June 15

Worst night sleep I have ever had. I would doze off for about 10 minutes at a time then wake up. That all changed around 3am when the all hell broke loose from the skies. My whole tent was shaking and lighting up each time lightning struck. There was no sleeping then. Since I was on a sliver of land I couldn't stake out my tent properly. But good news, my Big Agnes tent was incredible. I stayed bone dry as I sat there waiting to be swept into the river. My tent stopped shaking around 5:30am and I got about 2 hrs sleep. When I was packing up, wet sand was caked to everything.  All I could do was pack it up wet and nasty. Being up all night made for a long day. When I saw a small riverside town I made the decision to stop. I just wanted some caffein A nice man in a golf cart asked me what I was doing. When I told him he said he had a son who had been struggling for a while.

While I was walking back to my boat I got talking to a couple on there porch. When I said I just wanted a soda pop the told me to get of out of the fridge. Next thing you know I am eating chunks of some of the most tender pot roast I have ever umm The more we got talking they said the had a child who was in recovery and how her life changed around drastically. It just shows how common it is that people are effected by this disease. Everyone sees the bad side of it and not everyone get to see the good!

June 14

I'm going to quit tomorrow was one of my favorite sayings when I was out runnin and gunnin. Well today it was just like that but I'll get the next campsite. But just like before, tomorrow or the next camp site never came. I hit a stretch of mud cliffs for about 10 miles. The only legit camp site had a huge no trespassing sign posted.  So instead of risking getting shot I kept going. The sun had set and I was approaching a large plant so I had to just make the next campsite be this one. I chased a trash panda that was eating a dead fish off and beached. I am literally laying on an angle watching the lightning off in the distance.  If it starts raining I could quite possible be swept off the beach.  Even though I couldn't find the perfect campsite I just had to make one happen no matter how uncomfortable it is. Kind of like I had to make tomorrow happen no matter how uncomfortable that was.

June 13

No matter what you are going through it will get better. The old saying of you have to go through the storm to see a rainbow was the case for me today. Literally and figuratively. Once I got on the water I couldn't have been in a worse spot. I take that back. I could be sitting at a desk making phone calls waiting for 5 o'clock. But the way things were going this morning I would have taken that in a heartbeat. Mentally I was beat. Physically I was beat. My boat wouldn't move and my mind was just shot. I wanted nothing to do with it. I could see a storm coming and I knew I had 9 miles to the next town. If I could make it there I could post up in a dinner eating a hot meal dry. The only problem was no matter how hard I paddled I wasn't going faster. The wind shifted and the water got choppy. When it started drizzling my attitude surprisingly started changing. I accepted that I was going to get wet and that was part of the journey. When I started hearing the angels bowling from both the Indiana and Kentucky side of the river I kind of enjoyed the rush. All of the sudden the angels must have put the bumper guards up on the lanes because they were getting strike after strike. The lightning was coming down on all sides. Still kind of cool. I used the latest technology to track how far off the lightning was. Lightning, 1 Mississippi 2 Mississippi ... thunder. It was about 10 miles out so I should be good. The rain was dumping by this point. The count got shorter and shorter and the lightning and thunder louder and louder.  I figure I'm in a plastic boat what's the worst that can happen?  When I noticed the strikes were literally in front of the mountains and hitting the side of the river I decided that I probably should get to shelter. One more lightning bolt and my boat surprisingly started moving a lot faster than ever before. I pointed the nose for a dock and dropped the hammer. I saw the basement door open and when I got close yelled and asked if I could get under the porch. The guy told me to get up there. I tied up my boat and scrambled up the bank under the porch. He said he saw me coming and wouldn't repeat what he thought. Oh I knew.  I thought the same thing.  The storm slowed down and I decided to push on. I couldn't have found a better place to seek refuge. After the storm the water was calm. The sky had that eerie feeling but I continued on to Warsaw, KY and found a restaurant to get a hot meal. I was debating on getting a hotel room because I got back in my head and wasn't motivated. While wrapping up my lunch I did something that I had been putting off for a while. I finally posted my website on social media. The fear of putting it out there about what I have been through and why I am doing what I am doing was challenging. But the support I gotten already reminds me why I am doing what I am doing. Not only for myself but for other. Showing that there is a better life out there, you just have to ask for help. And that's one of the hardest parts. I should have shut my phone off because the notifications came flying in. I got back in my boat and started paddling down river. I had to put my phone up for 2 reasons. 1. I couldn't keep up with all the likes and responses. 2. I was entering a lock. I radioed the lock master and he said just ring the bell when you get up close. Bell AKA a giant fog horn. The gates opened and I paddled in. Tied off and the back gate closed. When the water started dropping the floating pin I was tied to didn't move. I freaked. I didn't want to lose my rope. It's a nice piece of rope. If finally started move. This lock made some interesting noises. Lots of creaking. I got a good chuckle and I thought about it. The first gate opens, you go in, it closes, the other opens and you go out. Kind of reminded me of Jurassic Park. Just kidding. It reminded me of prison. After I dropped down about 50 feet and paddled out of the chamber it was flat water. The sun was setting and couldn't be more peaceful. I found a campground and walked up the hill and asked the guy if I could camp. He said no problem. Asked if I had a tent to stay dry, asked if I needed food. Told him I was all good. When I went back to the river to get my bags I noticed the sky was amazing. And when I looked across the river, sure enough there was a small rainbow trying to poke through the clouds. When life is pouring down on you it's ok to ask for help to get out of the rain but you got to get back on the water and keep paddling if you want to see that rainbow.

