Brothers Kick Off on Epic Alaska-to-Mexico Stand Up and Paddle Adventure Leila Kheiry - KRBD
go to original March 19, 2016

Ryan and Casey Higginbotham (Leila Kheiry)

“The plan is to drop in right here in Ketchikan, launch out and then paddle all the way down to the border of Mexico in about five months,” said Casey Higginbotham, adding that they’ll camp along the way, and have food drops scheduled every couple hundred miles.  Sounds simple, right?

Well, the twin brothers have been planning this adventure for a long time. They researched the route, the weather, the wildlife; they’ve trained to increase their endurance, and collected the gear needed to complete the trip safely.

Despite all their careful planning, though, this is the first time the two California lifeguards have been north of Washington State. Ryan said they already had to make some adjustments.

The primary change was to the planned route, based on advice from area fishermen and tugboat operators, and considering the huge tides in this area, compared to those of southern California.

The brothers know their plans will have to be flexible, because nature doesn’t always cooperate with a schedule.

“I remember right when we started planning, we were thinking ‘Three months, we got it,’” News Tilesaid Casey. “Then you start planning and you realize you need rest days, we’re gonna get beaten down, now we’re just saying, ‘we’re gonna get there when we get there.’ Half a year, doesn’t matter.”

Read the rest at KRBD

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