Heading to the Put-In

After an incredibly busy week of pre-adventure organization at the Gutschenritter family farm in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, we are finally on our way to the headwaters of the great Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, Minnesota. Jack and John Gutschenritter have kindly offered to drive us as well as the four canoes, two oar frames, oars, paddles and all of our gear. We are currently cruising west on I-90 and expect to be at camp at the headwaters slightly before nightfall.

We have already had a bit of drama on the road. A little more than an hour in to our trip, a poorly strapped oar frame (my fault) slid off of the top of Jack's SUV onto the highway where it was promptly destroyed. Thankfully, noone was hurt. This means that we will now have one oar frame and three tandem paddle canoes. And with change being the only constant on trips like these, I highly doubt that this will be the configuration with which we will finish.

Here is a picture of our rigs: