Daily Updates and Pictures - Saturday, May 10, 2003 - Day 1 starts at 6 AM
Mississippi River Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy, 2003
Guinness Record Setting Event for 2 different rare diseases!
Bob Bradford and Clark Eid - Paddler's Log Saturday, May 10th, 2003
(BB) It had rained the day before and most of the night, but by dawn we had only a light drizzle. Clark and I rushed around to get things ready in order to get to the start by 6:00 a.m. The park rangers had let us lock our canoe, with its cover on, in their pump house the night before.
(CE) Bob and I had planned to get up before the others around 5 am. Given what we were facing, it wasn't too surprising that we woke at least an hour earlier than intended. It was going to be a very long day since we knew that we had to cross Lake Winnibigosish sometime during Saturday night, when it should be at its calmest, to maintain a world-record pace. To accomplish this, we both would need to go without sleep for at least 24 hours, followed by one of us electing to stay awake for about 30+ hours while the other grabbed a sleep cycle. It was going to be a long, tough push even under ideal conditions.
I changed into my fleece and pulled my dry suit halfway up around my waist. It was too early to become enclosed in the suit since we still needed to get our last minute gear together. We had a fast breakfast with the rest of the team, hauled the canoe up on the Bradford's van, and dashed off to the Headwaters. We were careful to tie the canoe securely so we wouldn't have a repeat of 2001’s Team Kruger's canoe-slipoff-the-van-at-the-start surprise!
(BB) It had rained the day before and most of the night, but by dawn we had only a light drizzle. Clark and I rushed around to get things ready in order to get to the start by 6:00 a.m. The park rangers had let us lock our canoe, with its cover on, in their pump house the night before.
(CE) Bob and I had planned to get up before the others around 5 am. Given what we were facing, it wasn't too surprising that we woke at least an hour earlier than intended. It was going to be a very long day since we knew that we had to cross Lake Winnibigosish sometime during Saturday night, when it should be at its calmest, to maintain a world-record pace. To accomplish this, we both would need to go without sleep for at least 24 hours, followed by one of us electing to stay awake for about 30+ hours while the other grabbed a sleep cycle. It was going to be a long, tough push even under ideal conditions.
I changed into my fleece and pulled my dry suit halfway up around my waist. It was too early to become enclosed in the suit since we still needed to get our last minute gear together. We had a fast breakfast with the rest of the team, hauled the canoe up on the Bradford's van, and dashed off to the Headwaters. We were careful to tie the canoe securely so we wouldn't have a repeat of 2001’s Team Kruger's canoe-slipoff-the-van-at-the-start surprise!
RIght before the start, L to R, Paddler Bob Bradford, Race Advisor Verlen Kruger, Paddler Clark Eid, May 10, 2003; Mississippi Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy, May 2003; Camera used Angie Phelp
L to R Bob Bradford, rett angel, Clark Eid, Right before the start of the MRC2003, May 10, 2003, Mississippi Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy, May 2003; Photo from Pederson slides
(BB) We got to the start just in time. To my surprise, Donald Clark, a good snowshoeing buddy of mine, was at the headwaters waiting to see us start. A park ranger named Dale was also there and he gave me his park ranger hat. On the hat he had written "Bob-May the current be strong and the winds light" and had autographed it for me. Dale had also been there to see Verlen and I off in May of 2001. He also remembered when Verlen and Valerie had taken off in 1984.
(CE) We carted the canoe from the parking lot to the river, and placed the bow in the river next just below the small chair of rapids that mark the Headwaters. Several families we met the night before were there to see us off. Captain Stan, and Verlen and Jenny, were not there which was odd. We had our gear ready to go and put on our inflatable PFDs, which would stay on us night and day for the entire trip. We took time to chat with our friends and take pictures, but left quickly at 6:00 am. Right away, the canoe needed to be pulled from the initial section and portaged on river right around a log bridge. Bob carefully got in from the bank and I followed, stepping in from the water and being careful not to bring too much of the river in with me. We used our older (beater) paddles in this shallower section rather than sacrifice our best paddles to the rocks.
(CE) We carted the canoe from the parking lot to the river, and placed the bow in the river next just below the small chair of rapids that mark the Headwaters. Several families we met the night before were there to see us off. Captain Stan, and Verlen and Jenny, were not there which was odd. We had our gear ready to go and put on our inflatable PFDs, which would stay on us night and day for the entire trip. We took time to chat with our friends and take pictures, but left quickly at 6:00 am. Right away, the canoe needed to be pulled from the initial section and portaged on river right around a log bridge. Bob carefully got in from the bank and I followed, stepping in from the water and being careful not to bring too much of the river in with me. We used our older (beater) paddles in this shallower section rather than sacrifice our best paddles to the rocks.
The challenge starts! Many families affected by Rett Syndrome or a Leukodystrophy were there for the start! May 10, 2003; Mississippi Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy, May 2003; From Angie Phelp's camera
(BB) We barely got started at 6:00 am. Stan and Verlen did not show up at the beginning of the race and later we learned that Stan had car trouble. The culvert that just three days ago was not deep enough to go through now had just enough water in it to shoot through.
