Thursday, January 14, 2010
Our Logo
Our Logo is an image of one of the few pictographs Native Americans left behind which actually depict people in a canoe. The blue letters represent the waters that carry us around the next bend.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Why Sons of Auxvasse Creek
I grew up in Calwood, Missouri (known as the Crossroad of the World) located in the Kingdom of Callaway near the center of the state of Missouri in Callaway County the only county north of the Missouri River to succeed from the Union during the Civil War. Callaway County wasn’t admitted back to the state until after 1900 hence, “The Kingdom of Callaway".
Calwood is where most of my relatives still live. One of my older brothers lives on the farm our ancestors moved to in 1855 and another older brother and my little brother own and operate Wright Brothers Store. They were the third generation in the store until recently a nephew joined the operation to represent the 4th generation since 1916 and a great nephew is working parttime to represent the 5th generation. My sisters live nearby as well and my hero and oldest brother is buried there in the cemetery.
Anyway, The Auxvasse Creek is the primary watershed east of Calwood and Crows Fork Creek is the primary watershed west of Calwood. The Auxvasse and Crows Fork creeks join south of Calwood to form the Missouri River. As a kids in a small (about 40 people) town we would spend a lot of time at the Auxvasse Creek fishing, swimming or for some of the kids that’s where they took their baths. If we went east of Calwood it was about a mile to the creek, if we went south it was about 3 miles or north it was about 3 miles as well. We could ride our bikes, walk or hitchhike when the trucks were hauling out creek gravel. As we got older we often went to the Auxvasse Creek after hauling hay (the small square bales) to wash off the sweat and hay residue.
The Auxvasse Creek is where they baptized folks that joined New Hope or Unity Baptist churches. Those joining Ebenezer were baptized in the Crows Fork Creek. The Auxvasse Creek has several holes, which is where the water stays when the creek is down or not running. There is the Dunn Hole, Ice House Hole, Horseshoe Bend, Grave Yard Hole and the Austin Hole. The Austin Hole is still one of my favorite spots in the world.
It was near the Grave Yard Hole that I nearly drowned my two oldest sons and myself in July of 1982. I was 32 and they were 9 and 7. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. The creek was up and we were in a canoe, when we came around a bend in the creek a tree had fallen across the creek which forced the water to go under the tree. We couldn’t get out of the current and when the canoe hit the tree our canoe did a 180 degree flip. I was in the back and the boys in the front. The current swept me away and I came up about 30 yards down stream. The boys were no where in sight.
I swam to the bank got out and ran downstream trying to find my boys. I didn’t go far until I decided they couldn’t be that far away. I began running back to where the canoe was when my oldest son popped up out in the creek. I dove in and brought him to shore. He was OK, I ask him if he had seen his little brother (looking back that was a stupid question) to which he replied no. But soon he said he could see his little brother’s hands reaching out from under the canoe which was wedged beneath the tree. He was trapped under the canoe. I dove in to retrieve him at about the same time the current washed him out. I did manage to catch up with him and get him out as well. He was OK as well. The canoe suffered some damage but we were OK if you don’t count the nightmares that followed for the next few years.
All of that to get to why “Sons of Auxvasse Creek”, it seems a fitting name for a team that was spit up out of her muddy waters. My oldest son and I completed the MR340 in 2009 while the other survivor of that July, 1982 experience brought food to us.
Calwood is where most of my relatives still live. One of my older brothers lives on the farm our ancestors moved to in 1855 and another older brother and my little brother own and operate Wright Brothers Store. They were the third generation in the store until recently a nephew joined the operation to represent the 4th generation since 1916 and a great nephew is working parttime to represent the 5th generation. My sisters live nearby as well and my hero and oldest brother is buried there in the cemetery.
Anyway, The Auxvasse Creek is the primary watershed east of Calwood and Crows Fork Creek is the primary watershed west of Calwood. The Auxvasse and Crows Fork creeks join south of Calwood to form the Missouri River. As a kids in a small (about 40 people) town we would spend a lot of time at the Auxvasse Creek fishing, swimming or for some of the kids that’s where they took their baths. If we went east of Calwood it was about a mile to the creek, if we went south it was about 3 miles or north it was about 3 miles as well. We could ride our bikes, walk or hitchhike when the trucks were hauling out creek gravel. As we got older we often went to the Auxvasse Creek after hauling hay (the small square bales) to wash off the sweat and hay residue.
