Heather & Wendell's Racing Adventures

This morning, the 2026 Missouri River 340 began in Kaw Point, MO. Roughly 12 hours into the race, the 8-person canoe expected to win this year overall, appears to be close to/on pace to break the existing course record, set by 5-person team Riverfitness in 2018: Wendell Smith, Phil Bowden, Brad Daniels (in the lead boat again this year), Dylan McHardy, and Michael Matthews with an overall time of 33 hours and 1 minute (33:01)! We wish River Hawk Boat Shop ALL the strongest tailwinds and bright skies this evening!

MR340 Tracking: https://raceowl.com/MR3402026

Pecos River 2026: July 9-13, led by Hoyt Moss. In this post are recaps from Days 0 and 1.

Well friends, we just returned from yet another epic adventure: 63ish miles of the lower Pecos River from Pandale to the boat ramp below Hwy 90. Incredible weather, the best people, less than desirable flow (44cfs).

Picked up Mike Dey in San Antonio on our way to Junction, then headed west. We got to the Co-op (Hoyt & Linda’s place) a bit earlier than the rest of the motley crew, so there was a feeling of steadily building joy as the reunion of long time friends and also recently made friends filled the 10,000 square foot building. After the safety briefing and distribution of this year’s custom shirts - with hoods! - we all supported the newest business in downtown Junction befitting of our tribe, Pour Decisions, where we took our “before” group photo (credit: Erich Schlegel). Like pre-Safari shots at Showdown in downtown San Marcos, this will be a new tradition! Then some of us hit the hay for a minute or two and met back at the Co-op at 2am for final loading and departure.

Before we could even get to Ozona, we lost a boat off the trailer and hit a deer, both freak accidents. Found the canoe off the edge of I-10 in a ravine (the photo of Erich Schlegel in the red canoe was taken by Veronica Sosa). We arrived at Pandale crossing a tad bit later than usual, but we hit the water just after sunrise.

Day 1 is the longest day of the trek, at 19.1 miles. We did more walking than any of us recall before, even through the cane chutes, AND we had very strong headwinds that we’re accustomed to later in the trip. Wendell and I were separated from the majority of the group for the bulk of the day trying to bridge the front pack and the back pack, so we missed out on most of the swim breaks, but we did crack our first beer at 10:25am. There’s nothing like a Lone Star beer in crystal clear water to cool you down. I got a bit loopy in the heat midafternoon and realized too late that Wendell and I were both deeply “in need of a snack” so Day 1 wasn’t our favorite day, but we kept our wits about us. Wendell and I stopped at a small spring (Goat Spring) a mile upriver from our campsite, excited to see healthy flows from that one and its neighbor, as well as the spring that flows from Everett Canyon, where we camp. (Day 2 preview: the flutes weren’t all that bad thanks to the higher than normal spring flow). We saw a growing herd of wild horses - three younguns this year - and they look healthy.

At camp, everyone’s spirits were high despite drained energy reserves from little to no sleep on Day 0 and a tough Day 1. The journal at the canyon was missing this year, but we had company come down in ATVs from the lease next to the canyon. Wendell and I enjoyed a low prep dinner of Mountain House spaghetti - my Scouts and Scott Morris know what’s real. Night 1 got a lil’ chilly, and some of our crew regretted not bringing more layers. I slept with a mosquito net on my head thanks to Val Verde County having a confirmed case of New World Screwworm, but to be honest, the wind whipping through the canyon was enough protection that night. My Garmin watch told me I had a sleep score in the high 80s - I’ll take it!

It was really nice to have my Garmin InReach 2 with us this trip. We were concerned about rain along the watershed causing flash flooding, and thanks to the Garmin, we had both the ability to get real time weather updates AND receive messages from my son at home who could see regional weather patterns and predictions with satellite connection. We shared the track with everyone on the trip too before we left, so that their loved ones could see our progress. Here’s the link: https://share.garmin.com/HeatherWendellAdventures

Anyone crazy enough to attempt the 2nd toughest boat race?! We will be there, helping out Hoyt and the Junction Bunch.

Junction Up and Back Boat Race Come participate Junction Up and Back Boat Race on August 23 with me.

Another great video of the action close to the start of the race. This is Trab Seyn’s vantage point from the second drop at Rio Vista in San Marcos. Wendell and his team portaged the dam, then ran the second and third drops. You can see Wendell and our former beloved teammate Bobby Smart of the Cowboys running nearly side by side at about 1:45!

Texas Water Safari 2026 - Reckoning at Rio Vista Less than a mile downstream from the Spring Lake portage lies Rio V...

Happy Father’s Day to some special dads from our teams this year! We appreciate all of the sacrifices you made for the race this year and those you make every day for your families. We love you! 💙

Wendell, Daniel and Michael, all in different seasons of fatherhood, and A.J., Chris’ dad, as team captain (not pictured)! We had two generations of fathers with Heather’s team, with Jake and his dad Karim, who was the Safari’s race chairman and checked in when he could, and Kevin, as team captain.

Banquet photo time!

Los Cuatro Culos #492: 15th overall, 4th in class, 4th masters, finished in 53:23!

Jake & Heather Do A Dumb Thing #333: 23rd overall, 3rd in class, 8th masters, finished in 60:09!

Things are waaaaay more calm on this video than in reality, because the previous 5-10 minutes has been an absolute anerobic, zone 5 sprint and portage out of Spring Lake. But as you reach this bridge before Sewell Park, you have to reset your heart rate and focus on being only one of several boats going side by side through concrete retaining walls, going 7+ miles an hour.

Wendell’s team appears at 2 minutes with the lead boats; they portaged just left of the waterfall. Heather’s team arrives at about 3:20 with a pack; this year she and Jake portaged around the restaurant and covered lost ground on the lake sprint.

2026 Texas Water Safari - Spring Lake Wet Exit The 2026 Texas Water Safari gets off to a wet start with the Spring...

Heather was inducted into the Texas Water Safari Hall of Fame last week after completing 10 Safaris! “2,600 Mile Club”

Her name is on the big Texas plaque introduced in 2012. Wendell’s name is on the row above Heather’s from his 2024 induction.

📷: Ashley Stephenson Landis