Wes Modes
Knight Landing Drawbridge under which we are docked that creaks and rumbles as cars pass all night long
Knight Landing Drawbridge under which we are docked that creaks…
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Closest Thing to Civilization Between Red Bluff and Sac
We’d been looking forward to our arrival in Colusa. Not…
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Hard at work on the Sacramento River
Hard at work on the Sacramento River
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“And, it should be added, many of the shanty-boat types were rascals who could turn with complete ease to chicken stealing, to selling patent medicine, to being fourth-rate actors, or even pretending to be preachers if it appeared that’s fire-and-brimstone sermon might bring in a nice collection.” From Steamboats on the Mississippi
"And, it should be added, many of the shanty-boat types…
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Huge catfish dinner thanks to Benzy’s newly acquired mad fishing skills
Huge catfish dinner thanks to Benzy's newly acquired mad fishing…
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The character of the river changes again
The character of the river changes again
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I’m getting the band back together. River hobos on the town
I'm getting the band back together. River hobos on the…
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The hot dry dusty town of Grimes reminds me of where I grew up with my grandparents
The hot dry dusty town of Grimes reminds me of…
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Hazel builds a little chuppah in the heat of the day
Hazel builds a little chuppah in the heat of the…
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Jeremiah spends the morning working a particularly tricky knot
Jeremiah spends the morning working a particularly tricky knot
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Fierce hunter Benzy. 24″ cat
Fierce hunter Benzy. 24" cat
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Ships hound headed south out of Colusa
Ships hound headed south out of Colusa
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We love that people frequently bring us homegrown veggies. Who brought us the peck of pickled peppers?
We love that people frequently bring us homegrown veggies. Who…
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Ships mate Jeremiah Daniels on his birthday, member of shantyboat crew on every expedition since 2014
Ships mate Jeremiah Daniels on his birthday, member of shantyboat…
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“County’s heritage from the ante-bellum South and states-rights sympathies”
"County's heritage from the ante-bellum South and states-rights sympathies" is…
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Night out at Colusa Bowl
Night out at Colusa Bowl
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Anthurium in the shantyboat. These civilizing touches are an important part of our wild journey
Anthurium in the shantyboat. These civilizing touches are an important…
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Association of Shantyboaters certification and various photos on the shantyboat
Association of Shantyboaters certification and various photos on the shantyboat
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Radio shelf, engine gauges, and tobacco shelf from top to bottom on the shantyboat
Radio shelf, engine gauges, and tobacco shelf from top to…
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Behind the wheel of an early 80s Ford pickup to breakfast in Colusa thanks to Mike
Behind the wheel of an early 80s Ford pickup to…
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ABC10 out of Sacramento has us do stupid human boating tricks for an extensive report about the Secret History project
ABC10 out of Sacramento has us do stupid human boating…
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A Wild River
A treacherous adventure down a hazard-choked river - Rides from…
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Shantyboat beached in beautiful historic Colusa
Shantyboat beached in beautiful historic Colusa
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Benzy’s patches to our meece-eaten screens probably saved us
Benzy's patches to our meece-eaten screens probably saved us from…
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Happy and exhausted after an amazing day shantyboating with great friends
Happy and exhausted after an amazing day shantyboating with great…
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After a morning dodging snags and gravel beds through a series of hazardous and scary ordeals…
After a morning dodging snags and gravel beds through a…
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Breakfast birthday blackberry shantyboat pie! Yes, we have an oven
Breakfast birthday blackberry shantyboat pie! Yes, we have an oven
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Benzy catches a sizable striper
Benzy catches a sizable striper
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Joe Lorenzo known around here as just Riverrat owns the boat that partly inspired the Secret History shantyboat
Joe Lorenzo known around here as just Riverrat owns the…
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Al brings us fresh vegetables from his garden as we interview his friend Mike
Al brings us fresh vegetables from his garden as we…
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Mike Frawley retired contractor in Princeton tells us about idyllic life in a tiny town of 400
Mike Frawley retired contractor in Princeton tells us about idyllic…
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Cocktail hour after a great interview with Caged Heat and Dr Thunder’s hella Peachy Fire Whiskey. Great day
Cocktail hour after a great interview with Caged Heat and…
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A tailgate ride from a stranger down America’s dustiest road
A tailgate ride from a stranger down America's dustiest road
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A moment of blissful relaxation between moments of terror
A moment of blissful relaxation between moments of terror
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Spoiler alert: We are still alive. Just went through the sketchiest bit of boating I’ve done in a ten year career of sketchy boating
Spoiler alert: We are still alive. Just went through the…
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Cocktail hour refuge from the sun in the shadow of the shantyboat. JG Ballard’s The Drowned World
Cocktail hour refuge from the sun in the shadow of…
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“Yeah, we did see some gravel beds. How did you know?
