Missouri Life September 2023

I rode shotgun next to Shane Camden on the way to the Missouri River. He’s the owner of Paddle Stop, an outfitter and brewery in New Haven, where my friends and I rented canoes for a grand excursion on the river. But before we could com mence, we had to find the river. Right then, we couldn’t see a thing. Thick mist shrouded a val ley as we sped into it, then as we drove back out of the valley, the blue sky returned. I marveled at the sudden change. “It’s weird, isn’t it, how light it can be and how dark it can be,” Shane said. Going from dark to light served as an apt metaphor for this trip my friends and I dreamed up called 50-50-50— an adventure in which we attempted to canoe 50 miles, bike 50 miles, and hike 50 miles, all along the Missouri River in one four-day weekend. I wanted us to push our lives out of darkness and into light. Loneliness is an epidemic in our country, particu larly among middle-aged men, which all 12 of us on the trip were. My friends and I conceive, plan, and execute

50-50-50 and other trips like it because we know our relationships will be stronger as a result. The point was not the miles. The point was what we filled them with— laughter, conversation, good food, good drink, and if things went really well, tears. If we completed the event—finished all 150 miles— great! We’d have a “record” to beat next year. If we fell short, no worries; we’d try again next year. b b b This was a complicated trip to pull off. First, there was the timing. You can’t do this in summer when you’ll bake or winter when you’ll freeze. I invited every friend I have who I thought might want to go, without regard for their physical condition. I left that up to them, and while this trip is challenging, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. I needed a home base. I chose Washington because of its proximity to the Camdens’ canoe company, the Katy Trail, my own home in Cottleville, and my friends’ homes throughout the St. Louis region. I found an Airbnb with enough beds and ample area for hanging out.

The participants in the 50-50-50 adventure set out to log 50 miles by canoe, 50 miles by bicycle, and 50 miles on foot. The route took them both on and alongside the Missouri River.

JOHN URHAHN, FRED WILLIAMS

BIKING 50 miles

HIKING 50 miles

41 / SEPTEMBER 2023