Rod Wellington – loveyourbigmuddy expeditions

Stickers, Business Cards, and….T-Shirts?

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013 by loveyourbigmuddy expedition, posted in Planning

I am getting ready to order some more stickers. They seems to be quite popular. I should be selling them, but I just love to give them away. Maybe I’ll become more disciplined with the second round. But, who can resist when you see pictures like this???

These handsome guys are stealing the thunder from my good looking stickers, don’t you think? L-R, Dave Cornthwaite, Rod Wellington, and Dale Sanders. If you have a few minutes (hours) and a cup of coffee (several), kick back and watch these three in the bike car adventures. Sure-fire entertainment, no joke. Here is the link to Dave Cornthwaite’s Bikecar Expedition 2012: The Highlights

Good fun, guaranteed!

I also had fun designing business cards. I have 250 on order from freelogodesigns. Check them out, they’re friendly folks. Here is my first round business card design (address removed for web posting):

card edited for web
Hard to see it here, but I like the way the mountains are brown with the blue river flowing out. I think the ‘one woman’ line is brown and then the web address is blue. If I only had a map of the route on the back. I may add that with an address label. We’ll see if it works.

I would love to have t-shirts. Maybe I can mock something up for next post.

Lots to do.

Well, here is the result of my playing around:

Thought, comments, suggestions? Still need something for the front. Or, should this go on front? Hmmmm.

Canadian Paddler Rod Wellington & a MO Riv Source Start

December 21, 2012December 21, 2012 by loveyourbigmuddy expedition, posted in Planning, The Route

Rod-photo_Coops_12-18-2012 — Photo by Rod Wellington

Canadian paddler Rod Wellington passed through Cooper’s Landing last Monday and Tuesday, Dec 17-18. He is paddling from the source of the Missouri River at Brower’s Spring, MT, to the Gulf of Mexico, all self-propelled. This is the longest river system in North America, and fourth longest in the world. Rod will be the first Canadian to paddle the MO from source to sea. Australian paddler Mark Kalch completed the route earlier this year.

Norm Miller (left) and Mark Kalch (right) at Hell Roaring Creek in June 2012

Altogether, Rod will paddle seven of the longest rivers on seven different continents. The Missouri River is his first. He has been on the river since June, a total of six months. His river systems project could take up to 15 years.

After a pot luck dinner and visiting with many interested locals, he graciously sat with me and poured over photos and a map from the Brower’s Spring area, the Missouri River source, to Three Forks, the headwaters of the MO Riv, a 298 miles stretch and one in which I am debating whether to include on my trip.

Browers-August — Cairn at Brower’s Spring with Continental Divide behind. Photo taken in August 2011 while scouting the source (photo by Rod Wellington)

Continental Divide at Brower's Spring in June 2012-by Rod Wellington — Continental Divide at Brower’s Spring in June 2012 (photo by Rod Wellington)

Looking down from the spring in June 2012. Undoubtedly, April will have a LOT more snow. -by Rod Wellington — Looking down from the spring in June 2012. Undoubtedly, April will have a LOT more snow. (photo by Rod Wellington)

No firm decisions yet as there are a few dicey stretches, like hiking/skiing/snowshoeing over snow for seven miles into Brower’s Spring, and seven miles out. And, a few days of dodging and portaging around farmers’ barbed wire/electrical/corrugated panel fences which cross a mere 20′ wide water way below the Lima Reservoir on the Red Rock River. Not to mention that the Red Rock Lakes Wildlife Refuge, located above the Lima Reservoir, is closed in April.

At least now I have a greater understanding of what my obstacles and options are. I have an unrelenting desire to capture some of that 298-mile stretch for its sheer beauty. Some of it may have to be biked. Thanks, Rod, for spending that time with me.

Jefferson River below Twin Bridges (photo by Norm Miller)

Deer on Jefferson River (photo by Norm Miller)

Rain approaching Jefferson River (photo by Norm Miller)

Understandably, Rod needed to leave Cooper’s Landing and continue

Rod and Jonathan at Cooper's Landing. — Rod and Jonathan at Cooper’s Landing. Notice the wood-carved hawk that is Jonathan’s handiwork.

paddling towards the Gulf of Mexico. However, our first major storm

of the season hit yesterday, the day after he left. Winds gusted to 50 or 60 mph, and snow was blizzard-like. One caring and supportive local, Jonathan Lauten, set out to find Rod and make sure he was okay. He found him across the river below Jefferson City, but was not able to make contact. We learned that Rod was hunkered down in his tent, warm and dry.

