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Race Course Mississippi River

Day 4, Tuesday, May 8, 2001
Safety Summary, All Team

Safety Report, May 8, 2001, Tuesday AM:

Team Name Date Days in Route Location Number Nearest City Navigation Mileage Time called in Total River Miles Position estimated Alaska MSC 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 1 Schoolcraft State Park, MN Mile 1203 Just before 6:00 AM 144 3rd, 4th or 5th Amazons 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 1 Schoolcraft State Park, MN Mile 1203 Just before 7:00 AM 144 3rd, 4th or 5th Double Helix 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 1 Jacobson, MN Mile 1141 5:30 AM 206 2nd Kruger 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 1 Jacobson, MN Mile 1141 4:30 AM 206 1st Rebels 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 1 Schoolcraft State Park, MN Mile 1203 Around 6:00 AM 144 3rd, 4th or 5th

Updates/Comments Received for May 8, 2001, Tuesday AM:
From Safety Officer Elizabeth Tynan:
Between 5 and 7 a.m. (Mississippi River time) on May 8th, the teams made the following reports:

Another exciting morning! This is the information the teams gave me:

Team Alaska: Kerm called at 6:00 from Schoolcraft State Park--river mile 1203-- where the team spent the night (above Grand Rapids). They slept well last night and had gotten back on the river just before Kerm called.

Team Amazon: This must have been the night for subconscious "huddling"--instinctively seeking protection in numbers against the elements--for Team Amazon also spent the night at Schoolcraft State Park, river mile 1203, but didn't see either the Rebels or Team Alaska. Tony called at 7:00 to say that Megan and Cynthia had gotten a good night's sleep after battling rain and cold headwinds all day yesterday, and had started paddling again right before he phoned.

Team Double Helix: Andrew reported in at 5:30. Said Clark and Kurt had paddled all night and just pulled in at river mile 1141--Jacobson, MN--to rest a little before pushing on. As we spoke, Clark was eating breakfast while Kurt slept under the "bubblewrap." (webmaster's note - the "bubblewrap" is a dome built for the front of the race kayak so paddlers could sleep while in the boat)

Team Kruger: Stan's cheerful voice greeted me at 6:30 with the news that his team had left from river mile 1141, near Jacobson, MN, at 4:30 a.m., after sleeping for 5-6 hours. Verlen felt it was better to recharge and dry out than push on in the cold, rain, and wind. In spite of being so close to Team Helix, they didn't see each other.

Team Rebels: Eric checked in at 6:15 to say that his team had also spent the night at Schoolcraft State Park, but remarkably, they didn't see each other. Yesterday's paddle was challenging--strong headwinds, rain, and cold--but the team is looking on the bright side, rejoicing that they went all day without getting lost. They started paddling from there, river mile 1203, at about 6:00.

Safety Report, May 8, 2001, Tuesday PM:

Team Name Date Days in Route Location Number Nearest City Navigation Mileage Time called in Total River Miles Position estimated Alaska MSC 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 2 MN Unknown 7:00 PM 3rd, 4th or 5th Amazons 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 2 Jacobson, MN Mile 1144 5:05 PM 3rd, 4th or 5th Double Helix 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 2 MN Mile 1078 6:49 PM 2nd Kruger 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 2 Between Palisades and Aitken, MN Mile 1067 4:57 PM 1st Rebels 5/8/01 Tue 4 Loc 2 Jacobson, MN Mile 1148 6:54 PM 3rd, 4th or 5th

Updates/Comments Received for May 8, 2001, Tuesday PM:
From Don Keller, official time keeper:

Team Alaska 7:00 PM River Mile Unknown - He
DOES have riger charts for Minneapolis and South.
Kerm Ketchum - Camping at Palisades, Lack of sleep including Kerm, he is going to take a three hour nap now. Going to bed then changing out a paddlers in three hours

Team Amazons 5:05 PM River Mile 1144 Jacobson
Tony Mate said the day started very cold, but by noon started to change to gorgeous. Paddlers are happy, "since they are not getting lost, and the weather is gorqeous" Will be spending the night at Jacobson

Team Double Helix 6:49 PM River Mile 1078
Team is doing well.

Team Kruger 4:57 PM River Mile 1067
Between Palisades and Aitkin
Stan Hanson said the town of Palisades came down to the river with hats, hot dogs, and T-shirts. Seems that the town created a logo based on Verlen and companion and painted it on their water tower after his trip through in 1984. That "logo" has been the town's identity ever since. Pictures were taken for the local newspaper. It was very special to Verlen.

Team Rebels with a Cause 6:53 River Mile 1148
Taking out at Jacobson

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