day 18, in cincy

More to come, mile 471

Day 17: big foot and getting free stuff

So today was a day where everything worked out perfect even though we were against most odds for this to happen.  I was awoken last night by bigfoot. For real.  First there was a loud horse sound, then a loud cow sound, then a few minutes later after I had fallen asleep I heard a loud thud in the water.  At first it sounded like a fish, then it happened 8 more times. It sounded like someone was throwing boulders from the bank.  It think it was bigfoot showing his territory.  Keep in mind this was kentucky which is known for bigfoots. It was bigfoot.

Anyway we woke up late, cleaned the canoe and Paddled 18 miles to a lock where they gave us water refills and gave us free ice. This was clutch on a day where it was close to 90 degrees.

We Paddled down some more when a voice 500 yard away yelled "ya want a beer?!"  It was hard to turn down such an offer, so we Paddled over and b-s'ed for a while. We were given free beer then free zucchini and dip for the road.
 After traversing more of the calm river we ended up at a floating restaurant for burgers and beer..... of which I'll tell you ended up being on the house, aka free.   We were also given permission to sleep on "the yacht" which is actually just a guy named Larry's rundown pontoon, which is actually this guy named marc oddo's favorite accommodation thus far.

I'll also mention we are 20 miles to cincy where there's a ton of cool stuff going on this weekend like a slightly stoopid show, weba fire work show where literally a million people come to drink, eat, hang out, and watch great fire works.  Also I can recoup and sleep on some cushions and get supplies.

Mile 451
New Richmond ohio
Skipper's Cafe, Larry's yacht

Day 16: Epic effort and epic rain

I love when people get so excited about people paddling for transportion that they jump off their poarch, get in their boat drunk, and speed 4 miles down to catch up and talk about nothing.  This happened once today with 3 old guys, one of them we think is judge of the town. They were in a pontoon and hammered, then offered to let us sleep in their yard.  It was about 6 pm at the time so we figured to get paddling in before dark.  About a half hour later it started pouring with lightening. We got off the river just in time and are actually at an awsome spot.

Also today, some drunk dude named Jason told us of another guy who is paddling the ohio and Missouri rivers with 750 lbs of dried food. That's too much food.

We stopped at a boat club and got free a chicken sandwich and coffee.  The locals there were snobby.

Otherwise I feel great, and I hope we get to Cincinnat by Friday as there will be a lot of drunks for labor day and I don't want to be around those irresponsible people, at least in a boat.

Right now there's a horse in the woods that won't stop nayyyyy-ing.

Mile 420
Just past Ripley, OH
50 miles to Cincinnat

day 15: creatures of the sea... and pizza

Fitst of all, does anyone know where the moon went?  I seriously haven't seen it in days, the last time I remember was last week's half moon, and since then nothing.

What a crazy day today was.  We woke up early and set a new record of 42 miles today, I'm getting stronger and more hulk like by the day. Although today Erik picked me, as I drank about a pint of vodka before noon, as I thought it would be a short day.  We kept stopping for me to jump out of trees and film it and cause I thought it was fun.  After going from sober to drunk to hungover to sober again all in 12 hours in very exhausted.  We also saw a dead pig in the river, heard cows moaning load, seen some huge hawks, and saw an eel.

After hauling tail for 12 hours we walked a few miles to get amazing pizza and charge phone.  Thus is also one of the most beautiful, unknown, parts of the country.  The rolling hills go on forever, the river is clean, and there is plenty of wildlife.  It's days like this that make the adventure worth it.  We're camping on an island and only 74 miles to Cincinnat.

In Manchester ohio
Mile 397

This was from last night, a locust breaking from it's shell, very rare footage.

Day 14: Buccos lose, and my stomach wins

Woke up at an awsome camp late again. Got 20 miles before a lock, but before that saw another bald eagel, that's the 3rd one this trip.  The lock slowed us by only an hour.  Got another 15 miles after eating some horrible green beans at a break. It must have been a good boost cause it helped us get to portsmouth where were eating at a buffalo wild wings.  Got 2 great beers in the system and I'm ready for bed.

