Paducah, KY River Mile ZERO!
Start: River Mile: 27
Finish: River Mile: 0
Day Total: 27
Trip Total: 652
We knew a few things would need to go right to be able to reach mile zero today. First, we needed to have a clean passage through Kentucky Lake Lock & Dam. Then we would need to have favorable wind to help us make the mileage needed to finish. And finally we would need the weather to cooperate. Rain was in the forecast and any heavy rain or lighting would stop us in our tracks.
The first challenge was solved by river angles Blair and Garrett Travis. Brad Collet put us in touch with the the Travis’ and they graciously gave us a ride around the Lock & Dam so we didn’t have to deal with that variable at all. Blair and Garrett were very nice. We enjoyed chatting with them. Jon and I always enjoy a fresh audience for your stories! They stayed with us at the downriver boat ramp while we packed up our boats. Saying our goodbyes we dipped our paddle blades into the water and off we went on our final stretch of the Tennessee river.
Interstate 24 Bridge, a long time coming
The concern of more head wind did not materialize. We had calm weather with no headwind to speak of. it even felt like a very gentle tail wind which we were very happy about. Downriver from the Dam we even enjoyed a gentle current, which after the battle of Kentucky Lake made it feel like we could paddle at freeway speed!
Paddling past a Tugboat grave yard
We paddled all day under cloudy skies, but thankfully no rain or lightning. Brad was trying coordinate a few people to meet us at mile zero, Paducah landing. My brother Dave and his wife Tracy were also driving down from Milwaukee, WI to meet us at the end, along with my wife Christina who was driving over from Nashville, TN to bring me and all my smelly gear and kayak home. Since we had people waiting, once I realized we were making almost double our mph pace from the last week, I sent out frequent text updates updating our ETA, which originally was 5:00pm and thanks to the conditions ended up bing 2:30.
Jon and I had a small celebration in our boats as soon as we reached the Ohio, but were still a mile upriver from the landing. We took a few photos, including with our boat mascots Monkey Face (Jon) and Lil Pug (mine). We also called our kids to let them know we had reached the Ohio and would be landing in the next 15 minutes at RM zero.
Ohio River!
Paddling up to the landing I was blown away. There where TN RiverLine banners framing the finish line for us. Along with VIP’s from the city of Paducah. Dave and Tracy were there and to my surprise and delight, there stood Brad Collet waiting for us. Jon and I were able to land our boats on the concrete ramp without embarrassing our selves in front of the assembled crowd.
I hugged Jon, so happy to have accomplished another major journey with him. Then it was Dave and Tracy giving us hugs of joy and on the Brad and all the folks he had assembled in our honor to welcome us.
Paddling the last 100 yards
Trying to gracefully exit our boats
Dave and Tracy Wunrow greet us at rivers edge
Hugging my wife Christina after 35 days on the river
Brad had a nice ceremony for us were he presented Jon and I with beautiful wooden plaques commemorating us being the first the thru paddle the new Tennessee RiverLine 652 water trail. I know that others before us have completed this journey, for sure Kim Travathen who completed the trip in the 90’s with his dog Jasper. Kim’s book is the only publication we’ve found by someone actually completing the thru paddle.
Plaque Ceremony with Brad
Tennessee RiverLine finish line
After we had our gear all packed into our vehicles, Julie Harris, the Executive Director of the River Discovery Center in Paducah invited a few of us to the local Bourbon bar called Barrel & Bond. This place was amazing with a selection of 1,700 unique Bourbons. I was in Bourbon heaven! We followed this with dinner at Paducah Brew Works. What a fun ending to a great last day on the river.
Barrel & Bond, Bourbon lovers heaven!
After dinner, we said our goodbyes to Jon. He had a one way car rental to get him and his gear home. Since our trip ended a week later than expected, he really needed to get home as soon as possible. I can’t say enough about Jon. There are not many people in this world that I could spend 24 hours a day for 35 days with. He never met a problem he couldn’t solve. He was always there to keep me out of trouble. And he is genuinely a fun person to be around. He even tolerates my stupid jokes and chronic slow old guy syndrome which in and of itself probably adds an extra day to our trip! So, thank you Jon. I couldn’t do a trip like this without you. I wouldn’t want to do a trip like this without you. Bring on the Cumberland River in 2022!!
4 comments:
A most exciting end to a arduous kayak trek. Congrats to the most persevering paddlers I know
Congratulations and thanks for the mention. Just to clarify: I've canoed the river twice, once going downstream in 1998, and once paddling upstream in 2018. Wrote a book about the first trip, published in 2001, and a book about the upstream trip, published in February 2021: "Against the Current: Paddling Upstream on the Tennessee River."
CONGRATULATIONS to you BOTH!! This is so awesome!! What a feat and I know you both are glad to be home again!! So happy to get to meet you guys paddling through!!
Congratulations I truly enjoyed the journey through your writtings.
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