Hey Everyone,
We have been traveling now for about a week. The country we are in (the land not the fact that we are in the US) is just absolutely . breathtaking. Nothing but rolling hills and mountains. I am also constantly in awe of the generosity of the communities that are receiving us. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The people have been super friendly, and we are getting way more free meals than all of us ever expected. When we stopped in Fort Steele just before the border, I was able to get my pants fixed on the historic site by the seamstress there…at no charge. Today, here in Thompson Falls, Montana, a guy offered to help us fix a couple of seats in our canoe which have begun to buckle. He offered to have us follow him to his woodshop at his house and gave us use of his tools and his wood to fix the canoe…again at no charge. I’m just blown away by the generosity of all of these communities. It is a very rewarding experience for my soul to know that despite the hustle and bustle of regular life that there are people out there that will help just to help.
I have really been enjoying the journey thus far. The paddling and getting to know the other crews has been really amazing. Everyone is willing to help everyone at any time, and there is a real sense of community among the brigade. Mostly I’ve just been enjoying the paddling though. Since moving away from Thunder Bay and having a busy life it has been real great to just re-connect with that outdoors side of me. Watching the wildlife along the rivers, and seeing the natural flow of the current as it winds its way and changes the landscape is constantly breathtaking. Whether it be an eagle on the river side watching us go by, an osprey picking its meal out of the river, or even the bank swallows which are constantly flying around us on the river, the nature and the scenery is more beautiful than I could have imagined.
Now for the not so fun side. The most difficult part of this journey by far is just the simple fact that I am away from home and away from my fiancée and my dog. I figured that I’d be so busy on this trip that I wouldn’t have time to miss home, and even though I am super busy, I still constantly miss home in every spare moment. It’s not just the fact that I miss my own bed and snuggling next to my fiancée, but more that I know she would love this experience as much as I am and that it would be really great to share this experience with her. I guess she will have to settle for the pictures I take and the stories that I take with me.
Until my paddle brings me home,
Andy
We have been traveling now for about a week. The country we are in (the land not the fact that we are in the US) is just absolutely . breathtaking. Nothing but rolling hills and mountains. I am also constantly in awe of the generosity of the communities that are receiving us. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The people have been super friendly, and we are getting way more free meals than all of us ever expected. When we stopped in Fort Steele just before the border, I was able to get my pants fixed on the historic site by the seamstress there…at no charge. Today, here in Thompson Falls, Montana, a guy offered to help us fix a couple of seats in our canoe which have begun to buckle. He offered to have us follow him to his woodshop at his house and gave us use of his tools and his wood to fix the canoe…again at no charge. I’m just blown away by the generosity of all of these communities. It is a very rewarding experience for my soul to know that despite the hustle and bustle of regular life that there are people out there that will help just to help.
I have really been enjoying the journey thus far. The paddling and getting to know the other crews has been really amazing. Everyone is willing to help everyone at any time, and there is a real sense of community among the brigade. Mostly I’ve just been enjoying the paddling though. Since moving away from Thunder Bay and having a busy life it has been real great to just re-connect with that outdoors side of me. Watching the wildlife along the rivers, and seeing the natural flow of the current as it winds its way and changes the landscape is constantly breathtaking. Whether it be an eagle on the river side watching us go by, an osprey picking its meal out of the river, or even the bank swallows which are constantly flying around us on the river, the nature and the scenery is more beautiful than I could have imagined.
Now for the not so fun side. The most difficult part of this journey by far is just the simple fact that I am away from home and away from my fiancée and my dog. I figured that I’d be so busy on this trip that I wouldn’t have time to miss home, and even though I am super busy, I still constantly miss home in every spare moment. It’s not just the fact that I miss my own bed and snuggling next to my fiancée, but more that I know she would love this experience as much as I am and that it would be really great to share this experience with her. I guess she will have to settle for the pictures I take and the stories that I take with me.
Until my paddle brings me home,
Andy
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