The Crew

Ever since meeting in freshman year of college the two of us have always had a taste for adventure, and passion for the great outdoors . Whether it be chasing toothy Alligators through the swamps of Louisiana, or surfing with hungry sharks in Fiji, we have always been looking for that bigger, better, and crazier experience to test our grit, and skill in the outdoors. We are happy to say that after graduating from Loyola University New Orleans, we are ready to push our limits to the next level, and embark on the trip of a lifetime.

Mitchell Selby

Born in the year of 1992, Mitchell set out to explore the world and see what was waiting. His competitive swimming career in high school prepared him for a life of water sports. Mitchell earned the rank of Eagle Scout then completed a National Outdoor Leadership School course where he acquired the skills necessary to survive a blizzard, cross frozen rivers and navigate using map and compass. After his first year of college, he paddled and portaged through the Crown Lands of Ontario where he found his love for the great outdoors. He then returned to the city of New Orleans.

Once he was back in the wild, concrete jungle of the Big Easy, he enrolled in a study abroad program in the country of Fiji where he caught wind of a pirate treasure that could only be found by deciphering the trickiest of riddles. As much as he wanted to spend his weekends in the library, he simply couldn’t ignore the urge to solve the riddle and was enticed by the subtle warnings of deadly undertows, murky waters and sharks that stood between him and the treasure.  After spending 3 months of surfing, sailing and scavenging the coasts of Fiji, Mitchell found the treasure that had been left behind by the Dread Pirate Malcolm.

Once back from Fiji, Mitchell just couldn’t shake the feeling of adventure but knew his next outdoor pursuit needed to be shared with others. Mitchell was able to track down the Dread Pirate Malcolm and proposed that they paddle their way through America and write about their adventure in hopes of helping others get outside. The two lads spent many nights planning out the trip and decided that they not only wanted to paddle the Mississippi River from source to mouth, but they wanted to inspire and empower others to do the same.

They hoped to inspire others by leaving a blog and donating a portion of their budget to a non-profit organization that helps youth stay out of trouble by getting them into the outdoors. The duo decided upon a Louisiana organization called the Louisiana Outdoor Outreach Program which utilized the outdoor environment as a classroom to build upon academic, social and organizational skills for youth up to 18 years of age.

Pics, full Bio. and description coming soon!

Malcolm Reed

An avid adventurer and experienced canoeist, Malcolm feels most at home out in the woods, sleeping under the stars, or floating downriver in his beloved Grumman canoe. Having just graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a bachelors in Business Management and a minor in Biology, he is ready to pursue his love for canoeing, and completely immerse himself in the natural world before moving out into the world. Through this adventure, Malcolm hopes to gain a broader perspective on America, as the Mississippi River is the artery into which much of the country’s water, infrastructure, and culture flows. The ultimate goal of this trip for Malcolm is that of self-exploration and emotional development, as he wishes to adopt a piece of the pioneer spirit that has been lost in our interconnected society, and to explore one of the last truly wild and unpredictable pieces of the American landscape.

Malcolm is also an artist, who has started his own t-shirt and design company, Malrkey. Mostly working in pen and ink mediums, Malcolm encorporates elements of nature and the world around him into chaotic depictions of his own thoughts and emotions. Through these drawings and illustrations, Malcolm hopes to chronicle the personal and emotional element of the trip, as well as document the raw beauty that the Mississippi River landscape has to offer.