New Madrid — Mississippi River

103 Days. 2,300+ solo miles. A pen, pad, camera and the adventure of a lifetime. Crossing America by Canoe. A Mississippi River story.

In late August of 2017 I set out to complete a dream-to canoe over 2,300 miles through the heart of America on the nations largest artery, the Mississippi River. With no partner, few expectations and a yearning for adventure I packed my boat and headed north to the headwaters of the Mississippi in norther Minnesota. For the next 103 days I traversed the country by canoe, from the Northwoods of Minnesota to the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Along the way I was taken in by the kindness of strangers and stricken by the beauty of the river and the people who call the Mississippi home. These are the stories of that journey. The people and places, triumphs and tribulations. The adventure of a lifetime.

Day 71 Mississippi River - T for Tennessee

Nov. 1, 2017

As I write this, I'm lying in my tent, which is pitched on a small patch of ground that looked flat enough when setting up. Once I lied down after a solid afternoon and evening, however, I have found out that it's definitely not flat. A fairly steep angled slope should make the night interesting. I've also squashed two small spiders and removed one ear worm/centipede from the tent floor. It ain't all glamorous living on the loose.

The day began with rain. Expecting the weather, I had set up a taught tarp to avoid having to pack a went tent. Around 8am I got up and walked outside to find low hanging clouds moving quickly across the sky. As I reentered the tent and began to pack up my sleeping bag and blanket the rain picked up again. The next three hours consisted of me lying in bed dozing in and out of sleep to the sound of rain tapping the tarp overhead, telling myself to just get up and get on with it. I cooked breakfast and made coffee under the tarp.

Missouri, Tennessee, Storms, VideoWill CollinsMay 31, 2019New MadridComment