day 74: the arrival to new orleans

Finally.  After going through the ultimate gauntlet of barges and sea vessels and almost getting my ears getting blown out by a steam engine blasting it's horn, we got to new orleans.  Roughly 2000 miles and 74 days.

A huge group of people were there to welcome our arrival after Eriks mom told what seemed like half of new orleans about our trip.  Popped some champagne, was speechless, and exhausted after a 42 mile day and an 830 am start.  Some drunk lady kept hugging me but  i embraced it.  And whats even crazier is some lady had a picture of us from an airplane from a few days earlier.

Eriks mom and dad are once again came with a boat load of hospitality and even got me a cool shirt.  It's a picture of an aligator with a Darth Vader helmit and below the picture says Darth gator.  Classic.

Today I guess I'll just eat and drink well.

day 73- attack of the barges

Today can be summed up like this.  Barges on the left, barges on the right, barges behind, barges in front.  Barges from poland, barges from Hong Kong, barges from the Amazon, barges from Florida, barges from India, Malaysia, and even little rock arkansas.  Barges have many shapes and sizes, barges are such a surprises.  Barges don't see us sometime, and sometimes we get close to dying.  Barges think they own the river, but nobody owns it, it's everyone's, so how can barges be angry, I guess they think they own it.

If anyone owns it, it's Obi-Wan and I, for we have only 42 miles until we have  completed, no, conquered the adventure we set out on.

Bald eagle count, 32

Not excited about getting back to society at all.  Not much else to say.

I might be excited about finding a ham sammich in the big easy.

day 71 and 72- robbed again but not discouraged

Welp, crazy story.  We got robbed sunday night.  Monday I hung out in town, ate some pizza, drank a beer, and listened to music.  Monday night the steelers destroyed the texans and I ate a 18 inch pizza alone.  Obi-Wan also ate an 18 inch pizza .Then I slept in a bag.  Literally a bag.  I'll get a picture of it cause it's the funniest looking thing I've ever slept in.

Anyway.  Tuesday we ended up getting a ride to the store to resupply.  I got another hammock, saints colors, and a sleeping bag.  Both for pretty cheap so no big deal.  Until we got back.  We got robbed a second time.  Shame on us.  We literally have nothing left except the map, 4-6 packs of ramon, a tapr, some winter clothes, a few books, trail mix, protein powder, beef jerky, 1 knife, 1 spear, a bottle of champagne, and 2.5 gallons of water.  I also have my health and am only 84 miles away from doing what nobody thought I could do.

So to hell with the spineless cowards who have all our gear.  We made it over 50 miles today, partly because the boat is so light.  I also have come to forgive whoever took our stuff.  Maybe when I get to new orleans I'll have a voodoo doctor put a spell on them.  Then again, it's probably better not to get the spirit world involved in such petite matters.  Maybe I'll just hope that my stuff has made their loving situation better.  After all, nobody really owns anything.  And I can't take that stuff with me when I die, so I might as well focus on aquiring knowledge so that I can pass that on to future generations.  Maybe it's enlightenment I've reached but I feel like we all should be trying to aquire knowledge to teach rather than aquiring possessions to put in our will.  My kid might be able to use a car I give him when I die, but if I never teach him or her how to drive it then what's the point.  And if I never teach him or her how to manage stress and manage dealing with people then one of them could end up dying in that car because of road rage.  So you see, the knowledge we internalize should be externalized to help others.  We should not focus on the external (materials), because they give us no understanding of the internal (what truly matters).

Then again, losing materials, such as in a fire or theft,  can help us reevaluate what is really important, family, friends, health, fulfillment.

Take a moment today to reevaluate why you work for money, what you do with your time, how often you thank people for just being themselves, thank the universe for your blessings, and reevaluate the time you have left and if you are truly fulfilling things you've always dreamed about.  Think about it.

day 69 and 70- in Baton Rouge, the steal city, and stillers football

I gotta make this one quick.  After getting into baton Rouge yesterday we decided to get food and get drinkin, after all, its been well deserved for a while.  I got some all you can drink campagna for 8 bucks, worth it.

Found out this morning that someone stole alllllll  of my sleeping gear, hammock, tent, tarp, sleeping bag.  Some fucking biggot thought they needed to fuck with something they didn't own.  I hope they go to hell, I really do.  Sorry for the language but that's how I feel.

