July 2004

Chiropractic on the Lewis & Clark Trail

Norm Miller, a 41 year‑old history buff from Livingston, Montana is retracing the footsteps of America's most famous explorers. He says he's doing it because "few people realize the enormity of the task that Lewis and Clark undertook."

  
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The enterprise, that began in the planning stages six years ago, was launched on March 23, 2004 from Woods Lake, Illinois. Traveling between 20 and 35 miles daily (weather permitting), Miller's challenge is a considerable one, even by today's standards.

The route requires kayaking 2,300 miles up the Missouri, then hiking 300 miles across the Bitteroot Mountains via the Lolo Trail. Miller will be joined for part of this hike by Lewis and Clark historian, Gene Eastman, author of "Lewis and Clark Across the Lolo Trail."

The final leg involves an additional 900 miles of kayaking down the Clearwater, Snake and Columbia Rivers to the Pacific Ocean.

Since six‑to‑eight hours of daily sitting and paddling is so physically demanding, Miller's chiropractor, Dr. Marvin Braun, helped line up a team of DCs to provide chiropractic care for him all during his arduous journey.

Portable chiropractic adjusting table in hand, Ben Stukel, DC, joined with Dr. Braun to meet the kayaker at Snake Creek Camp Ground near Gregory, South Dakota.

"We gave him a good adjustment and fed him a great meal of steak and potatoes," said Braun.

Dr. Stukel added: "He seemed to enjoy it, the guy's been living on dehydrated food for the last two months."

Although most people would be content to read about the trials and triumphs of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they headed West, Norm Miller wanted to "go the extra mile" that only personal experience can offer.

"For history to mean anything to me," he explained, "I've got to be there, otherwise, it's just words on a page."

To keep track of Norm Miller's progress, go to his excellent website at www.lewisandclark‑2004.com. For more information about the explorers and their expedition, visit the "National Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commemoration" site at www.lewisandclark200.org, which features current news and an updated calendar of Bicentennial events, through 2006.