Originally aired - December 16, 2019Thomas recently became an empty nester and decided a grand adventure was what he needed. He got together with Churchill Clark, the great-great-great-great grandson of Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to build a dugout canoe named Bella from a 20 foot Douglas Fir.  He traced his path along the Missouri River all the way to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a 5-month expedition along the same route Lewis and Clark took when returning to the East Coast. This epic tale includes everything from puppies, bow fishing, and flooded rivers, to quaint towns, and peaceful moments of solitude. A book about the experience will be released in March of 2020. You can preorder it here:http://www.hopspress.com/Books/Missouri_River.htmHere’s a short documentary about the experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-JgWTDUta0Video about building the canoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CipwviRWeCUHis YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasjelpelwww.elpel.infowww.greenuniversity.comCheck out the Bourbon Pursuit podcast anywhere you get podcasts. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy