15 boats – kayaks and canoes – started from the Kaw Point boat ramp at the confluence of Missouri and Kansas Rivers for 340 mile Missouri River Race at 8:00 on August 2, 2006. The 18 pictures below were shot mostly by me between 7:00 and 7:40 (when I launched my boat) and, later, by …
Missouri River 340: Snapshots from the Race Start at Kaw Point Read More »
In my early years of MR340 race I was spending a lot time analyzing my GPS tracks, comparing and experimenting with different boats. Later, I assumed more casual approach to the race with a goal to finish in a good shape and spirit. In my last race in 2018 I didn’t even setup up my …
Missouri River 340 – Race Dynamics of a Recreational Racer Read More »
Packrafting, in its simplest form, is the act of traveling through waterways using a lightweight inflatable raft that can be easily packed and carried on your back or your bike. Combining elements of backpacking, paddling, and adventure, packrafting offers a unique way to explore remote and inaccessible wilderness areas. With a packraft, you have the …
Alpacka Yukon packraft – micro expeditions and photography in Colorado Read More »
I am digging in this blog archives trying to fix some old articles and broken links. A lot of good memories! Here is my report from the 2009 MR340 race. It was originally posted in September 18, 2009. Maybe, I should give Surfrigger another chance? It was my 4th Missouri River 340 Race. This year …
Review of 2009 Missouri River 340 Race in Outrigger Canoe Read More »
12 years ago, after paddling folding kayaks for more than 20 years, I got my first hard shell boat. I built a stitch-and-glue 19.5 Patuxent from CLC, perhaps the fastest kayak available for home building at that time. Racing? No, I just wanted to travel fast by water to some remote photography destinations.
A couple years later I was surfing the internet looking for winter paddling opportunities on Padre Island. I have never gone paddling there. Instead, I discovered the Texas Water Safari. Hours of watching video tapes produced by Pat Spencer, three visits to Texas including the 2001 race and two boats later I ran my first paddling race: 2002 TWS. I was hooked.
Since then, I have completed the Texas Water Safari three times, entered three WaterTribe events and finished one Everglades Challenge, completed three Missouri River 340 Races, and several shorter events from 10 to 100 miles.
How can I compare these three ultra-marathon paddling races? Which one is the toughest, the most challenging?
The distance to be covered by the racers seem to be quite similar. All three races run non-stop with mandatory checkpoints. You need to be prepared to paddle day and night, and paddling conditions can change drastically with the weather. TWS and MR340 are river races while EC is a coastal race with longer timeframe.
Everybody has a different story and experience. I am not a competitive athlete. My goal is just to finish the race, competing mostly against myself. My additional challenge is to shoot pictures and video when racing. The perspective of Carter Johnson, who paddled all three races in a surfski setting a solo record every time, would be quite different.
If you are a first-time visitor, let me introduce you to the Missouri River 340 (MR 340) – a long-distance paddling race that spans from Kansas City to St. Charles, covering a distance of 340 miles with a current time limit of 85 hours. There are several checkpoints with deadlines and numerous access points to …
Finishing the Missouri River 340 Race Solo and Self-Supported? Read More »