The steelers are winning, not that I care

I really hope the people that stole our shit go to hell and burn for eternity, afterall, they deserve it.  Also, fuck material. Your stuff isn't important until it's gone.
.

day 68- farm slash house,almost to baton rouge, and officailly out of tuna

This morning while putting my stuff in my bag I found a black widow chilling.  I said hello and let him slash her on his slash hers way. At night I kept hearing things fall out of trees, I'm guessin they were snakes.

After getting out of no man's land in the morning it was a beautiful day.  Some clouds, 80 something and no wind.  We ended up getting about 45 miles and are 14 outside of baton Rouge.  Along the way I saw a silo that had been turned into a house.  The carpentry skill on that house alone is worthy of a ticket into heaven.  Jesus would be proud.

Also we thought today was sunday. It's not, it's Saturday.  We are idiots.

Camped in a hammock in a net above ground where snakes slither n'at.

154 miles to go to new orleans
Saw a bald eagle yesterday, that's #30 at least, it was also the first time I saw two bald eagles fly out of the same tree.  I guess it's that time of year.

Probably staying in Baton Rouge for sunday and monday, can't miss the steelers on Monday night football, prime time.  National implications.  Also gotta pick up chap stick, and a bottle of champagne. And more tuna.  Also tuna, and tuna.  And maybe some bread. And probably tuna.

day 67- camping on shaky ground and copperhead sighting

Interesting night to say the least.  After taking my morning walk around the forest neighborhood I noticed some fresh tracks, wild bore hooves.  Erik had noticed the same ones not too much further away.  All within 30 yards of our camp and we're not there the night before.  Funny stuff,  still alive.

After that I just made some sweet, sweet coffee with nutella, boom.

The place we slept was called dead man's curve.  And 5 miles down river Obi-Wan spotted a copperhead, we think, swimming across the river.  Those things are fast.  And good thing it didn't feel threatened because it looked big and vicious.  It definately had some gumption.

But pretty normal day after that.  Had a banana with peanut butter  that I've been saving.  It boosted us to over 40 miles today and puts us within a day and half of baton Rouge.  Just in time to watch my steelers on Monday night football.

Right now we're camping on some ground that might or might not be someone's property.  I don't think it is after looking at the map, but ya never know.  There's also a road not 40 ft to my left and trucks and quads keep going up and down it.  Hopefully I don't get woken up to a drunken Louisianian. Louisiananite? Ya, that pun will suffice.

day 66: Mario lemieux's number, also great breakfast

What a state of enrichment I am living in.  Not being impoverished in any state of being is truly a state of being I like being.  Appreciation is the key to ascention.  And in this state, Louisiana and enriched, I can say I am the happiest I've been in a long long time.  At the same time, with only 230 miles to go, I am kinda sad.  I hope I can carry over all the things the river has taught me into the world that most other people live in.  I would say my biggest fear is getting caught up too much in trivial bull crap  and forgetting how to appreciate everything.  Because I am literally thankful for things I don't have, is how thankful I am.  I am thankful beyond belief that the sun has been shining.  I am thankful beyond belief to have one day a week I can charge my phone and possibly eat something other than ramon and beef jerky.  I can go two weeks or maybe even years without charging my phone and eating casino buffets or drinking  coffee.  I think the point I'm getting at is that it took being on the river this long to realize I enjoy part of everyday life and it's conveniences.  Whereas before I was somewhat bitter.  I think going back to normal life will help me appreciate the river even more, and back and forth the appreciation goes.  I think seeing both sides of life, one of plenty and one of scarcity, helps me to think about new cocepts, which helps me grow, and in turn I can hopefully share with others.  It's too much to describe in words on a blog, but maybe I'll make a coffee table book out of this journey one day.

Anyway,we got into Natchez late last night and slept under a casino pier. Security stopped me on the way back from charging my phone and asked where I was going.  I said I was going to bed and I've been traveling all day and didn't want to be bothered.  He said wait there sonny  boy.  The manager came over and asked the same thing but was way cooler about the situation.  He just said, 'you ain't afraid of snakes?'  I said 'ya but I doesn't keep me up a night' .  So it all worked out.

Natchez is awsome, beautiful, and very vibrant.  The have an overlook of the river, which is weird because I thought it was all flat down south, apparently  not.  Obi-Wan aka erik recommended a coffee shop to get some real food.  Good call Obi-Wan.  Insanely good coffee, they had.  I picked a 'little richard' omelet, bomb.  Cheese, egg, bacon omelet with a side of cheese grits, and a pancake with syrup.  Heavenly it was.  Galactical  it will be.