June 12

One of the greatest things about life is the people and places you get meet along the way. That was the case today when I stopped at the Rabbit Hash General Store. From the moment my boat hit the rocky beach in a small clearing of trees I transformed back in time. I felt like a true river traveler from the old days coming ashore and walking up to the store. Originally built in 1831, not much had changed. After I named dropped some locals I was family. To be honest I don't think I needed to name drop to be treated like family. After getting the full tour and offered a shower and home cooked meal from the proprietor I enjoyed a glass coke on the front steps. After a bit the owner said "this guy here knows your buddies". The guy looked familiar and after we got talking we put it together that we had been camping and canoeing together several times with mural friends. He said "you slept in that hammock when we went on the winter gorge trip". Yep that was me. The idiot who always slept in a hammock for 11 years before this trip. We traded war stories about the trips and caught up. I said my good byes to the amazing people of Rabbit Hash and paddled away knowing why they call it the Center of the Universe!

June 11

The prodigal son has returned to his birth city. It was an amazing experience getting to paddle through downtown Cincinnati.  I got an early start to try and beat the boat traffic. It seemed to work through downtown. Then I realized the whole downtown is a no wake zone. After I got out of downtown it was a whole different story. I was getting beat up pretty bad. After a while I saw a coast guard sub station and decided to stop. Sub station doesn't mean submarine if that's what you were thinking. I started talking to one of the guardsmen. I asked if they had drug or alcohol problems along the river. He could only speak for the people on the river not on the shore but he said not really drugs, but alcohol boating and alcohol go together. I couldn't agree more. One of my favorite things in the world is to be drinking on a boat. It doesn't matter what kind of boat as long as I was on the water with a drink in my hand I was happy. Sorry I got excited there thinking about drinking and boating. The guardsman said most the people he deals with on the water are upper class so drugs aren't really the big issue. He was quick to say that just because they have money doesn't mean they can't have a problem. He told me some stories about being stationed in Key West and drug smugglers but said that wasn't really an issue on the Ohio. I continued on getting beaten up by the sun and wake.  It got to the point that I was mentally drained. I saw a riverside restaurant up on the hill on the Indiana side. I was close to the Kentucky side. I sat there for a good 15 minutes deciding if it was worth it to paddle across the river. I decided it was and got moving.  It was worth it. I was talking to hostesses they couldn't believe what I was doing. I asked if there was a problem around here. One of the girls who had just graduated from high school was quick to say yeah.  We got interrupted but it gave me a lot to think about as I continued to paddle. The two conversations I had today reminded me that addiction doesn't matter who you are. Rich, poor, young, old. When it gets ahold of you it does what it wants. And that's pretty scary. I finally found a place to camp. Right across from a riverboat casino. It was a really cool forest area. I did some exploring and saw 2 deer and a baby. I tried to get pictures but they ran off. As I was getting ready to get into my tent I heard a 4th deer. He crashed through the woods and started snorting at me. I yelled and threw sticks into the woods. The snorting went on for a good 15 minutes. I decided to use one of my ultimate deer defender devices before I went to bed. I lit a m-80 and covered my ears. It worked. I didn't even hear crickets for a good hour.

