Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The News from St. Louis






So we've been relaxing. After another six weeks on the water it feels nice to be walking around so much. And although we've been warned by many, the encouragement by others to try and go the rest of the way is winning out. It was a hard last week on the water, and we both thought we'd had it, our bodies broken from the cold and sleeping on the hard floor, Hannah having a cold, the wind being relentless. But after thinking over the advice we've gotten from tug boat drivers, ex coast guard officers and rafters, it seems terrible to give up here without even trying the lower river. It's been done before. We just need to be prepared. And here we are preparing.

We are rearranging the boat to accommodate two other crew members, having had some makes us value their presence and getting rid of junk we've stored up seems like a necessity anyway. We've already found more solar panels, and a promise of a little heater. We are looking into buying a bigger outboard, another anchor, and another battery.


We have also set up a paypal account to try and raise funds to get these additional items, and to pay for the gasoline that we will, it seems, be using much more of downriver. The current is faster, time to dodge traffic is less and the amount of traffic increased will surely require more dodging.

Oh and Hannah's mom and grandma came and checked the boat out. Mother approved. Wheee!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

you are now featured in josh's kayaking the mississippi "dvd?". by that i mean one photo on a scrapped together slideshow. still, you are one tiny bit more famous-er. i just saw it tonight...along with lindsey's street dancing partner. who is sitting right next to me as i type this in a cold apartment downtown.
where shall i meet you next?

Michael R. Allen said...

Welcome, travelers!

Anonymous said...

hello there hannah and lindsey,
i just thought you'd like to know that the Mississippi in Winona is now frozen, barge traffic on the Upper Miss. is over, and asian (leaping) carp were spotted in lacrosse.
is it good to be where you are?
where are you?
i'd probably like it.
(charlie parr plays at ed's tonight though, so i can't make it)
and i can't call you, 'cos my phone is being a phony...text only(!?). i'd love to hear your voices and updates. but alas.

love,
billy joel

Kevin Kerwin said...

Hey Lindsey and Hannah,
Best of luck on the rest of your journey. Be sure to check out the Week 6 wrap-up of "Running America" - you guys are in there.
www.runningamerica08.com
Best,
Kevin