"Yeah, we did see some gravel beds. How did you…
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Anchor line set disappearing into the green depths while we fish from the stern
Anchor line set disappearing into the green depths while we…
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Green on green on green on green
Green on green on green on green
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Shantyboat ready for a morning launch
Shantyboat ready for a morning launch
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Our Official Engine Provider Mercury Marine’s next new ad photo
Our Official Engine Provider Mercury Marine's next new ad photo
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Morning fishing with Benzy
Morning fishing with Benzy
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Fits and Starts
I’m struggling with how to describe our strange fits-and-starts launch…
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Sara Jane Hall, BBC producer joined us on the first few days of the expedition @bbc
Sara Jane Hall, BBC producer joined us on the first…
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Dave: “You got water in your fuel, Chief.”
Dave: "You got water in your fuel, Chief." Not a…
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Amy, who finds herself homeless after being laid off as a dental tech, was excited about the tiny house possibilities of the shantyboat
Amy, who finds herself homeless after being laid off as…
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Mobile mechanic Dave works on Freddy2
Mobile mechanic Dave works on Freddy2
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Mobile mechanic Dave’s high tech tools
Mobile mechanic Dave's high tech tools
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Sara Jane Hall interviews Sheriff Chad about Red Bluff history
Sara Jane Hall interviews Sheriff Chad about Red Bluff history
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The saddest boat trailering experience ever. Sad face
The saddest boat trailering experience ever. Sad face
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Still stuck in Red Bluff. Sad face
Still stuck in Red Bluff. Sad face
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Successful lunch on the Sacramento River
Successful lunch on the Sacramento River
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We are camped under beautiful cooling oaks and sycamores in 135 degree heat 50 feet from the Sac River
We are camped under beautiful cooling oaks and sycamores in…
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Secret History exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum through July
Secret History exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum through July
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Okay, we’re off
After months of prep, a month-long fundraiser, weeks of long…
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Sac River maps arrived at the last minute! So fun to see every little slough, channel, and marina
Sac River maps arrived at the last minute! So fun…
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Important last minute printing tasks. Leave your river story at the Secret History exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum in July
Important last minute printing tasks. Leave your river story at…
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Water spigot! On the shantyboat
Water spigot! On the shantyboat
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3 days and getting there
3 days and getting there
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Jeremiah puts the finishing touches on the new instrument panel
Jeremiah puts the finishing touches on the new instrument panel
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Benzy sews up the meese holes in our screens
Benzy sews up the meese holes in our screens
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Miah wires up our homemade wiring post for gauge panel
Miah wires up our homemade wiring post for gauge panel
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Making big holes in the motor well to bolt on the new motor. @mercurymarine
Making big holes in the motor well to bolt on…
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After years of effort to make sure our motor well was sealed I am cutting a huge hole in it
After years of effort to make sure our motor well…
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Steering: check. Throttle: check. Shift: check. Battery: check. Controls: check. Freddy2 ready for action. @mercurymarine
Steering: check. Throttle: check. Shift: check. Battery: check. Controls: check.…
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Oh nothing much. Just routing cables within Freddy2’s guts
Oh nothing much. Just routing cables within Freddy2's guts
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Are We Going To Die on the Sacramento River?
