Verlen Kruger (June 30, 1922 in Pulaski County, Indiana – August 2, 2004) was an American canoe enthusiast who paddled over 100,000 mi (160,000 km) in his lifetime.
Biography
editKruger was born in 1922 in Pulaski County, Indiana.[1] When he as 14 years old, he dropped out of high school to help provide for his family during the Great Depression.[2] During World War II, Kruger got drafted into the Army, where he was enlisted to be a tank driver. He graduated from the Army Air Force Flight Training School, and became a pilot, and eventually a flight instructor.[2] Upon his exit from the Army, he moved to DeWitt, Michigan and started in business as a plumbing contractor.[2]
Paddling
editOver the course of his life, Verlen Kruger paddled the most miles (over 100,000 miles) of any single competitor in the sport.[3] Kruger started his paddling career at age 41.[4] Of particular note are the 29,341 km (18,232 mi) Two Continent Canoe Expedition[5] and the 45,130 km (28,040 mi) Ultimate Canoe Challenge, the longest canoe journey ever.[6][7]
Legacy
editDuring his lifetime of canoeing, he earned 11 Guinness World Records, and was the first canoeist to paddle up the Grand Canyon.[2] A bronze statue of Kruger was erected on the banks of the Grand River in Portland, Michigan by family and friends in 2010.[8][9]
Bibliography
editBooks
edit- Frentz, Brand; Kruger, Verlen (2004). The Ultimate Canoe Challenge: 28,000 Miles Through North America. iUniverse, Inc. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-595-66973-8.
- Klein, Clayton; Kruger, Verlen (1988). One Incredible Journey. Wilderness Adventure Books. ISBN 978-0-9611596-5-8.
- Peterson, Phil Sr.; Kruger, Verlen (2006). All Things Are Possible: The Verlen Kruger Story: 100,000 Miles by Paddle (Print). Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. Inc. p. 304. ISBN 978-1-59193-138-6.
Video
editKruger, Verlen and Waddell, Clint. Never Before and Never Again: The Fantastic Story of Two Men Who Paddled and Portaged From Montreal to the Bering Sea (VHS Videotape). ASIN B002N393X2.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Verlen Kruger, 82; Canoeing enthusiast paddled about 100,000 miles". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. August 6, 2004. p. 11. ProQuest 420128465.
- ^ a b c d Brabenec, Ren (December 14, 2008). "Remembering Verlen Kruger". Northern Express.
- ^ canoekayakmag (August 9, 2004). "Obituary: Verlen Kruger Remembered". Canoe & Kayak. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ Meyerson, Howard (June 20, 2010). "Paddlers set to honor the late Verlen Kruger's appetite for adventure with life-sized statue in Portland". The Grand Rapids Press.
- ^ Przedwojewski, Mark (2004). "The Two Continent Canoe Expedition". Kruger Canoes. Archived from the original on October 31, 2006.
- ^ Przedwojewski, Mark (2004). "The Ultimate Canoe Challenge". Kruger Canoes. Archived from the original on October 31, 2006.
- ^ Strauss, John (February 4, 1987). "Michigan Canoers take aim on Cape Horn". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. Associated Press. p. B4.
- ^ Thelen, Tom (June 17, 2010). "Memorial to canoeist to be dedicated June 26". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. p. 3B.
- ^ "Verlen Kruger Statue, Portland Riverwalk". Trail Link.
Further reading
edit- Buchanan, Edward, ed. (2000). The Best of Paddler Magazine: Stories from the World's Premier Canoeing, Kayaking and Rafting Magazine (1st ed.). Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. ISBN 0-89732-330-0.
- Jacobson, Cliff (1984). Canoeing Wild Rivers. illustrated by James Zotalis. Merrillville, Indiana: ICS Books. ISBN 0-934802-17-3.