It was never about the miles. It was about experiencing something new, seeing life from a different perspective, and finally exploring the places I once dreamed about as a child.

In the summer of 2025, I moved from Oklahoma, where I had resided for 10 years, to east-central Missouri. That same year, in the fall months, I became interested in travelling to states like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana to explore new areas. During this search, I came across many areas I found interesting in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Then, while searching in Indiana, I came across "Turkey Run State Park," which featured a large wooden bridge spanning a river. The

This blog focuses on my first lake crossing, which occurred on September 2nd, 2024, at Tom Steed Reservoir at the Great Plains State Park near Mountain Park, Oklahoma. Due to the gap between writing this blog and when it occurred, some information may be missing. Enjoy! Having kayaked for over a year with a desire to switch from recreational to kayak touring, I began searching for touring kayaks on Facebook Marketplace. This task, however, was very complicated as I lived in