Long but productive day, closing in on cincy.  Physically I feel great and am gaining energy by the day, mentally it's also getting way easier.  I'm starting to have longer periods of time of little thought and relaxation and shorter time of stressing about the pace of our boat.   Its insane how fast and far were going in this canoe.  Keep goin' and be cool.

Now in portsmouth,  ohio.
Mile 355

Day 13: Soap and Machete and crossing into Kentucky

 First of all today was fricken awsome.  It ended with us crossing the west Virginia and kentucky boarder right as the sun set.  To out left was this cloud on the boarder that looks, at least I think, like kentucky. Amazing. A lot of people believe different things, but this is truly the unverified speaking and saying "keep going, you're doing great."

Also tune in to channel 3 wsaz, huntingdon wv local news at 10 tonight cause our story will be on the news. I'll send out the link as soon as it's available.

Woke up went 19 miles without a stop and very little conversation. Then stopped in huntingdon which kinda smells but is nice. Ate some 'next level' type pizza.  Stopped to talk to a local he gave us beer and water...scorrrrre.    Also did 31 miles today even after stopping 2 hours and waking up late. I know I keep talking about the big 60 mile day and I know it's coming, I just gotta be patient n'at.

Nothing like life on the river. I have so much to be thankful for. I have a great camp set up, a beer or two if I please, leftover pizza, an awsome sunset, a working radio, and am having a ton of fun.
This area seems to be infested with beavers and bats, nice combo, but not my style.  However, I guess I could make it my style.  Animals and bugs and hillbillies don't scare me anymore, and the thought of going all the way doesn't scare me anymore either.  Everyday I am becoming more confident and motivated to continue my goal.  It helps a lot when I see people that care and want to help along the way and make this thing possible.

Change that, I had a working radio, looks like I need to buy batteries now. Goodnight.

day 12: killin' it

Today I woke up very well rested and ready to go. Erik supplied an awsome freeze dried soup for breakfast for fuel. Once we got out of wasteland of coal factory, america, the view was awsome as we made great time. With the current we were going 6 miles an hour. The lock slowed us down but after that I was able to pull of to cool off and refuel. 88 degree but good cloud coverage.  A few people stopped to ask where we were going to which I replied "only new orleans". Cincinnati is with 180 miles which could only be a few days. We got 35ish miles today but that was with a late start.  We really gotta start waking up earlier to get the mileage we want... it's all about mileage, and of course enjoying the journey.

Also my boats name is daisy duke. One of the lock masters said to eat at daisy duke, they have 3 dollar breakfast and to check out ww2 museum.  So now boat is called daisy duke.

It's good to have someone to motivate me on this trip and keep the positive vibe going.  Eriks got good people skills and it paid off yesterday when we were able to dry clothes for free at a camp ground and get a real shower.  The amount of information about the world Erik has is surprising and will continue to be a positive impact on this trip.

Tomorrow we pass through huntingdon,  WV or ohio, and they have good restaurants and resupply stuff, like batteries for rock n roll radio and water and Gatorade.   Not much beer handouts lately but I feel that will pick up as we get closer to the city.

Another hammock night with a fire and now no rain for a few days, so that's exciting. We're both motivated and like minded and now have the odds in our favor to get 60 mile days.

Also found a messege in a bottle, I'll give you the guys email tomorrow, just email him and tell him his message reached us.

The stars are bright, nice and cool, bugs everywhere, no beer, sore, tired, and ready for tomorrow.  Night world.

Mile 290, ya heard.

