Building the raft		Rafting on the Mississippi River Chicago to New Orleans, June-July 1964 Preparation Photographs and Captions by Meta Mahler (Click on images to enlarge)

Starting to work in our yard.		Foundation of raft.		Neighborhood kids helping to load the truck. Barrels, beams, decking, motor, & supplies.
Ron and his hat.		Temporary cabin where boys slept the first night. But it was a hard bed, so the next night they . . .		. . . slept in hammocks, courtesy of power line poles.
Sunday visitors: Dave, Ron, Pete, Mom, & Les in the parlor.		Les - Highway 83 bridge - supplies.		Launched! Thrill!
Seaworthy! Dad, Pete, Dave, & three sailors.		Les about to christen the raft. Tree hides aft deck, which is the width of one more barrell.
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