The Jackson Family’s MR340 Adventures
Claire and Steve Jackson shared their MR340 adventures on and off the river, an paddling race that spans the state of Missouri.
Published: April 12, 2022
Presentation by paddlers Claire and Stephen Jackson
Click here to view the presentation on YouTube.
Hosted by Missouri River Relief
For this Big Muddy Speaker Series talk, the Jackson Family shared stories of their adventures on the MR340, an endurance paddling race that spans the state of Missouri.
Claire shared her perspective of what it was like as a young person paddling during her first MR340 in 2012. She included stories about the people and experiences that have drawn her to back to this race three more times. She also compared and contrasted completing the MR340 in tandem versus going solo. Though all of her adventures, Claire has learned how to navigate outdoor spaces as a woman. Since paddling in the MR340 Claire has gone on to complete several other solo ventures such as biking the entirety of the Katy Trail.
Steve approached the topic of MR340 experiences from the perspective of developing and self-publishing their first family book called “Missouri River 340 First Time Finisher”. This book documents Steve and his three daughters’ participation in the 2012 MR340. Competing in the longest non-stop canoe and kayak race in the world, their team, the “Three Boatacious Blondes and Dad” completed this brutally hot race in just over 77 hours. The book is based on their experiences in this race and provides information for other MR340 first-time paddlers.
Claire Jackson is from St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Sustainable Agriculture in 2021. After college, she began working for the Department of Natural Resources in Missouri State Parks. She has completed the MR340 three times and hopes to do so again this coming summer.
Stephen Jackson is a parent, company man, elected official, marathoner, business owner, paddler, manager, board member, coach, ground crew and adventurer. He’s been lucky enough to have a lifetime of high adventures on land and water. He and his wife Linda are now attempting to keep up with their children Rob, Ellen, Christine and Claire as they have adventures of their own.
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Click Here for a PDF of this Presentation
Resources & Links
Dig deeper for more info on this topic
- Book – “Missouri River First Time Finisher” Check out the Jackson family book about their first experience paddling the MR340.
- Rivermiles Webpage
- Facebook – MR340 Facebook Group
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Special thanks to Les Bourgeois Vineyards for giving us the opportunity to use their beautiful space overlooking the Missouri River. All speakers are presenting for free! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with us!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place in Kansas City and St. Charles.
The views and opinions expressed by our presenters do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of Missouri River Relief, the Big Muddy Speaker Series or any of the partners that support this public forum. The Big Muddy Speaker Series believes that hearing diverse perspectives is a crucial building block for an informed public.
