Connections Established

Shazaam! Connection established. I've been blogging about all the different connections this project has realized since it's start in October. Today, a different kind of connection was realized. My mobile broadband connection was established using Millenicom's USB setup. Amazingly easy to install and setup. I ordered on Friday, it came today and within 10 minutes, I was up and running. I'll now be able to communicate along the trip with photos, email, blogging and twitter. My wife will be happy and hopefully all that are following along with be too. By the way, it's our 13th Anniversary today. We'll do a little celebration on Thursday since she's at work in Atlanta at the moment.

News on preparations. I organized and packed my food last night. I'm carrying all of my food needs for the trip and think that my calorie range of 3,000-3,500 should carry me through. I've planned on a week long menu that I'll repeat. For dinners, I'll be switching between Mac n Cheese with Sausage, Fettuccine with Salmon, Cranberry Chicken and Rice with nuts, Chili, Couscous and Shepard's Pie. I've also interspersed some of Hawk Vittles dishes such as Bison Stew, Hot Italian Sausage and Pasta and North African Stew. Breakfasts include Oatmeal, Cranola, Biscuits and Country Ham as well as some supplemental Hawk Vittles hashbrowns. Lunches are chicken and salmon salads, PB&J, summer sausage/cheese/salami and crackers. I've got a few extra meals to throw a little variation into the mix. In total, my food weighs out at 72 pounds. That's about 2.2 lbs per day which is the range I was looking for.

I put my last reminder and request for support out to all the Swain Co. School staff today. I've received a few donations from fellow teachers and want to say thanks to all who have shown their support through their donations and kind words. Just to say it again, Swain County Schools Foundation was established to provide scholarships to Swain students and grants to teachers in Swain County. As a teacher, I can't think of another organization, or foundation that helps our education community so directly. Please consider this in making your donation decisions.

Lastly, Don Shoopman wrote a great article, actually two articles about the trip and the project. It took up a page and a half in the Daily Iberian, the local paper from New Iberia, LA. New Iberia is the town where I graduated high school and my dad taught. It was also the original destination when I first came up with the idea for this endeavor. Thank you Don for such a great job. Also, thanks to the many friends from New Iberia that contacted me, donated and showed their support. You all don't know how much that means to me, as well as my family and community here.

Launch is Saturday at 7 am from below Wesser Falls at NOC. If anyone wants to join me for some of the first leg, come on down. After that, I'll see you on the water.