The Ghost of Freebird
26 May 2011 4 Comments
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The ghost of Freebird is back on the water once again in 2011, this time as the ‘Joanie Belle’ (its common for the rivers towboats to be renamed too)
Halfway down the Mississippi (and two summers ago) Carl returned to work from Memphis on Day 18 as “Freebird” completed the river to New Orleans, finally pulling out along the Gulf coast at Biloxi, Ms.
This year he and his brother have rebuilt the same vessel (with a different name) and are once again headed down the Mississippi’s current.
check for his trip-updates through the dated-links on his site.
1799 miles to go
“Anchors aweigh”
Each trip down the Mississippi is unique – the interesting thing about 2011 will be with the flooding that is occurring on the lower Mississippi. Fuel along the river – it is likely that they will have to walk for fuel which is not an insurmountable obstacle. – It will take two weeks to reach that point so the water could subside to some degree.
As the flooding retreats there should be lots of neat things washed ashore, but only room for a special few – river trinkets.
Later that day and thirty miles further down river a stop at the Blackhawk General Store to see how things were ‘weathering’ – all was well.
Bac additt once again - 1762 miles to go
Sure, I’d like to be there too….
Day 5 – Memorial Day Monday – motor swallowed another catfish near Clinton, Ia – boat is ashore before lock 13 while Carl awaits mechanic/stores to open after holiday in Clinton – doesent sound good.
Tuesday; I think they are getting it figured out – motor; one catfish too many – river-life; can be addictive.
Wednesday, they are back on the river, great!
Open flow gates at Belleview
Thursday; the transom broke while adjusting for the lock at Muscatine leaving them to drift – OVER the dam (thank goodness for high water as the flow gates were open) but they only cleared the giant gate by inches. Getting it figured out/repaired at this time – I’m thinking (and hoping) that it will continue (not their poor luck) and it will all be worth it.
Saturday; new transom; back on the river and only a single day behind “schedule’.
– and over the next week they were finally finding their ‘groove’ when, well it’s their two-week 500-mile story.
check for updates through the dated-links on his site.
Considerations;
- Vessels can be re-named, but have the proper ceremony
- High-water years can be indications of severe mosquito/animal conditions along the shore
- The year after extraordinary flood conditions (less likely to happen two-years in a row) may be the best for a trip
- Don’t try to fit this into a tight schedule, allow plenty of time to make this trip (60 days) and hope for less
- Mother nature wins more than she loses
This was a year of flooding from the Ohio river valley, one in which it was anticipated that the initial surge of runoff would be settled by the time their ‘raft’ reached Cairo – things were working out in that order when the preceding winters high volume of snow out west (flowing down the Missouri river) arrived on the Mississippi (at St. Louis) complicating the timing of Carl’s trip.
Draining 40% of our country spring flooding is common for the Mississippi – it is also not uncommon for adventures to have to await the river to settle from time to time – the Bigrivershow.com guys had to wait 2-weeks in 2008, the Doldrums.
Things to think about
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail.” (Mark Twain)
Carl and Richard “tossed off their bowlines” and “went with it.”
It all remains just a thought away…..
19 Aug 2009 4 Comments
in Mississippi River Trip, Uncategorized
Well this was great too with Doobie Brothers ‘o’ Black Water music – but they took that soundtrack away…. doesen’t change a thing about how great it all was….. we just played what we were dealt…. like now.
‘doggone people !
Tom Haynie
Minnesota to New Orleans
30 Jun 2009 6 Comments
река миссисипи
After several months of planning and improvising a raft from an old pontoon boat, riding the current of the mighty Mississippi River became a reality. For a week in May and the full month of June 2009 we lived aboard our boat’ the ‘Freebird’ covering the 1700 + miles of The Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans, the trusty kayak ‘traveller‘ in tow.
The scenery and activity that we found surrounding the Mississippi River was an incredibly interesting change to our ‘normal’ setting in the Carolina’s. The 32 days onboard were spent mostly standing rather than sitting, walking the deck, watching, and simply ‘absorbing the features of the Mississippi as we drifted at idle-speed – a ‘throw-back’ of American adventure.
