Upside Down in the Yukon River: Adventure, Survival, and the World's Longest Kayak Race

by Steve Cannon

Overview

Adventure sports changed his life. The Race to the Midnight Sun nearly ended it.

Upside Down in the Yukon River is an inspiring true story of an ordinary guy from Iowa who attempts the world’s longest kayak race, and ends up fighting for his very survival deep in the wilderness of Canada’s Yukon Territory. Full of anticipation and fear, successes and failures, doubt and hope, Steve’s story challenges each one of us to live every precious moment to the fullest, and reminds us all that our only real failure is a step never taken in pursuit of our dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781732853119
Publisher:	Expand Your Possible
Publication date:	01/29/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	266
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Steve Cannon runs. He fat bikes, kayaks, and skis. We doubt he would call himself a runner, biker, kayaker, or skier, however. He would most likely refer to himself as an adventurer. In 2018, Steve completed his greatest challenge to date: The Iditarod Trail Invitational 350 in Alaska-one of the top ten extreme ultra-endurance races in the world. He has completed the Tuscobia Winter Ultra 150 twice on his fat bike. He has three Arrowhead Ultra 135 finishes and in 2018 did so "unsupported," meaning all food and water had to be carried start to finish. In 2016, Steve earned induction into the Order of the Hrimthurs, the Triple Crown for winter ultra-endurance athletes. He has run nearly 100 marathons and has taken on the worldʼs longest kayak race: The Yukon River Quest. This adventure would become the story for Steveʼs second book Upside Down in the Yukon River (2018). In 2004, he rode his bike to the starting line of the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon in South Dakota-beginning in Iowa-before running the marathon. He has completed over twenty Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), five Ride-the-Rockies, and made it five times through the Dirty Kanza 200, the world's premier gravel cycling race, earning a coveted "1000 Miles of Kanza" goblet in 2017. He ran the 292 miles across his home state of Iowa in eleven days and is the first person ever to run around the Lake Michigan, logging 1,037 miles in forty days-averaging a marathon's distance per day. This adventure and its lessons became his first book 40 Days: Life, Love, Loss and a Historic Run Around One of the World's Largest Lakes (2015). His adventures have raised nearly $700,000 for Livestrong, Camp Kesem, and Above and Beyond Cancer.

Editorial Reviews

"Inspirational and adventurous. A man from small-town Iowa tackles head-on the world's longest kayak race. We all should live this way!" --Brad Nagel, retired U.S. Navy SEAL and ultra triathlete

"Steve is one of an elite bunch of crazy athletes . . . They dream big and believe that life is not meant to be lived at half throttle but to be lived 'all in.' Steve is one of those rare characters, and this book will enthrall." --Lisa Tamati, professional ultra endurance athlete, author of two international bestselling books, motivational speaker, and running and mindset coach

"The day arrived, and the postman left the package. I wasn't disappointed. The book was fantastic!" --Rob Cassin, world record-holder--London to Paris Rowing Challenge and 2008 Yukon River Quest Champion Men's Pairs, Kayak Class

"This book is a must-read for all adventure seekers and all who love to live life to the fullest . . . Everyone should take a leaf out of Steve's book about the importance of grabbing the moment. The book is beautifully written and difficult to put down." --Carl Clinton, world record-holder--London to Paris Rowing Challenge and 2008 Yukon River Quest Champion Men's Pairs, Kayak Class

"I wasn't prepared for the impact Upside Down on the Yukon River would have on me. The kayaker in me was excited to read about his adventure in the longest kayak race in the world . . . The mother in me was deeply moved by his words. The adventurer in me was awakened, my human spirit encouraged and uplifted by his insightfulness about life and its struggles and triumphs." --Lori Money, ultra mother and 14ers hiker

"Steve's writing really makes you feel like you are on the journey with him . . . This book is for anyone [who wants] to get up 'off the couch' and just do something. Steve helps you realize life is worth living to the best of your potential." --Joyce Hagley, Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa alumna, yoga enthusiast, kayaker, and paddleboarder

"Steve . . . convey[s] the details of his adventures in a way that captivates and entertains. He shares the excitement, danger, and even . . . mundane aspects of ultra racing with humor and real human emotion. His books fuel the drive to continue to seek out and find my own adventures in life." --Sarah Cooper, 2017 Race Across America winner

"As an adventure-seeker myself, I could not put the book down . . . I was captivated by Steve's incredible mental, physical, and spiritual capacity. Steve's journey is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable experiences of perseverance and grit in action!" --Lisa Smith-Batchen, adventurer and endurance athlete, endurance coach and teacher, motivational speaker, and race director

From the Publisher