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I said I want you to be my Ground Crew for this: Missouri American Water MR340 « RiverMiles She said yes. So I get to paddle across the state later this month sleeping on sand bars or when/where I can to get 340 miles downstream in less than 88 hours.
You will have to have her keep us posted on your progress.
The two things I thought didn't include paddling 340 miles?
There was an article about this race in the July, Missouri Conservationist. Be sure to keep us posted. GOOD LUCK!!!:ThumbsUp
That is what re-spawned my interest in this event. If I like it, finishing or not, I will upgrade or add a better long distance kayak and improve my fitness training and try to actually "race" next year. It does several things at one time. It will test my mettle to the core, it will give her a social event of being part of the convoy of GC'rs exploring and getting to know Missouri river front towns and navigation as she keeps me supplied and supported along the way. She loves that stuff and can be very resourceful. To even finish you have to be in the kayak and moving down river between 18-20 hours/day. Her job does not stop at sun down any more than my down river progress can stop at sundown.
I'm so stoked about this!! I just ordered the Elite 5 DSI with GPS for the kayak, that will of course be moved to the boat upon completion :) That will help me know how far I am from the next possible meeting place or check point and using my average speed I can notify her of a pretty close arrival time which keeps her from sitting around and me from waiting on her which I can not do.
good luck in your attempt in the race. Sounds very similar to the Iron butt motorcycle events I've read about, also a grueling butt buster as well. Again, GL.
I've done iron butt rides five times. All as whims when I was headed home. Longest was 7am at the Mexico boarder 1183 miles to Kansas City by 3am the next morning. Only stopped for gas and grub. Every other tank I didn't even dismount the bike, just swipe the card, fill and GO. 255 miles/tank.
Hadn't ever heard of that race! Sounds crazy cool! Please let us know how u do! I love the Missouri.
Have fun man, sounds like a hell of a ride.
Yep!!Quote:
Originally Posted by mduncan62
Looks like you go through Washington, South Point's town and end up in St Charles. I will have a cold beer waiting for you at the finish line.
That would be great. I'm abstaining for two weeks prior to the trip (trying to drop 5-8#) so a beer at finish is a 1000% sure bet. Shoot me your phone number and I'll have Lisa shoot you a message when I'm expected in. She'll know pretty close to when I'm finishing by the updates I'll be sending her. Should be in some time Friday afternoon/evening. Thursday would be a miracle.
I could mount you a kegger in your kayak. Might slow you down a little, but you won't care.
Just Kidding. Sounds like a cool event for sure.
Have fun, go hard and never under estimate the Mighty Mo. Be safe.
What an adventure this will be! I've ran a couple marathons and imagine, like distance running, there will be some really high points (awesome support crew, scenery, etc) followed by some really low points (when will this thing ever be over, I'm cramping, sore, need fluids, food, started too strong, etc) but just keep the nose pointed downstream, drink lots of water, Gatorade, electrolytes, don't start too fast and you'll be good! I'll be sure to follow the race blog and look forward to hearing about your progress.
dang, sounds like fun to me! except for the paddling part... if you would like any on the water assistance around washington or any help at all, PM me and we'll talk!! here's a link to a couple of websites you might be interested in using. I recommend going to the corps of engineer's website and printing the "missouri river navigation charts" from KC to the mouth of the river. about the most detailed maps your gonna find for the big muddy. doesnt show depth countour but it will show all the wingdikes, where the bouys are supposed to be, the mile markers and the navigation channel. I keep my charts in plastic laminants and in a 3-ring binder. little hint, stay in the channel when you can, more current = less paddling! :banghead hope you enjoy your beer in St charles! :cheers2
NWS Missouri Basin/Pleasant Hill, MO Home Page
Kansas City District > Missions > Civil Works > Navigation
Good luck buddy I have been wanting to try it myself. Maybe sometime we could get our hands on a two seater and do it as a team
That would be awesome. Tandems do well since one can keep paddling even if one needs a break. I just scored: http://www.kanushop-kanatu.de/images...igns_storm.jpghttp://www.kanushop-kanatu.de/images...torm_kayak.jpgOn the condition that I sell stuff to make up for it. First on the chopping block is the jon boat with a '84 9.9 and gas can, brand new Minn Kota 45# edge that has been used 2x, battery, seats, and trailer. Hope I can get close with that sale. If that don't cover it... the Synergy 14' will have to go. This is a Current Design Storm GT 17'.
Enjoy the journey! And what an exciting journey it will be!
Launched at Sparrowfoot about 9:40 and pulled in Bucksaw somewhere around 1:00 with lots of head wind. Left Bucksaw at 2:20 and pulled up to Sparrowfoot ramp three hours and six min. later @ 5:26. Figured that was somewhere around 32-35 miles of paddling.
That's a long round trip in my Champion at over 60 mph and no paddling. Sounds like some good practice. Keep it up.
And that's with no current. GJ...Quote:
Originally Posted by kcbrown
So, were you sore the next day?
Not as much as I expected. You learn to paddle with your core muscles and not your arms. Your arms are just branches/braces to hold the paddle, your core moves it to some degree. Core muscles are larger and more enduring, arm muscles are small/shorter and build up acid faster. The river is slow and getting lower by he day. Even with a slight head wind it will be like a lake. Ideally you can count on 2-3.5 mph of current and paddling through the night that ought to add some good speed if the wind will lay. The first two check points (Lexington, 50 miles, 5pm Tuesday and Waverly 23 miles, 9pm are the eliminating cps that are timed to weed out the highest number and slowest boats. After those it is Miami, 32 miles, Wednesday 11am deadline. The strategy is keep on keeping on at least to Miami before stopping for sleep. That should put me there in the very early morning of Wednesday and put some time in the bank for use later... like in the middle of the windy day when sleep under a shade tree will be easy.
Well, doesn't life throw you a soggy turd every once in a while. Lisa's mom fell this morning and broke her ankle stabilizer bone. No weight bearing for 30 days min. She just moved in with us two weeks ago. Oh well, family first. Lisa will not be able to be my ground crew so I'll have to go it alone. That reduces my chance of finishing by a huge margin.
I hope your ma-in-law gets better soon, but you don't have to stand to ride in a car... you should ask her if she feels up to a road trip!:dono....
my offer stands, if ya need anything around washington, speak up! some water, a packed lunch, (outboard motor), what ever, just say so. as for the current, man I have never been up river of about chamois, but around here the current is closer 4 mph usually. with the river being low maybe down to 3.5. this is by gps, day in and day out, while drifting for bluecats. speed is critical and I pay close attention. one more thing, please have your boat lit up somehow at night, I about smoked a kyaker last year at about 2 AM. guy had no lights on at all and if I weren't running a spotlight every few seconds, well, I don't want to think about that... good luck in your race and putting together a ground crew, maybe there are enough of us crappie.com'ers along the way to get you to the end
I'm about 50/50 on going it alone. If I go, I may hit you up for that Washington care package. There is food/water available at the first few, then at Hermann, Katfish Katy, and some others. Eating grilled stuff day in a day out while working that hard ain't going to be pretty. Still on the fence on what is best.
Man !!So sorry to hear, you know we well help if we can
Man this site is great. Offers of at least four gps's, care packages down river, and now a St. Louis member has stepped up with an offer to put me up Friday night if I make it. That will make one logistics decision easy. I was concerned if I got in late Friday what to do with myself and boat until Lisa or a buddy could drive over to get me Saturday.
Progress can be followed here http://raceowl.com/RaceResults.aspx I am Gordon Brown boat 9937. Less than 19 hours till take off.