I'm writing on behalf of a Vietnam veteran I know, Mike Boehm, who lives outside Madison, Wisc., and for years has been working on projects to help the Vietnamese people in and around My Lai. This May he's embarking on a trip down the Mississippi to raise money and call attention to his work in Vietnam--work that's been supported by other veterans and by the Quaker community in Madison. He's going to be using an 18-foot wood strip kayak he built himself, but for the upper parts of the river he'll paddle a smaller plastic canoe that someone is lending him. The problem, I gather, is that he needs to find a place near Bemidji to store the wooden kayak until he gets out of the headwaters and then the plastic kayak while he continues downstream in the larger wooden one. I thought there might be someone here who could help, or could offer a suggestion on what he might do.

Overland …email me. I certainly can help your friend Mike.

I paddled the Mississippi from Lake Itasca to the Gulf. A “River Angel” in Bemidji stored my bigger kayak at her home in Bemidji for me, while I used a smaller kayak to go from the Headwaters to Lake Bemidji. I am quite sure she can help Mike with his kayak storage need.

It will be a trip of a lifetime for Mike.

I'm in Bemidji and could very easily help out with storage in my garage.
Happyfishboy@yahoo.com

Shaniac … thanks for stepping up with your offer. Sounds like Mike Boehm is a tremendous individual with a great cause.

Between you and the River Angel I know in Bemidji I am thinking Mike’s storage need can be taken care of.

Shaniac … perhaps you can send an email to Overland to get in contact with Mike.

Yup, we've been in contact. Congrats on your trip too, quite an accomplishment!!

Shaniac,

Yes, it was great paddling trip for sure. It was an adventure trip following retirement.

Thinking of doing a 525 mile 3 week Fall 2024 trip. The Erie Canal below Niagara Falls to the Hudson River to NYC and the Statue of liberty.

I am glad you made contaact with Mike. Not many paddlers do the Mississippi River twice. His 2nd trip is for such a great cause! I will be following his trip.