Missouri River 340 Race from Kansas City to St Charles
The Missouri 340. Wow! When Di first told me she wanted to do this I was really doubtful. I’d been a downriver racer for 20 years- (a 20-35 minute sprint through rapids) and the idea of going long just didn’t appeal to me.
I’m an adventuring river rat at heart. Put me on a floating piece of driftwood and I’m happy.
I’ve completed the MR 340 in a 14.5′ tandem rudderless rec kayak, a 14.5′ Carolina and a 4-man Kevlar TWS racing canoe.
The race is moving in the right direction and I can see it eventually having a thousand boats entered, resulting in full time jobs for the directors.
“That river will kill you”, “the whirl pools will suck your canoe completely under”, “a small motor boat should not be on that river…let alone a canoe…are you crazy”, “The water is so polluted…you will become sick”, and on and on….
Let’s get some insight into this MR340 phenomenon. I have asked several three time finishers to write about their racing experience on the Missouri.
Bryan Hopkins, West Hansen, Christina Glauner, Chuck and Di McHenry, Katie Pfefferkorn
I was paddling 2008 Missouri River 340 Race basically self supported. My wife, Connie, drove with me to Missouri, but showed up on the river only three times including the race start at Kaw Point, Coopers Landing and the race finish at St Charles. Nevertheless, she shot some nice pictures, mostly people oriented.