On My Way to Minneapolis!

So far so good. Or as the lady said who put on her hat before getting into the bath: what is done is done. Alea iacta est - the stone is cast; it is done. Well, not all of it of course. I still have 2,000 miles of river to paddle....

I'm often asked how I 'feel' about my venture. Honestly, I can't say that I've spent a lot of time analyzing things on an emotional level. And I've been so busy with the practical, and sometimes mundane, aspects of planning my trip that I had no time for introspection. So I dodged the question or kind of waffled my way through a response, usually along the lines of, "I'm excited/really looking forward to it/not scared/not worried about alligators", or something to that effect. But today, my wife asked me that same question just before we said goodbye for the next month or so, and this time I couldn't fake it. I had to dig deep inside and find an honest answer, both for her sake and mine. This is how I feel about my crazy, 100 day, 2,000 mile river odyssey:

I will miss my wife very much, and I already can't wait for her first visit, hopefully in the next few weeks. This is not the first thing I said when I answered her, but it should have been.
I am excited, very much so. It is after all a childhood dream come true, if you'll allow me this one cliche. Close to three decades of adulthood have not stripped me of my ability to enjoy my excitement, and to be excited about the things I enjoy.

I am not apprehensive, scared or nervous. I am well prepared, very well equipped, and I know I have the physical and mental stamina, and common sense to complete my journey safely and successfully. And I'm really not afraid of alligators.

I'm looking forward to writing about my adventure and the river. I'm not even on the river yet, but already the words are flowing as if through a wide open pipe with no obstructions in sight. And it's about more than writing a book and earning money from it (we all have to make a living); it's about being able to share my experience with so many people as it unfolds, in near real time via my blog and web site. I have both the privilege and a responsibility to share my adventure with others.

I also feel a sense of gratitude. The generosity, support and sincere interest of corporate sponsors and individuals alike blew me away. You know how people always say when they accept an award, "this wouldn't have been possible without so-and-so, etc?" Well, in my case, my adventure really would not have been possible without all the donations, assistance and support I've received to date. I've mentioned above that I'm very well equipped for my trip. Everything from my Prijon Kodiak kayak, to my paddling and camping gear, to my suntan lotion and energy foods, everything is top of the line, quality brand products. And all of these things came to me because others share in my excitement, and because they believe in my dream so strongly that they have invested their money and time in my dream. I'm also pleasantly surprised, and not a little pleased, by growing number of individuals who have made cash donations on my web site. If people continue donating at this rate, I hope to actually have some cash left over at the end of my trip to donate to a worthy cause.

Strange things always seem to happen to me when I travel. Usually I end up next to really weird individuals who insists on sharing their life stories in great detail during a ten hour flight to ......(fill in the blank), I get more than my share of religious nuts and obese food enthusiasts, and I once shared a cross-atlantic flight with a failed , very inebriated ex-boxer who wanted to take on the entire coach section and cabin staff to show that he still had what it takes. I even had somebody die on the same flight once. That was the fastest deplaning of a 747 I ever experienced.

What happened this time takes the prize though, by far. But I'm afraid you'll have to have to wait a few days for the story......I have a boat to catch. I just over two hours I'll launch my kayak on the Mississippi for the first time. Wish me luck!