I'm attempting to canoe 84 mi from Muny to Indianapolis to explore a river that's largely been written off by the locals. That sucked so bad. We are getting poured on. It's so hot. If it was easy, it wouldn't be an adventure. This is the most misunderstood river in America.
And this is my journey to find out why. I cannot wait. Ah, the White River has a reputation of being dirty and polluted. This dates back to 1896 when citizens of Indianapolis began finding large amounts of dead fish in the river. Right here in Broadripple, there were so many dead fish that they began to flow over the dam. But how did this happen?
The American Strawboard Company in Noblesville used toxic chemicals for manufacturing. The only thing they had separating ponds of these chemicals from the White River was a levy. and one day it washed out, releasing the waste and decimating the fish population. Fast forward 103 years and history repeated itself. In December of 1999, the Guide Corporation of Anderson was found as the source of another catastrophic contamination. In the end, an estimated 4.
3 million fish died. That's over 110 tons. Now, here we are almost three decades later, and I want to answer the question, is the White River what everyone thinks it is, or is it the most misunderstood natural wonder of Indiana? So, this week I'm spending the next five days camping along the river trying to find answers. I should also preface. I'm not a trained conservationist.
I didn't grow up going on exotic backpacking trips. Heck, I barely camped outside of my parents' backyard. But, I'm too curious and maybe a bit too insane to let that stop me. The jitters are almost gone. Uh, I think part of that is because we're doing it finally, right? Do you think anyone will give up?
No. Better not. There's only one way to go and it's down river. The entire trip is 84 miles from Muny to Indianapolis. It's going to be four nights, 5 days. We had kind of like a half day today.
Starting at 1. We're going to get 10 miles down the river to canoe country, camp there. This is crazy. Are we? It appears that we are. All right.
This used to be a dam. We're making a decision now. Are we going to go around or are we going to go through? The experts seem to say we're going through. They said, "You see the line, Nate?" I guess I see the line.
We made it through our first obstacle and everybody's dry. We'll take that. The getting down on your knees part to like be stable, it really does help. Yeah, it's crazy. Lowering that center of gravity is a big thing. Yeah.
Let's go. Onward. That's a wrap of day one on the river. Now it's time for dinner. Steaks for the crew. Yeah.
That's River. This is real river [ __ ] right here. Just eating steak with your hands. This is such a good steak. Crossroads Butchering Market, Paleville, Indiana. Insane meat.
Pete, insane campfire grill skills. Top five steak I've ever had. That's a wrap on day one. We made it to Daleville. We're at canoe country. I think we ate at like 9:30.
It's 11:00 now. We're up early tomorrow. We have 30 miles. What we need is someone to go solo. That is longer than I've ever been in canoe. They said maybe 10 hours going.
I'm worried. I'm a little bit nervous for that, honestly. Am I going in the water today? Raccoon got a hold of my rip van waffle. I think we brought six. Now we're down to five.
He smelled my rip van waffle, chewed a hole right through that into my dry bag, pulled out my waffle. The question being, if I go to sleep in that tent, is he going to come chasing my waffles? It's possible, but unlikely. See the smoke? First night, a lot of sounds, couple trains, a lot of animals, insects, little cup of coffee, and we're going to bury 30 miles today. Day two.
Uh, biggest day. Yesterday we only did 13. Good news is uh we're still chasing that high water. But plans change as well. Brian can't be here today. You had to take off.
What we need is someone to go solo. I'm already solo. I'll do it. Yeah. You're Yeah. You're going to run it solo.
We'll rip it solo. I I might need the kayak paddle. How many miles have you done in a day? Most miles I've done in a day is 38. Okay. Yeah.
So 30. That's a great starting day two on a canoe. Let's rip 30. We'll just put a lot of weight in the front. Do you sit in the bow facing backwards? Am I going in the water today?
Maybe. I'm worried. Well, hello. Waffle cam. Waffle fam. Good news.
Our raccoon friend did not take all my waffles. 5 and a half miles in. Quick turkey break. I'm just starting to get the hang of the canoe. Yeah, buddy. Dude, those are some big rocks.
That'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. You can see how as this giant massive sycamore has grown over the years and the river has eroded underneath its roots. The roots have just become more complex and stronger and they're literally holding up the other trees along the bank, which you can see in a healthy river. 16 miles in, we're at the home stretch to dinner time. Let's keep these paddles in the water, baby. The experts in our group keep talking about indicator species.
Now, these are types of animals and birds that are present in healthy river ecosystems. We've seen blue herring, we've seen soft shell turtles, even bald eagles. But what we hear is that there may be river otterters in the White River down around Marian County. I'm not an expert, but that seems to be like the ultimate sign that the river is alive and healthy. Come on now. A little bit interesting how we're going to get the sand off tomorrow, but that is going to be a tomorrow problem.
Tonight we get the tent set up. There you go. This is bringing me back to life. Mhm. All right, so finished up day two on the river today. 22 some change miles.
We have a portage around the Nolesville Dam. Just leverage it up onto your shoulder. But we get a bed tomorrow. So all I have to do, we have to survive 20 more miles on the river and we get a bed and a shower and pizza. I cannot wait. Powdered milk.