Rod laying low in a miserably cold, windy, and snowy storm. -by Jonathan Lauten — Rod laying low in a miserably cold, very windy, and snowy storm (you can see the wind plowing into the side of his tent). (photo by Jonathan Lauten)

Jonathan’s comment from Facebook:

I found him, but I couldn’t get to him!
This pic was taken from a bluff across the river 4:00 12/20/12.
Of course, it was hard to pick him out amongst all those other campers on the Missouri River in a blizzard with 50 mph winds…

Here is a post from Rod yesterday morning, much to our relief:

Dec. 20, 10am – Currently hunkered down in my tent on a sandbar near Jefferson City, Missouri. Outside: blowing snow, sustained winds of 35-40 mph with gusts of 50 mph or more. Unable to keep tent and tent fly anchored. I’ve arranged heaviest gear on windy side of tent to act as a buffer. I’m warm and dry. No paddling today. Expected low tonight: 5F with windchill. Thanks to Steve Schnarr, Gary Leabman, Robin Kalthoff and Jessica Giard for checking on me via phone. Still smiling!

Great meeting Rod and spending some time together. I think I speak for lots of other folks who met him as well.

Rod and me -photo by Jonathan Lauten — Rod and me (photo by Jonathan Lauten)

You can read posts and watch videos from his trip thus far, and track his current progress on his FB page: “Rod Wellington.”

Happy paddling!

Moving Right Along

December 15, 2012December 23, 2012 by loveyourbigmuddy expedition, posted in Expedition, Planning

So very much to do, but I am loving it. Having time off this month to focus on planning and preparation is becoming more and more important. My days are full.

Progress updates include the following:

My daughter, Haley, and I are going to pick up my Shasta kayak tomorrow, December 16. The boat and all the gear that came with the deal (thanks again, Bob!) is being stored at Michael Clark’s Big Muddy Adventures headquarters in St. Louis. Merry Christmas to me (payment day is so far removed in the past that they will seem like gifts :))! Thanks again Michael for storing the boat for me.

Also, Haley confirmed with me yesterday that she will help with my shuttle. She will accompany me to Montana, and hang out with me until I get started. Then, drive my car back home.

(The bandage on my hand was from last year this time. I had carpal tunnel surgery on both my hands. They are great now.) We’ll definitely stay at Norm Miller’s Base Camp International in Livingston, MT, while I try and assess whether a source start is feasible. This road trip will be the first time we have been out of the state together, or on any type of significant trip, ever. I cannot wait!

Rod Wellington, who will be paddling through Cooper’s Landing this Monday and Tuesday, will help me get a better idea of what the 300 mile stretch from Brower’s Spring to Three Forks is like. He is encouraging me to start at the source: “Janet, I wholly encourage you to start at the source. The 298 river miles above Three Forks was my favourite part of the river. it cannot be topped. ” I have wanted to start at the source since I decided to do this trip. However, April will offer up additional challenges.

Brower’s Spring drainage heads off to the upper right of this photo (by Norm Miller). This photo was taken in June. I will have to start in mid-April. Not sure if it will be possible, despite my ski-mountaineering background. Hell Roaring Creek below heads downhill from the spring and, obviously, will not be a paddling stretch. Seven miles hiking in and seven out. Something to seriously consider.

I added a Pay Pal button on this blog (Make a Donation Page). Financial support is not the only “support” I need, but it is an important one. Haley and I met with Tina Casagrand yesterday to discuss Kickstarter, an online video fundraising program. She shared a lot of valuable information with us in this regard. I have asked Jim Karpowicz, friend, river rat, founder of Missouri River Relief, and creative documentary filmmaker, if he can help me produce a video. He is willing to help so I hope to meet with him to discuss further.

I also met with the co-founder of Missouri River Relief, Charlotte Overby, who is now River Coordinator at Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF), and beloved by our entire river rat community. CLF works with and supports groups and non-profits who advocate for wilderness lands managed by Bureau of Land Management (condensed explanation). CLF supports Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument. We are floating ideas around.

