Cedar River (Waterloo to Cedar Falls)

Overall Fastest Known Paddle: 14H, 17M

Brad Sjostrom,70 years old, of Lake St. Louis, Missouri

Tom Dougherty, 69 years old, of St. Louis, Missouri

Ryan Church, 67 years old, of Saint Paul, Minnesota

Moose Dougherty, 65 years old, of North Oaks, Minnesota

(this is also the fastest team 3+ FKP)

71 miles per this team’s GPX file; 74 per the map

Supported

Start: Riverview Recreation Area Ramp, Waterloo, IA.

Finish: Mohawk City Park Boat Ramp, Cedar Rapids, IA.

Map resources from Iowa DNR

Support captain: Scott Duffus

Boat: Wenonah Minnesota 4 canoe

Trip Report from Mike “Moose” Dougherty:

Our team of four paddlers (Ryan Church, Moose Dougherty, Tom Dougherty, Brad Sjostrom) were sent afloat on our journey by support crewman Scott Duffus from Riverview Recreation Area in Waterloo, IA at 5:24 PM in a steady but surprisingly soothing rain shower. Water levels were near normal, a pleasant change from what we understand had been low levels for some time. We were honored and humbled to be paddling in a well-traveled Wenonah Minnesota 4, christened The Mighty Duffus, the canoe that was used for the Mississippi Speed Record team's May 2023 Guinness World Record setting expedition down the Mississippi River. Our plan: an overnight training trip session in preparation for the MR 145, one of several tours, relays and races offered at Two Paddle's June 13-15 Minnesota Paddling Opener. We were delighted to be joined for portions of our night on the Cedar River by kayakers Keith Weiland, Rose Wollum and Wes Cooper. Our first stop, unplanned but necessary due to a convulsive disagreement between Moose's shin muscles and the ongoing requirement for the person in the stern to manipulate the rudder pedals, was about 10 miles in at Gilbertville where, after a swift rearrangement of seating assignments, Ryan assumed stern duties for the duration. Occasionally efficient paddling brought us without incident to our second stop at McFarlane County Park, approximately 19.5 miles from our start, where Scott provided food and hydration. Next stop, mile 38 and Riverside City Park where we bade farewell to Rose and welcomed McDonald's Hamburgers from Scott, a healthy change from the cookies, brownies and sugary drinks that had been sustaining us. Our trip down the river continued mostly without incident with the exception of 4 or 5 encounters with sandbars, only one of which was a bit of a hassle (a result of our handsome bowman's mistaken instinct to go right around an island when circumstances clearly called for going left). After a quick stop to see a man and a horse at North Cedar Natural Area, we paddled into daylight and our finish at Mohawk Park in Cedar Rapids. The paddlers would like to thank Scott Duffus for his outstanding support, and Wes for his company and guidance for nearly the entire route (he either enjoyed our company or was concerned for the safety of 4 mostly novice paddlers of advancing age) and want Wes to know that we know that he could have paddled the route way faster than us if he wanted to.