Bro, when you said we were having biscuits and gravy today, this is not what I said. It's not the same as what I do for dinners for us, right? No. But hey, we're appreciative for the dinner. Freeze-dried biscuits and gravy. That ain't bad.
Today we are going to have our first portage where we have to unload all the boats, carry them around. Said maybe like two or 30 hund yards. I think it's 9:34 and we're about to take off for the day. 20 miles through Hamilton County. Let's get it. We've got our next round of outfitters back, baby.
The cool. We're 10 miles in on day three. We entered Hamilton County. We're at the campgrounds. Strawtown Kateway Park is right there. My vibes are high.
I'm feeling good and we're learning a ton. There's a lot of indigenous people history here that we're picking up along the way. Finally, we made it to the portage. Now get it about level where you can lift reach your left hand across to the other gunnel opposite gun. Yep. Just like that.
Now you want your full arm underneath it as far as you can reach and then just leverage it up onto your shoulders. Good job. Beautiful. There he goes. Let's go. Just got the portage done.
Anything you were impressed at with the portage? Um, how everyone just found something to do and did it. Any job that was really impressive? Not that I can think of off the top of my head, but probably it's 5:00. I'm guessing we have 2 and a half 2:45 left. We're not going to hit the 6:00 deadline, but still we press on.
Honestly, it might be about 30. Come join us, land lovers. How you feeling? Spectacular. Home stretch, dude. Home stretch.
Come on. We've made it night three campsite. I'm excited that we're on the back side of this. Uh we got two days left. Thursday, Friday. We're going to finish up Hamilton County here.
We were battle tested today in the heat. I'm not going to lie. It was toasty. I got to fill up waters. There's no chance I was drinking the pea water from the canoe site. You're trying to tell me this is water?
Yeah. This looks like you took a whiz in a jug and are trying to play a sick joke on me. It really wasn't that bad. Sorry. No chance. I was drinking the pee water from the campsite.
Congrats. You played a sick joke. I spilled your pee. Even though it is portable and you can drink it, it just wasn't for me. A wrap- up. Day three.
Now it's time for Dinden. Massive shout out to the coolies for rolling out the red carpet for us. It was a huge revive. Great day. Put in the work. We did what, like 196, something like that.
Spangle. Yeah, we did 19. I think it was almost 20. We're back in business. I think I'm having um decision fatigue or just like Thursday, Friday, we can do this. We had to sleep in a bed tonight.
Like what is there to complain about if we are like paddles in the water at 9:00 a. m.? How do we get there at 4 p. m.? because I feel like 4 4:30 5 becomes 5:36 and like and we don't really and I get that there is like a piece of river time but I do think that having a moment of like daylight and storytelling and like people reminiscing about the trip is really important and it does feel as though it like we we have not necessarily uh had our math mathing at on all levels. Start of day four, Thursday.
Today we're moving from just south of Noblesville down inside of 465 into Marian County to Goose Island. The goal is to be on the road at 9:00. Ready to run, get to camp early, get to hang out and enjoy our last night out here in wilderness. I'm ready to paddle today. 8:15. Ready to rock.
Sometimes you just got to push the tempo a little bit. It's 8:30. We're supposed to have paddles in the water at 9:00 a. m. and uh we don't got a lot of movement up there. So, we're getting the train started.
Weather's not looking good tomorrow. Um Pete just checked the weather app and said afternoon has a high percentage chance of thunderstorms and if there's lightning we have to wait it out underneath a bridge. I do not want to do that. Shout out to our guy Brad. Brad absolutely loves the White River. He sent us so many recommendations.
Jack offered to cook us lunch. If we were stopping for lunch today, we for sure would do that. Like that just shows that the river means something to Brad. It means something to a lot of people. I think that's pretty cool. We were chugging along, making good time, and then we ran into Brad, who'd been tracking our journey since my I've traveled a lot.
Yeah, I've been to over 50 countries. I've been I've been in Fishers 20 years. And we were in northern Indiana once and I took our kids to a roller skating rink and I turned to my wife and said, "We don't have to take our kids to new countries to experience new cultures." So, what was your first experience with the river? We would all pile into this Sea Eagle inflatable boat and my kids and my wife and I and we would float the river and it was probably a day about like this and and um we loved it and we kept coming back and then one day I was driving down 116th and saw a sign out there that said riverhouse for sale by owner and I called the guy and I was like I'll buy it. What have you learned about river culture?
The nicest and kindest people you will ever meet. It's a level of community that you just don't see in a lot of places. What do you think the biggest misconception about the White River is? It's dirty. If you were here 2 days from today, this would be crystal clear and you could see fish over there. But like because we just had the rain, it's up right now.
Um, which makes it muddy. What's the biggest thing you've learned since living on the river? I feel like when I come here, like I don't know. There's a lot that doesn't matter. Nobody cares who you are. Nobody cares what you do for work.
Nobody cares. Like is like we're all just people, right? We're all just enjoying nature together. We have so many friends and family that don't experience nature in Hamilton County cuz it's so developed. But like out here it feels like Yeah, bro. You could drop me any back road in Indiana and I feel like I'm there.