(CE) The culvert below Co Rd. 38 had been replaced since 2001 with a taller, but narrower one. The rain had helped raise the river a couple inches so we ran the culvert, scraping just a little on the bottom as the stern passed the exit. We ran aground on a small sandbar about 100 feet downstream in a narrow bend to the left, but were able to push off it using our paddles.
(BB) We went over three beaver dams, then arrived at the old wooded dam (Vicker's Dam) at mile 1339, which we portaged on the left.
(CE) Three days ago, there was a poorly kept beaver dam just below the walkway between the parking lot and the Headwaters. Now it was gone. Perhaps the higher water was just enough to sweep it aside. The 50 yd. portage at Vicker's Dam went well, although it was steep and slippery. We were careful to make sure we didn't twist an ankle so early in the trip. My dry-suit let me walk into the icy river to help position the canoe for us to get back in. Bob was a good sport and tolerated my amphibian ways, just so long as I keep the inside of the canoe dry!
(BB) We went over three more beaver dams and through the "spreads" (this is where the river splits up several times) before getting to County Road 40. It was raining lightly and our team had food for us.
(CE) The culvert below Co Rd. 38 had been replaced since 2001 with a taller, but narrower one. The rain had helped raise the river a couple inches so we ran the culvert, scraping just a little on the bottom as the stern passed the exit. We ran aground on a small sandbar about 100 feet downstream in a narrow bend to the left, but were able to push off it using our paddles.
(BB) We went over three beaver dams, then arrived at the old wooded dam (Vicker's Dam) at mile 1339, which we portaged on the left.
(CE) Three days ago, there was a poorly kept beaver dam just below the walkway between the parking lot and the Headwaters. Now it was gone. Perhaps the higher water was just enough to sweep it aside. The 50 yd. portage at Vicker's Dam went well, although it was steep and slippery. We were careful to make sure we didn't twist an ankle so early in the trip. My dry-suit let me walk into the icy river to help position the canoe for us to get back in. Bob was a good sport and tolerated my amphibian ways, just so long as I keep the inside of the canoe dry!
(BB) We went over three more beaver dams and through the "spreads" (this is where the river splits up several times) before getting to County Road 40. It was raining lightly and our team had food for us.
Coffee Pot Landing, Bob Bradford in front, Clark Eid in the back, May 10, 2003; Rett Families hung food from a rope from a small bridge at Coffee Pot Landing so that the paddlers didn't have to stop; Mississippi River Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy, May 2003; From Angie Phelp;s camera
(CE) During our test run, we encountered a beaver dam that we wiggled the canoe around on river right, going forward and backward in between some small trees that we could leverage against. We came to the same beaver dam and quickly shuffled our canoe through the puzzle, losing little time. Not too long after, we reached a fork in the river. Both Bob and I remembered this spot well because in 2001, we both took the larger channel to the left and spent a lot of time pulling our craft through brush and mud. We went right this time and followed the very narrow channel, walled with high stalks of reeds.
(BB) At Coffee Pot Landing, some friends, Bob and Tammy Hanson, and Chuck and Lisa Evert, had doughnuts and bananas hanging off the footbridge. They also hung banners off the bridge.
(CE) What a sight! I had been hoping that someone would attempt a “hanging-feed”, and there it was! It was so great to see everyone and hear them cheering us on! We grabbed the lines holding food and took turns paddling/eating the treats. I was hoping that we would have more of these kinds of food supplies, but it was our only one.
(CE) Before we arrived at Co. Rd. 5, we went through a narrow spruce valley with a lot of small rapids. Fortunately, the water was up just enough so that we could run these without bottoming out or hitting too many rocks. It was exciting and we worked the canoe through the rocks well.
(BB) We had another feed at County Road 5, River Level Gauge, at 11:15 a.m.
(BB) Rice Lake is a very tricky part of the Mississippi River, Clark and I knew this from before. Lucky for us the Headwaters Canoe Club had marked it for us with orange ribbons on poles to guide us through.
(CE) The river opened into a general flood plain, and this is where the orange ribbons helped a lot. It wasn't always clear where the next one was until we were about half way to it. Toward the end of the Rice Lake area, we reached a larger section of open water and couldn't see any more ribbons. We weren't sure if we should go left or right, so we went straight ahead. Sure enough, far off in the distance to the right was a little ribbon tied to a reed.
(BB) We made it to Iron Bridge by 2:00 pm. Again, there was a crowd cheering us on.
(BB) At Coffee Pot Landing, some friends, Bob and Tammy Hanson, and Chuck and Lisa Evert, had doughnuts and bananas hanging off the footbridge. They also hung banners off the bridge.