Also this is Eriks blog, this dude is way better at writing exactly what's happening than I am.. Erik blog

I'm glad I met this cat, I realized after reading his blog posts that I've been neglecting yinz of a lot of the details and cool stuff that's actually been going on. One interesting fact I'll tell you before I turn off phone  is that we both left pittsburgh the same day! And he's from cincy and we met at almost the exact half way point between the two towns, maybe the universe telling us something.  Also the Eriks got some cool stories that I'll tell as we go. Really musically inclined dude and has a record label and video editing skills, so maybe this movie slash mocumentary will come to fruition at last.  He's also doing a documentary type thing for his dojcoin community, which is awsome and I'll also explain what I know later.  More to come, I hope you all are doing awsome wherever you are. Stay positive and good things will follow.

Day 11: Canoeing

Today started off like normal, in a tent, in an uncomfortable spot.  While going through the lock there was another dude in a canoe with a l ot of stuff too. After both stoping to charge phones we decided to paddle for a couple miles together.  We then thought it'd be a good idea to tie the kayak off to the canoe and have two people paddling thereby increasing speed and therefore increasing mileage.  So that's what we did. We were going like 5 miles an hour which now instead of both going 20 to 30 a day we can get 40 to 60 miles a day. There was also another river paddler named Abe we met. He did the Missouri,  tennesee, and Mississippi rivers alone, and is now doing the ohio.  Pretty crazy if you ask me. Ate at place called crazy horse and had a bacon burger, great fuel.  Found a messege in a bottle that said to email the person if found.

Now I'm in hammock by a coal factory, it smells great, like the mist of an old city dump.

It's insane how fast were going right now, we could make it to Cincinnat by Tuesday, which is 200 miles away still, but not that far when 2 people are paddling. I know most of you are upset thinking I would do this alone, but you know what, I don't care.    This is called an adventure because there's twists and turns and unexpected stuff happens.  Some times you gotta go where the river takes you. Pun intended.

day 10, wet

Paddled 41 miles in rain today. Now phone is being wet. The only thing not wet is my eyelids.  Mile 231.5, half way to Cincinnat. Cincinnati is 1/4 of the way to Mobile.  Peanut butter, beer, rain, trailer park, big spiders, smelly everything, sleep, wake up, do it again.

Remember o brother where art thou? At the end of the movie when the sun comes out after the flood there's a cow on a barn, well here there's a goat on the shore. This happened during the 64 seconds of not raining.

Other picture is a cave.

Day 9: Pizza Bagel Dreams

My dreams of water mellon have ended now I have dreams of pizza bagels.  Didn't leave til noon, got far, ended up at a marina bar for a ying.  Now at my best camp yet.

Today is one of the first days I feel like I actually have a chance to get to Mobile.  I have a lot of energy.  I feel like I could start getting  50 miles a day if I wake up early and power through and stop less.

Right now I'm drunk as hell, I drank a whole bottle of 40 proof vodka.

I got the radio cracking with triple a batteries. Alice Cooper hosts a radio show down here and does an awsome job. Rock on world.

Day 8 (Not on the River)

Still in marietta at a farm/ homestead.  Ruth and I pulled weeds yesterday and a little today. Then Tim and I cut a lot of grass for the shooting range, I'm hoping I get invited to shoot some guns later.  Ruth and I then went into town. She went tanning while I got free handouts.  I don't even ask, the lady just gave me ibuprofen and wrist tape, what a gal.  I then went to the pet store and felt bad for an orphaned puppy for 5 minutes.  Ruth and I then ate at Barb B Cuties.  It was local fast food burgers. Bomb.  I then cut more grass and am excited for tomorrow when I'll head out early again, not sure where it'll take me.
 Tim and Lynn's kids are amazingly smart. The 10 year old Aden is telling how our bodies break apart chemicals and is using huge words that I forgot existed. Their other kid Emmitt is just as smart.

There's a fuel spill on the ohio by Cincinnati and they shut down the river for 15 miles, hopefully this doesn't affect my trip.
 The picture is of a bug that stungodly Tim today.
http://www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2014/08/19/Pittsburgh-man-is-kayaking-to-Mobile-Alabama/stories/201408190015

Day 7: Easy

Woke up ate beerferoni.  Some locals asked about me and then said I should be in the paper. I told em I didn't want the attention and headed out. Paddled 15 miles, at 169. I am at some cool peoples farm with horses and working in exchange for food and a place to camp. They also gave me 2 beers, only this time it was Sierra Nevada, not bud light.

