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August 15, 2006
The trip into Chicago turned out to be a nightmare. The Illinois River dumps into the Des Plains river
and then the Chicago ship and sanitary. As darkness began to fall there was nowhere to get out of the
water. Both sides of the canal were rock walls strait up. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is 28
miles long, 202 feet wide. That does not leave a lot of room when a barge is pushing five long and three
wide not to mention it gets really tight when there are barges moored along the walls. With nowhere to
get out of the way and the large amount of barge traffic I decided to find the first place I could hold up
for the night. There was a small opening that had a dock with some barges. I found a nice spot next to a
wall that had a barge jacked up. The barge could not swing and hit me because it was tied to some poles.
The water was shallow where I tied off leading up to a ramp. Above me was a platform for workers to
get on the barges to make repairs. My plan was to sleep until daybreak and continue on. About 15
minutes later the unthinkable happens.
My canoe was tied above a water release pipe about ten inches wide. The water came shooting out
without warning and within 5 seconds my canoe was totally filled overflowing with water. I could not of
taken on more water had I flipped. My computer got wet along with my cell phone. My back up phones
stayed dry. My cell phone recovered, but not my computer. It took quite sometime to bail the water out.
I used the sponge to get as much as possible. My blankets were completely soaked along with most of
my clothes. I did not have any canned food at the time and the only food that survived was some
oatmeal in a zip lock bag. That was very demoralizing. My canoe was very heavy with everything wet. I
was unable to find any place to get out and dry out my gear. By dusk I was able to find a small beach
with just enough room to get the canoe out of the water. I did not get soaked with fresh river water, but
rather water from the sanitary canal. There are countless signs saying CAUTION: This water is not
suitable for wading, swimming, skiing, jet skis, or any human contact. My water and food supply were
completely diminished after a small bowl of oatmeal. And I got to sleep on a wet sleeping bag and wet
blanket soaked with water I should not even be touching. It was not cold out and if you lay in the same
spot you can make a “warm spot” and that helps some. Before bed I hiked over the hill in search of food
and water but there were just some railroad tracks and an interstate. I could not locate any stores, gas
stations ect… I went to bed with no water or food.
Friday July 28th
Waking up my number one goal was to get food and water. About a mile downstream was a bridge
sitting low unlike the high interstate bridges. There was a man walking across the bridge on a footpath,
which gave me hope of maybe some stores close. Under the bridge it was difficult to find a good place to
tie off. There were signs of light use with a few beer cans and a mildly worn path leading up. I did not
really want to leave my canoe but water and food were more important. At the top of the bridge it was
difficult to tell which way to go in search of a store. I felt like a character in one those choose your own
Adventure Books I used to read as a kid.
Turn to page 25 to take the road slightly uphill with nothing for the six blocks that are visible before the
road begins cresting and making it impossible to see any further from where I stand. Turn to page 40 to
take the road downhill in to the unknown.
I chose page 40 and lucked out big time because at the bottom of the small hill was a gas station. I was
gone maybe a total of 15 minutes from my canoe.
The paddle out to Lake Michigan through downtown Chicago was beautiful. The canal runs right by the
Sears Tower the one time tallest building in the world. The water changes color like a lazy sunset on a
clear summer night from nasty brown black to clear green, as I get closer to Lake Michigan. Chicago has
a few well-protected bays on the lakeside. The view is absolutely breathtaking. During the paddle into
downtown I called the Chicago Yacht club an inquired if they accepted reciprocity from Onondaga Yacht
club from Liverpool, NY. They did and gave me directions for the downtown club and the bay club.
This stop would give me a chance to dry out my things and get to a grocery store. After paddling out of
the lock I became so transfixed from the brilliant green water I passed up the Navy pier before I knew it.
It would have been a sharp rap around into Navy pier and the downtown Yacht club. Being pent up the
past 1,200 plus miles on rivers and small lakes since the Gulf of Mexico this expanse of water was
amazing. I decided to paddle into the other Yacht club location about four miles up the lake in a
protected bay. There were some boats waiting to go into the entrance. I ended up paddling into the
wrong harbor because I asked a boater if the yacht club was in the harbor and he said yes. Actually there
was a yacht club in the harbor named Diversey. It ended up working out well because they accepted
reciprocity. The down side was there were no wash machines. The upside was they did have showers
and a lounge. Things brightened up when I met Doug Hahn in the Lounge and he offered to let me stay
on his boat “hawk” Doug said his boat was small, but after he seen my canoe he changed his mind a bit
considering his boat has a bunk to sleep in.
