My son sent me this picture of the rig pictured here. I think it is a good solution for me. I would be well protected from the sun and when I get tired I can just set down the paddles and take a nap. The ultimate senior citizen canoe alternative solution. I love it.
Solo Canoeing The Tennessee River
This is an account of my 652 mile journey on The Tennessee River from Knoxville, through four states, 11 locks and 1,144,000 paddle strokes to Paducah. I will be posting lots of pictures so check back often. I launch my journey on September 6.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Ultimate Senior Citizen Canoe Alternative Solution
Monday, September 12, 2011
Video Tour of My Canoe
Helping Friends
Injured and Sick - Going Home
Sunday, September 11, 2011
"I Want Some Signs"
River Hazzards
I performed better today!
Lunch
I pulled up into a small city park. I used an iPhone app called "Where" and I located the closest Dominoes Pizza and had it delivered to my picnic table. Isn't technology kewl?
I have been here so long that the picnic table weathered around my pizza.
I'll eat half of this pizza now and the other half in the morning for breakfast.
The best part of this pizza was the ice cold Sprites I ordered with it.
Watershed Eastern Border
Big Houses Everywhere
You would think I might spot someone inside an open window, working in the yard, sitting on the porch waving at the little canoe going by. Nope. No people.
I think these people have built these houses as a monument to themselves but don't really live there. I don't know where they live but it's not here.
I built a large home once. I don't want that much space anymore. It's too much stuff to buy and manage. I would be happy living in the top level of the tower in this house.
Encountered My First Barge
The larger the boat, the longer and slower the wave frequency. Just like sounds through the air.
A big elephant makes sounds so low that human ears can't always hear it. A chipmunk or a small bass boat makes a short frequency, thus short choppy wakes. It's those mid range boats like cabin cruisers or Lions that play havoc with me. I have to turn my canoe toward the wave. I still have water splashing over the bow sometimes.
Ole Tender Foot
I am wearing socks today. I can't get my shoes on.
Some idiot hunters are moving in. I'm gone.
Hot Viddles This Morning
That should get me down the river a few miles.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Yacht Parade Today
I Been A Thinkin'
1. I have a long heavy canoe with a large surface area contacting the water.
2. I'm utilizing my shortest and weakest extremities to propel this freighter.
3. I have a good light weight double ended paddle but I am still making little contact with the water compared to the surface area contact and weight of the canoe.
4. Since I am using my arms only for propulsion, when I do anything else with my arms, the canoe stops. Like; take a picture, eat lunch, dry my face, check my email, gesture to that speed boat driver that I think he is number one.
5. The longest and largest extremities on my body with the the largest muscles in them are just sitting in the hull of the canoe. I even have to stop once in a while to exercise them. Even that works against me on my average speed.
I been a thinkin'.
I need to be propelling this freighter with both my arms and legs together. Wow. What a concept. So what am I thinking? A peddle powered paddlewheel system? A peddle powered prop? A peddle powered air boat canoe thingy. I don't know yet, but something has to change. I been a thinkin'.
So, if I did add an additional source of propulsion that utilized my legs, would this still be referred to as "canoeing"? The canoe purist would tell you no and I would agree. I think it would have to convert over to a " human powered water craft". But I want to "canoe" the Tennessee River. Does it really matter what I call it or how I accomplish it as long as I accomplish it uninjured? Something has to change or this trip will take too long, I could injure myself and I won't be having much fun. I been a thinkin'.
I didn't have another new breath taking picture to send you because I have been just lying here all day. So I just sent a picture of what I am doing right now.
Life is Good
Fog on the River
I slept 12 hours last night. Guess I was tired huh?
Friday, September 9, 2011
Not getting it done
At today's rate, it will take me 3 1/2 months to complete this trip. That will be Christmas. Not good.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
I Finally Launched Today
This canoe is wonderful. Even though it is a freighter with all of the gear and supplies I have in it, it runs straight and true, glides with ease and is very stable. I made a good choice.
I got a late start today. The launch location I planned to use wasn't available so I had to find another location. I didn't get on the water until four o'clock. I paddled through downtown Knoxville and found a cove to overnight. I have my outriggers deployed, my tent is up on the canoe, I am well fed and resting on my air mattress. Life is good.
Tomorrow morning I will get up when I wake up and hit the river again.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Current Conditions for Launch
I'm waiting for the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee to move on out. If it is still storming in Chattanooga, it is probably still storming in Knoxville.
Later...I just compiled enough information to decide that I am launching Thursday.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Launch Date Delayed by Weather
Friday, September 2, 2011
Weather Outlook For Launch Day
Polishing The Canoe
This morning a friend suggested a chemical that you just spray on and it just magically shines the surface of the aluminum. I was a sucker and I should have known better. It was a disaster. The canoe turned a milky grey color with splotches and runs.
I finally in desperation took the canoe to an auto detail shop just down the road and they said they could help me to bring out the shine. Here it is the Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend and I am leaving in 4 days. I had no choice but to trust them. This was my last shot. Anything would look better than what I had anyway. The detail guy and I worked on it together for several hours and it turned out great. I am very pleased. This is the polished canoe that I had envisioned from the beginning. Yahoo! Success!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
One Eye On The Weather
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
"Knot So Fast"
Also I have completed the splash aprons. The splash aprons serve several functions:
1. Helps keep the inside of the canoe dry
2. Reduces the surface area of the canoe so the wind catches less surface
3. If I roll the canoe it will retain all of my gear inside the canoe instead of dispersing it all down river
4. Prevents the canoe from getting swamped by a wave
5. Theft deterrent.
6. Looks good
I'm having fun.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Fabricating a Splash Apron
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
First Float Test
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Making Progress
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
River Navigation
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Why The Tennessee River?
Check out my trip down the Blueway on my website CanoeTennessee.com. Now that I'm retarded, I mean retired, and have the time to finally get the job done. I have been talking about and planning this trip for years.
Also I am a touring paddler and not a white water paddler. The Tennessee River is really just a long skinny linear lake because of the 11 dams along the river. Who knows. If I have fun on the Tennessee River, perhaps the Cumberland River will be next.
This journey will be 652 miles, 11 locks and 1,144,000 paddle strokes in about 6 weeks.
Getting Ready
The Tennessee River is 652 miles long. The river starts in Knoxville, TN, flows through Alabama, along the state line of Mississippi, up through Tennessee again and terminates into the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky. There are many state parks and private campgrounds and marinas along the way, but there are also many long stretches of wilderness river with few or no portage opportunities. My plans are to live on the river full time, day and night if I need to.
To accomplish that, I have a Cot Tent that I can lay down flat on my canoe during the day and deploy up into a tent during the night. OK...OK...I know what you are thinking...won't that make the canoe top heavy and this guy will roll the canoe over! Ordinarily yes, but I will be using retractable stabilizers to prevent the canoe from rolling.
The stabilizers built by Kay-Noe will be retracted up during the day for traveling and deployed down during the night for sleeping in the Cot Tent. Check back here often as I plan and prepare for my journey. I will be launching my trip on September 6.