This years MR340 is in the record books and if one goes far enough down the list of those that finished you will find my name. I'm way behind the quickest and just a little ahead of the DNF's.
The race was postponed 28 days because of the high water in July and the date change really decimated the turn out for this years big show. A lot of folks just couldn't manage to work the change into their schedule as evidenced by my own team in the loss of my partner and ground crew. Despite the rescheduling there were more than 200 boats, down from the 340 originally expected. At the safety meeting on Monday night before the race began there was plenty of room to sit close to the front (necessary for the hearing impaired) unlike last year when we had standing room only way off to one side.
Dianna attended the safety meeting with me and she caught just a little bit of the excitement that goes with the race. As the race promoters went thru the high and fast water warnings, fog warnings and the do's, dont's and deadlines we scarfed down the pasta buffet (which was made available to the race teams for an additional charge) with our new friend Pat who was a first timer who had only been out in his kayak two times. After the meeting we headed back to Maysville to make last minute preparations and get some sleep.
The sleep was short as we had to get back on the road before 6am to make connections with Chad, who was going to help us launch "My Dianna", then get down to Kaw Point so we could get the canoe unloaded, packed and on the water before the scheduled start at 8am.
Chad and I unloaded the canoe and arranged my cargo so it would be properly balanced once we got her on the water. With my tent, sleeping gear, food, water, Gatorade and other items in place I still needed a sandbag in the very front to keep my trim where it needed to be. This sandbag became my partner. I drew a face on it, placed some buffalo hair on top and named him Amos after the Old Testament prophet.
As it turned out we had plenty of time and I was on the water waiting for the lady to sing our National Anthem prior to the gun that would start us on our 340 mile river journey. As one is sitting in the canoe surrounded by all the other canoes the realization of the magnitude of this event sinks in with over 200 boats staged to travel 340 miles, the news helicopters overhead and all the people lined on the river bank its an impressive sight. This is a time when doubt slips in and makes one wonder why they are out in murky water surrounded by all the sharp looking canoes and kayaks but then the gun goes off and the only concern is the next paddle stroke.
With the sound of the muskets fired by my good friends from DESC another ultra marathon race is underway. The water is choppy with the other boats and the merging of the Kaw and Missouri Rivers. Once the nose of the craft hits the Missouri River current one can feel the awesome power and the river take control for a few seconds while we adapt to the current. I didn't like the feel when I hit the current so I turned my canoe into the current to get a better feel then did a 180 degree turn to get on with the race. Two of the canoes capsized when they entered the Missouri which I'm sure put a damper on their day.
Once in the Missouri the current was swift and choppy but with the adrenalin boost one has at the start of such an event we made a quick trip thru Kansas City. There is a new bridge under construction and they had half the river blocked with construction barges which still left us with plenty of room to get by but a small boat must be wary of any obstacle's on the river including barges. A few years ago a canoe ran into a stationary barge and was immediately sucked under and came out the other side. Shaken, the crew was able to proceed on once they rescued their stuff and reloaded.
Except for a headwind the weather was perfect for being on the river. Once in a while the sun would pop out but mostly it was overcast which was a tremendous help. With the headwind or even a cross wind it becomes very difficult to take any kind of break from paddling, within moments after the last paddle stroke the canoe nose begins to take off to the right or left which slows one down and requires extra effort to get back in the channel and on stride. This is where having a partner pays bid dividends by allowing one of the paddlers to take a break once in a while for a minute or two.
When I arrive at the first checkpoint at Lexington I'm about an hour behind my schedule but for the most part am very satisfied with the progress. The landing at Lexington was uneventful and compared to last year very few boats were there which allowed for choice landing spots.
More to follow.
