The Grand River Expedition  takes place once every ten years – and anyone who loves Michigan’s rivers needs to be there.  At least that’s my opinion.
Clearly I’m not alone in this view.  Almost 200 people have signed up for one or more days of the Expedition, and 60 people are committed (as July 14 closes in I believe this is an appropriate word) to the full trip.
It’s not too late to join as a day-tripper for any of the Expedition’s segments beginning in Liberty Township on July 14th and concluding July 26th downtown Grand Haven.   It will cost $10 for your insurance and water bottle, and you’ll need to bring your own snacks.  But you won’t be able to do this for another 10 years, and life is short.
Don’t have a kayak or canoe?  No problem – check out the list of area liveries ready to help you out.  Car spotting is also available from Trailspotters of Michigan.
Take a look at the Expedition schedule. If you’ve never been on the water, the 27 mile adventure on July 19th is probably not a good choice.  However, there are shorter treks.
Having said this, my significant other whose longest kayak is 8 miles, registered for the 23-mile day with 3 portages.  Being supportive, I assured him he would be fine. So of course, being supportive, I lied.  He won’t be able to sit down for days.  Stay tuned for more on that.
So follow along here for reports and photos of Expedition adventures along with updates on deteriorating personal hygiene conditions and (hopefully) very few tent waterproofing reports.