But that was the highlight of the week other than the 4 free beers I got from the casino the might before.

We somehow got close to 40 miles today after getting a late start.  Obi-Wan called out the word of the day early, "enrichment".  Wow, great word to describe a lot of things, including how this trip has made me feel.  I realized when I started this trip I didn't have a sure reason for going, I just knew that's what my gut told me to do, so I followed it.  Someone asked me before I left why I wanted to go and replied 'because I want time to think',  to which they responded, 'think about what?' They asked with an attitude... to which I relied 'I don't know, I haven't had time to think about what I want to think about'.  And I truly felt that way for a long time.  I felt like everyday life wasn't giving me space, or time to just be, and to think, and to relax, and realize that it's all good.  This trip has allowed me think about all the hobbies and projects and goals I've put on the back burners for years, and allowed me to finally complete a lot of my thoughts.  It allowed me to complete my thoughts about what I wanted to thing about.  This trip has given me closure to the things that needed closure, and allowed me to realize my full potential.   And right as I'm writing this, and was about to write how I'm ready for the world I am, I was rudely reminded how NOT ready I am.  A big animal just ran past our camp, I shined a light and saw eyes of something big, might have been a wild bore, or wolf, or coyote.

But I am ready to take on bigger challenges, even a wild bore.

day 65: Natchez baby, Natchez.. and aligators

What a great night sleep I got.  I mean wow, wow, wow, great sleep.  I didn't sleep at all the night before and wow.  I dried all my gear, picked out a level spot on the beach as the sun went down, and boom, passed out, warm as a summer day in my tent, I was.

I woke up and aye oatmeal with raisins then putsyed around for a while before hitting the mighty Mississippi.  The goal was Natchez.  Only problem was we didn't know how far we had to go.  Along the long time it took to get here we passed a nuclear power plant.  Also we saw an aligator today.  It was huge.  It was about as big as the boat, which is 15 ft.  Pretty cool sight to see.  Also my hands feel like they are gonna fall off.  When I wake up I usually  can't open them because of, well, paddling for 8 to 10 hours a day everyday.  Oh well, the hand pain will go away after a few days, the story will live for ever.  Or at least until the Internet crashes and my grandkids forget to pass this story along.  Oh well, nobody remembers the dinosaurs either.

Anyway, after almost getting hit by a barge we made it to Natchez and are camped under the pier of a casino, badass shit.  Also I feel like 6 trillion dollars after eating a buffet and drinking a tall, cool budweiser.

307 miles to new orleans

day 64: thank god alive

Last night was by far the toughest night of my life.  Worse than being sick or drunk or anything.  I knew it was gonna be tough based on the condition of the weather and the condition  of  my gear, but I never knew what that could mean.  My gear was soaked based in poor gear management.  Even my cold gear was wet.  My hammock was wet, and so was my sleep8ng bag.  The temperature dropped into the 40s and was still raining into the early morning.  I literally curled into a ball with all my gear on and shivered for hours.  I got maybe an hour of sleep, but no rem  sleep.  I woke up, or should I say got out of my miserable  state at around 7 and started running around trying to get warm, dry my stuff, and eat.  My shoulders  at one point in the night were so clenched together trying to keep my body warm that it was a struggle to open them back up. Thank God  for the sun and no rain.  Thank God.

Today was absolutely beautiful.  And no rain scheduled for at least a week down here, although the nights are getting a little nippy.  We trudged through the strong wind and got about 40 miles today, somehow.  We actually passed by a town and didn't stop.  The name of the town was Vicksburg.   They had a casino.  But we decided if we kept going we could hit Natchez by tomorrow  night if we battle through the nuckle, back, and neck pain.  It's been 4 days with no electricity and it feels great.  I know it sounds cliche but being in nature changes people, it's definately changed me.  I just hope the change will last.  It's hard to imagine that this much self discipline won't have a lasting effect, but you never know, I might just be like every other hippie who searches for more and doesn't find it.

day 63 ugh ugh ugh and Erik cut a tree down

Wow, today sucked.
 I woke up cold and soaking wet, oh well, I laugh about these things anymore because the real test is how you deal with unfortunate shit.  Laugh when you wanna cry, it sounds insane but it works.