June 10

Back to the river. It was great being home but life on the river is a lot simpler. Wake up, pack up, paddle, setup camp, and sleep. Mix in eating, drinking and using the bathroom and that's it. I got a ride from a good friend back to where I left off and got on the river. The river was packed full of personal boaters. With boats of all sizes comes wake of all sizes. After fighting the waves I stopped at the last marina before downtown to see if I could camp. The gas dock girl told me to go to the main office and ask. I paddled past all the expensive yachts and went to talk to the boss. He told me it was no problem and pointed me to a nice spot on the hill over looking the river. I got settled in and turned in early. It's good to be "home"

June 7

I woke up and tried to figure out how far to go today. The plan has been to get to Cincinnati and go home for a few days to finalize my gear and tie up loose ends. Then return to the river and go for it. I can make it to Cincinnati by Thursday easily. Then I got the news. The river was being shut down today outside of Cincinnati.  Only 2 things can shut down a river. A toxic spill or the President of the United States of America. Thank goodness it wasn't a toxic spill.  The marina I had planned on trying to leave my kayak at while I went home is where Trump was speaking. I figured they wouldn't go for a smelly bearded man asking to leave a random kayak there for a few days. I then thought about trying to sneak past the Coast Guard Gun Ships and paddle behind the president with a #riverweasel flag in hopes of getting the POTUS to retweet me. Instead I got a text from my brother who was in town and leaving that afternoon. If I could find a place to store my kayak and get a ride I wouldn't have to take the greyhound. Easier thought then done. I started paddling for a few hours then saw a boat ramp. I went up to the campground and of course it was dead. Most of them are during the week. As I looked around for someone to ask, all I heard was some little dogs barking. As I got closer a lady came out to see what her dogs were barking at. Bigfoot?  No, just a smelly River Weasel. I explained what I was doing and what I needed. That's all I had to do. She took it from there. We hoped in her golf cart. And went down to the river. I put the wheels on my boat and pulled it behind the cart as she flew up the hill to her spot. We put it under a cover. We loaded my gear in her car and were off. She drove me from 45 minutes to where my brother was and dropped me off at the front door. Talk about service. It all happened so fast I couldn't think. It blows my mind that someone would be willing to help you out with out even knowing you but it happens all the time on the river. And just like that I had met my first major River Angel of the trip. A River Angel is someone who helps out paddlers along the way. Whether it's food, transportation, shelter, or just a laugh and smile to keep them going on the journey. They are a key part of making a journey like this. Then in a matter of an hour and a half I went from paddling the Ohio River, to riding down I-71 almost home. What took me 2 hours to drive back to Columbus took me 7 days to paddle.

Day 6

As I am laying here I feel like I am still rocking in my boat. This is probably due to the river was anything but calm today. The wind was blowing in my face all day. At one point there were whitecaps forming. I would go over a wave and the bow of the boat would slam down splashing me in the face. I stopped at a dock outside Marysville KY. I got talking to a family and found out that they had lost a nephew recently to an overdose. He had gotten help and started getting his life back together. Then all the sudden relapsed and died. It shows that you never are cured of this disease. They said the problem is so bad around there that you are always seeing young people's obituaries in the paper.  I have thought about it for a while. The stigma of addiction. People are afraid to talk about it. There are several more deaths that are directly related to drugs and alcohol than people want to talk about. When ever I see an obituary about a young person pass away from heart failure , I automatically assume it's drug related. The same thing with a single car accident at 3AM on a weekend night I assume they were drunk. Now I know this isn't the case all the time, but when it does happen people don't want to put the person who died in a bad light. Not ever going through a situation like this it's easier to say than do I'm sure. And I'm grateful that I don't have to make that decision, or put my family in that situation today.

June 5th

Ohio River. More like OhiSLOW River. I had dreams of this big, fast flowing river. Not the case. It is a big river but the current was non existent.  The river is an average of about 3/4 a mile wide at this point. As I come around a bend I just point the nose of my boat at the next bend and head right for it. You know that whole fastest way from point A to B is a straight line. It's actually true. On top of the lack of current I got my first rain shower this morning. It was only a light sprinkle which was actually rather refreshing. But not enough to make the river rise. I had gotten an early jump on the day around 8:30. And yes that is an early start for me. I usually plan on paddling for a few hours and pull over for a break. Stretch my legs, take a bathroom break, and hop back in and keep going. On the Scioto, and every river I have paddled this is easy, you can stop anywhere. The mud banks make it almost impossible. After about 6 hrs I found a small rock beach I thought would hold me. It didn't. I sank about 6 inches. I stood there, peed, and got back in and kept going. The rain was trying to come and was successful off and on. Even when it wasn't raining, the Kentucky hills were rumbling loud. At about 8 hours I was over it. That pick the next turn and paddle for it got shorter and shorter. I would pick a tree on shore and try and make it there.  After a while that wasn't even enough. I started picking out pieces of drift wood and just tried to make it there. Some times they were even just 5 feet in front of me. That helped. 11 hours I made it to the campground and the lady let me stay under a pavilion for free and it made it all worth it. It's a lot like being in recovery. The thought of never drinking or doing drugs the rest of my life is hard to grasp. But when I break it down to just one day at a time that's a little more doable. Sometimes that's not even enough. Sometimes I have to take it an hour at a time, a minute at a time, even a second at a time. By doing that, it makes it a lot more doable. But at the end of the day, if I can lay down without drinking or using then it's all worth it. 

