A New York Times crossword puzzle planted the seed for this trip. Last fall, my wife was finishing a Sunday puzzle on a plane flight. She asked me, “Where are the headwaters of the Missouri River?”
I told her they are in Montana not far from where our daughter lives, three hours away to be precise.
I am not even a kayaker, but on that plane speeding us home, I thought, maybe I should paddle the the whole length of the Missouri.
Little did I know that this is a crown jewel for long distance paddlers, like the Appalachian trail of water. There is a following of several thousand people on Facebook and around three to eight people a year travel the length of the Missouri. Some individuals are even crazy enough to go against the current from Saint Louis to Three forks to follow the steps of Lewis and Clark.
A simple beginning to a fantastical journey of both mind and body.