View Larger Map
(the above highway map provides a visual reference)
The towboats were the most predominant feature and topic of conversation along the river, other conversation points with people along the way centered on 2) their personal desire to ‘go down the river,’ and 3) catching and catfish from the river. We took alot of pictures and learned firsthand the remarkable nature of the folks living along her banks. We will confirm the fact that the Mississippi is indeed our nations “interstate of waterways” - truly the ‘backbone’ within this country in moving commerce on a bulk scale and in a safe manner.
For our little boat, the unexpected bonus was in surpassing New Orleans and spending a couple of days along the Gulf’s Intercoastal Waterways. New Orleans to where my trailer was in Biloxi, Ms. was an added treat, I did not want to get off of the water nor the trip to end – but the little ‘raft’ (Freebird) was no match for the “Anti-Gulf.”
A tired bird in Biloxy
Of course with any adventure such as this it took the support/words and effort of friends, family, and folks along the way to make it ‘full-circle,’ thank you – you folks know who you are.
As I work back through the notes I will elaborate a little more where I couldn’t while on the river. On the lower Mississippi cell towers were few, plus there was just too much for me to take-in, I wanted to look around and I really didn’t want to sit here… it all worked out.
We did pull our camera’s out and noted as much as we could, as for the video’s – I certainly do not have a professional voice plus with some of those drink concoctions it really didn’t matter – but I did push the button, it was all in fun. For us, we were living a hundred years ago, on the river, ‘doin-it’ – that was all that mattered… Huckleberry Finn like.
Mom taking a last ride in 'Freebird' before disassembly
It was an outstanding ride on one of Mother Nature’s continental tear ducts; hopefully this blog and the notes within may provide some perspective for those with an interest – check out the questions section of for more detailed answers surrounding such a ride – a post for each day.
blogsurfer.us . river cruise
Water clarity- 4 upper, 2 lower
Natural Quality – 5 (Upper Mississippi)
Difficulty – moderate, you will become advanced with time
(this is a commercial waterway)
“Traveller’s” updated adventures
1000 Miles to Rivers Edge
30 Jun 2009 14 Comments
We began this trek in Asheville, NC – and soon found that all this modern technology is not a bit of good without power…….. before traveling I had prepared everything on the truck except the lighter socket (for power), so while traveling our computer, telephones, and someone’s “Tom-Tom” died - but not a big deal, we just couldn’t communicate while traveling (and even though it was pretty neat gadget – I’d never used a “tom-tom’ before).
View Larger Map
So we had to make conversation and they had to trust I knew where we were going – and without the technology we still made it riverside – La Crosse, Wi (La Cresent, Minn). This was originally a hasty post as we found a electrical receptical, waited for our rooms to get into after 16+ hours driving, and began preparing the ‘bird.
It was a busy day after traveling so many hours, but we remained pretty much non stop until 6pm - ‘Freebird’ slowly came together. Jason Worley and Brian Lawrence (fellow firefighter’s) were invaluable with their assistance – their quality work would prove solid against the elements over time and the next 1700 miles of the river.
When I did put it in the water my excitement was tempered with possible motor trouble (unknown at the time it was a developing self-oiler issue), as things seemed to straighten out (the buzzer went off) all seemed fine, weight then became our concerning factor. I made a final ‘culling’ of items that I wanted and needed to take.
It was a really long day and we were tired, so we put the computer down and got ready to check out the town – at the same time we had tractor’s surrounding us at the hotel, neat.
even one old ford 8N with a flat-head ford V8 in it……..
The folks in Wisconsin were as nice and friendly as they were serious about their tractors - as strangers it was all a refreshing sense of kindness, and on the weather side of it all the nights were cool – a sign of good things to come…
It was a long but very important day where to the largest degree planning and preparation paid-off, and left a little time for fun……..
What are you going to do with that chicken Jason?