I called some contacts I had made several months earlier that told me to call them when I get into the
area. Tim Flentye a local kayaker returned the voice mail I left him with some good news. Turns out
Tom Heineman another local kayaker was finishing up his circumnavigation trip around lake Michigan
tomorrow and there were also having a fundraising event for Autism. Tim suggested if I had the time it
might be good for me to stop by and meet some local paddlers. The best part was the Lincoln Park boat
club (LPBC) was only a quarter mile away.
Saturday morning I paddled to the LPBC and met Tim and many others. Steve Quinn the Commodore
of the club gave me a tour. I must say out of all the boat clubs I have ever seen The Lincoln park club
has the nicest group of individuals, best location, and neatest building (which is underground.) If you are
a paddler in the Chicago area and are not a member of LPBC you are definitely missing out big time.
What I like most about the club is the fact it is set up to accommodate the first time paddler to the
seasoned veteran. The lagoon where boats launch is very calm with no motorboats allowed. However
Lake Michigan is just a short paddle out of the bay. Steve let me use the area too spread out all of my
gear to dry out. In the afternoon a few of us paddled out into the lake to meet with Tom and other
paddlers to paddle the last mile back to the LPBC. Russ Johnson was one of the paddlers out on the
water with Tom. I had talked to Russ a few times via e-mail and it was finally good to meet him. After
we all paddled back to Lincoln Park I got a ride to the store for some supplies. Tom gave me some
helpful advice for the upcoming trip up lake Michigan. Tom told me to stop near his house tomorrow
and he was going to give me some food he did not use on his trip. The hot sun dried out most of my
gear. I went to sleep early anticipating a long day on the lake.
Sunday July 30th started out like any other day on the river, but would end so different. The lake was
fairly calm early on but a storm was brewing on the water. It did not take long before the wind kicked up
and turned the lake into washing machine. The wind was very strong. Luckily I was close to a break wall
and able to paddle around inside and ride out the wind and waves. While waiting I called my sister Julie
to talk about my trip. About a week earlier while talking to Julie on the phone she told me point blank
how she felt about my trip. It is no secret that my family wants me to end the trip and come home. They
keep saying things like “you have already done so much..” “We really miss you” The fact my family
wants me to end the trip does not mean they don’t support me. My family supports me morally,
financially, logistically with food drops, and the list goes on… However what Julie said last week I could
not ignore. “Johnny I really wish you would come home. You have already done so much for MS and I
would rather you back home here where I can see you. You always say you are doing this trip for me
and I would rather have you hear where I can spend time with you and make memories. Every time
around the holidays it is not the same without you. Besides you never know what’s going to happen in
life. My eyesight is getting worse in my right eye and I had a dream the other night I went blind and I
never got to see you before going blind because you were gone.
I was absolutely devastated hearing those words. To end the already demoralizing conversation Julie
said, “ I don’t want you to feel guilty for being gone. I know you are helping a lot of people.” Recently
Julie has been experiencing some problems from her MS. Sometimes she has problems walking and she
is having problems seeing from her right eye sometimes. I was experiencing a feeling of shock, hurt
feelings, and frustration all at once. I did not let Julie know how I felt and acted normal. I had talked to
her twice since our upcoming conversation and she never mentioned anymore about me ending the trip.
Huddled up against the break wall receiving the occasional mist from a large wave smashing the other
side of the break wall I called Julie and asked her how she really felt. Julie reiterated what she had
already said but emphasized not to quit on her account. It did not matter; her words would make me as
effective as superman standing on a pile of Kryptonite when the next challenge was placed in front of
me. There were some very tough times when the only thing that got me through was looking at Julie’s
name on the side of my canoe and knowing I am doing this for her. I don’t have the intestinal fortitude
to do a trip like this knowing that Julie really wants me home. It was then that I decided to end the trip. I
called my father and told him I wanted to quit and go home and he said he would pick me up tomorrow
morning. He sounded excited my trip was ending. I paddled to the Chicago yacht club and used my
Onondaga lake yacht club card to secure a place to stay the night. If any one would of asked me at any
point in my life “how do you think you will spend your 29th birthday?” The answer would not of been
waiting in Chicago for my father to pick me up after quitting a canoe trip that has went 5,615 miles. The
reality of it was I was waiting in Chicago waiting for my father on my 29th birthday after quitting 5,615
miles into my canoe trip across America for MS.
