Awe, man.

I am now sitting in a comfortable hotel room at the historic and majestic Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton, Montana. After 8 days on the river, I checked in last night looking forward to a shower and a bed. Both did not disappoint. I spent the day being a tourist, viewing several of the local museums. I also picked up a couple of items needed for the next leg of the trip.

Grand Union Hotel
Fort Benton, Montana

Before starting this trip, I began reading Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner. With everything going on with trip preparations and other reading material, I only got a couple of chapters in before arriving in Montana. I thought that the lessons to be learned from Awe would be useful on my journey. As I have come to discover over the last week plus, my capacity for experiencing awe is currently in no need of assistance or schooling. I have been overdosing on awe. I probably will finish the book sometime, but for now I am satisfied with experiencing awe in the field, sans scientific explanation of the emotion. Throughout each day, I find myself frequently uttering out loud to myself the rhetorical question advocated by Kurt Vonnegut, “If this isn’t nice, what is?” (My answer: nothing.)

Another lesson that I have learned: expedition canoeing, while a wonderful and often awe inspiring endeavor, is also a lot of work. Hence, the lack of blog updates. So far, at the end of the day, after cooking breakfast, breaking down camp, packing and unpacking my boat (sometimes several times if a portage is required), setting up camp, cooking dinner, checking weather and other logistics, I just am spent and can’t even imagine trying to write. I have been trying to keep track of major issues, events, etc. through pictures and texts to my wife and daughter. Hopefully, when I gain some stamina and/or slip into a bit more of a leisurely pace, I will update the blog with more details of the last week. But, for now, I am going to just hit on some of the highlights of the first week of my journey.

The journey started with a flotilla from Three Forks to Toston Dam. Norm Miller, the big cheese of the Missouri River Paddlers Facebook group (MoRP), launched with me and another group of three paddlers that had chosen to set out that day – Annie, Ann and Jules. It was a nice trip down to the first dam. We took out and set up camp. Norm cooked us all a wonderful dinner of steak and mushrooms. After eating I retired to my tent trying to go to sleep way earlier than my body is accustomed to doing. The task was only made more difficult by the fact that it doesn’t get dark here until after 10:00 p.m. and, when I finally felt slightly somnolent, a train would pass by on the tracks across the river loudly chugging by with its whistle blaring. I did not get a good night’s sleep.

Camping at Toston Dam & my view from the tent that evening.

Day 2 dawned and I dragged my drowsy butt up and packed up for the first portage of the trip. Another wonderful river angel, Jim Emmanuel, assisted with the portage. Jim and his dog Steve also joined the group from Toston to Silos Fish Camp. Jim was magnanimous enough to cook a magnificent Walleye taco dinner.

Paddle Your Own Canoe

After being spoiled with camaraderie and cooking, it was time for the fledgling expedtionist (i.e., me – Annie is a veteran, with the Mississippi under her belt) to spread his wings and paddle his own canoe,in more ways than one. Firstly , I had to go it alone without river angel assistance (though they’re always available for backup and advice), and, secondly, I needed to separate from Annie and her group.

Separating from Annie was not due to anything negative about her, Ann or Jules. In fact, quite the opposite, they are an awesome and fun group of women. I didn’t want to impose upon their trip. Additionally, the most crucial factors – our circadian rhythms are grossly incompatible (sleeping in means 7 a.m.?) and they’re much more adept and proficient at, and motivated to, breaking camp and getting on the river. I always felt (not attributable to them) like I was rushing and trying to catch up – it made me anxious and also is not what I am here for. So, it evolved that the women would get up and boogie, while I lollygagged, piddled, read, ruminated, drank coffee, and eventually got headed down river. Despite the differences, we still, almost serendipitously, ended up meeting up and camping together several times.

If this isn’t nice, what is?

There’s been other memorable moments, but I need to wrap up so that I can get some dinner and some laundry done. Tomorrow it will be time to paddle on. ✌️👍