Begin At the Very Beginning

October 18, 2010
Camp DuBois, Illinois

This is where the Corps of Discovery began their journey to the Pacific Ocean. William Clark spent his time training the men how to be soldiers and Meriwether Lewis spent much of his time recruiting men and gathering supplies.

This is just east of St. Louis (about 5 miles) at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

The Corps left here on Monday, May 14, 1804 in pouring rain.  They marched 4 hours and then stopped for the night on an island in the Mississippi, since the weather was so miserable.  Little did they know!

The Visitor Center has a full-size keelboat inside, with one side cut away so that you can see how they would have packed provisions and some sleeping quarters. It's pretty impressive.

Clark made a sketch of the fort, but no one is sure exactly where it was. This is thought to be very close to the original location and was built using hand tools nine years ago.

Inside the fort is a room for the three sergeants, one for Lewis and Clark (more spacious and has two desks), a storeroom, three barracks for the men, and a hut for the laundress.

October 19, 2010

Well, we've finally decided NOT to go to Triplett and look for more Willey evidence.  We will head southwest today, aiming for more Route 66 kicks and heading toward Oklahoma.

The weather is still warm and sunny.  Yesterday clouded over a bit and it seemed a bit muggy, but this morning is bright and sunny.  We are defintely enjoying this weather!

Bird count...we saw an Eastern bluebird a couple of days ago, and more Little Blue Herons, but nothing else that is new.  No more cardinals, but we keep hearing something that we think resembles a cardinal song. 

We will cross the Mississipi River a total of 8 times.