The Auxvasse Creek is where they baptized folks that joined New Hope or Unity Baptist churches. Those joining Ebenezer were baptized in the Crows Fork Creek. The Auxvasse Creek has several holes, which is where the water stays when the creek is down or not running. There is the Dunn Hole, Ice House Hole, Horseshoe Bend, Grave Yard Hole and the Austin Hole. The Austin Hole is still one of my favorite spots in the world.
It was near the Grave Yard Hole that I nearly drowned my two oldest sons and myself in July of 1982. I was 32 and they were 9 and 7. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. The creek was up and we were in a canoe, when we came around a bend in the creek a tree had fallen across the creek which forced the water to go under the tree. We couldn’t get out of the current and when the canoe hit the tree our canoe did a 180 degree flip. I was in the back and the boys in the front. The current swept me away and I came up about 30 yards down stream. The boys were no where in sight.
I swam to the bank got out and ran downstream trying to find my boys. I didn’t go far until I decided they couldn’t be that far away. I began running back to where the canoe was when my oldest son popped up out in the creek. I dove in and brought him to shore. He was OK, I ask him if he had seen his little brother (looking back that was a stupid question) to which he replied no. But soon he said he could see his little brother’s hands reaching out from under the canoe which was wedged beneath the tree. He was trapped under the canoe. I dove in to retrieve him at about the same time the current washed him out. I did manage to catch up with him and get him out as well. He was OK as well. The canoe suffered some damage but we were OK if you don’t count the nightmares that followed for the next few years.
All of that to get to why “Sons of Auxvasse Creek”, it seems a fitting name for a team that was spit up out of her muddy waters. My oldest son and I completed the MR340 in 2009 while the other survivor of that July, 1982 experience brought food to us.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Here is where the trail starts
I have traveled about 2,500 miles on the Mississippi, Missouri, Grand and Yellowstone Rivers as a member of the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles in addition to my MR340 travels. My favorite time on the Missouri River was experienced while traveling upstream in the White Pirogue near Ft Osage when we raised the sail and were propelled against the mighty current of the Missouri by the breath of God.
In the last few years I have traveled about 10,000 miles on my Fuji bicycle. I just enjoy propelling myself while traveling life’s trails.
I have also traveled around the track at Kansas Speedway in a 600 hp Chevrolet at 136mph and had the opportunity to travel aboard a 72,000 pound C130H aircraft. And as an operator of a $2 million M88 tank recovery vehicle I have traveled over very rough terrain.
--Another road I have traveled--The ROMAN ROAD....is a road you can travel. It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you travel this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control.- Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..." Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you!
Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!" - Call out to God in the name of Jesus!Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart.
Salvation is free to anyone that will sincerely pray a prayer something like this:
Dear God, I confess to you that I am a sinner and in need of Jesus Christ as my Savior. Please forgive me. I turn away from my sin and place my faith in Jesus. Amen
If you prayed this prayer tell someone about your experience today.
In the last few years I have traveled about 10,000 miles on my Fuji bicycle. I just enjoy propelling myself while traveling life’s trails.
I have also traveled around the track at Kansas Speedway in a 600 hp Chevrolet at 136mph and had the opportunity to travel aboard a 72,000 pound C130H aircraft. And as an operator of a $2 million M88 tank recovery vehicle I have traveled over very rough terrain.
--Another road I have traveled--The ROMAN ROAD....is a road you can travel. It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you travel this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control.- Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..." Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you!
Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!" - Call out to God in the name of Jesus!Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart.
Salvation is free to anyone that will sincerely pray a prayer something like this:
Dear God, I confess to you that I am a sinner and in need of Jesus Christ as my Savior. Please forgive me. I turn away from my sin and place my faith in Jesus. Amen
If you prayed this prayer tell someone about your experience today.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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Yellowstone River & Dougouts
2009 MR 340 team