Happy Birthday, Meriwether Lewis

Charles Wilson Peale, Meriwether Lewis, 1807

Meriwether Lewis was born on this date in 1774.

This day I completed my thirty-first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now sorely feel the want of that information which those hours would have given me had they been judiciously expended. but since they are past and cannot be recalled, I dash from me the gloomy thought and resolved in future, to redouble my exertions and at least indeavour to promote those two primary objects of human existance, by giving them the aid of that portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestowed on me; or in future, to live for mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself.

Meriwether Lewis, 18 August 1805, Out There

Called.

Shishkin, Twilight, 1886

But especially he loved to run in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the subdued and sleepy murmurs of the forest, reading signs and sounds as man may read a book, and seeking for the mysterious something that called—called, waking or sleeping, at all times, for him to come.

Jack London, from The Call of The Wild

Past.

DRIVING to DARK COUNTRY

Past where the last

gang of signs

comes out of the dark

to wave you back

and past telephone

wires lengthening

with the light of someone

beyond the next hill

just returning,

a slow single line

will take the eye

of your high beam. Around you

will be jewels

of the fox-watch.

Great trees will rise up

to see you passing by

all by yourself,

riding on light.

Wesley McNair

Discovery.

Lewis (Samuel), Clark, Harrison, Samuel, Bradford and Inskeep, A map of Lewis and Clark's track, across the western portion of North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean : by order of the executive of the United States in 1804, 1814

A closer look at this beauty is HERE.

The greatest camping trip ever began on this date in 1804 when Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and The Corps of Discovery left St. Louis for the Pacific Ocean.

We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trod. The good or evil it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and these little vessels contained every article by which we were to expect to subsist or defend ourselves. However, as the state of mind in which we are, generally gives the coloring to events, when the imagination is suffered to wander into futurity, the picture which now presented itself to me was a most pleasing one. Entertaining as I do the most confident hope of succeeding in a voyage which had formed a darling project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life. 

Meriwether Lewis

An interactive map is HERE.

Stephen Ambrose's masterful storytelling makes Ken Burns' documentary, Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery outstanding and inspiring ...

I was born at the wrong time.

Happy Birthday, Clark

Peale, C.W., William Clark, 1810

August 1, 1806

at 2 P. M. I was obliged to land to let the Buffalow cross over. not withstanding an island of half a mile in width over which this gangue of Buffalow had to pass and the chanel of the river on each side nearly 1/4 of a mile in width, this gangue of Buffalow was entirely across and as thick as they could swim. the chanel on the side of the island the[y] went into the river was crouded with those animals for 1/2 an hour. (I was obliged to lay to for one hour) the other Side of the island for more than 3/4 of an hour. ... two gangues of Buffalow crossed a little below us, as noumerous as the first.

William Clark, born on this day in 1770, from his journals

Discovery.

Lewis (Samuel), Clark, Harrison, Samuel, Bradford and Inskeep, A map of Lewis and Clark's track, across the western portion of North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean : by order of the executive of the United States in 1804, 1814

A closer look at this beauty is HERE.

The greatest camping trip ever began on this date in 1804 when Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and The Corps of Discovery left St. Louis for the Pacific Ocean.

We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trod. The good or evil it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and these little vessels contained every article by which we were to expect to subsist or defend ourselves. However, as the state of mind in which we are, generally gives the coloring to events, when the imagination is suffered to wander into futurity, the picture which now presented itself to me was a most pleasing one. Entertaining as I do the most confident hope of succeeding in a voyage which had formed a darling project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life. 

Meriwether Lewis

An interactive map is HERE.

Stephen Ambrose's masterful storytelling makes Ken Burns' documentary, Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery outstanding and inspiring ...

I was born at the wrong time.

Grand.

Clark/Lewis, S., A Map of Lewis and Clarks' Track Across the Western Portion of North America from the Mississippi to The Pacific Ocean; by Order of the Executive of the United States in 1804, 5 & 6, 1814

On this day in 1804, Lewis and Clark began their grand camping trip.

CONNECT

Happy Birthday, Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt was born on this day in 1858.

The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books.

Theodore Roosevelt

Done.

Done and done.

Full.

Alone in the Wilderness is the story of Dick Proenneke living in the Alaska wilderness. Dick filmed his adventures so he could show his relatives in the lower 48 states what life was like in Alaska, building his cabin, hunting for food and exploring the area.

I've found that some of the simplest things have given me the most pleasure. They didn't cost me a lot of money either. They just worked on my senses. Did you ever pick very large blueberries after a summer rain? Walk through a grove of cottonwoods, open like a park, and see the blue sky beyond the shimmering gold of the leaves? Pull on dry woolen socks after you've peeled off the wet ones? Come in out of the subzero and shiver yourself warm in front of a wood fire? The world is full of such things.

Dick Proenneke

Excellent.

An excellent book ...

Excellent.

An excellent idea ...

Coleman.

Colorado.

Thank you, Jessica.

Grand.

Clark/Lewis, S., A Map of Lewis and Clarks' Track Across the Western Portion of North America from the Mississippi to The Pacific Ocean; by Order of the Executive of the United States in 1804, 5 & 6, 1814

On this day in 1804, Lewis and Clark began their grand camping trip.

CONNECT

Worth.

Discover.

As to when I shall visit civilization, it will not be soon, I think.  I have not tired of the wilderness; rather, I enjoy its beauty and the vagrant life I lead, more keenly all the time.

I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and the star-sprinkled sky to a roof, the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown, to any paved highway, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities.

Do you blame me then for staying here, where I feel that I belong and am one with the world around me?

It is enough that I am surrounded by beauty.  I know that I could not bear the routine and humdrum of the life that you are forced to lead.

I don't think I could ever settle down.  I have known too much of the depths of life already, and I would prefer anything to an anticlimax.

I have always been unsatisfied with life as most people live it. 

 Always I want to live more intensely and richly.

Why muck and conceal one's true longings and loves, when by speaking of them one might find someone to understand them, and by acting on them one might discover oneself?

Everett Ruess

Thank You, Jessica!  What an adventure!

Sparks.

For Jessica ...

Twelve-Volt Man

I never got a grip in penmanship

Could never make those small l's flow
Seldom found the trick to arithmetic
Three plus two be faux pas
But ask for some palm trees

Or tales from the South Seas

And I just might turn your head

I never had the clout to knock one out
But hitting was the name of my game
Standing on third as the coaches conferred
So close to my first claim to fame

Just give me the steal sign
And I'll make home plate mine
And I just might turn some heads

Sometimes I may get a little drastic
Sometimes I just let my feelings show
Sometimes I may be a bit sarcastic
Most times that's the way the story goes

Now I know this Joe down in Mexico
He went there to work on his tan
For years he's been plugged into blenders and songs
They call him the Twelve Volt Man

He don't need no charge card
Just give him a die-hard
And he'll make sparks fly round your head

Or just ask for some palm trees
Or tales from the South Seas
And I'll make sparks fly round your head
Round your head
In your head
In your head

Jimmy Buffett

Happy trails, Corps of Discovery.

On this date in 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their Corps of Discovery left St. Louis, Missouri and headed west to begin the greatest camping trip ever.

CONNECT

Alone.

Alone in the Wilderness" is the story of Dick Proenneke living in the Alaska wilderness. Dick filmed his adventures so he could show his relatives in the lower 48 states what life was like in Alaska, building his cabin, hunting for food and exploring the area. 

CONNECT