Currents
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ON A MISSION. PHOTO: COURTESY NORMAN MILLER
JANET MORELAND PADDLED 3,800 MILES DOWN THE MISSOURI RIVER AND SHE’S JUST GETTING STARTED
Janet Moreland believes it is never too late to pursue your pas- sions. The 56-year-old mother from Columbia, Missouri, gradu- ated from university with a degree in education in December 2012. Less than four months later, she set out in Blue Moon, her 17-foot Eddyline Shasta tandem kayak, on a 3,800-mile expedition from the headwaters of the Missouri River at Brower’s Spring, Mon- tana, to the Gulf of Mexico. On December 5, 2013, she became the first woman to complete a solo, source-to-sea descent of the Missouri/Mississippi River system, the fourth longest river in the world. —Virginia Marshall
What were the highlights of your journey? The ski in to Brower’s Spring at the source was a highlight. We planned on a seven-hour ski, but it took 31 hours. The Jefferson River in Montana was beautiful. Fort Peck Lake was some seri- ous wilderness paddling. I had already gone two weeks without Internet in the Missouri River Breaks National Monument, and then another two weeks on Fort Peck Lake. And the Mississippi River turned out to be a wonderful, romantic experience. I fell in love with the sandbars, towboats and barges, freighters, wildlife and the river.
How did the people you met along the way react to your journey? There were so many river angels. People up and down the Mis- souri and Mississippi rivers were constantly asking me if I needed anything, offering food and a place to sleep, gear, coming out to paddle with me, picking me up off the river and taking me into their homes, sharing their lives and families with me. The people who cared about me and my success are the greatest memories of this expedition.
Did you ever come across people who just didn’t get what you were doing? On the drive up to Montana we [met] a store manager who, upon ex- plaining to him what I was doing, responded by saying, “Well, THAT
20 PADDLING MAGAZINE
LOVE YOUR BIG MUDDY
seems like a big waste of time. Why would you want to do THAT?” I learned early on that such an expedition is not for everybody.
What advice would you offer to anyone contemplating a long trip or solo journey? If there is any doubt as to the journey you are embarking on, and whether you will be content or successful, take some time to con- sider your reasons for doing it. Your mission is an important mo- tivator. If you are inspiring others, you will likely succeed and be fulfilled while doing it.
Your mission for this trip included empowerment, education and environmental stewardship. How do you meet these lofty goals and paddle 3,800 miles? Well, the journey is not over until the mission bears fruit. I am still actively working on realizing these goals. The first step was to complete the paddle successfully. Many who followed my trip on Facebook or on my blog were very inspired that a 56-year-old woman was attempting such a grand and challenging expedition. I wanted to model for school-age children that they can overcome challenging obstacles and be successful in achieving their goals. Also, I wanted to increase awareness of Missouri River Relief, a
dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to the stewardship of the Missouri River. While I was on my expedition, River Relief was conducting river cleanup events on the river.
What’s next for you? I have lots of things I am thinking about, including writing a book, teaching school full time, presenting my experience around the country, possibly being hired as Education Coordinator with Mis- souri River Relief, and planning [another] major river expedition. I am scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Quiet Water Sym- posium on March 1 in East Lansing, Michigan. To learn more about the expedition, visit
www.loveyourbigmuddy.com.
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