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As this year's fleet of Loopers heads south on the inland rivers, we pick up this week where we left off in early September. Carolyn and Pete Westbay are our guests this week and they provide tips on navigating from Paducah, KY along the Ohio River to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf Coast. We'll cover strategies for communicating with lock operators and tow captains and provide some ideas for where to stop and what you'll see along the way.

As Loopers prepare to head down the inland rivers, the Great Loop Radio podcast this week covers the part of the Great Loop route from Chicago, IL to Paducah, KY. This route section includes the Illinois Waterway, Mississippi River, and Ohio River. Wes and Amy Litsey join us to share the details.

Do you know Chad Pregracke? If not, you should! For 25 years he's been helping remove trash from America's inland rivers. Chad founded Living Lands and Waters in 1998 at the age of 25 when he realized nothing was being done to clean up the waterways. He is the winner of many awards and accolades, most notably, Chad was the recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service. Chad accepted this award in 2002 at the United States Supreme Court with other award recipients Rudolph Giuliani, Bill and Melinda Gates and Lilly Tartikoff. In 2013, he was named CNN's Hero of the Year. Chad is also the author of From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers. Chad is the guest on this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast as we discuss what it takes to keep the inland rivers section of the Great Loop route free of trash and how Loopers can get involved.

Loopers on the inland rivers this year have experienced lock closures, low water levels, and a few other obstacles, but they have persevered! Planning, organization, and attitude make all the difference! Join the Home Port Crew as we share what you need to know about this year's journey on the inland rivers and what those still in the Great Loop planning stages can learn from these events.