We did t get more than 10 miles in 20 mph  head winds today, it was a fricken struggle to get that far.  Then the weather started.  And as I lay here drenched and cold it's still not over.  At least I'm alive and have food in my stomach.  My toes are freezing and my socks are wet.  My sleeping bag is wet.  My everything is wet.  But my soul is alive after the test Erik and I were put through today.  After pulling over because the wind was literally pushing the boat backwords I checked the weather.   It said tornados possible,  damaging hail and wind,  severe thunderstorms and lightening.  And it was just as they said, short of a tornado.  And the hail wasn't that bad.  Actually the whole thing wasn't that bad.  We just stood on the beach, got soaked, and cut wood with a hatchet all day.  The wind is picking up now which means it's about to get bad again so I gotta go.  Be thankful your indoors.  I'm now jealous of you, and at the same time happy this storm is trying to beat me up.  I wish it could heat me up.

day 62: big big storms brewing after long day

So today we found ourselves right on schedule, until we heard a huge storm was on its was.  This is kind of a bummer being we are only 20 miles from Vicksburg.  Oh well.  The storm wasn't as bad as I thought but I got completely soaked, I'm writing this the day after.  I'm actually surprised how well I slept being my circumstances.   I was sleeping sideways on a hill, on a big root, water soaking through my tarp, tent, sleeping bag, pants, and probably through my skin and into my soul.  Also the sleep9ng bag is muddy, sandy, wet, and cold.  And I had rolled up bug net as a pillow.  All o remember  was waking up 12 times and laughing at my situation and how I was able to fall alseep.  I guess when after paddling as much as I do, 36 miles today, it doesn't matter what the problem is.  Tomorrow brings hail, wind, and tornados. God I love the gulf.  Also we are officially  in Louisiana!  Can't wait to catch me a gator!

day 61: catchin fish n'at

Between last night and this morning I don't know which was crazier.  A guy named Walter pulled up with his fishing boat and gave us some beers.  Next thing I know he leaves,and comes back hammered with 4 huge fish.  2 buffaloe and 2 carp.  Walt cleaned the carp for us and we threw it on the fire.  Amazingly good, surprisingly it was.  Then this southern bumpkin named Kayla showed us how to clean a carp.  It was quite a show.  This girl might be on TV some day no joke.  The carp was pretty good too.

Anyway we slept under a pavilion in hammocks. It stormed like the dickens, and we're supposed to get more of the same tonight.  The wind was so loud it sounded like a freight train coming through.  And the tin roof made it sound like, well, the tin roof sound actually helped put me to sleep somehow even though lightening was hitting just across the river.  Storms in the gulf Coast are something to be weary of, luckily  I got a tarp.

413 miles to go
Our goal is to hit the French Quarter by the 24th of October, 2014 years after Jesus.

Wind speed currently -10-15 and increasing

day 60: $outhern hospitality, ole miss, weather prediction, and more

More pictures coming soon
Two months in and I finally realized something... I'm almost to new orleans! 442 miles to go, and our goal is to get there in 2 weeks.  We got a hotel set reserved for the whole week of Halloween and the hotel got a pool on the roof!  Don't be jealous, I aways smell, am hungry, thirsty, achy, and tired.  But right now I'm charging my phone in a town called Greenville, MS.  We paddled 25 miles today, the river level rose about 10 feet from the shore overnight nearly taking our stuff away again.  This river is unpredictable.  We got to town, realized we couldn't 2 hours to the store and back before the gates closed to this rv campsite and decided to paddle on without much needed supplies.  Just as we were leaving a dude in a pickup truck swung past us asking if we wanted a ride to the store, we didn't even ask, he must have just knew by our scraggly apperance.  Dude named van gave us a ride to Walmart where we got bread, tuna, ramon, and propane!  Thank Jesus.

Van told us how mississipi st and ole miss won college football and the news of the world.  We decided to stay here on a flip of a coin, and it is paying off.  We talking to a cat fisherman who gave us some Busch and is telling us about the river.  Also some local invited us up to their camp fire, I'm guessing for a hootin  and hollerin  and a good ole beer or 14.

The river is supposed to narrow ahead so we should be catching some speed.  The goal now is to paddle 40 miles a day for 2 weeks everyday. Ya I know, crazy right?  But I got the hotel reserved for the 24th and we can't let a day go past knowing there's a rooftop pool at the end of this amazing quest.

I've gotten everything I wanted out of this trip and there is still more to come.  Stay tuned.

Also a fish yesterday jumped head first I to the kayak, it was loud.  I hope the fish isn't concussed, hes supposed to compete in the fish x games this weekend.

Bald eagle count 29
Water moccasin count 1
Coyote count 1
Raccoon count 4
Fish jumped 846ish
Beard weight 9lbs 5 oz