Donation Totals To Date

As of Wednesday, 5/27, I am more than halfway towards reaching my goal of $5,000. Adding up all contributions gives a figure of $2,550! Thank you all for your extreme generosity.

The route for days 4, 5, 6, and 7 is still to come, as are short interviews with my support crew.

Again, thank you all for your kindness.

 

Route for 3rd Day

The 3rd day of the Transversal (Monday, June 8th) will involve 70 miles of rollerskiing on the Munger Trail. This state trail runs from Duluth, MN to Hinckley, MN and is paved the entire way. A map can be found at this site: 

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_trails/willard_munger.pdf

General information on the Munger Trail can be found here: 

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/willard_munger/index.html

My "game plan" will be to ski in 3 hour installments, with a 15 minute break after each segment. A longer break will be taken for lunch after the second 3 hour segment. I don't anticipate the trail taking longer than three 3-hour segments (9 hours total), although the presence of a strong head or tailwind could change that estimate drastically. Either way, I am preparing for a long day on the trail. 

Route for First 2 Days

The first two days of the Transversal (June 6th and 7th) will involve kayaking on Lake Superior. I'm still experimenting with a good way to post the map online without drastically reducing its quality, but for now I will include a link. I will be using the Lake Superior Water Trail, which can be found online at: 

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/kayaking/lswt/index.html

Click on "maps" on the above page and then focus your search to mile 42. This corresponds to Split Rock Point, where I will begin the first day. The goal is to make it to Agate Bay in Two Harbors, MN (mile 25) for a total of 17 miles of kayaking the first day. I plan to be on the water between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and average between 2-3 miles per hour. This means that it will be a 6-9 hour day on the water. 

Day two will begin where day one left off (Agate Bay). I hope to reach mile 0 of the Water Trail corresponding to Franklin Park in Duluth which would mean 25 miles of kayaking. However, my plans may change depending on the activity of large shipping vessels in the port. I don't want to be competing for space with the gargantuan boats, so if I deem it too dangerous, I will stop at Brighton Beach (mile 6) and then run the last 6 miles. 

Again, the landmarks and mile markers I am referencing can be found by following the above link. Hopefully I will soon find a way to import a quality picture of the map. 

Support Crew

This adventure would be impossible without the dedication and support of my family who will also be riding along in a rented RV as my support crew. They will provide food, water, reconnaissance, mental support, and a place to rest. Without my support crew, it would truly be impossible to complete this endeavor. Thus their contributions will not be glossed over. Look for interviews with select members of the crew to be posted here soon. 

May update (and a much, much, needed one)

Once again, I am starting out my post with an apology for not keeping this page updated. Between finals and a trip to help my girlfriend move to Seattle for a summer internship, things have been quite crazy. However, I will be working through the last details of the adventure in the coming weeks, so check back here often.

Route details in the form of maps will be posted here over the weekend. For now, I will describe the route in words. 

Days 1 and 2 (Day 1 = Saturday, June 6th): 

Begin kayaking at Split Rock Point on Lake Superior. This point corresponds to mile 42 of the Lake Superior Water Trail. End in Duluth, Minnesota on Day 2.

Day 3: 

Rollerski from Duluth, MN to Hinckley, MN via the Willard Munger state trail.

Day 4: 

Bike from Hinckley, MN to Stillwater, MN via highway 61, the Hardwood Trail, the Gateway Trail, and highway 96.

Day 5:  

Swim across the St. Croix River at Stillwater and then bike to Pine Island (too many roads to list here, but check back in the coming days for a map).

Day 6: 

Run the final 13 miles via the Douglas Trail into Rochester. 

Please note that while the actual route is not likely to change, the specific activities that take place on each day will likely be tweaked. For example, I might choose to bike instead of rollerski the Munger State Trail instead  if weather conditions or other circumstances warrant it. Or, I might decide to run more on the last day or add some miles of running to certain days, depending on the conditions. Again, while the route will stay the same, the activities on each day are subject to change. 

Much more detailed descriptions to come soon in the form of maps with actual milage distances!