While we're checking in with expeditions in progress this week, I thought I'd also update you on Dave Cornthwaite and his attempt to stand-up paddle the length of the Mississippi River. Dave set out from Lake Itasca, located in northern Minnesota, back in June and has been making his way south ever since. When he's finished, he'll have covered more than 3862km (2400 miles), going from source-to-sea, before finally ending in the Gulf of Mexico.
A few days back, Dave hit a major milestone by reaching Memphis, TN, which puts him at the 2612km (1623 mile) mark. In an e-mail I received from him yesterday, he indicated that he received quite the welcome, as about 20 local paddlers came out to meet him, while a news helicopter hovering overhead. Memphis is about 2/3 of the way to the Gulf, and was a perfect opportunity to take some time off the water and get some rest before he went back out onto the water again today.
While in Memphis, Dave met with a local reporter for a television interview, during which he explained why he has undertaken this journey, what hazards he has faced along the way, and more. It's a great news story, which you don't always get from the local press, and it seems Dave and his host were having a good time with the conversation.
Never one to stay put for too long, Dave resumed his journey this morning, and I'm told he was heading out of town dressed as Elvis. He has 800 miles yet to go, and he hopes to complete the journey sometime in mid-September or so.