(CE) What a sight! I had been hoping that someone would attempt a “hanging-feed”, and there it was! It was so great to see everyone and hear them cheering us on! We grabbed the lines holding food and took turns paddling/eating the treats. I was hoping that we would have more of these kinds of food supplies, but it was our only one.
(CE) Before we arrived at Co. Rd. 5, we went through a narrow spruce valley with a lot of small rapids. Fortunately, the water was up just enough so that we could run these without bottoming out or hitting too many rocks. It was exciting and we worked the canoe through the rocks well.
(BB) We had another feed at County Road 5, River Level Gauge, at 11:15 a.m.
(BB) Rice Lake is a very tricky part of the Mississippi River, Clark and I knew this from before. Lucky for us the Headwaters Canoe Club had marked it for us with orange ribbons on poles to guide us through.
(CE) The river opened into a general flood plain, and this is where the orange ribbons helped a lot. It wasn't always clear where the next one was until we were about half way to it. Toward the end of the Rice Lake area, we reached a larger section of open water and couldn't see any more ribbons. We weren't sure if we should go left or right, so we went straight ahead. Sure enough, far off in the distance to the right was a little ribbon tied to a reed.
(BB) We made it to Iron Bridge by 2:00 pm. Again, there was a crowd cheering us on.
After the start, Bob Bradford in front, Clark Eid in the back, May 10, 2003; From Angie Phelp's camera
(CE) We were happy to see our speed increase during the last several miles as the water deepened. Iron Bridge was reached at 2:00 p.m., giving us an average speed of about 6 mph.
(BB) After Iron Bridge there is a farming area. I remembered that in 2001, Verlen and I had seen a dead cow down by the water by this old farmhouse. I told Clark that this looked like the same old farmhouse and sure enough, down by the water we saw a skeleton of a dead cow on river right.
(BB) A canoe-racing friend of mine, John Arenz, had planned on paddling with us for a stretch of the river, but was unable to be here today. John sent a friend of his, David Harrington, who met us at river mile 1289, which is the Silver Maples area. Dave was in his one-man canoe and had picked this spot to help us through the dead falls in the area. He showed us the best place to portage around the three big trees and a lot of brush that we could squeeze over. Dave guided us down to County Road 11, where he had parked his car. After Dave left us, we had to portage around one more fallen tree.
(CE) The Silver Maples area is known for its deadfalls. It was worse in 2001, with floodwaters going through the trees. My partner then, Kurt Zimmermann, had both his hat and paddle ripped away from him by the tree branches. This year, Bob and I only had to worry about pulling the canoe over several trees. There was one tight spot on river left where David was able to maneuver his solo canoe through that we ended up bottoming out on a tree trunk surrounded by branches, but we managed to force our way through. We also noticed that someone had used a chain saw to recently clear some trees from the river.
(BB) We arrived at Lake Bemidji at 4:50 p.m., where it was raining lightly. Our team replaced my compass, which I had shattered with my paddle blade. They also mounted the camera on the rear deck of our canoe using the jig that Clark had made.
(CE) We didn't rendezvous with our team at the Lake Irving Access since there was construction going on there. Instead, we made our way through a lot of fishing boats and passed under the 197 bridge. After the bridge, we veered left to a small lakeside park.
(BB) After Iron Bridge there is a farming area. I remembered that in 2001, Verlen and I had seen a dead cow down by the water by this old farmhouse. I told Clark that this looked like the same old farmhouse and sure enough, down by the water we saw a skeleton of a dead cow on river right.
(BB) A canoe-racing friend of mine, John Arenz, had planned on paddling with us for a stretch of the river, but was unable to be here today. John sent a friend of his, David Harrington, who met us at river mile 1289, which is the Silver Maples area. Dave was in his one-man canoe and had picked this spot to help us through the dead falls in the area. He showed us the best place to portage around the three big trees and a lot of brush that we could squeeze over. Dave guided us down to County Road 11, where he had parked his car. After Dave left us, we had to portage around one more fallen tree.
(CE) The Silver Maples area is known for its deadfalls. It was worse in 2001, with floodwaters going through the trees. My partner then, Kurt Zimmermann, had both his hat and paddle ripped away from him by the tree branches. This year, Bob and I only had to worry about pulling the canoe over several trees. There was one tight spot on river left where David was able to maneuver his solo canoe through that we ended up bottoming out on a tree trunk surrounded by branches, but we managed to force our way through. We also noticed that someone had used a chain saw to recently clear some trees from the river.
(BB) We arrived at Lake Bemidji at 4:50 p.m., where it was raining lightly. Our team replaced my compass, which I had shattered with my paddle blade. They also mounted the camera on the rear deck of our canoe using the jig that Clark had made.
(CE) We didn't rendezvous with our team at the Lake Irving Access since there was construction going on there. Instead, we made our way through a lot of fishing boats and passed under the 197 bridge. After the bridge, we veered left to a small lakeside park.
