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July 2, 2009Ron has made it to Lewiston and is out of the river. He is meeting his new friend John McCay and his Coast Guard Auxiliary
buddies in Boise tonight for some dinner and a well deserved shower. I expect him home Friday night.
June 30, 2009Back in Pasco and the Snake River. Called me from the Ice Harbor Brewing Co... Ron is really roughing
it. He found out what was causing his engine to stall out. There was a problem with the fuel line connecter. Not only do you
need to be a worthy mariner, but a mechanic as well. He has corrected the problem and Bull Sprig is running much better. He
has made it through 12 dams and has 4 more to go.
June 29, 2009 (evening)Got caught on a sand bar this evening and spent about an hour trying to get out. Had to unload most
of the boat and actually needed help this time. Funny, because he had sailed over this area on the way down...the water level
has changed...the Dam controls the level. Went through The Dales fine. Not too rough. Tonight he is at the McNeary Dam just
locking in and waiting to go through. Sucks that when he gets out, it will be dark out and he will have to find a good sleeping
place by the light of the moon. He is between Bordman and Pasco. Ron thinks he will make Lewiston by Wednesday night. That's
where his truck and trailer are parked.
June 29, 2009Well, folks, Ron is definately heading back up river. He is around Biggs, Oregon and was in the John
Bay Dam lock when he called. He's about 2 miles from The Dales, known for it's windy, dangerous conditions. To top it off,
he bought some bad gas (with water in it), and his engine has been stalling out repeatedly. Thank goodness he installed a
water separating fuel filter, or he would be stranded with soaked spark plugs. He purchased some new gas to top off, but is
still having problems. He is sunburned from being out in the elements, but he's still in a pretty good mood dispite everything.
I think he is most angry that he couldn't prove to any skeptics out there that he could, indeed, make this trip all the way
to Alaska. But he will not risk his life in a rig he doesn't have full confidence in. He's not as crazy as some may have thought.
He doesn't view this journey as a complete loss, any time on the water is time well spent, according to Ron. And hey...he
took that boat from Lewiston, Idaho to Astoria, Washington and back. Felt the salt air and water from the Pacific, navigated
the complex Columbia and Snake rivers...and did it while sleeping in a boat every night. Not many of us can say that. I'm
thinking instead of "I told you so", we might say, "Wow, incredible journey!" ....and he's not home yet. Thank you all for
your concern for Ron (and me) throughout his adventure. And a special thanks goes out to all the people Ron has met along
the way who helped him get gas, download pics from his camera, give him beer, help him install his new addition to the boat,
watch his stuff while he went up to town, help him load in the river and store his truck/trailer, the list goes on and on.
It is amazing what wonderful, friendly people are out there in this wonderful country of ours. Thank you, thank you, thank
you!! Sincerely, Linda Cranston P.S. Please check back as I will continue to post updates.
June 28, 2009My apologies for not posting sooner. Ron has had to make a tough decision. After speaking with the
boat manufacturer, he discovered that his Go Devil has a recall, as of a few week ago. Apparently, should the boat fill with
water, it would sink. One of the reasons he bought the boat was because he was told it could fill with water and still float.
Well, it would float, but the stern would be under water and the bow would be the only thing above. His radio and flare gun
would be 8 feet under. Kind of hard to summon for help. The manufacturer has rigged an additional floatation device, and shipped
it to Ron in Vancouver. In the meantime, he traveled all the way to Astoria, but had to turn around and go back to receive
the shipment. He installed it on Saturday. It takes up some much needed room, and he is understandably hesitant to make the
trip to Alaska in this rig.
June 25, 2009 (evening)Welcome to Astoria, Washington. Ron drove up to the Coast Guard station and was greeted by a guy
wearing an Avery shirt and holding a Fred Zink goose call. They had a thing or two to talk about. The wind has kicked up and
it rained today. The sea lions have been swimming along side the boat keeping Ron company.
June 25, 2009Ron is a few miles outside of Saint Helens, Oregon, on the Columbia River, about 58 miles to the
Pacific. He found a nice out-of-the-way cove to spend the night last night. Says he sleeps like a baby out on the water. He
lost his push pole, didn't elaborate on how that happened...but found an 18" diameter orange floaty ball (sorry, don't know
the nautical name for it!). Decent trade I suppose. He walked to a Home Depot to buy a 12 ft. wooden stick for $10 to replace
the push pole. Also purchased a tarp for more rain protection and to cover his stuff when he has to leave his boat. Can't
afford to lose anything else.
June 23, 2009Ron called tonight and has made it to Portland, Oregon. He said his trip through The Dales was extra
calm...like glass and very beautiful. Apparently, it had been very windy there the last 4 days. He is happy to have made it
this far.
June 23, 2009Ron has made it to The Dalles on the DeChutes River. He has been fighting a stiff headwind and
almost ran out of gas. Some fishermen on the shore helped him out and drove him to a gas station to fill up two of his 6 gallon
tanks. He easily makes friends where ever he goes! Below are some pics of him going through the Little Goose Dam. Ron met
a man named John McKay, a fellow Coast Guard Auxiliary member, and he snapped these pics of Ron and sent them to me. Thanks
John!
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| Here is Ron in the Ice Harbor Lock and Dam. He seems mighty small! |
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| Tied up and waiting for the water level in the Dam |
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| Departing the Little Goose Lock and Dam...free to go! |
June 21, 2009Got a call from Ron, but it was hard to hear. The connection was bad and he couldn't even hear
me, but talked anyway. From what I understood, the weather was rough today...40 mph winds and 4-6 foot waves on the river.
Progress was slow. I believe he is near the McNary Dam around Lake Umatilla, Washington. He was laughing at the weather and
spirits are still high.
June 20, 2009Ron has made it to Pasco, Washington, and is very pleased with his progress. He called me from
the Ice Harbor Brewery, leave it to Ron to find probably the only Brewery in town. He went through many dams today and has
gone 135 miles—fighting 20 mph west winds. He is sun burned and tired. Says he is averaging 15 miles an hour, just as
expected. It takes a while to go through the dams. You could wait hours for the next run. Sleeping on the boat was fine. He
pulled out the mattress and layed it diagonally in the rear. No need for the tent. The weather was fine. He is in good spirits
and Bull Sprig is running like a top.
June 19, 2009Ron found a place to store his truck and trailer in Lewiston for $35 a month and a guy to help him in the river and
drive his truck back to storage...for an oil can of Fosters. It's true what my father said, you can buy more with beer than
you can with cash. Ron is on the Snake River! He is very excited and making better speed than he thought. He is trying to
make the first dam tonight. "I've got 3 miles behind me...and 3,000 more to go...." (on the water)
June 18, 2009Ron has made it to Lewiston, Idaho this evening safely. This is where he will put in the Snake
River. Still some details to work out. Unfortunately, some a-holes decided to steal out of Ron's boat in Twin Falls. It appears
that they cut the straps with a knife and took 3 coolers full of food and cooking gear! He has had to replace everything and
is extremely pissed off!
June 17, 2009 Day one of the journey. Ron left this afternoon and is driving north west. The plan is to travel
to Lewiston, Idaho and put in the river there.
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| Ron with "Bull Sprig". The dogs are there for support. They will not be going on this trip. |
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| Looking down into the boat. Note the many gas tanks. |
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