Monday July 31, 2006. My father arrived in the morning and we were soon on the road back home. To
make things even worse July 31 is two years to the exact day I started this trip in Cleveland, Ohio. This
is not the way I expected the trip to end. Little things began to eat at me as the miles passed by on the
interstate. What am I going to say to my friends and all the people who have been following my trip? If
you look at things for what they really are I am a quitter who quit. By nature I am not a quitter, but the
reality of it is I quit the trip. Any reason I give for quitting is nothing more than an excuse. There was
nothing left to do but swallow my pride and move on. Back home my plans are to publish a book about
my first trip that is already written and try and introduce people in a wheel chair because of MS to
kayaking. The part that was the hardest to swallow was how people were going to perceive me based
only on a snapshot of my life. As sure as people recognize Benedict Arnold, as a traitor people back
home will know me as a quitter and a failure. I can hear it now in my hometown. Do you know John
Latecki Jr.?” Oh yes isn’t that the quitter guy who said he was going to paddle to all 48 states and quit.
Yea I know him he failed at his canoe trip.” I coughed a couple of times before swallowing the last of
my pride. There were other thoughts too that crept up like the heartburn one gets from swallowing pride.
Bob Wylly who had been following my trip and contacted me in early 2005 to let me know he and his
wife Kit who has MS might be in the same area I was going to be and thought we might be able to meet.
It ended up we did meet in Hilton Head, SC and Bob bought me a solar powered radio. Later on Bob
arranged a stop for me in Mobile at his Nephews house. Bob also contacted CNN several months ago
and has maintained contact and lined up an interview in Chicago. However CNN is mainly focused on
the Israeli Hezbollah war and that was why the interview never took place. Bob tried with a flurry of e-
mails and phone calls as I reached Chicago. Bob was doing this while tent camping with his wife on the
east side of lake Michigan! So what am I going to say to Bob? Sorry Bob I forgot to inform you up front
before you spent so much time helping my efforts that I am a quitter. Then what about all the people I
met in Chicago? Tom Heineman thinks I will be calling him today to meet so he can give me some food
he did not use on his trip. Russ Johnson gave me his number and told me to call him when I will be in
his area in a few days and he would give me a place to shower and sleep. It never should have ended this
way.
If felt weird being back home. Deep down this is not what I wanted, but on the other hand I could not
act down because I did not want Julie to think I quit because of her and was unhappy. A few days later
back home talking with Julie I found out some interesting information. Turns out when Julie was down in
Missouri with another of my sisters Monika visiting our father they were all on the deck talking and the
conversation shifted to my trip. The topic was how to convince Johnny to come home. Julie was afraid
of me going out west and getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no food. Julie is also scared of
bears and she was informed of how dangerous I would be in bear country. I explained to Julie about
food drops, bear repellent, and wilderness travel and how it is not as bad as she was informed. “ Three
more years is just such a long time” Julie said
“What if the trip was just another year would that make a difference?” I asked
Her voiced changed to a positive sound and said that would not be so bad. Deep down I know Julie
knew I did not want to quit. So we worked it out and I have until to October 16, 2007, which will be the
11-year anniversary, Julie was diagnosed with MS. It all went very well and Julie is behind me 100%
continuing for only one more year. The rest of my family is not too thrilled about my decision to go
back out, but they support me 100%.
Life has been restored to the canoe trip! It seems obvious to go back to Chicago and continue on.
However I decided to retire that trip at 5,615 miles. So what is next?
In September or October 2006 I will leave from Loudonville, Ohio and paddle as fast as possible to New
Orleans to establish a record. I have searched high and low and yet to find anyone (besides the Native
Americans of yesteryear) who has paddled from Northeast Ohio to New Orleans. This trip will set the
standard for the fastest time. A friend brought up a point about the Guinness world record for the longest
canoe trip. If I don’t go back to Chicago and start up I lose credit for all those miles towards the record.
My plans are to paddle more in one year than the first two years put together. The fact the trip is for the
longest solo canoe trip helps raise awareness for MS and I don’t care if the record is going to 5,615 miles
less that it could have been.
My moral is high right now. This layover is giving me time to take care of some nagging injuries, work
on my boat, and visit family. This time when I leave it will be only for a year. I will be updating some of
the web pages this coming week and explaining more about my upcoming yearlong trip.