Rice Lake Area, Bob Bradford paddles in front, May 10, 2003, MRC2003, Photo By Clark Eid
Bill Pullen fitted another compass to replace the one that Bob had cracked, his second one of this style. It was a kayak compass kindly provided by Richie Compass and we thought this style, if any, would take some punishment. (Or maybe Bob was just stronger than your average paddler!)
The video camera and universal PVC mount were secured on the stern deck. We had a one hour mini-DV tape ready to go and the camera was sealed inside of a EWA Marine waterproof bag. We didn't bother with the waterproofed remote audio system I had rigged since our earlier trials showed some occasional problems picking up the radio signal.
(Later on, at the Atkin Diversion Channel, we switched over to my alternate audio system with hardwired microphones at the bow and stern and recorded onto a mini-CD secured in a waterproof box.) The video unit was activated when we left shore with a remote control unit, in a Zip-Lock bag, and left on until it ran out of tape.
(BB) Verlen Kruger and David wiped out the bottom of our canoe. They also put the two air mattresses in and the sleeping bags up under the top cover on the cargo net, which Clark had designed to hold some gear off the bottom of the canoe. David Harrington pointed out on the far bank's tree line where we should go to make the crossing of Lake Bemidji and we pushed off.
(BB) At the pre-race party that the Hanson family and the Evert family had for us the night before, a family showed up that I didn't know. It was the mother, father, and two sisters of Rod Davis, a friend who I had worked with for many years at the General Motors plant. Rod and all of his family had lived in Minnesota. He has sent his family to meet me at the dinner in Bemidji. After getting to know them, I found that one of the sisters and her family lived on Stump Lake and the other sister lived on Wolf Lake. After leaving Lake Bemidji, it twines into Stump Lake before you get to Stumpages Dam. Rod's sister and family were on a dock on river left with two bags of chocolate chip cookies. It was river mile 1280.
The video camera and universal PVC mount were secured on the stern deck. We had a one hour mini-DV tape ready to go and the camera was sealed inside of a EWA Marine waterproof bag. We didn't bother with the waterproofed remote audio system I had rigged since our earlier trials showed some occasional problems picking up the radio signal.
(Later on, at the Atkin Diversion Channel, we switched over to my alternate audio system with hardwired microphones at the bow and stern and recorded onto a mini-CD secured in a waterproof box.) The video unit was activated when we left shore with a remote control unit, in a Zip-Lock bag, and left on until it ran out of tape.
(BB) Verlen Kruger and David wiped out the bottom of our canoe. They also put the two air mattresses in and the sleeping bags up under the top cover on the cargo net, which Clark had designed to hold some gear off the bottom of the canoe. David Harrington pointed out on the far bank's tree line where we should go to make the crossing of Lake Bemidji and we pushed off.
(BB) At the pre-race party that the Hanson family and the Evert family had for us the night before, a family showed up that I didn't know. It was the mother, father, and two sisters of Rod Davis, a friend who I had worked with for many years at the General Motors plant. Rod and all of his family had lived in Minnesota. He has sent his family to meet me at the dinner in Bemidji. After getting to know them, I found that one of the sisters and her family lived on Stump Lake and the other sister lived on Wolf Lake. After leaving Lake Bemidji, it twines into Stump Lake before you get to Stumpages Dam. Rod's sister and family were on a dock on river left with two bags of chocolate chip cookies. It was river mile 1280.
Stopping to talk to Captain Stan, Early morning, May 10, 2003, Stan Hanson on shore, Bob Bradford forward, Clark Eid rear, Camera used Angie Phelps
Clark Eid enjoys a hot quick meal - road crew always had something ready that was warm and high calorie ready for the paddlers, Janet Bradford was the primary cook for this adventure, May 10, 2003, Camera used Angie Phelps
Bob Bradford checks out the map - paddles had physical maps (water tight), GPS and a compass on the forward cockpit area at all times for all parts of the river, May 10, 2003, Camera used Angie Phelps
(CE) It took just over an hour of paddling before we met Rod's sister and family. Too bad we weren't faster so that they would have been captured on our one-hour tape! It sure was nice of them to come down to say hello and to give us some cookies.
(BB) David Harrington met us at river mile 1277 to paddle with us again to the next portage at the dam. Below the dam, we saw nine eagles all at one time. I think they were fishing. Below the dam there is a fish hatchery. This is where in 2001 Clark and Kurt had spent the night in a storm.
(CE) The portage on river right went smoothly even though the grass was wet and there were big ruts from the rain runoff. In 2001, our road crew was delayed in meeting Kurt and I, so we ended up sleeping in the Fisheries Building below the dam. Lodging was modest, with me losing a coin flip and having to sleep on some old smelly life jackets with a dog's blanket for warmth. I was happy to pass it by this time.
(BB) The river below the dam was very low and rocky. We hit bottom more than a few times and had to back up at one island and go the other ay around. The eagles followed us for several miles. We went in and out of the top side of Wolf Lake without any problems, but then, Dave Harrington was there to show us the way again.
