Richfield — 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 59 Mississippi River - The Richfield Duck Club

I woke up at the Tiki Bar campsite and began packing up. Just as I was set to push off, my phone rang.

My cousin Lara and her husband John, who live in St. Louis, were on the line. We had been trying to connect for a few days but with poor cell reception and low phone battery, a few texts were all that was exchanged. Unfortunately, the pair were out of town for the weekend, however, John had planned on setting me up with his business partner, Mike, who owned a duck club on the banks of the Mississippi.

As John described the location of the club I realized that the Tiki Bar campsite I had stayed at was less than a half mile away, just across the river and separated by Cuivre Island. With the location of Richfield now dialed in I paddled 15 minutes past Cuivre Island, then turned upstream for another 20 minutes.

As I pulled up to the concrete steps I was greeted by Dennis, the grounds keeper. Following some small talk and tying up the boat I hopped in the gator and the two of us drove up towards the house.

Good People, IllinoisWill CollinsMay 29, 2019Richfield, Duck HuntingComment