I created a Facebook Page, LoveYourBigMuddy Expedition, so please “like” it. Part of expedition planning is sponsorship proposals. Companies like to see lots of exposure potential in their sponsorees. Social media is a big component of the total experience. Being as this is my first endeavor, it is likely sponsorship will be light, if not none. But, one never knows for sure, right? If you are reading this and have not yet “liked” my FB page, I implore you to do so.

Rod Wellington is due to arrive at Cooper’s Landing Monday and stay over a couple of nights. He started at the source in June, and is paddling to the Gulf of Mexico. He is paddling the seven longest rivers in seven continents, all self-powered.

We will take good care of Rod at Cooper’s, as we do all of the river folk paddling through. He can stay for free, take a shower, do his laundry, drink beer, play games, eat a home-cooked meal, run into town, and watch wide-screen surround sound sports/TV/movies. Monday night is game night at Cooper’s. Yes, like games: SkipBo, Monopoly, Cribbage, darts, etc. May be a bit of culture shock. Although, he’ll be hanging out with river folk family. We’ll warm him up before sending him back out on the river. Robin and Connie Kalthoff in Waverly set a high bar for taking care of paddlers. They are about 3 or 4 days upriver, and one of the stops for paddlers on the way; a hard act to follow. Here they are just yesterday, Friday.

Rod and I will be discussing the 300 miles between the source and Three Forks quite a bit.

You can visit his website at ZeroEmissionsExpedition

Zero Emissions Expeditions passionately promotes the practice of low impact, long distance, self-powered exploration.

Oh, one other thing happened last week. I spoke with my Social Studies methods professor when he was writing up a teaching letter of recommendation for me. I directed him to the MizzouWire story, which had just posted a couple days earlier. Then I brought him to my blog site, and he loved all of it, especially the book, “Our Mississippi.” He asked me to contact him after break and said he would help me with a book. We’ll see. I love it when things just fall into place.

Thanks for listening. -Janet

Three Cheers to our Inconspicuous Victors this last Week-end!!!

October 8, 2012December 23, 2012 by loveyourbigmuddy expedition, posted in Expedition, Missouri River

Victory in St. Joseph!

So many victories on the rivers this last week end! Hats off and kudos to these awe-inspiring challenges and extraordinary achievements. But the humblest of all heroes are in St. Joseph and they deserve our attention, too. First, though, a recap of events:

Mark Kalch is first man to paddle the Missouri River from source to Gulf, completing two out of seven of the longest rivers on seven continents. http://www.7rivers7continents.com/worlds-end/

Dave Corthwaite swims 1000 miles of the Missouri River and pulls into the St. Louis Arch having completed his trek with his team. https://www.facebook.com/expedition1000

Tyler Ranes and Tom Walker finish their (aluminum) canoe trip from Great Falls, Montana, to New Orleans. https://www.facebook.com/tyler.ranes.5?ref=ts&fref=ts

Brent Mills and Hunter from Greenville, South Carolina had reached the Gulf the very morning Mark Kalch did, having paddled the length of the Mississippi River from Lake Ithasca. https://www.facebook.com/brent.mill?ref=ts&fref=ts

Dom Liboiron Canoeing to New Orleans in Memory of my Uncle Mitch, Rod Wellington https://www.facebook.com/rod.wellington.9?ref=ts&fref=ts , and Matthew Batton https://www.facebook.com/matthew.batten.73?ref=ts&fref=ts are still paddling on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

But let me tell you about the unsung heroes on the Missouri River. The citizens of St. Joseph, Missouri, under the leadership of Missouri River Relief, spent a cold day on the river cleaning up trash from its river banks on Saturday. Different strokes for different folks (no pun intended), these adults, children, men, and women reaped unforgettable rewards and earned quiet respect because of their selfless service to help make our Big Muddy one of the cleanest and finest rivers in all the land.

Three cheers to River Relief and the folks in St. Joseph!!! You should stand tall among the victories that graced our mighty waterways this last week-end, October 6, 2012.

(Clean up photos by Rachel Beck www.rachelbeckphotos.com )

Let’s see, where do I begin?

