Joe Banavige trekked an estimated 200 or more miles by canoe and on
foot to retrace the steps of Theodore Roosevelt through the North Dakota
Wilderness, eventually concluding his journey at the Stark County
Courthouse Thursday morning. Photo by Ellie Porter/The Dickinson Press
How appropriate, that I should receive this email of introduction from Sharon Kilzer, project manager at the Theodore Roosevelt Center, on Friday that kicks off the Memorial Day Weekend.
"Phil Morse, meet Joe Banavige. via a copy of this email, I am introducing the two of you. Phil, Joe has undertaken a new project to reproduce many of Theodore Roosevelt's adventures. You can read about his journey down the Little Missouri River and overland to Dickinson, retracing the capture of the boat thieves, in today's Dickinson Press: http://www.thedickinsonpress.
Joe's next adventure will be in Maine, canoeing the Aroostook River and Munsungan Lake. Joe has already connected with Bill Sewall's descendants, and I thought you might be helpful to him, based on your research on TR's journeys in that region."
Best regards to you both,
Sharon
I clicked on the newspaper story link. Read the story and then click on the link to learn Joe's Story.
I did a reply-all email to Sharon and shared my eagerness to help Joe in any way he might need my help making contacts for his trek here in Maine. Joe responded to my email on Monday. We hit it off right from the start:) When he told me that his brother-in-law, a retired Maine State Trooper from Palermo, ME, would be joining him on the trek here in Maine, I checked in with ThorntonAcademy's Chief of Campus Safety, Jim Trask (a retired Maine State Trooper). I asked Jim if he happened to know Gerard Madden, also a retired MST? Jim's response was, "Hi Phil, I know Gerry very well, we were classmates in the SP Academy of 1984. He is a friend. You will like him, he has a great sense of humor. Give him my best. Jim" Through Joe, I have passed on Jim's salutation. Here is more info and some links to what Joe is about. I hope you will consider making a donation to help Joe and the Semper Fi Fund he is dedicating his heroic efforts to support:
It was quite a strenuous adventure, and I really characterize it
as brutal. I've confirmed three of my upcoming events
(Lake Wanonia half-marathon (June 3) Tough Mudder (July)
and World's Toughest Mudder (August).
See the full schedule of 2017 events here
Joe is retracing "The Terrain of Theodore Roosevelt" and redoing many of TR's lifelong adventures. "I started a little while back and have recently completed activities in the White Mountains and also just completed a 200-mile Dakota Territory trek that focused on following the story where TR chased thieves over the Little Missouri River, caught them, and then drove them overland back down to Dickinson, North Dakota. An overview of my project, as well as a press article on the Dakota Territory piece, are below":
Click Here: For an overview of my project
Click Here: For Dakota Territory News Story
Click Here: For My Facebook Page which is somewhat of a blog for the overall effort
Click Here: Semper Fi Fund and Joe's Story
"I am now turning to Maine in mid-June and will be retracing many of TR's steps in the area around Mount Katahdin and Island Falls. I'll be focused on TR's August/September 1879 adventures and will summit Katahdin, canoe from Oxbow to Munsungan Lake, and will also do some canoeing around Island Falls. One interesting point of note is that TR was guided by William Sewall on these trips and Sewall went to Dakota with TR and was one of the men on the Dakota boat chase adventure. Sewall was basically a mentor to TR and a lifelong friend. I'm also getting assistance in Maine (Phil Morse is a great example and is a member of the Maine Theodore Roosevelt Association) and I'll be completing the adventures with my brother-in-law, who is a retired Maine State Trooper. I've also been coordinating with Bart DeWolfe (Maine Woods Forever), Donna Davidge (Island Falls, Sewall House) as well as others. Our family is also an owner of a house in Maine (Palermo), so we have had long ties to the area."
Joe Banavige
For those Narcissus Project Blog followers, you may recall, I have released several posts on Theodore Roosevelt and his connections here in Maine, including those that Joe will be retracing. For more on those particular posts, here are the links:
This first link probably summarizes TR's Maine visits and connections to Maine most comprehensively.
Click Here: - Theodore Roosevelt and the Narcissus - Connecting Maine Communities
Click Here: - Theodore Roosevelt First Visited Maine as a young teenager
Click Here: - Two Accomplished Writers and a National Park Service Ranger from Sagamore Hill
Click Here: - Longfellow Square is Where the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway Begins
Click Here: - Theodore Roosevelt Artifacts Here in Maine
Click Here: - Bible Point - Island Falls, Maine & Theodore Roosevelt
Click Here: - Theodore Roosevelt Grieved in Dark Harbor on Islesboro, Maine
Click Here: - Theodore Roosevelt Maine Conservation Award - Maine Woods Forever 4-15-2016
Click Here: - Teddy Roosevelt Days 2016 - Michael Canfield: "Theodore Roosevelt Field Notes"
Click Here: - Teddy Roosevelt Days 2016 - TR Artifacts and a Successful Event
Click Here: - A President Has Ridden in My House!
Click Here: - A Previously Unknown Image of Theodore Roosevelt in Maine - Resolved:)
Click Here: - 2017 Theodore Roosevelt Maine Conservation Award - Maine Woods Forever 4-7-2017
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We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts
Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem. This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by making a donation today!
Click Here: Donation Options
The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.
Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban
The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.
Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project
Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding
the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
the Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
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