Photo: Me and Dr. Bjork in Sioux City, Iowa just after he put 5 ribs and my hip back in place.
I can remember clearly when I injured myself. I had pulled my boat through the shallow waters around a wing dike several weeks ago. Poor footing and improper lifting are a daily occurance along the river. While loading or unloading heavy gear bags from my boat the shoreline is often very muddy, rocky, and uneven creating challenges in trying to balance and lift at the same time. I have yet to have a flat, stable or firm area to pack my boat.
Lewis & Clark may have had it slightly easier at times by laying out a wooden ramp from the keel boat to shore, but overall they had more gear (15 tons) which needed to be brought to shore at each camp. Since these men did not have the pleasure of a chiropractor to put bones back in alignment they probably all suffered from pain and discomfort. This constant labor may have been the reason for members Reed and LaLiberty to desert the expedition in the area I passed through on friday. Reed was caught and sentenced to run the gauntlent four times while each man with 9 switches hit him.

Photo above: Site of Lewis and Clark camp known as "Fishing Camp". The original river channel flowed through this field on both sides of the grove of trees in the background. This group of trees was originally an island in the Missouri River but the channel has now migrated to behind me in the photo.

As I paddled on towards Decatur, NE I pondered the thoughts of Corp. members catching over 1000 fish at what was to become known as "Fishing Camp". I can't imagine eating any of the fish caught from the river today considering all the chemical, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides washing into the river from the nearby farms. I'm sure for the Corp. members it was a nice change of pace from the heavy wild game diet they were eating.

Photo above: Power plant in Iowa. One of many along the Lewis and Clark trail today.

The fast flowing river sped me past the yellowish clay bluffs known as the Loess Hill that lined the rivers west edge. The trees being all in full foilage provided a bright green backdrop to the otherwise plain landscape. The final bluff near Decatur is where the Mahars Chief Black Bird was buried in 1800 after dieing from small pox. Members of the Corp. had climbed the 300 foot bluff placing a pole and flag over the grave in 1804. Many gifts were also given to the Mahar Nation by the Lewis and Clark expedition whom they found to be very friendly.

Photo above: Known as the Loess Hills in Nebraska. This is the bluff near Decatur that the Corp climbed to to raise a flag in honor of the Mahar Chief Black Bird.

I arrived near sunset in Decatur and pitched my tent in the city campground along the rivers edge. There was only one other camper located in the well kept park. It sat high overlooking the river and nearby bridge. I was told that it was going to rain the next day so I placed my tent next to the picnic shelter in case I needed some extra protection from the rain. Sure enough it rained and temperatures dropped to the 40's making an uncomfortable day in the tent.

I managed to get a few supplies from the nearby market to help supplement what I already had. Decatur is the 2nd oldest town in Nebraska with a population of about 600. The town sits at the southern end of the Winnebago Indian Reservation. My visit to the coffee shop on Saturday proved to be the gathering place for the community. A table of men in their 60's talking politics, while 1/2 a dozen well groomed gray haired ladies discussed "so and so's" grandkids. The young waitress managed to keep a smile while serving all 40+ people piles of biscuts and gravy and hot coffee.

After breakfast I retreated to my tent while the rain beat down for hours. I bought a local newspaper which quickly became damp in my tent from all the rain pounding down. Sunday provided a hint of sunshine with many lingering dark clouds. By the time I loaded my boat I felt I had a good chance at having sun all day. With the fast current I counted off each blue mile marker sign and covered nearly 40 miles to the large sand bar across from the Tyson Island Wildlife Area. My camp lies only a mile from Lewis and Clarks camp of August 5, 1804. The river today being more straight and less crooked as it was for the early explorers. In many places the original channel is nearly 4 miles inland on what are now tilled fields ready to be planted with corn. My last calculations put me arriving back in Boonville, Mo about the 10th of May .
PHOTOS: #1 The Loess Hills south of Sioux City, Iowa. These yellow clay hills are remnents of the ancient glaciers. L&C mentioned these hills in their journals. #2 Mile to the Mississippi River! #3 Near the site of L&C Fishing Camp in which they caught hundreds of fish in a short period of time.

July 12, 1804

"after and early brackfast I with five men in a Perogue assended the River Ne-Ma-Haw about three miles to the mouth of a small creek on the Lower Side, here I got our of the Perogue, after going to several small mounds in the leavel plain, I assended a hill on the lower side, on this hill several artificial mounds were raised, from the top of the highest of those mounds I had an extensive view of the serounding plains, which afforded one of the most pleasing prospects I ever beheld..." Wm Clark

(Near Fortescue NB)

July 14th, 1804

"at half past seven, the atmosphere suddenly became darkened by a black and dismal looking cloud…in this situation the storm which passed over and open Plain from the N.E. struck the our boat on the Starb. Quarter, and would have thrown her up on the Sand Island dashed to pices in an Instant, had not the party leeped out on the Leward Side and kept her off with the assistance of the ancker & Cable, untill the Storm was over, the waves washed over her windward Side and she must have filled with water if the Lockers which had notbeen covered with tarpoling & threw of the water & prevented any quality getting into bilge of the Boat" Wm Clark

