Author Chronicles 5 Months on the Missouri River in Dugout Canoe

Named “Belladonna Beaver,” Elpel assisted Churchill Clark, great-great-great grandson of William Clark, in carving the Douglas fir into a river worthy vessel. Its brilliant finish and unmistakable design made it the perfect boat for the adventure of a lifetime. Last year Elpel and a handful of fellow paddlers launched on the Missouri River to retrace the voyage of Lewis and Clark — a journey chronicled in the new book “Five Months on the Missouri River: Paddling a Dugout Canoe.”