The Dedication

This trip is dedicated to my father who gave me the confidence to take on challenges of all kinds and without even knowing it instilled in me a sense of adventure and a love for learning that drives me in everything I do every day. In my work and my play and the interactions with my boys, I hope his spirit will live on for generations to come.

This trip is the realization of a dream my father and I had but never fulfilled and because of his illness  with Parkinson's disease, he will never be able to realize.

Before I had ever paddled a kayak, he and I used to talk of a trip we would take paddling the pacific coast from Seattle to CA camping on the beaches along the way. It was the memories of talking to him about that trip the inspired me to get into paddling camping trips and ultimately lead me to my first trip on the NFCT with a group of close friends and my son Ben. We paddled the last 50 miles of the NFCT, and I was hooked.  I think it was on that tip that Ben and I first talked about the through paddle. Well, 7 years, 6 section paddles and 5 waterway work trips later, it is becoming a reality.

Ben and I will set out on our adventure June 9th 2014 with a plan of completing the trip in <30 days. We don't want to rush, but that is about all the time I can take off of work, but I am willing to quit my job to be sure this trip happens.

Ben and Grand Pop looking at old adventure photos

Dad, this trip is dedicated to you, I wish you could come along.