Harry Simmons learned just about everything he’s ever known from his father Harry, so when his father died of lung, liver and brain cancer in 1999 and his mother, Joyce, died of breast cancer in 2003, he was left with a l lot of pain and a lot to ponder.

As the years went on, Simmons’ mind went back to a cross country boat trip that he had planned to take with his father. Eventually, the light bulb clicked and Simmons had a great idea.

Simmons, a 42-yearold Austin man, would get in a canoe in his regular fishing spot on the Cedar River behind Marcusen Park, and he would go south and wouldn’t stop until he gets Louisiana, where his dad was born in a small town called Blackwater Swamp. Some of Simmons’ family still lives in Louisiana.

After a little planning, Simmons is now set on leaving for this trip at noon on July 7. He’s not exactly sure how long it’ll take him or what awaits him, but Simmons is hoping to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

“I have no clue what’s ahead of me. If you look at the river, the river’s just like cancer,” Simmons said. “It can be all calm and the next thing you know you’re in over your head and you don’t know what to do. That’s kind of the excitement that’s got me interested in doing this, just not knowing what’s coming.”

On his way down south, Simmons plans on living off the land just like his father taught him. He’ll camp at night in his tent, and he’ll have to get his own food.

“My dad taught me everything. He taught me how to hunt, how to fish and how to camp. He was my best friend,” Simmons said. “I’ve got my hunting supplies and my fishing supplies and that’s all I need. My food supply will be what I catch and what I kill. I’ll be putting my skills to the test and the closer it gets, the crazier it gets. But when I think about it, I can do it.”

Simmons’ trip will take him 1,987 miles on the river, and he’ll pass by 57 towns. He’ll take the Cedar River to Junction City in Iowa, where he’ll meet up with the Iowa River, which will take him to the Mississippi River. He plans on finishing his trip in New Orleans near the SuperDome.

“I’m kind of excited about it,” Simmons said. “There’s going to be a whole lot of things that I’ve never seen. I’ve driven all around this country, but I’ve never gone on a boat.”

Simmons is hoping to complete the trip in 21 days, but some of his friends have told him that total will be closer to 40 days. When he gets to Louisiana, he’s not sure how he’s getting back to Minnesota. He’ll either get a ride back up with family or try to take his canoe upstream.

Simmons has been around the country as he used to live in California, and he spent some time in Louisiana after his father passed away. He still carries a folder full of photos of his father that he keeps along with the maps that he has for his for his canoe trip.

Watching his father succomb to cancer was one of the toughest things Simmons ever had to endure in his life.

“I had to watch my dad go from being a happy go lucky man to being almost nothing when he died,” Simmons said. “I don’t want to see anybody else go through what he went through when he died.”

To contact Simmons about his cause or donate to him, he can be reached at 507-481-6309 or on his Facebook page.