Flight of Discovery - June 5, 2004: Decision Point

** This is the sixth installment on the Flight of Discovery, an aerial scientific expedition that retraced the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail from Indiana to the Pacific Ocean. It is summarized by Mike Harding, the Expedition Leader. A complete accounting of the 2004-2006 expeditions is recounted in his upcoming book, “On Wings of Gold: Triumph and Tragedy of the Flight of Discovery”.

In this installment, journal entries from the Corps of Discovery (1804) are contrasted to the journal entries of the Flight of Discovery (2004) from the same location near Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Mike Mann and crew giving a presentation at the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs, IA. June 5, 2004.
Photo credit: Mike Harding, submitted.

Flight of Discovery Log - June 5, 2004, on the Missouri River:
Members pf the FOD Crew made presentations at the Western Trails Heritage Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Council Bluffs was so named because it is where Lewis & Clark met with numerous Indian tribes in 1804.

From the Journal of Captain William Clark, August 31, 1804:
"... at 8 oClock the Chiefs and warriors met us in Council all with their pipes with their Stems presented towards us. After a Silence abt. The great Chief Dressed himself in his fine Clothes and two warriors in the uniform and armer of their Nation Stood on his left with a War Club & Speer each & Dressed in feathers. The Shake Hand 1st Chief spoke,

My Father, I am glad here the word of my G.F. and all my warriors and men about me are also glad.

My Father – We are verry glad you would take pitty on them this Day, we are pore and have no powder and ball.

My Father – We are verry sorry our women are naked and all our children, no petticoats or clothes –

My Father – You do not want me to Stop the boats going up if we See, I wish a man out of your boat to bring about a peace betwe all the Indians

My Father – Listen to what I say. I had an English medal when I went to See the, I went to the Spanoriards. They gave me a medal and Some goods, I wish you would do the same for my people –

My Father – I will be glad to See My Grand Father but our Women has got no Clothes and we have no Powder & Ball, take pity on us this day."

Mike’s Journal - June 5, 2004. San Diego: Decision Point:
Flowers and food pour into the house from our friends. Carol’s broken wing is painful and will remain so for some time. Today, while reclining on the couch she reached down to pick up our cat, Emmy, from the floor; you could hear her collarbone snap. Now, instead of an unnoticeable fracture, the bones are off-set and very painful. I immediately called the doctor to get some pain medication for her and ran down to the pharmacy where they said they’d fax the prescription. When I arrived, the pharmacist said that it might take up to 24 hours for them to receive it from her physician. Angry and helpless, I bought the strongest off-the-shelf pain relievers they had and returned home.

We spent the day watching movies. However, Carol insists that I rejoin the group as soon as possible, so I arranged a departure I’m still not sure I want to make. We have a lot of volunteers that will check in on her while I’m gone but returning to the expedition just doesn’t seem that important at this juncture.

At Carol’s insistence, I called my co-leader Mark Kimberlin in Brawley. He is planning on joining the group in Pierre, South Dakota, so we decided for him to pick me up at Gillespie in the 5424V, the Cessna 172RG that Roger and I flew on part of the Trail last fall. This makes Carol happy, so we finalize all the logistics for a Sunday morning departure.

Flight of Discovery Log – June 6, 2004:
A cruise on the Missouri River took the crew to the island where Lewis and Clark’s meeting with the Otto Indians took place in 1804. A little way upriver, the crew passed the Sergeant Floyd Monument, a memorial to the only man who perished on the Corps of Discovery Expedition in 1804.

From Journal of Captain William Clark August 20, 1804:
Sergeant Floyd much weaker and no better. Passed two Islands on the S.S. and at the first bluff on the S.S. Serj.’ Floyd Died with s great deal of Composure. before his death he Said to me, “I am going away. I want you to write me a letter” We buried him on the top of s bluff ½ Mileo below a small River to which we gave his name., he was buried with all the Honors of War much lamented.

Mike’s Journal - June 6, 2004. Catching up with the FOD:
After a short delay this morning due to low ceilings at Gillespie (again – just like on our original departure), Mark showed up with his son Darrin, and we took off about 8:30 a.m. I flew only intermittently, giving Mark a break now and then. We refueled first at Kingman, Arizona then flew over the Grand Canyon to Grand Junction, Colorado where the temperature was approaching 100 degrees as we fueled up.

From Grand Junction, we were in a circling climb – carefully watching the oil temperature - for almost an hour before we got enough altitude to head over the Rockies at Steamboat Springs. From there it was pretty much a glide to Cheyenne, Wyoming for fuel, then downhill to Pierre, South Dakota – 11 hours of flight.

Mark has earned my enduring gratitude for this gesture. We landed just at sunset on the taxiway in Pierre – the runway being closed for repairs. The crew was out on a Missouri River boat ride to visit some Lewis & Clark sites, so the three of us caught the shuttle into the hotel where we rallied with the rest of the crew in the restaurant at the Holiday Inn. Everyone had a few drinks in Carol’s honor, and there was much rejoicing.

FOD crew on the Missouri River near Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Photo credit: Mike Harding, submitted.