.png)
This isn’t just a test of physical endurance; it’s a story of grit, resilience, and the power of teamwork. It’s about confronting challenges head-on and navigating the unknown. My name is Kyle Parker, and I hold the fastest known time for solo canoeing the entire Wisconsin River. In less than six days, I paddled and portaged 430 miles, navigating 26 dams along the way.
When I first started talking about this idea, my friends and family were overwhelmingly encouraging but I could tell in their tone they were skeptical. The most common question I got was “Why?”. It's a valid question but for the longest time I didn’t have a good answer. I usually laughed it off or just said “Why not?”.
December 2023 - Like many great ideas this one started over a beer and a round of cribbage with my friend and at the time roommate, Dylan. We were sitting around playing cribbage as we often did during the long winter nights in Hayward Wi. I had an idea. “Dude we should canoe the whole Wisconsin River!” - Dylan was intrigued but not sold on the idea. “How long would it take?” he asked. A quick Google search revealed the record was somewhere around 8 days set by one Joe Spenetta. We figured we could do it in about 10. The idea was brought up a few more times throughout the winter but never really came to much. Dylan wasn’t as excited about it as I was. However, when I get an idea I rarely let it go, especially if it entails a great adventure.
Dylan and I met in the Boundary Waters at a canoeing outfitter and have been on countless adventures since. Everything from weekend canoe trips, to hikes, to a week on the Buffalo river in Missouri with another one of our friends and coworkers. When he heard I was going to start working at the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, he asked “Do you need a roommate, I have nothing going on” What a great idea. Over the last year we somehow managed to keep each other motivated and saine. Dylan would later become instrumental in the actual attempt by becoming my support crew.
May 2024 - This was when I got serious about the whole thing. I reached out to Joe Spenetta through a newspaper that published his story and arranged a phone call. It went something like this. "Hi Joe, I hear you have the record for solo canoeing the Wisconsin?”
“Yes that is correct, 6 days 3 hours.” My heart dropped. I was pretty sure I could do it in less than 8 days. But 6?! Then he said “AND it's totally possible to do it a full 24 hours faster.”
That was that. I was in. First, I would have to find a new canoe, a Racing Canoe? I didn’t know there was such a thing.
July 3 - After a few weeks on Facebook Marketplace, I found one in my price range. I set off for a quick 8 hour drive each way to Indiana, and I was the proud owner of a $600 C1 marathon racing canoe. The gentleman I bought it from was unsure of the maker but said it could be a Croizer. This canoe had seen some miles. The paint was faded, the seat loose, it had a few cracks and even considerable leaks, but it was mine. With a little help from you tube, I learned how to repair it with Kevlar and epoxy. I even added a homemade yoke. The first time I took it out on the water was July 4th. I ended up flipping and was rescued by 2, 14-year-old boys in a dingy. I texted Joe if he had any tips and he simply said, “That's part of racing, you’ll get used to it.”
Planning:
The first step was to get a better idea of what I was up against. I knew the more preparation I did the less I would have to think about while on the water. I soon found planning helped but once the clock starts all bets are off.
Early on, I decided I'm not trying to beat the record, I'm trying to smash it. I found in this new racing canoe I could go about 4 miles per hour on flat water. Therefore if I paddled for 16 hours a day and expected a current of about 1 mile per hour, this would bring my pace up to 5 mph that would be 80 miles per day, still allowing for 8 hours of sleep. Easy… Right?
I began by collecting every map I could. The Wisconsin River Centennial Canoe trail website proved to be helpful but the maps didn’t have everything I wanted on them. Such as what side of the river the portage was, goals for the day, and where Joe had made it to. Joe sent me a Garmin link so I could see everything he did during his attempt. I dropped these maps, all my notes, and satellite images in. This was helpful for me but even more helpful for Dylan. I prepared as much as I could so I would have to think as little as possible while on the water. I was fully expecting to be physically and mentally drained during the attempt.
Training:
When I started, a 20 mile day on flat water was a big day. My plan was to paddle a few times during the week, and a longer paddle on the weekends. During the week my paddles were about 1-2 hours long going as hard as I could. I trained primarily on the lake by my house so I knew my mileage was going to be lower but as long as I was going hard and I was sore the next day I was doing what I needed. On the weekends I worked up in mileage by about 10 miles per week. This was extremely difficult because I was trying to paddle a new section of the Wisconsin while managing pickups. Despite making friends up and down the river throughout the last few years, by the time I started my attempt, I had only paddled about 1/3rd of the whole Wisconsin. In my research I found a training technique used by marathon runners and long distance athletes called tapering down. The idea is that your longest session would be about 2 weeks before the race then each day millage was cut to just a few miles the days before you start.
