River Action events promote awareness of Mississippi river

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By Doug Schorpp | Saturday, August 23, 2008 8:03 PM CDT | () comments

Kayakers wait near the starting line to begin the Taming of the Slough Adventure Race that was held Saturday in Moline as part of the Riverway 2008 weekend. Participants had to kayak two miles, bicycle seven miles and finish with a two-mile run on a warm, humid day. (Andrew Link/QUAD-CITY TIMES) Buy this Photo

The weekend’s Upper Mississippi River Conference and RiverWay 2008 were designed to show off the richness, history and fun that the river provides the Quad-Cities.

Among several outdoor events, the biggest one held Saturday accomplished what it set out to do, said Jeff Cornelius, the director of the Taming of the Slough Adventure Race that started and ended at Bass Street Landing in downtown Moline, attracting about 180 participants.

“It’s about recreation on the river, get them in touch with the river,” he said. “It’s an adventure race, but in an urban setting.”

The race is in its third year and features a two-mile course in a kayak or canoe, followed by a seven-mile trek on mountain bikes and ending with a two-mile foot race. Cornelius said the race normally is held in September, but it was moved up this year to coincide with the river conference.

River Action Inc. coordinated the weekend events aimed at bringing greater attention to the community’s connection to the Mississippi. That included two days of seminars and panel discussions at the i wireless Center in Moline. The conference featured a collection of experts speaking on topics ranging from obtaining grants and funding for riverfront projects to working waterfronts.

Jason Moseley of Rock Island enjoyed participating in the adventure race and said he understands the purpose of all the activities.

“It is a promotion of River Action,” he said. “This is the third year of the race, and it keeps getting more people. That’s helping out by providing more awareness of the river.”

Martha Levien grew up in Davenport but now resides in Columbus, Ohio. “I just came back to run with my dad, his friends and a cousin,” she said moments after finishing her first triathlon of sorts. “It was fun. It was hot, but fun. I would do it again.”

Her father, Craig Levien of Davenport, also liked everything about the race. “It was really well-organized. A great day, a great course,” he said.

“It’s a good opportunity to take advantage of what the Quad-Cities has sports-wise,” Martha Levien added.

Recreation activities included picnics at riverfront parks, free sailboating, canoe and kayaking lessons, lock and dam tours and the River Roots Live music festival in downtown Davenport.

Another event was the Living on the River Expo at the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, which featured more than 20 booths and tables staffed by area organizations and companies.

Dave Fuller, a volunteer for River Action, and Doug Reynolds, a River Action board member, manned their organization’s booth. “We are letting people know about River Action and what events are going on,” Fuller said.

The two-day conference included a message delivered Saturday morning by Richard Louv, the author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder.” It is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.

Louv talked about the woods where he grew up, close to his home in Missouri. “That was my woods,” he said. “Those woods were in my heart then and are in the heart now.

“There was a sense of ownership. The heart of this is the root question. With children, you hope you have that sense. I had that even though the bulldozers eventually came,” meaning that his childhood woods eventually succumbed to urban development.

Regarding “our children, grandchildren and future generations,” he wonders whether they will be able or have the desire to embrace nature and environmental issues — similar to how other generations have done so through various agencies and organizations. Many nature enthusiasts are getting older.

“Many national organizations look a lot like me,” he added, referring to his near-retirement age.

Doug Schorpp can be contacted at (563) 383-2292 or dschorpp@qctimes.com.