There are a few things that worry me. Because of…
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A Secret History of American River People in Sacramento
The Sacramento History Museum is proud to present a compelling…
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Making holes in a perfectly good boat with a clever jig
Making holes in a perfectly good boat with a clever…
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James and Wes rewiring (turns out unnecessarily) the new MerController
James and Wes rewiring (turns out unnecessarily) the new MerController
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MerControl2 wired up for new power. Good day of work w Benzy, James & Miah
MerControl2 wired up for new power. Good day of work…
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What River is Next?
People ask us all the time, "What river will we…
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Setting in supplies thanks to a pretty sweet sponsorship
Setting in supplies thanks to a pretty sweet sponsorship
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Working Working Working
Less than two weeks before we launch. We've been doing…
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Studying up on the new Mercury parts from our Official Engine Provider
Studying up on the new Mercury parts from our Official…
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Dirty, covered in paint and epoxy after a full day of working on the shantyboat
Dirty, covered in paint and epoxy after a full day…
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Miah revarnishes the battered rub rail
Miah revarnishes the battered rub rail
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Benzy works on her thesis among the chaos of shantyboat work
Benzy works on her thesis among the chaos of shantyboat…
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New shantyboat kitchen faucet assembled
New shantyboat kitchen faucet assembled
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We had a problem with the hold doors on the shantyboat always creeping open. Magnets
We had a problem with the hold doors on the…
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Steffan welds plumbing we’re using for the faucet
Steffan welds plumbing we're using for the faucet
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Decommissioning the old MerControl on the shantyboat
Decommissioning the old MerControl on the shantyboat
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The untidy state of the shantyboat between journeys
The untidy state of the shantyboat between journeys
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Not seen the new Secret History trailer yet? Check it out!
Not seen the new Secret History trailer yet? Check it…
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Only 5 days left: $3230 still to go! Great rewards.
Only 5 days left: $3230 still to go! Great rewards.…
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Weird things afoot – cutting into the shelves for a crossbeam to support the extended loft
Weird things afoot - cutting into the shelves for a…
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Yesterday moved half a ton of brush to make room for the shantyboat
Yesterday moved half a ton of brush to make room…
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River Voices – 2017 Trailer [VIDEO]
After 3 years of fieldwork, 1000 river miles, 15,000 road…
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Wes futzes with the shantyboat electrical system
Wes futzes with the shantyboat electrical system (photo by @dudicusmaximus)
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Another day spent under the decks of the shantyboat-full system shutoff relay
Another day spent under the decks of the shantyboat-full system…
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Miah replaces aging bike tube shelfkeepers. Now stuff won’t rain down on us constantly @dudicusmaximus
Miah replaces aging bike tube shelfkeepers. Now stuff won't rain…
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What is Miah doing on the shantyboat?
What is Miah doing on the shantyboat?
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Only 2 weeks left of the Secret History @Kickstarter &…
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Testing the new shantyboat water system
Testing the new shantyboat water system
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The continuing Surprising Things The Mouse Ate series
The continuing Surprising Things The Mouse Ate series
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Yeah, I guess our mouse visitor really wanted olive oil to go with their other snacks
Yeah, I guess our mouse visitor really wanted olive oil…
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Draining the water tanks to revamp the water system. #secrethistory
Draining the water tanks to revamp the water system. #secrethistory…
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Won’t be sorry at all to see our leaky unreliable hand pump faucet go
Won't be sorry at all to see our leaky unreliable…
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Trying to break the shantyboat into California
After 3 years of fieldwork, 1000 river miles, 15,000 road…
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@gooddoghazel watches the Secret History media cabinet
@gooddoghazel watches the Secret History media cabinet
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