On my longest weekend paddle I had planned to start in Wisconsin Rapids at 9:00pm on Friday night. After a full day of work I paddled through the night across Petenwell and Castle Rock lakes. This is exactly what Joe had recommended I plan for in order to avoid high winds on the 2nd and 4th largest lakes in Wisconsin. I brought with me everything I needed to camp on the shore which included a tarp, sleeping bag, food, and water as I would have no support for the next day and a half. After pushing almost all night I made it only halfway across Petenwell lake finishing around 3:00 am. The wind was high and waves were too big to paddle the tippy racing canoe in the middle of the night, all by myself. I pulled off for the night at a boat launch. I woke the next morning to a completely different lake, the water was glass. I shoved off shore and started paddling. After a full day, then another night, and then another morning paddle, I made it to Portage Wi where Dylan met me to take me back home.
This training session was my last chance to prepare for the attempt. During this test run, I learned what real fatigue was. I covered a measly 68 miles in 36 hours. I would have to average 73 miles per day for over 5 days straight in order to beat the previous record. Doubts filled my head as we drove back north. Not only did I feel emotionally beat, after 3 months of paddling almost non stop, my body was fighting back. My elbows and wrists ached from improper technique. The calluses on my hands didn’t stand up to stroke after stroke and being constantly wet. My back was giving out after just 2 hours on the water because of limited back support. Even my bottom had formed sores from sitting and making micro adjustments day after day. But I had no choice, I had to try. I had already told all my coworkers, friends, and family what I was planning. I documented everything on Instagram and gained over 4,000 followers by the time I started. I intentionally did this, so I would be forced to at least attempt the longest paddle of my life. After completing my longest, but still relatively short paddle, I decided to stop training all together.
Over the next 2 weeks I went from a 120 mile week to 10 miles over the next two weeks. My body did what it could to heal, I found elbow braces and one of my followers reached out and recommended using Aquaphor on my hands the night before and a few times each day on the water to help with the blisters and repel water. I ended up using Aquaphor on more than just my hands…
September 2nd - The weather forecast showed there would be a north wind for 3 straight days. This was my only chance. Up until this point I was planning on starting 1-2 weeks later. This was the only time I could find an opening in both my schedule and my support’s schedule. Dylan would take the first 3 days and my aunt and uncle would take the last 3 days. Together Dylan and I made the decision that if I wanted this, we had to go. The next day I walked into work and told the boss this was my only chance. I told Dylan, I’ll take care of your half of the rent next month if you support the whole thing. This turned out to be the best decision I made through the whole experience. Although I would take a financial hit, I would have a single person, instead of 3 people trying to hand off gear to each other and coordinate it all from the seat of a canoe. The support was responsible for everything off the water so the only thing I had to do was, just keep stroking. Not only did I trust Dylan completely, he knows me better than anyone. I knew going into this that whatever came up, he would be able to figure it out and keep me moving.
Day 1, Thursday September 5th 4:46am - Official Start Time
Based on our scouting, Dylan and I found the first 15 miles to be very narrow and windy. The 18.5ft racing canoe would be more of a hindrance than a benefit. For this reason I chose to borrow his Northstar Northwind Solo. In this shorter and more durable canoe I could take corners while keeping my momentum and plow over logs and beaver dams. Even though this canoe was more stable than the racing canoe, I still managed to take a few corners a little too fast and tipped twice. During the first morning, I was forced to get off the water for about an hour because a thunderstorm was directly overhead. I sat on the bank huddled under a willow, already soaked from flipping the canoe and began to think the race might be over before it even starts. At mile 13, I made the call to switch canoes. The rest of the day went well, only flipping once in the racing canoe. I ended the day at mile 72. Overall I felt good, strong even. The last two weeks of little to no paddling gave my body a chance to recover and heal.
Day 2, Friday September 6th - Hunger
14:40 hrs - 68 miles Merrill, 138
4.3 mph
Day 2 was pre planned to be a shorter day, with the wind at my back and the narrow windy section done, I made good time. After almost 15 hours on the water I traveled another 68 miles, bringing the total to 138. This was a huge morale boost and allowed me to get a quick dip in the hot tub at a hotel one of my friends put us up in. During Day 2 I also regained my appetite. On day 1, between the adrenalin and constant motion, I ate about half of what I needed to. On day 2, I reached my goal of 3,500 calories. Getting enough food to fuel myself, quickly became a never-ending struggle. Between a lack of appetite and a high energy consumption, I was draining what little reserves I had in my body. Remember Joe? I shared my location with him and gave his number to Dylan early on so they could communicate. Joe would feed Dylan critical information and tips for each section as well as track our progress. Then at every portage Dylan would relay the information to me. It became a running joke that Joe was our “eye in the sky”. At first, I was a little hesitant, after all I was trying to beat HIS record.