August 13, 2012December 31, 2012 by loveyourbigmuddy expedition, posted in Missouri River, The Route

NormMiller_BelowThreeForks — Below Three Forks (photo by Norm Miller)

Okay, where do I begin?

Do I start at the Missouri River’s source, Brower’s Spring, or do I start at the Missouri River’s mouth, Three Forks, where the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers merge to become the mighty Missouri? Approximately 300 miles separates the ultimate source and the river’s official mouth, and about 10-12 days of paddling. At one time, with all due ignorance, I pictured that 300 miles to be pristine Montana wilderness, kayaking through isolated Rocky Mountain Wilderness on a sweeping clear water creek, just me, the mountains, and the wildlife. Not so, I have learned. Here is Mark Kalch’s account of paddling from the source at Brower’s Spring to Three Forks:

The Red Rock River issues forth from the lake and winds endlessly and listlessly out of the valley. Snaking back on itself time after time with negligible flow meant forward movement out of the area was slow. A coyote wandered to the river’s edge to investigate my kayak and I. His boldness surprised me. Cattle followed me along the river’s meander. Slowly, slowly I carried on.

On to Lima Reservoir the wind picked up and forced an early camp. Overnight my tent was buffeted by its strength. Across the still body of water and a short portage later I once more hit river. Now things hit up a gear. The river, narrow, shallow but running super fast was an interesting encounter. Trees fallen in the water loomed as sweepers and strainers. Turning a 17 foot kayak on a fast corner in an 18 foot wide river takes some doing. Soon man made his presence felt. Fences, of barbed wire and electric lurked in possibility around every corner. Out of my boat, dragging under the lower wire, submerging myself in the icy water, back on board and away again. Repeat for days at a time.

The river finally spewed onto Clark Canyon Reservoir, much to my relief. Another crossing and dam portage on to the Beaverhead River. Now wider, flowing fast, this river looked the part. Appropriately, fisherman now lined it’s banks in drift boats and suited in waders. A quick heads up alerted them to my presence. Non-plussed about my appearance the immediately returned to their labour. Just one guide questioned me – “You headed to New Orleans?”. My reply had him genuinely stoked!

The Beaverhead wound it’s way to Dillon and on to the small town of Twin Bridges. At times beautiful and peaceful, at others endless ranches, cattle and excrement runoff. But it was all about to change. 20 minutes paddling beyond Twin Bridges, the Big Hole River enters from river left. Behold, the formation of the Jefferson! Truly, one of the most beautiful paddling experiences I have ever had. If only the past week could have been so. The river, lined with forest, the water running deep and swift. Now this is a river journey. Alas, it was over all to quickly. In no time with a final hard push I approached the town of Three Forks. A few miles beyond the Madison joins the Jefferson from river right. A few minutes later, the Gallatin as well. A hundred feet beyond, a boat ramp and now this river which issued forth from a snow choked spring had finally become the mighty Missouri! The first, difficult, demanding and ultimately tiny stage of my river descent was complete. With a root beer in one hand and pizza in the other I was tired but happy. Time for a resupply and washing of muddy clothes. In a couple of days it is back on the water and to the sea I go. I am ready.

This is Mark Kalch just below Three Forks (photo by Norm Miller). I think this looks like a fine place to start. Yep.

Mark is paddling seven rivers on sever continents. You can follow his adventure here:

http://www.7rivers7continents.com/lake-it-or-not/

Rod Wellington is also paddling seven rivers on seven continents. You can follow him on his Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/rod.wellington.9

And, Bob Bellingham is paddling from Three Forks to St. Louis and will be passing through Cooper’s Landing in about a week. You bet I’m going to pick his brain. He knows. You can follow his blog here:

http://www.steadypaddling.com/

Then again, Norm Miller got me thinking about a bike/hike to the town of Dillon, then put in. I understand the Jefferson River below Twin Bridges is gorgeous. sigh…

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Dom Liboiron Canoeing to New Orleans in Memory of my Uncle Mitch, Rod Wellington https://www.facebook.com/rod.wellington.9?ref=ts&fref=ts , and Matthew Batton https://www.facebook.com/matthew.batten.73?ref=ts&fref=ts are still paddling on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

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