Lecy and I loaded kayaks yesterday, had a few pints and games of cribbage at the Sturdy Shelter, dinner at the Sidecar Supper Club, then Christin and I said goodbye to Batavia this morning (after helping our neighbor rescue their cat from a tree). However… I need to share a little “truth stranger than fiction” moment… I’ve done a few things in my life that I would qualify as epic experiences. On this date in 1995 I started a trip with a friend (Paul Daugherty) to climb to the top of the Grand Teton. We hiked a lot and rock climbed several times in preparation, but we joked about getting killed by a grizzly in the Tetons as the one thing we couldn’t quite train for. The morning of our departure my daily Far Side calendar aptly suggested such an occurrence with a pair of bears overlooking some slumbering human “sandwiches” in sleeping bags.

28 years later, I’ve had a number of people ask about any concerns or fears on this planned Mississippi River adventure. The thoughts of encounters in the wild has been the predominant thought. Today I turned the page on my daily Far Side calendar and was surprised, elated and scared all at once by the repeat of the dawn of that epic adventure from 1995.

I saved that calendar page from 1995 and will now save the reprise from my river quest. What a great way to start the day!

The journey to Minneapolis was moderately stressful with a little shimmy to the 200+ pounds of water crafts on the roof. But after 5 hours I was able to relax and be confident that we were well prepared for the long haul, and I feel another 4 hours tomorrow will be no worries.

Had a lovely BLT dinner with my Christin’s brother Dave on arrival, joined by my high school pal Mark Biscan. The latter was maybe mostly responsible for one of the funnest evenings of my life, playing a form of hide and seek with a life size poster of John Wayne in a friends backyard. I’m sure you “had to be there”, but Hide the Duke is a game I oft thinks of trying to recreate. Love you Biscan.

Tomorrow we start the day at the grocery to rebuy all of the trail mix, beef jerky, protein bars and water I left sitting in our dining room at home (doh!); the first of many comical senior moment setbacks I expect. Then it’s off to Itasca State Park – headwaters of the mighty Mississippi.

I nearly forgot (or I did forget, but then remembered)… my musical pairing for today is Miles and Miles by The Heavy Heavy thanks to my son Isaac for continuing to think of me and turning me on to some new tunes like this.