Whirlpool rapids - stay far right
Mile 45-47 - current is fast watch for fallen trees
Mile 60-63 - Docks stick out on the right side, stay river left.
Time and time again, absolutely everything he told us was right on the money. He knew how I would be feeling as well. In this case Joe told Dylan he will have to force me to eat to keep my energy levels up. So that's what Dylan did. Every portage he had something ready for me to eat on the spot. Pasta, bagels, honey, peanut butter and candy bars quickly became my main diet. Emphasis on the candy bars. I found on day 2 my mega protein shake I had prepared ahead of time in a gallon milk jug was not what I needed. Too much dairy and too liquidy for constant paddling… I’ll let you decide what that looked and felt like.
Day 3 Saturday September 7th
19:20 hrs - 80 miles, 218
3.9 mph
This was my longest day on the water in terms of time, for a total of 19 hours 20 minutes. This 80 mile section had 7 dams, which resulted in a lot of flat water. However, halfway through the day I completed the DuBay dam and was about 12 hours ahead of Joe. I was on pace to not only beat his record, but I had a chance at finishing in less than 5 days, possibly even beating the overall paddling record that was set in a kay-yak. Soon I paddled through Stevens Point, which is where I graduated college and still had a few friends. They all came down to the river at the Stevens Point Flowage Dam to cheer me on where I decided to take a quick break, and refuel with a Point Special. I was at an all time high. Yes my body was sore, but not as sore as the day before, yes I did get lost in Wausau, but I was still well ahead of schedule, and even got to see some of my good friends. I knew the hardest part still lay ahead. The weather forecast was not looking good. The wind would shift from out of the North to out of the South West. The exact wrong direction. The wind, specifically on the next section, was the biggest determinant of this whole challenge.
Day 4 Sunday September 8th
14 hrs on water - 262, 44 miles
After a quick shower and sleep on a friend's couch, Day 4 we started early in Wisconsin Rapids. Through the whole training, planning, and first half of this journey I was fearful of Petenwell and Castle Rock lake, especially after the depressing training run, and now the wind was directly in my face. Around 2:00pm I was only halfway across Petenwell and I was forced to get off the water because of the wind and waves. We took a much needed 2 hour nap and decided it was now or never. The wind and waves were still high but looked like they would taper off slightly. At least in the daytime I could see the waves coming, once night fell it would be much more difficult to navigate the open water. Around 1:00 am I finished the day at just 44 miles. Despite paddling as hard as I could for all but 2 hours, I once again fell short. We ended the day at mile 262 and slept at a random park, Dylan under the stars and me in my car.
Day 5
77 miles - 339, 18 hrs
Speed 4.2 mph
Day 5 was more of the same, but thankfully the wind died down. As I was making my way to Wisconsin Dells, a few miles from the portage a follower met me on his kayak and told me there was construction at the portage and I might not be able to get through! As I rounded the corner I saw an excavator and another structure half in the water, I didn’t understand what was going on, then I saw Dylan talking to a worker in high vis on top of the structure. He told me to come around the other side so I did. I was confused but the construction workers were possibly more confused. They couldn't believe what I was doing. Again I was asked “Why?” I laughed it off as I always did. While portaging I walked and talked to Dylan. It turns out he convinced them to stop working so I could get through!
Shortly after that portage, my phone started dying and wouldn't charge off the portable charger. I had purchased 4 batteries so we could switch out as needed. I noticed I had just 20% left. My phone was my lifeline to Dylan and my primary navigation. I didn’t have the funds to get a GPS or any other technology, instead I downloaded maps and navigated at night via satellite imaging and from the set of maps I laminated prior to the trip. I sent Dylan a text and he took it from there. Along this journey I met the Director of the Parks Department for Sauk County. He had planned to meet up with us when we got to the section in Sauk County for media coverage anyways. He was the only one in the area we kind of knew. Without a second thought he offered his personal phone to us if needed. Luckily it turned out to be a bad charger.
Around sunset I was approaching Lake Wisconsin, the very last flat water and portage of the whole trip. While approaching the lake I saw a jet ski approaching, I thought he didn’t see me so I stuck my paddle in the air and waved it around. One of my signature moves after the July 4th incident. It turns out “Jet ski guy” not only saw me but was trying to find me! He pulled up and asked, “Are you Parker?”
“Yeah, how’s it going?”