The trip into Chicago turned out to be a nightmare. The Illinois River dumps into the Des Plains river
and then the Chicago ship and sanitary. As darkness began to fall there was nowhere to get out of the
water. Both sides of the canal were rock walls strait up. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is 28
miles long, 202 feet wide. That does not leave a lot of room when a barge is pushing five long and three
wide not to mention it gets really tight when there are barges moored along the walls. With nowhere to
get out of the way and the large amount of barge traffic I decided to find the first place I could hold up
for the night. There was a small opening that had a dock with some barges. I found a nice spot next to a
wall that had a barge jacked up. The barge could not swing and hit me because it was tied to some poles.
The water was shallow where I tied off leading up to a ramp. Above me was a platform for workers to
get on the barges to make repairs. My plan was to sleep until daybreak and continue on. About 15
minutes later the unthinkable happens.
My canoe was tied above a water release pipe about ten inches wide. The water came shooting out
without warning and within 5 seconds my canoe was totally filled overflowing with water. I could not of
taken on more water had I flipped. My computer got wet along with my cell phone. My back up phones
stayed dry. My cell phone recovered, but not my computer. It took quite sometime to bail the water out.
I used the sponge to get as much as possible. My blankets were completely soaked along with most of
my clothes. I did not have any canned food at the time and the only food that survived was some
oatmeal in a zip lock bag. That was very demoralizing. My canoe was very heavy with everything wet. I
was unable to find any place to get out and dry out my gear. By dusk I was able to find a small beach
with just enough room to get the canoe out of the water. I did not get soaked with fresh river water, but
rather water from the sanitary canal. There are countless signs saying CAUTION: This water is not
suitable for wading, swimming, skiing, jet skis, or any human contact. My water and food supply were
completely diminished after a small bowl of oatmeal. And I got to sleep on a wet sleeping bag and wet
blanket soaked with water I should not even be touching. It was not cold out and if you lay in the same
spot you can make a “warm spot” and that helps some. Before bed I hiked over the hill in search of food
and water but there were just some railroad tracks and an interstate. I could not locate any stores, gas
stations ect… I went to bed with no water or food.
Friday July 28th
Waking up my number one goal was to get food and water. About a mile downstream was a bridge
sitting low unlike the high interstate bridges. There was a man walking across the bridge on a footpath,
which gave me hope of maybe some stores close. Under the bridge it was difficult to find a good place to
tie off. There were signs of light use with a few beer cans and a mildly worn path leading up. I did not
really want to leave my canoe but water and food were more important. At the top of the bridge it was
difficult to tell which way to go in search of a store. I felt like a character in one those choose your own
Adventure Books I used to read as a kid.
Turn to page 25 to take the road slightly uphill with nothing for the six blocks that are visible before the
road begins cresting and making it impossible to see any further from where I stand. Turn to page 40 to
take the road downhill in to the unknown.
I chose page 40 and lucked out big time because at the bottom of the small hill was a gas station. I was
gone maybe a total of 15 minutes from my canoe.
The paddle out to Lake Michigan through downtown Chicago was beautiful. The canal runs right by the
Sears Tower the one time tallest building in the world. The water changes color like a lazy sunset on a
clear summer night from nasty brown black to clear green, as I get closer to Lake Michigan. Chicago has
a few well-protected bays on the lakeside. The view is absolutely breathtaking. During the paddle into
downtown I called the Chicago Yacht club an inquired if they accepted reciprocity from Onondaga Yacht
club from Liverpool, NY. They did and gave me directions for the downtown club and the bay club.
This stop would give me a chance to dry out my things and get to a grocery store. After paddling out of
the lock I became so transfixed from the brilliant green water I passed up the Navy pier before I knew it.
It would have been a sharp rap around into Navy pier and the downtown Yacht club. Being pent up the
past 1,200 plus miles on rivers and small lakes since the Gulf of Mexico this expanse of water was
amazing. I decided to paddle into the other Yacht club location about four miles up the lake in a
protected bay. There were some boats waiting to go into the entrance. I ended up paddling into the
wrong harbor because I asked a boater if the yacht club was in the harbor and he said yes. Actually there
was a yacht club in the harbor named Diversey. It ended up working out well because they accepted
reciprocity. The down side was there were no wash machines. The upside was they did have showers
and a lounge. Things brightened up when I met Doug Hahn in the Lounge and he offered to let me stay
on his boat “hawk” Doug said his boat was small, but after he seen my canoe he changed his mind a bit
considering his boat has a bunk to sleep in.
