It’s a magical place I mean I’m right
along the Missouri River, I get to wake up
to the river every day.
Watch sunsets that knock your socks off every
night and hang out with people who really
appreciate the river.
The cottonwoods were common around here back
in the day.
This side of the Rockies, its along the river
basin.
It grows big, pretty fast pretty straight
by the river.
Everything you want.
I just kind of let them get chopping on it.
They learn how to create something beautiful
out of a tree.
They connect with it and learn how to use
sharp tools and work with one another.
The patience factor is phenomenal.
They can’t grasp how long it takes, usually.
They start seeing it take shape and understand
and they really get it.
There you go.
See, it’s not that bad.
We’re getting there!
Just a bad wreck that I had.
I broke my face and my back.
I was blind for three years.
That’s when I made my flagship canoe Knotty.
Knotty the Dugout Canoe.
She’s a cotton wood, also That was the first
cottonwood that I carved out on my own in
Littleton, Colorado.
That canoe helped me heal.
I’m Churchill Clark.
I’m from New Jersey originally.
My claim to fame, I suppose, is William Clark’s
fourth great grandson.
I came here to hop on a keelboat and retreat
William’s footsteps 200 years later with
the group from St. Charles – the Discovery
Expedition.
I did it to honor William and it was amazing.
Now, if you see me out there, I’m not pretending
to be William or anyone else.
It’s me, Churchill Clark.
I’m just doing what I do.
Canoe, canoe!
I’m not doing anything but paddling a tree,
man.
It’s not super human.
It’s awfully fun making them.
It’s not easy.
But, it pays off on the water and in all of
this.
Woo-hoo!
