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Verlen Kruger
American canoeist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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
Kruger 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]
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Paddling
Over 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
During 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
Books
- 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
Kruger, 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.
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See also
References
Further reading
External links
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