Going Bronze!!

Today Dan and Mike Smith, Steve Willard watched the VKM statue being poured. Provided are a few photos of the process. This was a last minute pour as we were just notified of the event yesterday.

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It has been a long time coming for so many that have been behind this project.

UKC Update 62

Inside Kruger World Headquarters - The Hub of Adventure!

It's a wrap! The 2009 production of the Ultimate Kruger Challenge has come to an end!

In grand celebration, Mark Jack and Brian headed over to the Kruger Canoes World Headquarters in the tiny hamlet of Irons Michigan to relive some of the glory. (The cocktails have been removed from the pixture, family friendly) :-)

Jack took off for home, Brian headed back to the river for camping and fishing, Mark is off to his brother's wedding, and the Captain is signing off.

Thanks for following along, it's been quite a journey, from the fast and the furious to newbies just being introduced to adventure / expedition canoeing.

Check back as I hope the challengers will send me their personal account of the adventure for us all to see.

Paddle Paddle - The Captain Reporting

UKC Update 61

Mark Reports 3:55pmEST

The boys are still at it! Jack and Brian are about 12 miles out paddling into a fierce headwind. Mark is making his way to the finish to do the meet and greet, share some stories and shuttle the weary back to the world.

The sense of accomplishment is hard to put into words...but here goes; OUTSTANDING EFFORT BOYS!!

The Captain Reporting

A little help

Andy Reports from the Situation Room
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Going through gear and laying out all the wet stuff, I think I left a 25 L WxTex bag next to a big maple at the take out by Lake Michigan. "Bummer Dude"
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Land NAV Challenge
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If its there, its probably setting next to that tree that sets at a straight line projection of the docs where we took out and across the black top. There was also a trash can within 30 feet of the tree.
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I think it only has left over food stuffs in it but the bag is a nice dry bag with the little line bag for hoisting in a tree.
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The Request
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If Jack and Brian make it today, can they take a quick peak to see if it may still be there and bring it back to Portland? If not, it's only a $20 bag and I'll chalk it up to the cost of voyage.

Thanks! - Andy

UKC Update 60

If your keep'in score... we have two paddlers out on the Manistee River; Jack and Brian. They had a heck of a night if it was anything like here. Wind gusts over 55 miles per hour, downed trees and power-lines.

The UKC / the Kruger 100 and every variation in between have seen a lot of what Mother Nature can dish up in the Midwest.

We didn't promise anyone good weather, but we did promise an adventure; we delivered. Waiting ever so patiently for an update from Eva, who has been the conduit for information on Jack and Brian.

The Captain Reporting

UKC Update 59

Eva Reports -
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Its 11:15 pm and they made it through Tippy Dam. Jack and Brian are hunker down in their tents as the winds blow and the rains pour and the temperatures drop.
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They are going to finish up tomorrow if they can. The fish have been jumping all day and the rudder they jimmy rigged is holding.
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Jack sends a message to Lars and Louie to stay with cheering them on.
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Lets see what tomorrow brings.... Night Boys.

UKC Update 58

The Hazel Brothers mystery solved...

Hazel Brothers - The Ride

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The Hazel Brothers new to the UKC (actually only the Manistee 1/2); met up paddling with Dan a few weeks ago on the way down the grand river and learned about the upcoming UKC.

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The Brothers threw caution to the wind and joined up Friday night at the Manistee camp on 72. They checked status that night on the Mark, Jack and Dan and then talked with the crews in the morning. After hearing that Dan was dropping out due to illness and talking to is nephew Brian, it seemed they better get headed down river or we wouldn't make it by Tuesday.

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They Did It!!

Hazel's are now off the river and completed the Manistee at approximately 3:40pm Tuesday. The boat they traveled in is a 1977, Sawyer Charger, Kevlar layup.

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Andy considered giving up on day two. His wife gave the updates from the web blog and spot tracking and saw everyone, they thought, pull ahead and beyond reach. They had no intention of racing but felt they were falling to far behind to catch up.

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"It took another day for us to figure out that only Mark had paddled past us in the night and Jack and Brian were still back a bit. We had hoped they would catch up so we'd have some paddling buddies but it sounds like rudder trouble slowed them. Determined to finish we started earlier and paddled latter and topped our 34 mil first day with 40+ mi days. Our stops to camp were Sat) M-66 abandon campground; Sun) just past Harvey bridge and Mon) half way down Tippy pond.

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I did not register ahead of time but would be happy to after the fact if you do that for Half a UKC participant. The money's for a good cause so just let me know the best way to contribute.

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Thanks for the inspiration to push my limits!" - Andy

UKC Update 57

Report from River -

The Hazel Brothers checked in @noon and were just past Bear Creek. They are on the move!!

UKC Update 56

Mark Reports 12:57pm EST

Brian and Jack are in Mesick and its not for the Annual Mushroom Festival. But they are on a walkabout to the hardware store as Brian tweaked a rudder cable.

So as they hoof it to the store, they can ponder the high winds rain and cooling temperatures that are swooping in.

Ah yes, the adventure continues...

The Captain Reporting

UKC Update 55

Eva Reports 6:43 am EST

Good luck to the Hazel Brothers. I figure they are about a day ahead of Jack and Brian.
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It is 6:30 am And Jack just reported in from his sleeping bag. Brian is still snoring and Jack is gonna build a fire to get warm.
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They paddled till 11:00pm last night still not to Mesick. He reports their plan is to do both dams today.The rain hasn't started yet so they want to get on the river before it does.
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Be safe my friends.