Pretty exhausted as I only got maybe 4 hours of sleep last night. We had homemade, amazing, egg rolls, and watermelon which I have been craving, but that's a whole other story.

post gazette thing

So jack Kelly is running the story in tomorrow's paper, so that's Tuesday I guess.  If one person can pick up a paper tomorrow for me that'd be awsome. If not its cool.  It's the post gazette so it should have a good sports page too.

River People

River people.
River people are like a whole race or breed or style, if you will, of people that I never knew existed.
 River people do what they want. River people usually all have jobs and houses and families to support. But it's like they know that the river and it's people are it's real home.  They hang out outside when they're not busy. They have a beer or 6 when they please, and they're not shy of sharing.  They're always smiling when you pass by.
River people.
River people have all the time in the world to give directions, help out with supplies, and even just shoot the shit.  I've never had a bad conversation with river people.  They're like a brotherhood or family of its own kind.  They're  a niche of people who have cool backyards, plenty of swings and chairs, and are usually burning wood for some reason.
River people.
River people seek adventure and find the same pleasure in TV and home cooking.  River people have good stories about the river, and it's people.  River people listen to the river, and it's people. They sing and smoke and live on boats.
River people.
River people hate fast boats and tug boats and hate big wakes.  They each have a story about how some snob was boating too fast(just the other day).
River people.
River people like your stories but always know of a river person with a similar story.  Don't try to one up a river person, they'll always make a fool outta you if you do.  River people care that you're there, near by them and by the river.
River people.
 River people are the same.  And I think most people are the same, just some of them live by rivers.

Day 6. Deer trapped on an island

Woke up, got supplies from town, headed off. Forgot my sunglasses on the dock.  2 miles down some people on a pontoon said they heard about me and my trip. It's nice to know people are interested in what I'm doing.  I asked for water and they gave me a beer and a water. I told em I've had good luck but forgot my shades. They looked in their boat and gave me an old pair they had, which was cool. I had to stop a few tmies because of sea sickness, and to stretch my hands. I think I'm beginning to get carpool tunnel syndrome n'at.  I found a cool spot by a national park and refilled my water. After a long day I found a really cool side creek that led back to the river. It has a marina so I'm sleeping here tonight and am only 12 miles from Marietta which is where I'll have a place to stay. So short trip tomorrow and hopefully a soft bed too. I just got done fishing with some locals and am about to hit the hay. Rain in forcast. Horay. I hate moskittos. And hate spelling that word.

If you look at the first picture of a map it says Paden Island and a straight shot to Grandview Island, it is the coolest looking thing. You can see like 7-10 miles down river and it almost starts to look like the earth is curving but around a river. The second picture down shows a shot of what it looks like at about half way in between. And I passed by like 5 or 6 islands today, maybe more and most of them are protected by wildlife foundations, there's like 200 something along the river, cool stuff.

Day 5: The Magnolia Dock

Woke up intermittently to nutella, good stuff. Traveled 29 miles, through 1 lock, saw a bald eagle fly 40 ft over my head from it's nest.  It wasn't bald, it had feathers.  EExhausted from heat, found a owner of a dock. They letting me sleep in their back yard, or their swing chair on poarch. Now at Dos Hermanos restaurant eating quesadilla,  free chips and salsa. Probably gonna toss back ying ling or 4.

Thoughts. The current t and sun kicked my butt today, 10-20 mph winds coming head on and sun with no clouds.  I almost felt like passing out in my boat but somehow recovered. Now that I am done with today I feel amazing, can't imagine how good it's gonna feel when I get to the gulf.