(BB) We stopped briefly at County Road 8 to see our crew and got some food to go. Then we went on through the lower section of Lake Andrusia. There were lots of fishing boats near the bridge for County Road 33.
(BB) At County Road 33 we saw Rod Davis' other sister and her family waved to us. The sun was going down and it was getting windy and we had a light rain.
(BB) It got very dark going across Cass Lake. We went on the north side of Star Island, hoping that we didn't run into a repeat of what Verlen and I had on Cass Lake in 2001.
(CE) There were a lot of fishing boats upstream of the Co. Rd. 33 Bridge. As soon as we were past, we took some time to zip-up our spray skirts and get prepared for any rough conditions that might spring up. The weather held out and we made a straight-line crossing, about 7 1/2 miles, just to the north of Star Island, and arrived at the left side of Knutson Dam. It was now cold and raining, and our breath came out in large clouds that burst with light every time they collided with our headlamps beams.
(BB) We decided to go to the left side of Knutson Dam at the end of Cass Lake. Verlen and I had only a short portage on the left side in 2001. When we got there it was cold and raining hard. We checked the left side over and decided that it was next to impossible to portage left this year. The water level was a good three to four feel lower and nothing but jagged rock to drag the canoe over. We crossed to the right side of the dam and Clark went ashore to check the portage out. I stayed in the canoe and drank coffee and tried to keep warm. Clark met Art Blacklance and his son from Warren, Minnesota. They were fishermen and had camped there for the night. They showed Clark and I the shortest portage, which was a muddy ditch, difficult with no portage wheels. Art warned us about the dead falls in the river and how easy it was to get lost on the way to Lake Winnibigoshish. It was 11: 15 p.m. when we left the dam.
(BB) David Harrington met us at river mile 1277 to paddle with us again to the next portage at the dam. Below the dam, we saw nine eagles all at one time. I think they were fishing. Below the dam there is a fish hatchery. This is where in 2001 Clark and Kurt had spent the night in a storm.
(CE) The portage on river right went smoothly even though the grass was wet and there were big ruts from the rain runoff. In 2001, our road crew was delayed in meeting Kurt and I, so we ended up sleeping in the Fisheries Building below the dam. Lodging was modest, with me losing a coin flip and having to sleep on some old smelly life jackets with a dog's blanket for warmth. I was happy to pass it by this time.
(BB) The river below the dam was very low and rocky. We hit bottom more than a few times and had to back up at one island and go the other ay around. The eagles followed us for several miles. We went in and out of the top side of Wolf Lake without any problems, but then, Dave Harrington was there to show us the way again.
(BB) We stopped briefly at County Road 8 to see our crew and got some food to go. Then we went on through the lower section of Lake Andrusia. There were lots of fishing boats near the bridge for County Road 33.
(BB) At County Road 33 we saw Rod Davis' other sister and her family waved to us. The sun was going down and it was getting windy and we had a light rain.
(BB) It got very dark going across Cass Lake. We went on the north side of Star Island, hoping that we didn't run into a repeat of what Verlen and I had on Cass Lake in 2001.
(CE) There were a lot of fishing boats upstream of the Co. Rd. 33 Bridge. As soon as we were past, we took some time to zip-up our spray skirts and get prepared for any rough conditions that might spring up. The weather held out and we made a straight-line crossing, about 7 1/2 miles, just to the north of Star Island, and arrived at the left side of Knutson Dam. It was now cold and raining, and our breath came out in large clouds that burst with light every time they collided with our headlamps beams.
(BB) We decided to go to the left side of Knutson Dam at the end of Cass Lake. Verlen and I had only a short portage on the left side in 2001. When we got there it was cold and raining hard. We checked the left side over and decided that it was next to impossible to portage left this year. The water level was a good three to four feel lower and nothing but jagged rock to drag the canoe over. We crossed to the right side of the dam and Clark went ashore to check the portage out. I stayed in the canoe and drank coffee and tried to keep warm. Clark met Art Blacklance and his son from Warren, Minnesota. They were fishermen and had camped there for the night. They showed Clark and I the shortest portage, which was a muddy ditch, difficult with no portage wheels. Art warned us about the dead falls in the river and how easy it was to get lost on the way to Lake Winnibigoshish. It was 11: 15 p.m. when we left the dam.
(CE) In 2001, we had record flooding so Kurt and I ran the spillway to the left of Knutson Dam. Now there was a bank to climb followed by a 6' drop into sharp rocks. After a short nature call, we paddled over to the right side and I got out to scout. The take-out on the right would be OK, but the put-in was also nasty. I walked down the road to see if there was another choice and was met by Art Blacklance and his son, who had come to check out a strange yellow person walking around in the middle of this stormy night. They showed us another portage route to the far right. To get there, Bob and I paddled back out into Cass Lake and went around a breakwater to the south, then follow it back in. A short carry across a road put us back into a muddy ditch that lead to the river. Our hosts warned us of deadfalls nearby, but we didn't see any.
