“32 Feet Up”: A family’s Mississippi River Odyssey finds harbor in Lansing
Paddling the length of the Mississippi River ... Nikki Bettis (second from right in the above submitted photo), a mother of 15 children, is paddling the length of the Mississippi River with her seven youngest children (pictured above with her) as part of a transformative journey for her and her family. Part of that journey included an overnight campout on a sandbar near Lansing.
by Joshua Sharpe
The Mississippi River shimmered in the early autumn light as a small convoy of canoes navigated steadily downstream. Leading the group, Nikki Bettis, a mother of 15, skillfully guided her youngest daughter through the morning current. Together with her seven youngest children, Bettis is on a transformative journey known as 32 Feet Up, which redefines resilience, adventure, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
From the headwaters of Minnesota to the rolling bluffs of northeastern Iowa and on down the mighty Mississippi, Bettis and her children have spent weeks traversing the 2,350-mile stretch of river that has historically supported steamboats and commerce. Their floating fleet - comprising four canoes, an adopted grandfather named Smoky, and a support vehicle shadowing them from the shore - serves as part expedition, part classroom, and part act of personal renewal.
“The Mississippi has a way of humbling you,” Bettis remarked, casting a glance at her children as they paddled past the sandbars near Lansing. “But it’s also teaching us just how strong we can be.”
A MOTHER’S STRENGTH BORN FROM STRUGGLE
Before this chapter marked by open water and steady current, Bettis’s life was anything but easy. A native of Texas, she grew up in a “very conservative and religious household” that limited her opportunities for education and independence. Marrying young, she became a mother to 15 children and faced years of hardship before ultimately deciding to start anew on her own.
The years following her separation brought what she referred to as “a crash course in survival.” While raising her children alone in Danville, VA, she took on odd jobs, opened a coffee shop, and later assisted her oldest son in running a small family-owned business.
“We’ve had times where we went without power, without water - but we got through,” she reflected.
It was in nature that Bettis finally discovered a pathway forward. “The outdoors became the only place where I could breathe,” she stated. “When everything else felt heavy, walking into the woods or down a trail gave me clarity.”
This belief inspired a bold experiment: in 2023, Bettis and 13 of her children hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine - a remarkable journey covering 2,190 miles of endurance, reflection, and faith in one another. Her four-year-old daughter, Opie, became the youngest officially recognized hiker of the Appalachian Trail, earning the affectionate trail name “Not Oatmeal.” This journey transformed the family, healing old wounds and deepening their trust.
“The trail taught us to communicate,” Bettis said. “When you strip away distractions - no screens, no noise - you’re left with the people you love, and you have to face things honestly.”
The year following this monumental hike served as a pause - a period Bettis described as a “reset year.” The family utilized this time to rest, rebuild their finances, and reflect before determining their next steps. It was during this downtime that Smoky, the family’s adopted grandfather, began planting the seed for their next adventure.
To read the full article, pick up the Wednesday, October 29, 2025 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.