You talk about how things don't matter. I'm hearing it's called River Time. Yeah. And everyone has been just telling I don't need a watch. Everyone's just been telling me about uh about Rivertime and I'm like, "Well, what time are we starting? is going slower than you thought, is it?
Oh, what? Yeah. You thought you'd be You thought you'd be in Broadripple yesterday afternoon. I mean, again, you come from a world where schedules and Google calendar and timeliness and the whole thing. And and it's like you never know when you're going to find a sign that says, "Nate and friends, come up and hang out and have a beer." And uh I think it's a lesson in real time.
Just rolled over 4:00. The sun is feeling less hot. Vibes are high. The Gooman beer is flowing. We're just having a heck of a time meandering down the river. We're almost into Marian County and we're floating on river time.
I'm excited to hang out our last night in camp and just debrief with everyone on how the trip's been thus far. So, let's keep rocking and rolling. What up? 5:16. We made it to Goose Island. It's crazy to think right now the Keystone Mall is right over there.
freaking 82nd 86th street right out there and then we're just here in this like untouched nature. Look over there. You can just camp here for a night. I mean if we walk over to that side of the island there you'll be able to see the backside of like Harry and Izzy's. This is nuts, dude. What a cool experience.
I'm excited to camp tonight. First time on the trip. I've been excited to camp. I'm excited to eat some good food. I'm excited to hang out for one last night with the crew. All right.
They said collect firewood. This is my first night really leaning into it. We're collecting this puppy. Heck yeah. There you go. Flame with the flint.
Let's go. It's been a hell of a trip. We were hanging out, having fun, and then trouble headed our way. This kind of sucks. Mother Nature decided to do us dirty. Oh, just as I was starting to like the outdoors.
I get a little wet. This sucks. We are getting poured on. 10 years ago, this whole area would smell like poo because of cso, combined sewage overload, I believe. And now since they're diverting su the storm water and the sewage water away from each other, when the rain comes, it's not going to combine and overflow and make this place smell like poo. I just left the campfire.
Actually, I'll show you it. But I uh I just left the campfire for the last time, and it is honestly a little bit bittersweet. This has been the uh journey of a lifetime. Five days on the river with a bunch of people who were basically strangers and now we're friends. I don't know. If you're looking for the sign to uh get out, try something new, explore a new place that might be in your backyard, this is it.
What up, HC? That sucked ass. That sucked so bad. So hot. No breeze. You're kind of wet and sticky cuz of the rain.
I'm so tired. I did not sleep well at all. Hey, it's final day. Got to get this last 14 mi in and then we're home free, baby. But we got to beat the rain. Looking like between 12 and 2.
We're going to get dumped on. 80 90% chance. River time was fun and all, but we got to get back on. Nate standard time. NST, baby. NST.
Final day. Final B's and G's. Great Scott. All right, it's the morning of day five. We're here going under the 86th Street Bridge on our way down to Broadpool at 11:00 a. m.
and then on to pranks. All in all, last day of the trip. A little bittersweet, but I'm happy to uh be really close to home. What the dude? That's insane. This is Broadville Park, my stomping grounds where I hang out all the time.
A running trail. It feels good to be back uh in the neighborhood. 7 miles to go. One portage left. I can almost smell the finish line and some Hogies and Hops for lunch. Literally dropped me in in Muny on Monday.
That is a damn good sandwich. Yeah, more adversity. Give me more. And the river gave me what I asked for. Status report. We're in the [ __ ] This portage is uh in serious need of maintenance, but it's going to be a beast getting up the hill.
That is the sign for the uh for this portage. And this is what we have to uh get through. Day five. It only makes sense that we saved the best for last. That was something. That was challenging.
I'm pumped up. Wow, this is wild. It's a windtorm. I don't know if we're going to make it. We're 2 miles away. We're so close.
But we do. We need to get a drone out. Yeah. 83 and 1/2 miles. Half mile to go. I needed some Skittles.
I can't believe we're almost there. 10 more minutes. Come on. 84 miles, baby. Let's go. Come on.
Is this heaven? No. It's Frank's paddlesports livery. How you doing? That's crazy. That's nuts.
Let's go. Wait, hold on. Let's get a wheel check. I'm so excited. This is This is awesome. What a run.
What a run, dude. This all started with an idea, man. That's nuts. Now it's over. The ride of a lifetime. The adventure of a lifetime.
The White River has such a bad reputation for mistakes made by generations past. But the crazy part is is that it has a short memory. The water is constantly cycling through. New life is coming out. The thing that impressed me the most is River people. Frank's Passports Liberty to White River Canoe Company, Canoe Country, the Outfitters, like they make their living on the river.
But you have the White River Alliance, you have Friends of White River, you have all the different organizations dedicated to making Indianapolis a river city. You have all these people that gave up a week of their life to come and spend time with us on the river helping get us safely from Munie to Indianapolis. We could not have done this. No chance. You put Will and I in a boat, we get that job done. We would have given up before we got to Daleville.
I'm so grateful for all the people that helped out and made this thing possible. If this doesn't convince you, I don't know what will. Like you need to go out experience the White River because it's freaking awesome.