I am grateful and humbled to have had the unique opportunity to launch my book in mid-May at Thoreau College in Viroqua, Wisconsin.
In May of 2023, a serendipitous collaboration manifested at Thoreau College. On the evening of May 15th in a beautifully renovated building called The Commons, which was once an old church, we gathered for the launch of my book, Paddlin’ with Thoreau. I am forever grateful to Jacob for giving me the inspirational “publishing deadline” and the honor and privilege to launch my book at Thoreau College.
International students from Brazil and Japan, first generation Polish and Mexican students and others from coast to coast in the United States comprised this wonderfully diverse group. The book debut and presentation about Thoreau with the students was an informative and engaging evening.
The next day, with the help of Justice from Outward Bound providing the canoes, we paddle a beautiful nine-mile stretch of the Kickapoo River. The Kickapoo River is a 126-mile tributary of the Wisconsin River, the longest in this Driftless Region. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers. Kickapoo is an Algonquian word meaning “one who goes here, then there,” fitting for this very crooked river.
“The life in us is like the water in the river,” wrote Thoreau in the Conclusion section of Walden. We felt this during our time on the river, flowing around its twists and turns on this glorious, perfect paddling weather day. We skirted around fallen trees and admired the azure blue of the May Bells, the sweet scented bell-shaped flowers blooming along the shore. On one of our stops, Willow, a recent college graduate with a degree in entomology, had us searching for bugs and insects on the shoreline. She shared amazing facts about these tiny little ones that call the riverbank their home.
Our time together was the perfect beginning – for these students starting a new semester and for Henry and me, starting our next phase of the journey of Paddlin’ with Thoreau. I am grateful and humbled to have had this opportunity to be a part of this amazing village at Thoreau College.
The book is available on Amazon or can be ordered directly from my website at www.redkayak.net. Enjoy and keep paddlin’ on…
