At fifty-five years old with COPD, Ted wasn't supposed to be attempting anything like this. But when doctors told him to slow down, he decided to do the opposite—paddle 2,300 miles down the Missouri River from Three Forks, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri. Armed with a 15-foot Grumman canoe, freeze-dried meals, and stubborn determination, Ted set out to follow the path of Lewis and Clark. What he didn't expect was a broken cart on day one, a torn hamstring, broken glasses, violent windstorms, and the brutal isolation of the Missouri River Breaks. From white cliffs rising hundreds of feet to encounters with bald eagles and grizzly territory, from river angels who appeared exactly when needed to a catastrophic shoulder injury on Fort Peck Lake—this is the raw, honest story of one man's battle with the river, his body, and his own doubts. The Missouri River Journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, the kindness of strangers, and the truth that courage isn't about never being afraid—it's about doing it anyway. This is Volume 1: 550 miles from Three Forks to Bone Trail.