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Summary:

In 1981, a group of young Americans and Germans embarked on a two-month journey down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers aboard a homemade raft named Eulenspiegel. Aspiring photographer Justus Wayne Thomas documented the trip. After years of being stored away, Thomas’s photos have been compiled into a book, “The River Will Be a Part of Us,” which includes reflections from Thomas and other crew members. The book explores themes of adventure and nostalgia and recounts the challenges and dangers faced during the voyage, including near-disasters in St. Louis and further downriver. Thomas hopes the book inspires a new generation to seek out similar adventures.

News Article:

Lost Images of Epic River Journey Resurface in New Book

Nashville, TN – A remarkable adventure from 1981 is brought to life in “The River Will Be a Part of Us,” a new book featuring photographs and reflections from a group of young adventurers who rafted down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The journey, undertaken by a crew of Americans and Germans on a homemade raft named Eulenspiegel, was meticulously documented by aspiring photographer Justus Wayne Thomas.

The book, published by Daylight Books in 2024, compiles Thomas’s long-forgotten images, capturing the spirit of youthful adventure and the challenges faced during the two-month expedition from Kansas City to New Orleans. Thomas, a Nashville native, recounts near-disasters along the way, including a harrowing arrival in St. Louis during a storm and a perilous encounter with a waterfall further downriver.

“We became reasonably confident in our ability to navigate the river safely, but a few incidents were genuinely frightening,” Thomas said in an interview.

After the trip, plans to publish the photos were lost along with early notes, but after reconnecting with his crew members over the internet, Thomas rekindled his interest in telling the story and compiled the images into this new work.

The book, according to Atlanta curator TK Smith, evokes a sense of nostalgia for adventure. Thomas hopes “The River Will Be a Part of Us” will inspire others to embrace similar challenges and create their own unforgettable experiences.

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