What’s good for the body is good for the mind and vice versa.
A local man who lives by this mantra is taking it one step further by applying it to something bigger than himself: community. After all, what is a community without the small actions of its individuals? And what happens when those small actions expand to the size of the second-longest river in North America?
Cincinnatian Joe Solomon has set out to kayak the entire Mississippi River to raise money and awareness for mental health issues, stigma and solutions. Solomon says the 2,350-mile journey will take roughly 60 to 80 days. During this time, he also hopes to inspire $10,000 in donations to benefit local nonprofit Adventure Crew, which empowers city youth through nature and aims to provide equitable access to the outdoors. Adventure Crew recently began a new program called Crew Cares that employs mental health professionals to integrate therapeutic practices during outdoor activities.
“Nature has a lot of healing properties,” Solomon says. “That’s how I found my way back from a horrible sickness…through kayaking. And ultimately these kids are the future leaders of this nation. If they can get out into nature and get those healing properties too, then why not support them.”
On May 31, Solomon pointed his 14-foot, sky-blue kayak south and began to navigate the narrow headwaters of the Mississippi. From Minnesota to Louisiana, he will pass through 10 states and camp on the shore each night. With a 75-pound pack in tow, and a crew of three friends who will join segments of the trip, Solomon aims to paddle 40 to 50 miles per day and admits the beginning will be the most challenging.
“The headwaters are loaded with beaver dams and downed trees,” he says. “It’s rough for the first 100 miles. A lot of people quit at that 100-mile point. There are mosquitoes, biting flies, it’s rowdy.”
But for Solomon, that’s all part of the sport he credits with overcoming and learning to live with his own mental health obstacles. A few passes of his hand saw will get those trees out of the way, easing navigation and getting him closer to meeting his goal.
“I am disabled by a mental health condition,” Solomon says. “I almost died because of it, and it’s taken me seven or eight years to regain my sanity. So I’m doing this to create as much awareness as I can. I’m totally good with talking about it because I know that it’s helping other people in the process.”
Ten years ago, Solomon was a registered nurse when he contracted cellulitis in his elbow.
“It impeded the nerves in these three fingers,” he says, waving the fingers on his left hand.
During corrective surgery, Solomon had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia and fell into a catatonic state, he says.
“It happens to about .02% of the world’s population,” Solomon says. “I could have been struck by lightning four times in my life before something like this happened.”
Solomon says he spent 15 days in a coma, and a combination of certain medications were neurotoxic and wiped out his short-term memory.
“I have bi-polar disorder, I have PTSD and ADHD,” he says confidently. “And all of those combined make me one badass.”
Solomon discovered how healing nature and kayaking can be when he used it to live with his disability. He purchased a pass to Green Acres Kayak and paddled at least eight miles every day for four months during his recovery.
“The repetition of paddling feels good, it’s good for your body, good for your mind, good for your soul,” Solomon says. “I get into a zone when I’m paddling. I’m totally disconnected from the outside world and that kind of makes me a powerhouse.”
After one summer of non-stop kayaking, Solomon figured he’d be able to navigate an entire river system. He wanted to share the meditative experience and healing benefits while dissolving stigmas such as keeping mental health struggles a secretive and solitary battle. Solomon created Kayaking 4 a Cause in 2018, which included “awareness paddle” plans to complete the Ohio River.
Nearly 1,000 miles of Ohio River later, Solomon succeeded and raised $3,000 for Santa Maria Community Services, a nonprofit that benefits Price Hill families and the community.
He says this time around he will bring more food and make sure to keep in constant contact with barges, noting that it’s best to stay far away from their powerful engines.
Solomon is looking forward to documenting this trip better, too. His Kayak 4 a Cause Facebook page and blog keep him busy in between paddling, and he will be livestreaming at random points along the Mississippi. He’ll also save video footage for a documentary he hopes to produce about the journey.
Miriam Wise, associate director at Adventure Crew, says it costs about $25 dollars to support one child on any of their various activities, including transportation, gear and food.
“10,000 dollars — that’s a lot of kids getting to go hiking or mountain biking for the first time,” she says.
Solomon is the second participant of Adventure Crew’s new Crew Champions fundraising program. It blossomed out of pandemic limitations, when Adventure Crew couldn’t host its biggest fundraiser of the year, Ohio River Paddlefest, in the traditional way.
Instead, solo paddlers volunteered to branch off and create their own mini or peer-to-peer campaigns, which inspired people like Solomon. The first participant, Jason Voss, is hiking the Continental Divide. Wise says Crew Champions doesn’t have to be an elite adventure program; it just happened that the first two volunteers decided to do something intense.
“We welcome those kinds of extreme adventures,” Wise says. “But Crew Champions is also available for someone who has maybe a summer goal to paddle 10 different waterways in the region. We are particularly excited about folks who are doing activities we can expose our students to.”
As for Solomon, he says he’ll be celebrating in New Orleans at the conclusion of his trip before concocting a plan to finish all of the nation’s major inland rivers shortly after.
Donate to Joe Solomon’s Adventure Crew fundraiser and learn more about his voyage down the Mississippi River at adventure-crew.networkforgood.com/projects/131854-joseph-solomon-s-fundraiser or facebook.com/goingthedistance2019.
Related Stories
Milford’s Matt Noonan Is Hiking the Appalachian Trail to Raise Mental Health Awareness
This article appears in Jun 1 – Jul 6, 2021.
