91社区破解版

As if paddling from 91社区破解版 to Dawson City wasn鈥檛 enough, one family decided to extend the trip from Salt Spring Island, B.C. to Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. 鈥� travelling the extra kilometres by bicycle.

Billed as the 鈥淩ace to the Midnight Sun,鈥� the Yukon River Quest is celebrated annually as the world鈥檚 longest, and toughest, marathon paddling race.

Since 1999, competitors have travelled from around the world to paddle one of North America鈥檚 great rivers and test their endurance on the 715-kilometre (444-mile) race route from 91社区破解版 to Dawson City.

As the teams left Rotary Peace Park this morning, one is writing its Quest story with an added chapter of challenge and adventure.

Led by 59-year-old Michael Peirce, 鈥淭he Carcs鈥� team is registered to race in the C4 category. It includes Peirce鈥檚 25-year-old son Benjamin Wright and 23-year-old twin daughters Emily Wright and Claire Wright.

Collectively agreeing they are a family that moves from one adventure to the next, the team is amplifying their Yukon River Quest experience by adding a 3,400-kilometre bicycle tour to their travel itinerary.

鈥淚鈥檝e got the most intrepid kids around,鈥� Peirce proudly says.

Benjamin explains that he volunteered for the event twice in previous years supporting remote checkpoints which initially connected him to the race and put it on the family鈥檚 radar.

鈥淭he family had planned to do the race but also had plans to bike across the country going west to east,鈥� says Peirce.

鈥淲e realized it was going to be really hard to work those things in together with all the graduate work the kids are doing so we decided, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 we ride across the country south to north instead and just throw a little 700 kilometre canoe race in between?鈥欌��

The foursome started the initial leg of their journey June 3, setting out on their bikes from Salt Spring Island, Peirce鈥檚 home base and where his partner, Cora Platz, has stayed behind to mind the family farm.

The group rode a total of 2,425 kilometres with an occasional rest day on the road, and rolled into 91社区破解版 last Wednesday.

Once here, the team took a few days to rest and organize themselves for the start of the race.

After the race, the family plans to get back on their bikes in Dawson and ride more than 900 kilometres up the Dempster Highway to Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T.

With plans to fly home from Inuvik July 23 鈥� and no support vehicle accompanying them 鈥� Peirce says, laughing, 鈥淚f anyone wants to give us a lift back from Tuk to Inuvik, we would happily accept the ride.鈥�

Connecting with the team six days into their journey after they stop for the day just north of 100 Mile House, B.C., Benjamin said no one in the family has done much paddle racing, but they have all done countless canoe trips, and are avid paddlers.

鈥淏ecause I had identical twins with an older brother that was still in diapers when the girls were born, I used to take them individually to Algonquin Park in Ontario, where we lived, every weekend in the summer to have one-on-one time with them,鈥� Peirce says. 鈥淔rom the age of two onwards, they鈥檝e been out paddling with me.鈥�

A family paddling adventure is also inspiration for the team鈥檚 name. 鈥淭he name comes from one of our many adventures canoeing in Algonquin Park when we decided to go down a creek called 鈥楥arcajou Creek,鈥� explains Peirce.

鈥淚t isn鈥檛 a canoe route and just turned into a full-on adventure with us dragging the canoe going where we weren鈥檛 supposed to be, and we鈥檝e been 鈥楾he Carcs鈥� ever since.鈥�

Despite riding though record heat with short turnaround times between the legs of their journey, the squad is collectively grateful for this unique chance to spend time together. Emily says she and Claire have never been to the Yukon and are both extremely excited to see the North.

鈥淚n terms of magnitude and timescale, doing something all together like this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity,鈥� Benjamin says.

Peirce also says it is important to acknowledge the people who have helped make the many adventures he has shared with his kids a reality.

鈥淪o many people have supported us to get here. A lot of people supported us, and me raising the kids, including their mom. It takes a lot of people behind the scenes to raise a family to be able to do these kinds of things, and that is definitely something worth mentioning,鈥� he said.

A humble and good-humoured group, the family agrees they鈥檙e on this adventure with the shared mindset of having a fantastic time together.

Benjamin says 鈥淭he Carcs鈥� have a simple goal for the Yukon River Quest: 鈥淥ur plan is to finish happy 鈥� and stay in the boat.鈥�

Open to solo and tandem canoes and kayaks, solo stand-up paddle boards, and bigger C4 and voyageur canoes, the Quest will run until Friday.

The race had a pre-start list of 54 teams representing 134 paddlers hailing from 10 countries. A full list of teams is available 鈥╝t .

By Rebekah Harrison