PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April6x, 2026
On Saturday, April 20, 1974, two canoes, each with two men, ages 22 to 26, launched in the Sandy River in Farmington. The impulsive plan, conceived two nights earlier over pitchers of beer, involved paddling to Mercer, about 30 miles downstream. My brothers Robert and Don paddled one canoe. George Joseph (no relation to my family) and Rusty Cyr paddled the second. “Eyeing the whitewater,” remembered George, “Rusty turned in the bow, grinned, and yelled, ‘Here we go!’ Within seconds our canoe was swamped.” Years later, as a high school English teacher, Don used the harrowing experience to teach students the importance of planning. “We hadn’t done our homework, such as scout the river from shore,” he told his students. “Preparation is the key to success.” ~ Ron Joseph