Mississippi Blues

Mississippi Blues

Well haven’t there been some changes since my last blog.

  1. The route has changed, I am turning right somewhere and going to New York. Canada will be a side trip if I have time.
  2. The way of operating has changed so daily updates will become updates when I can. I will do stretches of the river and then come back for the crew.

No. 1 was big for me. It has been my goal to traverse North America longitudinally for the past eight years. This trip is not about me or my desires, so if it has to go it has to go. Paris is the goal and connecting the Chaotic Climate events on the way will still happen. Maybe, someday I will do North America just for me and just for fun.

No.2 is a huge disappointment. During all of my trips before I have done a daily blog. At this stage though, if I am on the river for days at a time I am not going to attempt blogging. Survival going up a flooded river will do just fine. Sorry.

Next stop is Vicksburg which is three or four days away. That is where the US  Army Corps of Engineers have their Mississippi headquarters so I will see if they will talk to me.

The kayak is loaded to the hilt for the trip to Vicksburg so it is now well over 100kg. The equipment situation looks fine and tomorrow we find how it handles in the river.

Last night I went to a Gulf South Rising meeting. Inspirational. There are still major issues there and it is not all BP. Other oil companies have cut canals and destroyed fisheries. Cancer is on the increase and clean up people are sick. Maybe we are starting to see a worldwide revolt against corporations and oligopolies that pretend to be democracies. It will be a long and tough battle though.

On that note, finally GetUp and John Hewson are advocating what I have been advocating for nine years. If you want to do something about climate change buy green energy. When you have done that get your friends to buy green energy. When you have done that get your work to buy green energy. When you have finally done that don’t stop until you have got everyone buying green energy.

That’s what I have been saying and it is a way to keep the grid working. With battery and solar costs coming down people will start to simply go off grid, most likely well before 2020 and what will that do? Who knows but it will be a new paradigm.

Klaas: (you have to love the old bugger)

Someone mentioned dementia

while I was in absentia

was I there or somewhere else

I don’t  know, unless someone tells

now i’m totally confused

memory maybe infused

with the dreadful booze

or brain cells shaken loose

Dear oh dear, what to do

I vaguely remember being part of a crew

to support, I can’t remember who

Maybe I’ll have another drink

to enable me to think

and understand my dementia