Local Long Distance Canoeist Teams Up With Canadian

 Bill Cottrell, who uses the name “Missouri Bill” when on the river system, traveled to New Haven to meet with a fellow paddler coming down the Missouri River. 

This paddler was Thorin Loeks, a native of the Yukon Territory in Canada, who had started his journey a couple of years ago at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. Loeks is one of only a hand full of people who has retraced the return trip of Lewis and Clark and their troop from the Pacific Ocean. 

Loeks paddled up the Columbia River, then the Snake River till he couldn’t paddle any further, hiked and bicycled over the Rocky Mountains before getting on the Missouri River near Three Forks, Montana. 

Cottrell had been following Loeks progress on the Missouri River Paddlers facebook page and thought it would be neat to team up with this young man. When Loeks had gotten to the Kansas City area Cottrell contacted him and made arrangements to meet at New Haven, Missouri. The Canadian paddler arrived in the small Missouri town on Sunday, October 6. 

Cottrell’s oldest son, Wally, and his family joined in and the group enjoyed a meal at the Paddle Stop in New Haven, where Loeks sang some of the songs he had written during his travels. Thorin, a folk singer and guitarist, had written several songs and has made recordings. 

Loeks enjoyed a warm shower and a comfortable bed at Wally’s home before setting off again the next day. Thorin wanted to river camp one last day on the Missouri River. Cottrell drove to St. Charles to spend the night with his youngest son, Clint, and his family. 

On Tuesday Missouri Bill joined with Loeks near Defiance and the duo paddled together towards St. Charles, meeting only one barge. This was the third time that Cottrell had paddled this section of the Missouri River, last year he canoed solo, reaching the Arch on July 18 and the second time he teamed up with a river friend, Tom Boyko, whom Cottrell had met in the Gates of the Mountains in Montana. 

As Cottrell and Loeks passed under the third bridge, the I-70 bridge, the duo had only four miles to reach the river access on the north side of St. Charles where Clint would pick them up. Loeks 34th birthday was on this day and to celebrate the Cottrell’s took Thorin to a steak house to celebrate and quench his desire for a steak! 

The following day the two paddlers set off for the Arch, a 45 mile trip. They had only two more bridges to pass under on the Missouri River, the last one only 9 miles from the confluence. As the paddlers were enjoying the quite waters, interrupted by the splashing of the paddles, they noticed the river mile markers. There are markers on the Missouri River that indicate the distance to the confluence, they noticed number 4, after making the last bend, they noticed 2 and finally number 1. At that point they could see the wide expanse of the Mississippi River. 

After stopping briefly at the confluence, the team had five miles to paddle on the Mississippi before reaching the “chain of rocks”. This rock feature stretches across the river and paddlers have to make a 300 yard portage to get around the chain. Once back on the river they had 10 miles to paddle before reaching the Arch. Cottrell and Loeks arrived at the Arch in the glow of the city lights! 

Besides making this incredible trip Loeks has canoed the entire Mississippi (10 years ago) and has traveled “sea to sea” across America by bicycle.