Mississippi River and Appalachian Trail Blog

This is something that I've been meaning to get to for, oh, just about the last year. I used the GCast podcasting service to record a few pocasts via cell phone when I paddled the Cape Fear River last November. I've converted those files, and am in the process of archiving them on the website. If this goes well, I'm going to convert most of my analog micro cassette tapes that I recorded on the Mississippi River.

1) Round things roll. Round drybags roll downhill really well. Fishing drybags out of the river with a paddle first thing in the morning is no fun.
2) Portaging sort of sucks. It builds character though, I guess.
3) Portage wheels and carts are cool. I don't have a portage cart.
4) Feet are happier if warm.
5) So are hands.
6) Its good to just sit in the sun sometimes.
7) Canoes are easier to load and unload, but a kayak is better in the wind.
8) Pogies work better if not frozen solid.
9) I really, really hate when my tape recorder dies.
10) I'd spend the rest of my life doing these trips if I could.

When you're sealed up for in a kayak for several days on end, bad things are going to happen. The cockpit of the 'yak becomes a chemistry lab from hell.

The combined fermentative effects of sandals, feet, mud, water, heat, sweat, and god-only-knows what else is enough to knock you down. All those individual smells combine into a sort of toxic cocktail suitable for neither man nor beast.

Sometimes I just cringe when I'm about to pop the sprayskirt off. Knowing the noxious gasses about to be released is enough to give anyone pause.

I just want to thank everyone who emailed, called, and visited the website during the recent Cape Fear River Expedition. Your support really meant the world to me when I was wandering "what possessed me to be out here freezing my tail off?"

A few special thanks need to go to the following folks. Thank you again for your continued support.

Jessica Robinson - the most patient fiancee' a guy could every wish for
Betty and Kelly Fields - my folks, who may think I'm nuts but rarely say anything about it.
Larry and Candice McGuire - future in-laws, who also may think I'm nuts but rarely say anything about it.
Donald and Britt Woolley - patience by the bucket
Great Outdoor Provision Company - long-time sponsor extraordinaire
Astral Buoyancy - keeping me afloat
Eagles Nest Outfitters - great hammock to get some rest
Level Six - our new Canadian friends. Awesome paddling jacket, eh?
Pacific Outdoor Equipment - keeping my gear dry
Native Eyewear - sunglasses permanently attached to my face
Wake County Department of Environmental Services
Cape Fear Riverwatch
Pine Environmental Services
Cape Fear River Assembly
Cambellton Landing and Riverside Sports Center
Greensboro News and Record

Last week I walked 2.5 miles from a boat ramp on the Cape Fear River to Riegelwood to buy a newspaper and find out the election results. I'm beside myself with this news, and my condolences goes out to those families and that community.

Hold the ones you love close.

-John

At least 8 killed in Riegelwood, NC tornado on November 16, 2006

I'm kind of a numbers dork, and while I'm paddling for ten hours a day, I have nothing to do besides figure out all manner of minutia concerning the trip. Here's the facts, and nothing but the facts, about the Cape Fear River Expedition.

1) 160,000: the approximate number of paddle strokes taken.
2) 6: number of cans of chicken consumed.
3) 10: days spent paddling.
4) 4: AA batteries used for the GPS and tape recorder.
5) 8: number of days between showers.
6) 7: Aleve painkillers taken.
7) 16' 5": length of the Hurricane Tracer sea kayak used.
8) 48: approximate number of energy bars consumed.
9) 1: number of capsizes.
10) 1: number of hydration bladders lost as a result of said capsize.
11) 190: miles paddled
12) 4.75: miles walked (roundtrip) to a convenience store in Riegelwood, NC to buy a newspaper with the election results.
13) 5: approximate number of square inches with poison ivy as a result of the trip.
14) 8'x10': size of my tarp to go over the hammock.
15) 6: Gatoraide bottles purchased during the trip.
16) 1/2: tubes of sunscreen used
17) 3: nights below freezing.
18) 2: pogies that work better when they're not frozen to the paddle.
19) 4,500: average number of calories burned daily.
20) 48: approximate number of bottle of water consumed.
21) 11: water quality samples taken
22). 1: exceedingly patient fiancée' that stayed at home while I paddled the river.