I called some contacts I had made several months earlier that told me to call them when I get into the
area. Tim Flentye a local kayaker returned the voice mail I left him with some good news. Turns out
Tom Heineman another local kayaker was finishing up his circumnavigation trip around lake Michigan
tomorrow and there were also having a fundraising event for Autism. Tim suggested if I had the time it
might be good for me to stop by and meet some local paddlers. The best part was the Lincoln Park boat
club (LPBC) was only a quarter mile away.
Saturday morning I paddled to the LPBC and met Tim and many others. Steve Quinn the Commodore
of the club gave me a tour. I must say out of all the boat clubs I have ever seen The Lincoln park club
has the nicest group of individuals, best location, and neatest building (which is underground.) If you are
a paddler in the Chicago area and are not a member of LPBC you are definitely missing out big time.
What I like most about the club is the fact it is set up to accommodate the first time paddler to the
seasoned veteran. The lagoon where boats launch is very calm with no motorboats allowed. However
Lake Michigan is just a short paddle out of the bay. Steve let me use the area too spread out all of my
gear to dry out. In the afternoon a few of us paddled out into the lake to meet with Tom and other
paddlers to paddle the last mile back to the LPBC. Russ Johnson was one of the paddlers out on the
water with Tom. I had talked to Russ a few times via e-mail and it was finally good to meet him. After
we all paddled back to Lincoln Park I got a ride to the store for some supplies. Tom gave me some
helpful advice for the upcoming trip up lake Michigan. Tom told me to stop near his house tomorrow
and he was going to give me some food he did not use on his trip. The hot sun dried out most of my
gear. I went to sleep early anticipating a long day on the lake.
Sunday July 30th started out like any other day on the river, but would end so different. The lake was
fairly calm early on but a storm was brewing on the water. It did not take long before the wind kicked up
and turned the lake into washing machine. The wind was very strong. Luckily I was close to a break wall
and able to paddle around inside and ride out the wind and waves. While waiting I called my sister Julie
to talk about my trip. About a week earlier while talking to Julie on the phone she told me point blank
how she felt about my trip. It is no secret that my family wants me to end the trip and come home. They
keep saying things like “you have already done so much..” “We really miss you” The fact my family
wants me to end the trip does not mean they don’t support me. My family supports me morally,
financially, logistically with food drops, and the list goes on… However what Julie said last week I could
not ignore. “Johnny I really wish you would come home. You have already done so much for MS and I
would rather you back home here where I can see you. You always say you are doing this trip for me
and I would rather have you hear where I can spend time with you and make memories. Every time
around the holidays it is not the same without you. Besides you never know what’s going to happen in
life. My eyesight is getting worse in my right eye and I had a dream the other night I went blind and I
never got to see you before going blind because you were gone.
I was absolutely devastated hearing those words. To end the already demoralizing conversation Julie
said, “ I don’t want you to feel guilty for being gone. I know you are helping a lot of people.” Recently
Julie has been experiencing some problems from her MS. Sometimes she has problems walking and she
is having problems seeing from her right eye sometimes. I was experiencing a feeling of shock, hurt
feelings, and frustration all at once. I did not let Julie know how I felt and acted normal. I had talked to
her twice since our upcoming conversation and she never mentioned anymore about me ending the trip.
Huddled up against the break wall receiving the occasional mist from a large wave smashing the other
side of the break wall I called Julie and asked her how she really felt. Julie reiterated what she had
already said but emphasized not to quit on her account. It did not matter; her words would make me as
effective as superman standing on a pile of Kryptonite when the next challenge was placed in front of
me. There were some very tough times when the only thing that got me through was looking at Julie’s
name on the side of my canoe and knowing I am doing this for her. I don’t have the intestinal fortitude
to do a trip like this knowing that Julie really wants me home. It was then that I decided to end the trip. I
called my father and told him I wanted to quit and go home and he said he would pick me up tomorrow
morning. He sounded excited my trip was ending. I paddled to the Chicago yacht club and used my
Onondaga lake yacht club card to secure a place to stay the night. If any one would of asked me at any
point in my life “how do you think you will spend your 29th birthday?” The answer would not of been
waiting in Chicago for my father to pick me up after quitting a canoe trip that has went 5,615 miles. The
reality of it was I was waiting in Chicago waiting for my father on my 29th birthday after quitting 5,615
miles into my canoe trip across America for MS.
