09/18/2025
In an effort to finish off the California coastline, I will be tackling the northernmost portion of our state. From Brookings, Oregon to Humboldt Bay. This will conclude a multi-stage endeavor that was born 12 years ago, to piece-by-piece paddle all of the state’s coastline from Mexico to Oregon. Early on in this journey, I created Epic Adventures for a Cause to give a greater purpose to my personal endeavor. Starting with my first multi-day Santa Barbara to Malibu trip where I dedicated each day to a different non-profit and helped raise money for those groups, to subsequent journeys where I shined a light on causes.
Sometimes the cause came to me ahead of time. But sometimes, it was in the moment of an adventure that brought clarity while I was on the water and alone. Over the years groups included Stand Up 2 Cancer, Rell Sunn Educational Fund, The Sarcoma Alliance, Mission 22, Alzheimer's Association. Worthy groups that benefit from donations, support and time. On this upcoming journey, I was recently thinking about the paddle community. Health challenges I have seen and am seeing, paddlers take on. I started to think about some names in particular who have inspired me in their fights. And realized, they shared a commonality. They were facing various cancers of the blood. Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, T-Cell Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma to name a few. Lymphoma specifically something I was lucky to avoid due to early diagnosis many years ago in my own health journey. Suddenly, as I stepped back from the specifics, and looked at the bigger picture, I saw these were all blood cancers. I reached out to learn more. What organization was helping these paddle friends? And their friends? Who was creating support groups, offering information, and researching treatments and hopefully cures? One group came up, and after looking into them, I am pleased to share with you “Blood Cancer United”. This group was until recently called “Leukemia and Lymphoma Society”. And has been instrumental to those I have contacted. And hopefully, will continue to help. Please learn more here https://bloodcancerunited.org and if you are able, please donate.
So with this upcoming adventure, I will be honored to paddle with Dave Jensen and Paul Jacob again as they offer water and land support. And should the challenges be difficult, I will have 4 paddlers in mind who have shown courage and tenacity and in my opinion are legends of our paddling community. Mike Eisert, Kai Bartlett, Oscar Chalupsky, and my personal friend Jim Baumann.
Thank you for your support in 10 days, for over the past 12 years, and enjoying this journey alongside me. I have been lonely out there, but never alone. And your presence will be felt and leaned on one more time. TO OREGON WE GO!!!!!