(BB) In the next section of river, we saw many fish in the shallow water swimming along with us that it was hard to believe. They were light in color and from 10-20 inches long. They were so close together that we hit them with our paddles and they would also run into our canoe. They seemed to be attracted by the light on our canoe. By river mile 1251, Clark and I had to stop several times in order to decide which way the river went. In 2001, it had been a little bit of a problem, too, but in 2001 it had been daylight.
(CE) Now it was about 1:00 AM, cold and windy with still a light rain. At several points, we checked the submerged weeds to see what way they were bending. We had to be careful about that though because the wind caused some to bend if they came above the water line and the wind hit them.
(CE) Our bright bow light attracted a large school of fish to the canoe. We had them follow us along after we left the dam. They were so thick at times that you couldn't help hitting them, and once I flipped one out of the water with my paddle by accident. The rudder also kept kicking upward as it hit fish. They left after a time, and we were delayed while trying to find the channel in a marshy section. It was cold, windy, and raining so it was hard to make out where the current was. We got delayed for about 20 minutes when we paddled south following what looked like a current, only to find a dead river end. We turned around and went back to where we started, pushed through the reeds and got back on the river again.
END OF PADDLER LOG May 10, 2003
(BB) In the next section of river, we saw many fish in the shallow water swimming along with us that it was hard to believe. They were light in color and from 10-20 inches long. They were so close together that we hit them with our paddles and they would also run into our canoe. They seemed to be attracted by the light on our canoe. By river mile 1251, Clark and I had to stop several times in order to decide which way the river went. In 2001, it had been a little bit of a problem, too, but in 2001 it had been daylight.
(CE) Now it was about 1:00 AM, cold and windy with still a light rain. At several points, we checked the submerged weeds to see what way they were bending. We had to be careful about that though because the wind caused some to bend if they came above the water line and the wind hit them.
(CE) Our bright bow light attracted a large school of fish to the canoe. We had them follow us along after we left the dam. They were so thick at times that you couldn't help hitting them, and once I flipped one out of the water with my paddle by accident. The rudder also kept kicking upward as it hit fish. They left after a time, and we were delayed while trying to find the channel in a marshy section. It was cold, windy, and raining so it was hard to make out where the current was. We got delayed for about 20 minutes when we paddled south following what looked like a current, only to find a dead river end. We turned around and went back to where we started, pushed through the reeds and got back on the river again.
END OF PADDLER LOG May 10, 2003
Leaving Bemidji with camera mounted, Bob Bradford in the front, Clark Eid in the rear, May 10, 2003; From Angie Phelps's camera
Leaving the Bemidji, MN area, Bob in the front, Clark in the back... there is a recorder behind the flag; May 10, 2003; From Angie Phelps's camera
Approximate location in green near start
Text Updates from our Race Web Log During the race, May 10 2003
posted by Mary Potter at 8:27 AM
Just got a call from Don Keller (in New Orleans) - he had received a call from Andrew Gribble (road crew) - Team Hope began the World Record Challenge on time and are well on their way! We will be updating the online map manually from time to time when the APRS/GPS system is not in use or not able to send a good enough signal to the system at findu.com.... Just wanted to let everyone know the race is on and we will see some map updates soon.....
Also heard from Tammy Hanson this morning, Team Hope Roadie who lives in Aitken MN. Tammy's daughter, Rachel, has Rett Syndrome. Tammy said she was waiting at the Headwaters of the Mississippi this morning, 5:30 AM, 5:40 AM, 5:45 AM, 5:50 AM .... no Team Hope in site.... just as she started wondering "Was today the start? Is there more than one place to start?" Team Hope drove up, unloading incredibly fast, the paddlers got there boat in the water and got going at 6 AM... not much fan fare, not much time! Too much partying at the Bonanza last night! Mary Potter
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posted by Andrew M. Gribble at 5:15 PM
Just fed the paddlers dinner in Bemidji. They left 2 minutes ago for the trip across Lake Bemidji. Light drizzle. Temp in the mid 40s.
--AMG
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posted by Tammy Hanson
We got to the headwaters and sent them on their way at 6 am...after a couple quick pictures of course. Then we headed towards Coffee Pot Landing to have some coffee and rolls. This is where Clark's wish came true and we lowered food to him from the bridge. But, now that I think of it, Bob was first in the canoe and got to the bags of food first........hhhm, I wonder if Clark got any of those goodies!
The weather held out pretty good and didn't start the heavy mist until we were packed up and ready to head out again. This was going to be our last visit for the day and we were going to head home from there, but in true Hanson form, we were addicted once again to these guys and their river adventure. We headed down some dirt roads in a caravan of about 4 vehicles to find the next meeting spot where the road crew was going to have lunch for the paddlers. It was a good thing that Bob's wife Janet is on her toes and one step ahead of Bob, she had beef stew all ready to go when they showed up 45 minutes ahead of when we thought they would be through. They got their bowl of stew and Bob got a quick hug from Janet before paddling out once again. I have to add that Janet can run pretty fast, once she heard that Bob needed a hug she dropped everything and ran for the river bank, it was pretty neat to see. Bob's daughter and grandkids were there also to cheer them on and they are pretty proud of their Grandpa, that is for sure.
