Page 79 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

Wanagan would turn out to be my inspiration.

Arriving out of necessity because of one kayaks lay over in the water, I didn’t realize how

much I needed to stop and regroup, reestablish my priorities, and get organized for real.

Wanagan with a log cabin shelter, fire pit, even wood waiting for me, was just such a place as
it reminded me of years in Oregon.

It wasn’t easy to cross over mindsets from city life even with week-ends outdoors, to complete
and utter self-reliance and outdoor protocols, but it was certain to happen. Sooner or later.

I knew this so in one of my plans I had scheduled several days at Wanagan and other camps
sites to orienteer myself mentally back to the great outdoors.

Reading previous accounts of other kayakers, they had stated it was like a boot camp or a bap-
tism for some till they got to the much wider and open Miss.

Plus I knew enough about other adventures and if I didn’t start writing now, I wouldn’t.

Wanagan was a salvation for me and as I decided to stay 2 nights, a salvation and restoration.

(Many early campsites along the Mississippi River like Wanagan are taken care of by Minne-
sota DNR and volunteers. Over the years that has waxed and waned in varying degrees with-

trash and up keep challenging. I would abandon DNR sites on the popular map because many
were in disuse, disarray, or in accessible from the river. It is my hope if some of the Mississippi

River Run books do well to set aside some of the proceeds to develop a River Camp Founda-
tion of volunteers who will adopt and maintain camps with a minimum of bureaucracy but
whole lot of love for the river, kayakers and canoes.) I am grateful for those who do already.

- MJS 2017