I've done about half of the Great Loop by bringing my Lagoon43PC from Vermont to Tampa when we relocated to Florida. I'd like to complete the Loop by returning to VT by the Mississippi. I'm "semi-retired" and presently considering all options -- overall time spent traveling; a single trip vs a multi staged trip; time of year to travel; routes -- ? Tennessee vs Mississippi; ? Great Lakes travel, etc. My boat has a draw of 4 ft, a beam of 22 ft, and a height of 17 ft and cruises at 12 to 18 knots depending on the conditions. Any suggestions from cruisers who have done the upstream trip would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!