The Cumber River Compact asked me what my goals were on this trip...

I really struggled with an answer.  I have this boat from Eddy that deserved to be loved and used.  One morning I woke up and thought to myself, "I need to under take a an intense exercise program with a controlled diet and get my fat butt into better shape. " I am lucky that after 2 nuclear stress EKG's, my cardiologist tells me my heart is not a limiting factor in my life.  I guess the times it has been broken doesn't show up....   At any rate, he says I can work out to my max pulse rate a little over 200, if I want. I am really surprised at how well my pulse recovers when doing interval training.  When I get done with this trip, I'll challenge anyone to a pulse rate recovery challenge.

My friends from Oak Ridge will understand my goal.  I havw the forwithall to row down the river for 546 miles.  I do not personally know anyone else who has done this, although there are others... in fact one gentleman swam the Cumberland.  To my knowledge, no one approaching 70 years old has done this in the past 100 years.  No doubt, in the 1800's there were thousands of men traveling the length of the river as their life.  However, since it is obvious I will never win a Nobel Prize, I am driven to achieve things others have not, or can not accomplish.  This burden is understood by many of my classmates from Oak Ridge.  One Oak Ridger, since she retired, Dawn Eipeldauer, for example, is currently on the last couple dozen miles of hiking every trail in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.


There are two books that have certainly influenced my decision. When I was a kid, Dad got me "Paddle to the Sea".

It is a story of a hand carved canoe a Canadian Indian put into the stream at their home which was carried downstream to the ocean, and all the adventures Paddle to the Sea had on his journey.  There is little doubt in my mind that, after the Bible, this book has had the most influence on my life than any other book.  When I realized the significance of this book, I reflected on the journeys I have taken... quitting my job and camping across the country, delivering a boat to Europe, riding a bicycle on a road trip at age 13, trips on the Clinch and Tennessee River, sailing to Mexico multiple times.   I have rarely turned down an opportunity to take a journey, indeed, I actively search them out!



Fairly recently, I read a little book, "Riverman" by Jack  Knox, a retired newspaper writer in Nashville.
This is quick little book about a man from Carthage and his life on the Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  This little book adds so much color to the river I had come to know and love Captaining Ron Pace's cruiser.  It was this book that drove me to the desire to travel to the upper reaches of the Cumberland, having already explored the lower 225 miles, or so down to Barkley Dam.  I highly recommend this book for it's fun and easy reading.

With that said, once I was driven to do this thing, I started researching the trip.  The US Corps of Engineers has navigation maps.  The Cumberland River Compact has a recreational map.   Fred Myers publishes a Cumberland River Cruising Guide.  These have lots of useful information, but not exactly what I need.  Of prime importance is what river current might be expected.  Since I can only row about 2 mph for extended periods, the speed of the current is paramount.  Further, I'm not interested in launch ramps, navigation buoys, or anchorages with 5' or more feet of draft.  I'm interested in places where I can pull up on shore to spend the night.  Of course, the State of Tennessee had now made it illegal for me to camp on any of their precious land that is not designated a campground.  Well, get out the handcuffs boys, we will see if your stupid state and local laws are more important than the Supreme Court Decision in the early 1800's that said navigation of our rivers supersedes the rights of states to restrict it.   ;)

In summary, here are my goals of this trip:

1. To explore my own endurance, stamina, toughness and dedication to completing a task once undertaking.  
2. To document the stream flow of the river with multiple GPS enabled devices.
3. To photograph and document suitable camping spots I encounter. 
4. To observe animal life on the river as unobtrusively as I can. 

Here are my concerns:

1. Keeping myself and my gear dry - be it water from above, or water from below.
2. Not getting bit by a Water Moccasin.

I guess it's indicative of why I would consider doing this when so many would not, since my list of concerns is so short.  Most people can come up with a dozen reasons they would not do this.  :D