June 4th

Big Milestone today. I reached the Ohio River. About 2 miles out I could see the top of the steel bridge that crosses the Ohio in the distance. It was a welcoming site. The only problem was it was the longest 2 miles of my life. When I reached the confluence it wasn't anything great. I was hoping to be able to get an inspirational selfie video but that was not possible. The mud was about 4 feet wide and "goes all the way to China" deep according to the boy fishing. The Ohio is big. Something like I have never paddled before. Tons of trash and debris. I even saw a large tree floating down the river, roots and all. I then did something I hope I never have to do again. I paddled upstream about a mile to a marina. Well it's my kind of marina. Some boat slips cabled to the side of the hill. A bath house trailer, a Pepsi machine, and bags of ice. I docked my kayak next to a yacht that was filling up with gas (they got 200 gallons, you do the math) and talked to the Caretaker. I told him what I was doing and if he knew of anywhere I could camp. When I told him that I was doing it to help people go to rehab he said "do you know where you are, this is Portsmouth, the drug capital of the world?"  He told me to just put my tent up on the hill and move my boat to the other side. I don't know if he could smell me or not but he said I could use the shower and bath rooms and wouldn't take a dime. Speaking of a shower, as I was paddling today I could really start to smell myself. We are talking 4 days in the sun, on the river, wearing the same clothes even to sleep in. Let's just say, if that was 4 days it's going to get interesting the longer this trip goes. 

I set up camp and took advantage of the shower. I first showered in my clothes to wash them, then repeated washing my body. It felt amazing. I put on my town clothes and headed looking to explore Portsmouth. Do you ever go through old towns and wish you had seen it in its hay day?  This is one of those towns. The town is bordered by a floodwall that is covered in murals. Beautiful murals. It is quite the site to see. While walking along taking pictures I got to talking to a real nice couple from NE Ohio. They asked what I was doing. When I explained it they too said they had heard Portsmouth is the worst for drugs. I started seeing a common theme with everyone I talked to. They shared a story with me about how several years ago her husband had told her not to freak out but a man was going to be sleeping in there yard. She described him as an older gentleman with white hair and beard who had been walking for a while. He was doing the same thing I am. He had struggled with drinking for a long time and was walking across the country in hopes to help any one he could. We parted ways and I headed into town. While strolling down historical 2nd street I came across 2 gentleman building bunches outside what looked like a restaurant. I got talking to Rocky the owner. He said he was fixing it up for a event space. He gave me a tour. Not just a tour, but the most detailed tour of this historical building you have ever seen. I even saw the attic. And I loved it. His passion for this place was incredible.  It's the people you meet along the way that make the journey memorable. After my hour tour I headed for the Scioto Rubber. I wanted to treat myself to a steak for hitting this milestone. I order the small strip. It was 16 oz. that was the small. Probably the beast steak I have ever had. While sitting at the bar eating, the bartender couldn't believe my trip. By the time I was leaving everyone working there knew about it. When I walked out the front door one of the workers came out and asked me if I was the one kayaking. She thought I might have been someone she had seen years back biking across the country. We got to talking and I asked her why she thought the drug problem was so bad around here. She said it had to do with the government. I didn't know where she was going but she went on to explain and it made sense. She said that it's easier to be on government assistance then it is to have a job. Her friend was making about $8 an hour and got a .25 raise and lost their insurance. She went on to say you can get hundreds in food, stamps, discounted utilities, and other assistance that it makes it worth it. And when you are getting free money all you have to do is sit there and watch TV. And you get bored and look for some thing more. Then you need something more once you start. This made a lot of sense to me.  She apologized for the long answer but I could see the passion that she meant what she was saying. And that is part of the reason I am out here is to find out what people think about addiction. It was a great conversation and gave me lots to think about. 

As I was walking back to camp I stopped at a quik stop to get a drink. They had one of the largest glass pipe sections I have ever seen in a convenient store. I over heard the cashier and a customer talking about selling drugs. In their defense it was in slight code but I am bilingual and fluent in the langue of drugs. Just another example of how bad the drug epidemic is in southern Ohio. 

 I am back at my tent on the hill overlooking the Ohio River.  While sitting at the restaurant they said the PGA tournament was on a rain delay in Columbus. Just 100 miles north of here but we haven't gotten any rain. There is a chance of rain in the early morning hours then a window.I can hopefully pack up and get on the river before it starts raining. I am excited and anxious to see what the Ohio has to offer. 

June 3rd

Another beautiful day on the river. I'm laying on an island in my tent with the rain fly off staring at the stars. Not a cloud in the sky. The frogs are serenading me while the lighting bugs light up the trees like Christmas lights.  I’m patiently waiting on the trash panda (raccoon) that I chased off earlier to return. I’m not quite sure what I will do if he does, but I'm ready. There aren't any trees on this island to hang my food from so I did the next best thing and have it right next to me with a big knife. 

I was getting worried today as I had only seen 2 people the since I got out of Columbus. Not that I'm complaining, it was very peaceful. I have found that I am talking to myself more than normal. Which is concerning considering it is only the 3rd day. While reviewing my maps I found a little diner in Piketon that was close to the river so I thought I would give it a shot. If you are ever driving on 23 you have to stop at the Riverside Restaurant.  After Piketon the lack of people situation changed quickly. Several fishing boats, people cooking out, and parking their trucks right on the bank fishing. Seeing these people hanging out with family and friends enjoying the weather got me thinking. Combine that with checking social media seeing several different groups of friends at the PGA tournament, campouts, and music festivals I’m going to miss a lot of things over the next few months.  But what am I really going to miss?  Family and friends, of course.  But the opportunity to go on an adventure like this is once in a lifetime.  Well twice in a life time now for me. 

June 2nd

Life is all about second chances (sometimes 3rd, 4th, etc). It's not only about second chances, it's about what you do with them. I was given a second chance in life and now I have to choose to do something with it. I feel I am. At least I am going to try my best to. While paddling along today getting beaten up by the sun, the river current was non existent. I would paddle a few strokes and stop, huff and puff,  and paddle a few more. At one point near the end of the day I looked back on the other side of the river and saw a gentleman fishing. From a wheelchair. By himself. Not at a boat ramp, just on the side of the river. Which means he had to put in an enormous effort to get to that spot to fish. It wasn't possible to get over to him to talk, but it had me thinking for the rest of the day. And I am still thinking about him. Here is a guy who can't walk. He has some major challenges in life that most of us could never imagine. But he doesn't let that stop him from doing what he loves. He finds a way to make it happen because he wants to go fishing. It was an amazing experience for me and reminded me that if you want something, you have to take action to get it. 

June 1st

Well this is it.  Here we go.  What I have been waiting on for years.  After shaving my 7 month beard and repacking my gear for the 100th time I was ready to go.  My brother and dog dropped me off along the Scioto River on the steps of the COSI (Center of Science and Industry) building with the backdrop of the skyline of Columbus.  After 3 tries to christen my boat with a red bull I was finally successful.   A few more pictures, and I was off.  My mind was racing as I paddled out of the skyscrapers that I have called home for the past 9 years.  The river flowed out of downtown two miles till I encountered a dam that I had to portage (fancy boating word for carrying my boat) around.  The route was about 20 feet up a bank, then a quarter mile down the bike path past the Fire Station to the river.  I stopped in the Fire Station to fill my water bags and got talking to one of the firefighters about what I was doing and their thoughts on the drug overdosing problem in the area.  He said that the fire/paramedics respond to calls all the time and it’s getting worse.  I would like to say that I am surprised but that would be a bold face lie. 

I continued on down the river leaving the 15th largest city in the country behind.  As I got outside of the outer belt loop it started getting more remote.  So remote that as I was paddling I caught something out of the corner of my eye falling down and splashing 5 feet from my boat.  It was a dead snake.  Not just a dead snake, a mangled eaten snake dropped by a hawk.  Other than almost getting smacked with raining snakes, it was a great paddle through central Ohio.  As the sun was setting I found an island to camp on.  When I got closer I saw it was already occupied.  By 3 deer.  They spotted me and took off splashing and swimming across the river.  I posted up on the island and settled into my new home for the next several months, and couldn’t be happier.