Note: Nothing funny happened today.
Ohio River: Mile 128: Magnolia Dock, New Martinsville,  WV

Day 4: The Birmingham Bridge's Brother and Free Beer

I woke up cold as a sore and sore as a cold. So I picked up a Busch and passed back out in Bills and Mimi's house boat. They of course went to their house house. Nicest people and best story tellers I met. If yinz read this I wish the best to ya and thanks for the hospitality.  I proceeded throughout the day to get free beer from people. 3 from Bill, 2 from random people, 2 from Joe and Susan who have a neighbor with a water slide into the river, 1 from Jim, and 1 from some snobs.  I drank 1 for each break separated by 4 hours so it's cool. I now have 7 beers in my cooler and after starting a fire on the river I have some time to relax.

I waited an hour and a half by the locks, didn't get started til noon, and stopped twice and still covered 25 miles because of an awsome current.

You wouldn't believe how good a can of warm soup tastes right now after eating trail mix and protein powder all day, or maybe you might.  I feel more and more appreciative and humbled ever day.  This river is mischievous, one minute its punching you in the gut and the next it's massaging your shoulders.

Also: Some guy from the trib or post gizmo paper want to do a story about how I use a kayak for transportation, so don't buy that paper because they'll probably paraphrase everything I said.

Also: The picture that looks like the Birmingham bridge is actually in Wheeling, and they are brothers, or cousins, or lawyers.

The other one is a freeze dried pelican , it's still alive but just can't move, sort of like Hans solo in empire strikes back.

Mile 99.

Day 3: Great people and bacon cheeseburgers

Woke up to coffee compliments of Ms Russel. B-S'ed with George. His daddy landed a plane in a baseball field in 19......54ish.  He also knows of 17 geese in Chester, WV where he lives, good guy.  Jumped off a dock and swam around. Then battled through rough current and winds for 10 miles.  Then went through a lock where the lock dude was a jag.  I was handed an ic light from a dude named Scott Everly on a house boat, who is also related to the Everly Brothers Band. I know this to be true because after I ate at the Crooked Dock, a captain of a boat drove me to a marina where they let me stay.  Bill was the comidor and mimi was his wife.  Awsome people, they opened their fridge with beer to me and even offerd to let me sleep on their house boat. In 2 hours of fun conversation and beer with them I learned that they too know Scott Everly and can confirm he is indeed related to the Everly Brothers Band.  His nickname is 'Rum boogie'. Not sure why.

Anyway I'm in between Steubenville and Wheeling somewhere. Apparently there's a beer festival going on in Wheeling this weekend.  Folks tell me good things about it.

Day 2: Mysterious Watermelon

I woke up at 530 on concrete. As I was packing a blue heron flew up not 3 ft from me. It flew off with its 6 foot wingspan and I knew it would be a good day.  I saw 10 more that day, maybe the same one was following me. The guts at the lock gave me food and water when I told em what I was doing.  Steve and Chris were fish error men that gave me a cig and told me to go to the casino up river.  George let me stay in his back yard where him and his wife Mary were burning wood by the marina. I'm told not to take the Mississippi but rather the Tennessee.
Let's go Bucs graffiti.

Also there was a watermelon cut in half not rotting and no people around. Although it looked good I didn't eat it, but wonder where it came from and why. At mile 45 in Chester wv. Also I found out where clouds come from. The nuke factory.

Day 1

I'm Sewickley,  the rain slowed me down.
But the rain also brought a cool sky to look at. Tired as hell. Listening to pirates game on radio with an adult beverage. Goodnight yinz

I tried visitin Denise this day to say goodbye, she wasn't home.  First time I realized I loved nutella.  Got out of the rain just in time.

I was a little scared because while it was raining it was also lightening and I thought how could I possibly do this river if it storms like this again.

Having fun

I just left kayak pittsburgh not an hour ago and thus is what I get.  it's only supposed to last an hour or two. Hopefully my gear gets wet.

Leaving the Burgh

Things are too easy, things are too hard, only because we make things that way.  I have no idea what I'm getting into, neither do you.  Im kayaking from pittsburgh to new Orleans, and I hope it works.  Keep posted and live free.