We headed home from there but oh darn, I have Janet's coat, she left it in our vehicle when we were warming up so guess we a go find her and give it back.......Ok, I confess, I was kind of glad when I saw it there so I knew we would have to be Team Hope groupies tomorrow also!
I will have more stories to share but I better stop now, I think I wrote enough!
Tammy Hanson
____________________________________
Mary Potter writes:
Weather forecast for Bemidji MN
Occasional light rain or drizzle. Lows in the lower 40s. North winds 10 to 20 mph. Sunday. Mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of showers in the morning. Breezy. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 15 to 25 mph.
Current Conditions on May 10, 6:55 pm CDT
Overcast, 46°F, (8°C), Humidity: 93 %, Wind Speed: N 8 MPH, Barometer: 29.62", Dewpoint: 45°F (7°C), Wind Chill: 42°F (6°C), Visibility: 5.00 mi.
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posted by Mary Potter at 7:12 PM
Just got a call from Road Crew Captain Stan Hanson. Things are going well from a scheduling perspective, but sounds like some of the electronics are broken, and his truck is in the shop for repair. Nevertheless, the paddlers are on or slightly ahead of their own schedule and doing well. Stan said the road crew was heading towards the "other" side of Lake Bemidji as he expected the paddlers to be there soon, and then they would be heading towards Lake Cass. I hope some of the folks can get some sleep, I'm sure it's been a very exciting day for all after that big party at the Bonanza last night!
____________________________________
posted by Mary Potter at 7:32 PM
I'd like to remind folks to keep in mind current weather conditions now, vs. what they will be towards the end of the race in the New Orleans area.
In northern MN, temperatures are in the lower 40s with rain and drizzle. If this race is like our last one, temperatures towards the end of the race will reach high into the 80s and 90s during the day, with extremely high humidity. Clark (paddler) said sleeping in the boat became very difficult towards the end because of the high heat and lack of air circulation. Hopefully Bob and Clark won't freeze tonight when they take turns sleeping and paddling (don't worry, those Kokatat dry suits will keep them safe and warm - special thanks to our Kokatat sponsors!) Right now the paddlers have finished crossing Lake Bemidji and are going towards Lake Cass.
____________________________________
posted by Dana Hanson at 8:53 PM
Just spoke with Stan 2 or 3 times -- the satellite phone kept losing its connection. As best as I can put his calls together, turns out the solution they reached last night at the Domino Ford dealership lasted only for the night. His truck wouldn't start again this morning. But after jump starting it, he was able to drive it back to the shop. He's currently in a F-150 XLT 4x4 loaner from the dealership. However, all the running around meant Stan had to miss the start of the race, as well as the famous shoot thru the culvert! He finally caught up with the rest of the crew and the paddlers at Bemidji, where they all had dinner. Stan hopes to meet up next with the paddlers just before Cass Lake, but if he misses them, he'll have to head for Knutson Dam and hopefully catch up with them there.
After the next meeting, he said he'll be heading back for the campground where they were before the race started. Tomorrow morning, he'll meet Tammy Hanson and her husband. They have graciously offered to hook up and tow the support trailer until Stan can get his Expedition out of the shop and back on the road, which should be later sometime on Tuesday. The Domino Ford shop has to special order a part, but it can't be ordered until Monday and won't arrive until Tuesday. What a way for one of the support vehicles to start the race! All we can do is say a special "Thank You" to Tammy (and her husband) for so unselfishly spending her Mother's Day! We should all send her a bouquet of flowers!
posted by Mary Potter at 8:27 AM
Just got a call from Don Keller (in New Orleans) - he had received a call from Andrew Gribble (road crew) - Team Hope began the World Record Challenge on time and are well on their way! We will be updating the online map manually from time to time when the APRS/GPS system is not in use or not able to send a good enough signal to the system at findu.com.... Just wanted to let everyone know the race is on and we will see some map updates soon.....
Also heard from Tammy Hanson this morning, Team Hope Roadie who lives in Aitken MN. Tammy's daughter, Rachel, has Rett Syndrome. Tammy said she was waiting at the Headwaters of the Mississippi this morning, 5:30 AM, 5:40 AM, 5:45 AM, 5:50 AM .... no Team Hope in site.... just as she started wondering "Was today the start? Is there more than one place to start?" Team Hope drove up, unloading incredibly fast, the paddlers got there boat in the water and got going at 6 AM... not much fan fare, not much time! Too much partying at the Bonanza last night! Mary Potter
___________________________________
posted by Andrew M. Gribble at 5:15 PM
Just fed the paddlers dinner in Bemidji. They left 2 minutes ago for the trip across Lake Bemidji. Light drizzle. Temp in the mid 40s.
--AMG
___________________________________
posted by Tammy Hanson
We got to the headwaters and sent them on their way at 6 am...after a couple quick pictures of course. Then we headed towards Coffee Pot Landing to have some coffee and rolls. This is where Clark's wish came true and we lowered food to him from the bridge. But, now that I think of it, Bob was first in the canoe and got to the bags of food first........hhhm, I wonder if Clark got any of those goodies!
The weather held out pretty good and didn't start the heavy mist until we were packed up and ready to head out again. This was going to be our last visit for the day and we were going to head home from there, but in true Hanson form, we were addicted once again to these guys and their river adventure. We headed down some dirt roads in a caravan of about 4 vehicles to find the next meeting spot where the road crew was going to have lunch for the paddlers. It was a good thing that Bob's wife Janet is on her toes and one step ahead of Bob, she had beef stew all ready to go when they showed up 45 minutes ahead of when we thought they would be through. They got their bowl of stew and Bob got a quick hug from Janet before paddling out once again. I have to add that Janet can run pretty fast, once she heard that Bob needed a hug she dropped everything and ran for the river bank, it was pretty neat to see. Bob's daughter and grandkids were there also to cheer them on and they are pretty proud of their Grandpa, that is for sure.
We headed home from there but oh darn, I have Janet's coat, she left it in our vehicle when we were warming up so guess we a go find her and give it back.......Ok, I confess, I was kind of glad when I saw it there so I knew we would have to be Team Hope groupies tomorrow also!
I will have more stories to share but I better stop now, I think I wrote enough!
Tammy Hanson
____________________________________
Mary Potter writes:
Weather forecast for Bemidji MN
Occasional light rain or drizzle. Lows in the lower 40s. North winds 10 to 20 mph. Sunday. Mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of showers in the morning. Breezy. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 15 to 25 mph.
Current Conditions on May 10, 6:55 pm CDT
Overcast, 46°F, (8°C), Humidity: 93 %, Wind Speed: N 8 MPH, Barometer: 29.62", Dewpoint: 45°F (7°C), Wind Chill: 42°F (6°C), Visibility: 5.00 mi.
________________________________________
posted by Mary Potter at 7:12 PM
Just got a call from Road Crew Captain Stan Hanson. Things are going well from a scheduling perspective, but sounds like some of the electronics are broken, and his truck is in the shop for repair. Nevertheless, the paddlers are on or slightly ahead of their own schedule and doing well. Stan said the road crew was heading towards the "other" side of Lake Bemidji as he expected the paddlers to be there soon, and then they would be heading towards Lake Cass. I hope some of the folks can get some sleep, I'm sure it's been a very exciting day for all after that big party at the Bonanza last night!
____________________________________
posted by Mary Potter at 7:32 PM
I'd like to remind folks to keep in mind current weather conditions now, vs. what they will be towards the end of the race in the New Orleans area.
In northern MN, temperatures are in the lower 40s with rain and drizzle. If this race is like our last one, temperatures towards the end of the race will reach high into the 80s and 90s during the day, with extremely high humidity. Clark (paddler) said sleeping in the boat became very difficult towards the end because of the high heat and lack of air circulation. Hopefully Bob and Clark won't freeze tonight when they take turns sleeping and paddling (don't worry, those Kokatat dry suits will keep them safe and warm - special thanks to our Kokatat sponsors!) Right now the paddlers have finished crossing Lake Bemidji and are going towards Lake Cass.
____________________________________
posted by Dana Hanson at 8:53 PM
Just spoke with Stan 2 or 3 times -- the satellite phone kept losing its connection. As best as I can put his calls together, turns out the solution they reached last night at the Domino Ford dealership lasted only for the night. His truck wouldn't start again this morning. But after jump starting it, he was able to drive it back to the shop. He's currently in a F-150 XLT 4x4 loaner from the dealership. However, all the running around meant Stan had to miss the start of the race, as well as the famous shoot thru the culvert! He finally caught up with the rest of the crew and the paddlers at Bemidji, where they all had dinner. Stan hopes to meet up next with the paddlers just before Cass Lake, but if he misses them, he'll have to head for Knutson Dam and hopefully catch up with them there.
After the next meeting, he said he'll be heading back for the campground where they were before the race started. Tomorrow morning, he'll meet Tammy Hanson and her husband. They have graciously offered to hook up and tow the support trailer until Stan can get his Expedition out of the shop and back on the road, which should be later sometime on Tuesday. The Domino Ford shop has to special order a part, but it can't be ordered until Monday and won't arrive until Tuesday. What a way for one of the support vehicles to start the race! All we can do is say a special "Thank You" to Tammy (and her husband) for so unselfishly spending her Mother's Day! We should all send her a bouquet of flowers!
Evening May 10, 2003, Day 1 Paddlers enter Cass Lake, Bob Bradford is always paddling bow (front), Clark Eid always paddles stern (back), Photo from Bill Pullen camera