Day 4 Building Resilience
This was a rough day for sure, but we averted disaster as much as possible.
Building Resilience Day 2
We are getting further along each week. Updates are slow right now because I am building the boat, running a business, caring for a family of 6, and getting fund raisers in order.
Day Two! So much to do and so little time to do it all in.
It Starts… Day One of Building Resilience
The whole adventure is starting to feel real now folks. I have for a time now been adveturing only in storytelling with clients in my TRPG groups, but now I get to take an unexpected journey of my own. Bilbo would be proud, I suspect. (*well I mean… unexpected things that happen along this planned journey in terms of unexpected journey, but you get the point.)
Please enjoy the video below which highlights the first day of work. I will keep posting video and written content as I have time, what with my job, family responsibilities, and building a boat that is.
Milling the Wood for Oars
When I first dreamed up the Building Resilience expedition, I pictured myself rowing down the Mississippi with a boat I built, a plan I (mostly) understood, and oars. So naturally, I decided the oars needed to be crafted from a local Southern Oregon hardwood. Madrone. Beautiful. Strong. A little stubborn. Basically the tree version of the project itself.
So off I went into the hills with my friend Jess armed with an idea, enthusiasm, and absolutely zero lumberjacking credentials. Madrone doesn’t exactly fall into neat planks on command, which meant we had to figure out how to transform a beautiful log into actual oar-worthy boards. Enter: the chainsaw mill.
I learned two things:
Chainsaw milling is fun.
The University of YouTube is wonderful for helping people who have no idea what they’re doing.
With YouTube professors guiding us, Jess and I managed to mill three genuine, honest-to-goodness boards. These will eventually be laminated and carved into the oars that will carry me to the Gulf of Mexico. They are currently sitting in my garage like trophies from a quest I wasn’t high enough level to take on but somehow survived anyway.
Oddly enough, this oar-making process might actually be more complicated than building the entire boat… which feels backwards, but at this point, I’ve learned not to question the rules of this adventure.
And really, that’s resilience in action. Trying new things. Picking up unfamiliar tools. Laughing at your mistakes. Learning as you go. And discovering that sometimes the hardest part of an enormous journey is just being willing to start even though you don’t know exactly what you are doing.
Buying the Boat
It all begins with an idea.
We’re excited to announce a huge step forward for the Building Resilience project—we have officially purchased the boat kit that Richard will use to sail the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to the Gulf of Mexico. The dory will be built from a kit created by Chesapeake Light Craft, a company known for its exceptional craftsmanship, beautiful designs, and a deep passion for small wooden boats.
From the first conversation, we knew we were in the right hands. The boat’s designer, John Harris, and Chesapeake Light Craft’s president, Ed Wigglesworth, were incredibly generous with time and advice, offering guidance on what the journey will require and how to configure the boat for maximum safety, strength, and success. Their expertise and kindness gave us confidence that this vessel will be the perfect partner for the adventure ahead.
A Miniature Model With a Big Purpose
The photos in this post show a scale model of the dory—a glimpse of what the full-sized boat will look like when complete. Richard built this model as a hands-on learning experience, practicing the stitch-and-glue construction techniques and walking through the full building process on a smaller scale.
The same process used to craft the model will guide the construction of the real boat when the full-size kit arrives this December. Building the model wasn’t just fun—it was essential preparation for the long months of work ahead.
The Journey Moves Forward
This boat represents more than wood, epoxy, and hours of labor. It marks the transition from planning to action. Every step brings us closer to the launch date in August 2026, when this dory will begin its 2,000+ mile journey down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
We’re grateful to Chesapeake Light Craft for their advice and expertise and to all of you following this adventure. More updates are coming soon—next stop: building the full-size dory.
Stay tuned, and stay resilient.
The Journey Begins
We have started filming!
We’re thrilled to share a major milestone in the Building Resilience project—filming for the documentary has officially begun. Even more exciting, this launch coincides with Richard beginning his physical and mental training for the 2,000+ mile Mississippi River expedition. The journey to August 2026 has truly started.
With our electronic press kit now in development, the project is shifting from dream to motion. And the clock is ticking.
A Big Goal. A Short Timeline. A Powerful Mission.
Between now and August 2026, we have a massive amount of work ahead of us—
Build the dory that will carry Richard from the river’s headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico.
Learn to sail and prepare for the physical demands of a month-long voyage.
Begin interviews with individuals who have faced extraordinary challenges, exploring what grit, connection, and resilience look like in the real world.
This documentary isn’t just about one man and a boat—it’s about how all of us grow stronger through adversity, support, and intentional community. These stories will become the heart of the film.
We’re Excited to Begin
There’s a shared energy in the air as cameras roll, interviews line up, and the first steps of this massive project take shape. Every day brings us closer to launching the dory, launching the documentary, and launching an invitation for people everywhere to rediscover their own strength.
More updates are on the way—follow along as Building Resilience comes to life.
