Matt, I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your dedication to using your camera. You give this old lady a glimpse of what she has no hope to experience for herself. I pray safe travels and wonderful memories for you and Jenn.
I loved this. My profile pic is the entrance you mention at 6:50 (and I did explore it). I used to boat this section and lock through all three before the shutdown. I traveled both rivers for over a decade and would camp out with a nice lady and trusty dog. Thank you for the vid!
I lived at the first marina you stopped at for 4 years. Best years of my life. I really miss living on a boat. I can't wait to see more of your videos.
The Corp of Engineers are absolutely amazing the way they solve issues on the water. I love their campgrounds as well. My sister lived in Maple Grove not far from the Twin Cities, so we have visited the park y’all walked through. Paddle On!
I just saw an interesting sign at a rest area yesterday talking about the wing dams and attempts to keep the channel deep enough over time. Interesting stuff!
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes I suspected that the island that you camped on was spoil from an old dredging of that channel. The Army Corps of Engineers(USACE) does many dredging projects each year, all around the country. I was a USACE Officer for 27 years and got to see many interesting functions and structures. Enjoy your journey and tour of hydraulics. Good Luck, Rick
Lots of childhood memorys. I spent many years camping exploring and just hanging out along that section of the Mississippi. Happy years. I loved it there.
I think when I last knew you guys I was David Thomson and you were doing the Keys stroll. I lopped off the son and part of the m, just erase from right to left, and you get Thor. Anyway, I was just showing my wife various MasoTaters In Lock One stills. Right now I've got Taters and behind her it's like a massive Madmaxian trimeran chasing her while she (as usual) is laughing. Before that on the inside of the lock the walls definitely look wooden, like Noah's Ark but inverted. Two or three of these shots would make great posters.
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes haven't sold it yet, but I still believe you are permanently etched in history in my writings. History just has to catch up. A guy an hour's paddle away where I grew up along the Concord River wrote the best book in American history about the pond I always swam in. Sold almost nothing for 110 years then suddenly sold millions. Thoreau (Walden). I didn't realize how much you're not supposed to be a white man when selling books nowadays. We're trying to find young black women to pretend to author it. Then we'll be golden.
Correction, there is in fact a portage at L&D #1. It is not official, nor is it easy or pleasant, but doable nonetheless. No signage but the trail is at a little beach around mile marker 848. River right by the concrete culvert gets you to the trail with a few switchbacks to get out of the gorge.
Yea, I heard from some folks who had to do it the previous year and they said it was rough. I was rather glad we got to go thru though as that lock was really neat
That was great, I’ve been looking forward to the locks. I find big industrial machinery like that fascinating. And way to bring relief to their drought!
To be honest, as a Minneapolis resident for over ten years who bikes around the city trails a lot, I would barely blink if I saw a couple people portaging in the middle of the city
You've perfected the "J" stroke Jen oh was it named after you.I can't believe part of the trail is walking thru downtown with the 🛶 but it did make for good photo ops ! More and more the river turns you both into Twainian characters....glad you are safe and found good vittles.
Wow, I have to get out more, I've always thought it would be interesting to canoe that part of the river, and there you folks just up and do it, wow. And all the way to New Orleans..there's a book, I forget the title, about a postman and his son that canoe from Winnipeg to Central America, in a canoe. By golly. Anyway, lot of interesting historical sites you are passing through - 4:43 those are the ruins of a mill that exploded, now the Mill Museum, and of course Bohemian Flats, was a shantytown, now a park. There are many caves in the area, for example the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul are pretty interesting - used during prohibition times, now has tours.
that lock is huge :O I once took a boat trip on the Canal Du Midi in Southern France, and passed a bunch of locks, but way smaller that the one you passed
Dang bummed I missed your guys! Been following your side the condor trail (my childhood backyard). My wife and I live right by that whole foods and a block and a half from the river. Been following your insta too and realized we'd be out of town when you came through.
I randomly found you last night and have watched 19 episodes of this trip while staying up far too late and wishing I were doing this. My wife would never come with me. I know I am about 8 months late with my comment, but I have subbed and I will watch the rest of this series and then see what else you guys got up to.
lived right by here for my whole life, never knew we had a lock like that, cool edit: we love having "droughts" because it wasn't as much of a downpour as before
MasoTaters in Lock One is like the inversion of Noah's Ark. (It also looks a lot like Noah's Ark in Kentucky just north of Tennessee). MasoTaters in Lock One is like the opposite of the story of Noah's Ark--it's a tale of how our species will undo itself. Sublime in its own way.
I think I would be in shorts and a t shirt for that portage! Kudo for that urban walk. Will all of your locks be going down? Locks get quite turbulent when going up! I take them on my jet ski all the time. Bob
I normally report mile markers on the trails I’m doing which can be easily found using FarOut if you have the particular guide. Here the only real landmarks are cities
I’m not an experienced long distance paddler at all, but have done my fair share of lake paddling in the summer and some day trips. I’m probably not really qualified to question your preparedness, but just as a question; doesn’t a storm bringing potential wind and waves + being on more consistent wider waters + wake from those big boats, present a could-be a sticky (or flippy) situation? You two seem super steady and I trust you will keep your wits about you - I just wonder if having a plan beyond just ducking to the side if it gets scary/sketchy would be a good idea, esp if lightning starts coming into the mix too. Anyways I’m sure you’ll be fine. I love this channel and have come to care for and worry about my new favorite strangers! Happy paddling! I wish you many doctor peppers and burgers in your future. Also hoping for more cute animal moments!
I normally keep an eye on weather apps but we haven’t had much luck on this trip with anything but looking at the radar which basically just confirms what we’re seeing in the sky. Beyond that if things feel like they might be changing we try and stick near the shore and get off the water like you saw after the lock. The only time that was insufficient so far was Big Winnie Lake where we had to turn back and go again the next day.
Please explain in one of your videos your weird way of dressing for hot days in a canoe. You look like you are ready for winter. In many years of long distance canoeing and kayaking I’ve never seen anyone dress like you do.
Look into thru hiking and they are all over. The shirts are thin breathable sun layers. We use them since we’re out for long periods often at high altitude and we don’t particularly care for skin cancer. If the humidity hits a certain level like when I was in Thailand or the AT I abandon them for short sleeves. Jen is a bit more disciplined than I am
I really wanted to like your channel but gave up after hearing your say portage purposely incorrectly for the 30th time. Sorry guys. It is so off putting.