Monday July 31, 2006. My father arrived in the morning and we were soon on the road back home. To
make things even worse July 31 is two years to the exact day I started this trip in Cleveland, Ohio. This
is not the way I expected the trip to end. Little things began to eat at me as the miles passed by on the
interstate. What am I going to say to my friends and all the people who have been following my trip? If
you look at things for what they really are I am a quitter who quit. By nature I am not a quitter, but the
reality of it is I quit the trip. Any reason I give for quitting is nothing more than an excuse. There was
nothing left to do but swallow my pride and move on. Back home my plans are to publish a book about
my first trip that is already written and try and introduce people in a wheel chair because of MS to
kayaking. The part that was the hardest to swallow was how people were going to perceive me based
only on a snapshot of my life. As sure as people recognize Benedict Arnold, as a traitor people back
home will know me as a quitter and a failure. I can hear it now in my hometown. Do you know John
Latecki Jr.?” Oh yes isn’t that the quitter guy who said he was going to paddle to all 48 states and quit.
Yea I know him he failed at his canoe trip.” I coughed a couple of times before swallowing the last of
my pride. There were other thoughts too that crept up like the heartburn one gets from swallowing pride.
Bob Wylly who had been following my trip and contacted me in early 2005 to let me know he and his
wife Kit who has MS might be in the same area I was going to be and thought we might be able to meet.
It ended up we did meet in Hilton Head, SC and Bob bought me a solar powered radio. Later on Bob
arranged a stop for me in Mobile at his Nephews house. Bob also contacted CNN several months ago
and has maintained contact and lined up an interview in Chicago. However CNN is mainly focused on
the Israeli Hezbollah war and that was why the interview never took place. Bob tried with a flurry of e-
mails and phone calls as I reached Chicago. Bob was doing this while tent camping with his wife on the
east side of lake Michigan! So what am I going to say to Bob? Sorry Bob I forgot to inform you up front
before you spent so much time helping my efforts that I am a quitter. Then what about all the people I
met in Chicago? Tom Heineman thinks I will be calling him today to meet so he can give me some food
he did not use on his trip. Russ Johnson gave me his number and told me to call him when I will be in
his area in a few days and he would give me a place to shower and sleep. It never should have ended this
way.
If felt weird being back home. Deep down this is not what I wanted, but on the other hand I could not
act down because I did not want Julie to think I quit because of her and was unhappy. A few days later
back home talking with Julie I found out some interesting information. Turns out when Julie was down in
Missouri with another of my sisters Monika visiting our father they were all on the deck talking and the
conversation shifted to my trip. The topic was how to convince Johnny to come home. Julie was afraid
of me going out west and getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no food. Julie is also scared of
bears and she was informed of how dangerous I would be in bear country. I explained to Julie about
food drops, bear repellent, and wilderness travel and how it is not as bad as she was informed. “ Three
more years is just such a long time” Julie said
“What if the trip was just another year would that make a difference?” I asked
Her voiced changed to a positive sound and said that would not be so bad. Deep down I know Julie
knew I did not want to quit. So we worked it out and I have until to October 16, 2007, which will be the
11-year anniversary, Julie was diagnosed with MS. It all went very well and Julie is behind me 100%
continuing for only one more year. The rest of my family is not too thrilled about my decision to go
back out, but they support me 100%.
Life has been restored to the canoe trip! It seems obvious to go back to Chicago and continue on.
However I decided to retire that trip at 5,615 miles. So what is next?
In September or October 2006 I will leave from Loudonville, Ohio and paddle as fast as possible to New
Orleans to establish a record. I have searched high and low and yet to find anyone (besides the Native
Americans of yesteryear) who has paddled from Northeast Ohio to New Orleans. This trip will set the
standard for the fastest time. A friend brought up a point about the Guinness world record for the longest
canoe trip. If I don’t go back to Chicago and start up I lose credit for all those miles towards the record.
My plans are to paddle more in one year than the first two years put together. The fact the trip is for the
longest solo canoe trip helps raise awareness for MS and I don’t care if the record is going to 5,615 miles
less that it could have been.
My moral is high right now. This layover is giving me time to take care of some nagging injuries, work
on my boat, and visit family. This time when I leave it will be only for a year. I will be updating some of
the web pages this coming week and explaining more about my upcoming yearlong trip.