A man docks his canoe at a marina. He waves, holding a nearly empty water container in the air. At Cooper’s Landing near Columbia, this is an everyday occurrence. But the smile on Kyle Parker’s face belies the scope of his trip: so far more than 3,100 miles over four months. To Parker’s knowledge, no one has ever attempted what he’s doing. A self-proclaimed “canoe enthusiast,” for the past 122 days, he’s been canoeing from the northwest-most reaches of the United States to the Florida Gulf Coast -- a trip he calls “Tip 2 Tip,” only taking breaks for sleep and bad weather.
He began in Washington State on May 1 and since then he has canoed through the Rockies, the Great Plains, and soon he’ll make his way to the swamps of the South. His day-to-day routine consists of instant coffee, oatmeal packets, and plenty of paddling.
“When I first started thinking about this trip it didn’t seem that big, it didn’t seem that hard to be honest,” he said, “And then, now as I’m going through it day by day, it gets harder and harder every day.”
Parker said the storms are the worst part. On his first day, he was blown onto a beach and had to rest for a few days.
“I can’t even say a single word for it. I mean I’ve had so many good experiences with good people. Some guy took me in for a few days before I got back on the water and then since then, I’ve found many other river angels along the way.”
These so-called “river angels” aren’t the only people Parker is encountering. He writes on his blog, “This isn’t just about getting from one place to another; it’s about diving into the heart of the country, experiencing the diverse landscapes, cultures, and people that make up the U.S.” He’s already planning future trips to visit friends he’s made along the way.
Columbia is just past his halfway point and Cooper’s Landing oversees a portion of the Missouri River. Jackie Parsons, a manager at Cooper’s Landing, said non-canoers can also learn a thing or two from Parker.
“A year and a half ago, none of my staff were kayaking the river, and so people like him inspired us all to have a little sense of adventure and live our lives,” she said.
“One of the themes of this trip has been to adapt to the changes in everything, and so I’ll take these lessons I’ve learned on this trip and hopefully apply them to my life back home,” Parker said. “Wherever that home may be, I’m not sure.”
Parker plans to stay at Cooper’s Landing this weekend, telling tales of his travels, before departing Saturday afternoon. He posts updates to his blog and social media and keeps a live tracker of his route, which still has thousands of miles to go.