(Present site of Nishnabotna)

July 15, 1804

"I proceeded on thro those praries several miles to the mouth of a large creek on the L.S. called Nema har this is a small river" Wm Clark (Site of Little Nemaha River)

July 18, 1804

"Saw a dog nearly starved on the bank, gave him some meet, he would not follow, our hunters killed 2 deer today" Wm. Clark

July 19, 1804

"passed some high clift 4 1/2 miles above the islands on the L.S. of yellow earth passed several sand bars, that were wide and at one place verry shallow, Two beautiful runs fall into the river near each other at this clift." Wm Clark (Site of Nebraska City, NB)

April 30th

Thursday- Downstream from Brownville, Nebraska

Sometimes if you look at a certain situation for a moment, it often seems surreal. This is in reference to the past few minutes here at my camp. I just finished dinner on a muddy sandbar; in the distance an owl hoots from the nearby woods, a squirrel chatters dissatisfaction at something, while the low droaning hum of the Cooper Nuclear Station sits just upstream from my camp. To add to this, I just tried to make a phone call to Churchill Clark (great grand-son+ to William Clark) with my satellite phone. I was able to do all of this within a mile of the July 15th, 1804 encampment of the Lewis and Clark party. I almost feel as if I am living in two centuries at once, the nuclear age and the buckskin age. With all the high tech gear I have, I get lost in the huslte of the 21st century only to drift back in time when all the equipment is put away and all I have is my paddle and my boat to drift along. I paddled 60 miles today under heavy clouds from Plattsmouth to Brownville, Nebraska. Thursday I had been wind bound while 4-5 foot whitecaps were rolling upstream on the river. Mile after mile I pass small creeks, rivers, thick forest, with names like Papillion Creek, L'Eau qui pleure (Water which cry's), Platt River and Nishnabotna Creek. Many still hold the names given to them by Lewis and Clark while others have been changed. The place where these bodies of water empty into the Missouri all look the same. The Army Corp. of Engineers has altered each one of the streams, rivers and creeks. Most have the appearance of a man made ditch. Often, for miles they are perfectly straight with their banks smooth and sloping at a 35-degree angle into the river. Atop grows a thick coat of lush green grass giving the appearance of someone's front yard. As the current carries me along often unnoticed by anyone on shore, I pass other landmarks of the industrial age. Bellevue Power Plant, Missouri Portland Cement Co., American Commercial Marine Services, Council Bluffs Water Intake, Northern Natural Gas Co., Farmland Industries, Farm Crops Corp., Terminal Packaging Corp., Iowa Power and Light Co. These large ominous looking buildings seem out of place, out of context. All seem to emit their own sounds and smells as I pass. Occasionally a pipe leads directly from the building to the water where brackish yellow colored water dumps into the Missouri. Moments like these I know I am living in the 21st century while a mile further downstream finds me drifting back in time gazing at the hillsides to see huge old growth cottonwood trees that I know watched the Corp. of Discovery when they passed by two centuries before.

Photo above; Denny Lange and myself at the Canoe Outfitters Store.

While wind bound Thursday in Plattsmouth I came across the Canoe Outfitters Store on Main Street. I was surprised there would be much of any interest in canoeing in Nebraska. Denny Lange the young manager of the well-stocked store hopes to increase people's interest in water sports not only on the Missouri River but elsewhere in the state. By showing people there is something enjoyable or constructive to do on the river they may lean to appreciate its value and learn that it's not a place to toss garbage into. I agree with him completely. I witnessed several people at the boat ramp who would toss their beer cans into the river when finished. It seems that many people are led to believe that that is what you're suppose to do. I like to think of a river as like the veins in your body supplying your organs with nutrients. If you mistreat your body by poisoning it with chemicals and garbage then the body will eventually give out or you will end up with some disease. The same goes for the rivers. But if you take care of them and respect the vital importance of their health, then we as a country will be much better off. Denny is one of the few people I have met who makes a point in picking up trash along the river while so many are adding fuel to the problem. I visited with him at his store for several hours and looking over the many nice canoes and kayaks on display. It was a nice change of pace talking with someone who also values our rivers. Denny stopped by the bat ramp where I was waiting out the high winds along with local newspaper reporter Melissa Breazile-Enz who interviewed me for an upcomming story to be featured in the paper.

Photo above: High winds creating whitecaps on the water by blowing against the current. It may not look like it from the photo but the waves in the middle were over 5 feet high.

As I drift off to another nights sleep (7:53pm), a deer snorts in the woods near my tent. It probably is disturbed from the glowing light from within the tent. The hum of the nearby Nuclear Plant slowly puts me to sleep.
PHOTO: I found this old stove sticking out of the mud and it happend to be a convienent place to tie my canoe up to. Lots of garbage and appliences in the Missouri River do to carelessness and lack of respect of the river.