“I’ve been following you and I got you something! Stay safe, you're almost there.” he said as he handed me a walmart bag full of goodies. Snacks, water, Redbull, even a Spotted Cow! Along my journey I had met a few followers shouting from the banks or meeting us at portages. Every time it gave me a boost knowing that people were out there watching and cheering us on. This time in particular, gave me the extra umf to keep on stroking. While crossing the final flowage on the Wisconsin around midnight, I found myself mentally drifting off. The lake was calm, and the moon was brighter than it had been the whole trip. I imagined everyone else in the world was sitting on the couch or in their warm beds, comfortable, well rested, and well fed. I thought, what in the **** am I doing? The thought soon slipped from my mind as I rounded the last bend, I heard cowbells and people cheering my name. When I thought I was all alone mindlessly paddling in the middle of the night, once again I was reminded, I’m not alone. MORE real people cheering me on.
Shortly after finishing the last portage on the whole Lake Wisconsin Dylan, Joe, and I planned to get another 5 miles and call it a night. This would put us within striking distance of the Mississippi the next day. That’s right! After months of talking, I finally met the eye in the sky. Joe once again warned about the coming challenges. One of them being a weird current line. There was a thick fog that rose from the river making it almost impossible to see the sides of the now big river. As I set off for the final stretch of the day I was exhausted, my mind was foggy as well. I forgot where the current line Joe mentioned was. Was I supposed to stay right or left? Just as I was reminded of this, the front of my canoe all but stopped and the back was pulled to the right faster than I could realize what was happening. I did a full 180 holding on for dear life. The brief but powerful switch threw me off, and as soon as I stopped I started to think, what if I flipped here? It’s another 3 miles to Dylan. The river is wide and the current is fast. All while preparing for this attempt, I heard about how dangerous the lower Wisconsin was and at this moment I was reminded of the horror stories. Given my schedule I never paddle the last 100 miles of the river. Luckily I made it to the checkpoint.
I got off the water and adamantly said to Dylan “If the fog is this bad tomorrow morning I’m NOT PADDLING.” I went to bed with the thought of flipping and being dragged under by some weird current I didn’t see fresh in my mind.
Day 6
18 hrs 50 mins - 430, 86 miles
4.6 mph
The next morning Dylan woke me up and the fog was like pea soup. I couldn't see more than 2 feet past the front of my canoe. Submerged obstacles threatened the integrity of my fragile, well used, repaired, and re repaired, Kevlar canoe. Day 6 was the most mentally challenging. I had been on the water for the last 5 days and slept 3-5 hours per day. The entire day I thought about the night before. What would I do if the fog sets in? If I have to get off the water for another night, I won't beat the FKT. Should I risk my life with unpredictable currents, submerged obstacles, and now limited cell reception? I chose to tighten up my lifejacket and carry on. The current carried me faster than every day prior and I was on the final stretch. I had been pushing so hard for so long, every muscle in my body ached despite taking enough ibuprofen to give myself a bloody nose every 2-3 hours on that last day. My rear hurt with every stroke as the Aquaphor and bandages were not enough to protect my skin. I learned there's a reason we have legs and belong on land walking upright. That last day was a blur.
Dylan and I were both exhausted, turns out he didn’t sleep much that week either. I remember neither of us said what was more than necessary. This is exactly why I needed Dylan. You would think words of encouragement would help, but honestly the littlest thing probably would have set me off. There was nothing to say, the only thing to do was keep on stroking.
Night set in, the moon was bright, and what do you know, no fog. It was like someone hit the fast forward button, half submerged logs, cattails, and whole islands seemed like they were flying by. Did the current pick up or was I really paddling that fast? I’m still not sure what happened on the last 10 miles of the river. All of a sudden, the river opened up and I checked my phone in disbelief. Sure enough, I was in the confluence of the Mississippi and the Wisconsin. I let out a few howls in excitement. Texts started flooding in from my friends and family. Turns out I was anything but alone. Everyone I cared about and even those I never met were following the live tracker I posted on my Instagram. I’m not going to lie; I got a little choked up. The last 8 months of my life were dedicated to this moment. All winter I dreamed of paddling Wisconsin, and all summer I did nothing except paddle and think about paddling.
As I arrived at the Wyalusing boat launch I could hear cheering, Dylan voice above all else. He was just as if not more excited that we beat the Fastest Known Time Solo Canoeing the Entire Wisconsin River.
12:08 am - Confluence of the Mississippi
12:54 am - Wyalusing boat launch
5 days 19 hours and 54 minutes
On this journey I found the best way to start something big is to break it up piece by piece, surround yourself with the right people, and just start stroking. Now, this brings us back to the question that started it all, “Why?” I pondered this question throughout the 8 months of planning and training. After countless hours on the water, battling both physical and mental turmoil, I kept coming back to the same conclusion. I had never pushed myself to see what I was truly capable of. My goal was to break through what I thought were my limits. With the help of Dylan and so many others, WE accomplished what WE thought was impossible. Now I sit on my couch, comfortable, well rested, well fed, and my mind begins to drift once again. I can’t help but relish the opportunity to be miserable, seeing the world from the seat of a canoe.
Comments