LINCOLN, NEB. (April 13, 2005)--One man's dream to educate people about the Lewis and Clark Expedition is coming to life thanks to hundreds of volunteers who will reenact the journey to commemorate its Bicentennial.

The project was begun by Glen Bishop, who spent 10 years building a keelboat in his backyard. Although he unfortunately passed away before seeing his dream become a reality, this project has blossomed into a key component of the National Bicentennial Commemoration of the Expedition.

The keelboat and two pirogues, complete with a full crew of reenactors, began again where their journey left off on the Missouri River on Tuesday, April 5, in Washburn, N.D.

With preparations complete, the crew is renewing their two-year journey to the Pacific Ocean with stops along the many points where the original expedition logged landfall in the journals.

The crew is made up of more than 250 dedicated volunteers who have been training for this event, in some cases, for close to 10 years.

"These are everyday folks who love this part of history and are devoting their time to bringing a little bit of this commemoration to towns, large and small, up the Missouri River," said Larry McClain, executive director of the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, Mo. "This group is a not-for-profit organization that relies on contributions and the generosity of communities along the route to make this floating living-history happen."

On the lower Missouri, motors rather than sails and oars power the boats. But soon after their departure this year, the Expedition will split. One group of reenactors will bring the keelboat back down the Missouri River as did a group on the original Expedition. The schedule for this return may be found at http://www.lewisandclark.net/

Another group will proceed on westward with the red and white pirogues and dugout canoes. They'll go as far as they can by river until they reach the mountains where they'll continue the arduous journey by horseback and by foot. The tentative schedule for the westward travels may be found online at http://www.lewisandclark.net/

But, the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, Mo., continues to blend the world of yesteryear with the world of today. Laptops, cell phones and Internet hook-ups will be a necessity during the journey.

Daily life on the river and the personal inconveniences the men will endure are true to form. The discoveries enroute and the ability to put volunteer history buffs and curious townsfolk, tourists and students together for a step back in time is a gift to behold, and the primary goal of the Discovery Expedition.

For more information about the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, Mo., or to view a schedule of its stops, go to http://www.lewisandclark.net

For more information on this release and media contacts for the project, email Sue Schneider at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Replica Boat Facts

Keelboat

Length: 55 feet
Height: 129-3/4 inches
Width: 8 feet 6 inches
Draft: 20 inches
Approx. weight, empty: 7 tons

Materials:

Hull and keel: western cedar
Ribs: white oak
Mast: northern spruce

Discovery Expedition Founder Glen Bishop worked 10 years, nearly
single handedly, on the first keelboat. "Just playing around," he said.
This labor of love tragically burned in a warehouse fire. The second
keelboat required roughly 10,000 man hours and almost two years to
rebuild.

Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, Missouri
Bishop's Landing, 1050 Riverside Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63301
www.lewisandclark.net

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Sue Schneider, 314-409-8922, or
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it