North Carolina Connections
Beyond the Cape Fear River itself, there are several North Carolina connections to this trip. The primary sponsor for this expedition will again be Great Outdoor Provision Company, based out of Raleigh. I will be paddling a kayak designed and manufactured by Hurricane Aqua Sports, a company out of Warsaw, NC. My life jacket is designed and constructed by Astral Designs, who are located in Asheville. The camping hammock I'll use is made by Eagles Nest Outfitters, also from Asheville.
Being a North Carolina kid from the big city of Climax, I think it's great to be associated with all these NC-based companies. It's like paddling a big southern-fried hug.

OK folks - this is going to be pretty cool. I've embedded a page on the website that will allow me to record things on the river in real time and have them posted online! Basically I'll call in, record my musings, then hang up. In a couple of minutes it'll show up on the webpage and you can listen in on all the action.

You can listen to a test recording I made last night. I'm going to be using a microcassette recorder for almost all my journals and will put up some after the trip is over.

To access the podcast page directly, go to the Source to Sea podcasting page. You can set up a RSS feed, or sign up for free email updates whenever a new podcast is added.

Oh man I am pumped! This is something I really wanted to do on the Mississippi River but had no idea how to pull off. The gist of it is that I can now uplink directly to a GoogleEarth map from any internet connection and have it automatically update a map on the site. You look at the map, place the curser over one of the location buttons, click the mouse, and a new window pops up with information that I've entered, maybe a photo, and commentary from the river.

Here's what it looks like:



You can zoom in for a closer view.



Pretty cool.

Just thinking about what I'll be taking on this next trip down the Cape Fear River. After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and paddling the Mississippi River, I'm really burnt out on most of the usual stuff. I can't stand the thought of oatmeal after overdosing on it on the trail, and I'm just now being able to emotionally handle pasta after the river.

I'll take some of the regular powerbar/clif bar things, and maybe pack a couple of freeze dried meals in case I get lazy and just want to shove down something, but most of my food is going to be from scratch.

I'm trying out some new stuff this time, based on the site Freezer Bag Cooking. There's some awesome recipes on there, and you can even buy the book for more ideas. Freezer bag cooking is based on pre-packaging you food in freezer bags, pouring hot water in the bag, then putting the bag in a "cozy" made out of insulating material to hold in the heat. You use less fuel because you don't have to simmer, there's not pot-stirring, and no pot to clean at the end of the day. Here's a recipe off their site.

Cranberry Chicken Rice:

In a quart freezer bag put:

1 cup instant rice
1 Tsp. Chicken bullion (low sodium)
1/4 Tsp. salt, if desired
1/2 Tsp. granulated garlic
1 Tsp. Parsley
1 Tsp. Dried Onion
2 Tbl. Dried veggie flakes or freeze dried mixed vegetables
2 Tbl.+2 Tsp. Craisins

Put all items in a quart freezer bag.

Also take a 3-5 oz. can of chicken with you.

In camp put the chicken and it's liquid into the freezer bag, and 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Stir well and put into a

cozy for 10 minutes. This is great with 2 cups water as a soup.

Serves 1.

Tasty, tasty, tasty!

I'm also making up a big batch of Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo. The name sounds horrible, but this stuff is great. It's a combination of peanut butter, corn flour (masa), and honey, and you use it as a spead on tortillas, crackers, or straight from the jar like I usually do. Highly recommended.

I'm going to fix my recipe for the World's Easiest One-Pot Meal at least once, because it wouldn't be a trip if that wasn't on the menu. It brings back lots of good memories.

Give me a holler if you have any food ideas. I'll add a page to the site as they come in.

Things are really heating up for the Cape Fear River Expedition. I will be paddling 200 miles down the Cape Fear River, beginning November 1 from Jordan Lake in central North Carolina. Along the way I will be taking water quality samples and reporting results from the river. Podcasting in real time is also on the table as soon as we work o a few bugs.

I'm also working with several science classes by giving class lectures on water quality in the Cape Fear Basin, interacting with students and teachers via email, and communicating throughout the trip about my experiences. If your group or class would like to participate in this unique experience, feel free to contact us.

Sponsorship is beginning to come together as well. Great Outdoor Provision Company is again acting as lead sponsor, Astral Buoyancy is providing a personal floatation device, and Eagle Nest Outfitters is supplying me with a camping hammock and related hardware. My utmost appreciation goes out to these companies for their support.

I'm going to be working with several science classes during my paddle down the Cape Fear River in November. I'll be doing water quality testing, and reporting the results from the river in real time along with an interactive map showing the location and GPS coordinates. I will also be conducting some school talks and slideshows after the trip.

If any groups or classes would like to participate, please feel free to email us. The more the merrier.

-John Pugh