Tonight should be fun.

My Sister and Dad are having a welcome home party for the Old Man River team and myself. They had a going away party before we left and it was the perfect way to kick off the expedition. Now, many months later, this is the perfect way to close an exciting chapter of the Old Man River Project.�

Obviously this expedition could not have happened without the support of some important people. I just wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge my key supporters.

Darlene and Jeff Anderson. They believed in my dream to build a York boat and go down the Mississippi River. Without their generous donation this project would have never happened.

Gordon Laco. Throughout this project Gord has been a vital asset who has given me confidence and provided me with expertise. From building the boat to understanding the keys of being a leader on expedition, whenever I had a question Gord had an answer.

John Ruskey. Perhaps no person was more vital in developing my understanding about the Mississippi River than John. For years I have been calling with questions and John always took the time to give me his insight.

Brent Thornton. My old University roommate, Brent has always been there to help me with the technicalities. If you loved the blog, love Brent as he is the guy who built and maintained the website.�

Lyndsey Loiacono. My girlfriend and talented graphic designer who have long made me look more professional than I am. From making the business cards to designing the ?Old Man River? image, she does it all.

Les Stroud. Les gave me five camera?s from his show Survivorman and provided me with key creative insight on how to shoot a guerilla style production. Without the camera gear, I could not have documented the journey.

Paul and Marylee Orr. These two were the ones who inspired me about the Mississippi River. During the expedition they were our beloved base camp providing support whenever we needed it. Now they are the owners of ANNIE.�

Donna Dixon Aykroyd. Donna has connected me with many powerful people over the years. She believed in me since day one and continues to make me believe in what is possible.

Family. Mom, Dad, Sister and Chief (my dog). You have always supported me and encouraged me to push on.

Crew. Without the team there would be no project. Cliff thanks for keeping ANNIE working. Riggy thanks for being willing and able to get that shot. Max thanks for your creative insight. Tank thanks for snapping pictures. Magnus thanks for trusting me and flying all the way from Australia. And Sarah thanks for always smiling and being you.�

And thank you for following the adventure. The expedition is over but there is much more great stuff to come. More blogs and more over the coming months so stay tuned!

See ya down river,

Brett

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