Paddle With Purpose for Water For People Missouri River Voyage - Complete!

Following Gary & Linda De Kock on the Missouri River Voyage - Paddle With Purpose for Water For People

UPDATES FROM GARY & LINDA DE KOCK

"The Missouri River Voyage began on June 2 and ended 86 days later on August 26. The river may have bent us but it did not break us. Perhaps it knows that we too are water and so our futures are connected. We thank all who travelled with us, on the water and on Facebook. We thank Water For People for trusting us with their story and letting us fly their flag on our canoe. 

8/26/2018: DONE! The Missouri River Voyage for Water For People is a success. Completed 2341miles. Raised $24,376.

8/25/2018: Best picnic ever with Missouri WFP friends. Short paddle to rare shaded sand bar on Pelican Island. 2329 done 12 left. Can you believe it?

8/23/2018: 2 sand dredges mining river bottom seem to take whole river yet always room to squeeze by. With river angels tonight. 26 left. We are ready!

8/22/2018: Pushed by New Haven,camped discretely in Washington. Partly submerged buoys are scary. Only 67 miles to go but still taking it 1 day at a time.

8/21/2018: Got to close to a barge and had to ride the wake. Lunch in Jefferson City at a park that honors paddling. Meet a guy from MI there. Small world.

8/20/2018: Still raining, river still rising. At Coopers Landing on a Monday so no live music. With good weather we will be done in 5 days. 170 miles left

8/19/2018: Rain and wind so we took a short day to Glasgow for showers and relaxing at wine bar. Good camp in city park watching kids tear up parking lot

8/18/2018: Rode the fast, deep channel for 55 miles in 9 hours. Camped at a boat ramp. Will sleep when the music from the truck next to the tent stops.

8/17/2018: Dodged barge traffic. No campsites so we are at the Waverly ramp. Paddled hard in the heat and got 48 miles. Will take it easy tomorrow.

8/16/2018: Hated to leave KC. Made it to "Alligator Cove"before all the rain. Staying inside. Hot on the river so AC is a life saver. 343 miles to go.

8/15/2018: In Kansas City camped at KC Water's intake. Almost missed take out but Matt sent his best crew down to the river to reel us in. Thanks!

8/13/2018: 66 miles and we are wrecked. 2 miracles, abandoned Trout Unlimited pavilion perfect lunch/rest stop and we got to Leavenworth before dark/storm

8/12/2018: We must look thin because everyone we meet gives us food. People on the river are happy to give. Hit a whirlpool that rocked us good. 463 to go

8/11/2018: Reached Indian Cave SP. Camping at boat ramp is free & legal! Place is desested? Few boats on river. We can take side with faster current.

8/10/2018: Goodbye Omaha Best Western, hello Camp Maybee (river angels Pam&Jody). Bagged 65 miles. Drank gallons of water. Did not stop for lunch. 563 left

8/7/2018: Arrived Omaha, NP Dodge marina. Tied canoe. Got room in town. Long shower, big meal. Relax tomorrow, reception with Iowa&Nebraska YPs on Thurs.

8/6/2018: Saw first towboat and barge. Wing dams everywhere. Water spins and boils. Logs float by. Eagles stare. Strangers give us hugs. Life on the river

8/5/2018: Thunder drove us off river 3 times. Rain interupted dinner. Wind in our faces. Sand in everything but tent is dry and we are 37 miles closer.

8/4/2018: Reached channelized river and we're flying. Found last sandbar campsite before Sioux City. Cows minded their own business, people very friendly

8/3/2018: Left pile of broken beer bottles under loading dock in Yankton. Had an interview with local media. River is full of logs but they all missed us

7/31/2018: Got a late start but made it to Lewis and Clark Lake. The bluffs are yellow and orange and reflect in the water as we pass. It makes our day!

7/30/2018: Storm blew us off water. Got to camp late, yard of a friend's friend. Good current, moving fast, made it to Nebraska. Really need to do laundry

7/28/2018: Darci and Bob, SD Canoe Club, paddled out to meet us, trucked us over Fort Randall Dam and took us to dinner. We are overjoyed with 1 dam left.

Got caught in rain so tent is curtained with wet clothes. Kids are riding bikes through puddle next to our tent. There is always a bright side.

7/26/2018: Getting better at riding the waves and hiding from the wind. Bought a box of wine and dinner tonight was improved. Could help get us home sooner

7/25/2018: The campground in Chamberlain is so paddler friendly that we stopped early just to stay here. Easy walk to a classic small town downtown.

7/24/2018: On water at sunrise. Caught wind napping. Crossed to west bank on ripples. Wind got even later. Got a shuttle over Big Bend Dam. 4 down 2 to go

7/22/2018: Wind 20-25, forecast stormy, we dismantle cow deflecters and retreat to ramp. A miracle occurs. We get a ride to State Park cabin w/air con!

7/21/2018: Sign says No Camping. For once we obay and head for a nearby cow pasture where we find shade and cow pies to flip aside with our fancy paddles.

7/20/2018: Back in below Oahe Dam and we were flying (until we hit Lake Sharpe)! Nice chat with Park Ranger,"No camping allowed but you don't have to move"

Jim caught up and we paddled to Oahe Dam. Staying with Jim's friend tonight. 3 big reservoirs done, 3 small ones to go. Just keeping it moving.

7/17/2018: Took an assisted portage of the difficult Little Bend. Audrey trucked us to Pike Haven. We will rest a day in the company of gentle, kind people

7/16/2018: Yesterday we passed the halfway point, 1170 miles! Passed Jim, a kayaker, who started a week ahead of us. Camp in mowed area for fear of snakes

7/15/2018: Wind yesterday=0 miles. Today blown off for 2 hours=18 miles! Storm last night, tent hardly moved! Now so quiet that you can hear the sky.

7/13/2018: Lunch at Bridge City Marina and a ride to Mobridge for air horns to scare away boats. First choice to camp was taken (by 65 cows) second perfect

7/12/2018: Light wind+9 hours=29 miles of Oahe. Camping in a moo cow pasture so boots stink. A deer limped past the tent. Far away, coyotes howl."