Following Water: Humble beginnings Book 1

When I was seven years old and living in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, I heard a story of a boy named Tom Sawyer. Like him, I dreamed of floating away from the city and rounding each bend to find a new adventure. But I had no raft, and there was no river within walking distance for one so young.My dreams were postponed, yet not forgotten. I soon fell in love with the woods, fields, creeks, and everything outdoors. One day, I sat on the porch of a Medina County, Ohio, home and watched the rain run down the driveway into a roadside ditch. I followed the water in my mind, imagining the raindrops flowing south to the ocean's open waters, where the mighty Mississippi emptied.I wanted a piece of that adventure. I decided to follow the water—this time in a kayak. I was a greenhorn rookie concerning moving water, hence the title of the book: Humble Beginnings.My first day on the Tuscarawas River in Ohio opened my mind and my heart. The pain and education were balanced with the satisfaction of childhood wonderment that only adventure can fulfill. What started as a few hours of paddling that day turned into a hundred miles of river, including primitive camping and a near loss of life.Back home, another childhood dream was fulfilled when I built my own log cabin. This was a solo build on my part, and the majority of this series was written in that cabin retreat. Read more