This is our first installment of "Faces on the Water" -- a series of posts about paddlers we have met through our business. So many different backgrounds and stories to tell. It's been great to meet these folks, so we thought we'd pass on some of their stories.

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Faces on the Water — Doug Berg

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Doug Berg

After teaching English for 5 years at Minnetonka High School, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St Paul Minnesota, Doug Berg took an interest in a newly planned program the school was considering for at-risk students. Doug offered to take on this new position if he could incorporate into the curriculum canoe camping trips similar in nature to the renowned Outward Bound Programs. The admin of the school accepted his proposal and Doug spent the remainder of his teaching career helping students develop important life skills through outdoor activities. Doug estimates he made over 100 trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as other exciting river trips outside the state with his students. Doug credits those canoe trips with his eventual interest in marathon canoe racing.

By the late 1980s Doug was entering some of the longer marathon canoe races like the 70 mile General Clinton Canoe Regatta in central New York State with partner Greg Zophy. Doug retired from teaching in 2000 and was able to spend more time with his outdoor interests that included cross country skiing and bicycling as well as marathon canoe racing.

 By last reckoning Doug has competed in an impressive list of marathon races, including:

14 General Clinton Regattas, three Texas Colorado River 100 mile races, one 120 mile AuSable Canoe Marathon and one Missouri River 340 canoe race. He also skied in 29 American Birkebeiner ski marathons as well as, several other USA ski marathons.

In 2008, Doug competed in the Yukon 1000 with partner Dave Dahl. The Yukon 1000 is a canoe marathon on the Yukon River. It starts in Whitehorse, travels northwest for 1000 miles and ends at the Dalton Highway Bridge, where the Alaskan pipeline crosses the river. The duo completed that race in 8 days. Doug was 65 at the time! See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1RLKxqGq8

Doug still competes in shorter distance races and enjoys his time in the outdoors.  

When not able to paddle outdoors, Doug has found a friend in the PaddleSport Training Canoe Adapter. Doug has recently completed 250,000 meters on his canoe adapter since the Birkebeiner this past February 24th!

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Doug Berg After teaching English for 5 years at Minnetonka High School, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St Paul Minnesota, Doug Berg took an interest in a newly planned program the school was considering for at-risk students. Doug offered to take on this new position if he could incorporate into the curriculum canoe camping trips similar in nature to the renowned Outward Bound Programs. The admin of the school accepted his proposal and Doug spent the remainder of his teaching career helping students develop important life skills through outdoor activities. Doug estimates he made over 100 trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as other exciting river trips outside the state with his students. Doug credits those canoe trips with his eventual interest in marathon canoe racing. By the late 1980s Doug was entering some of the longer marathon canoe races like the 70 mile General Clinton Canoe Regatta in central New York State with partner Greg Zophy. Doug retired from teaching in 2000 and was able to spend more time with his outdoor interests that included cross country skiing and bicycling as well as marathon canoe racing. By last reckoning Doug has competed in an impressive list of marathon races, including: 14 General Clinton Regattas, three Texas Colorado River 100 mile races, one 120 mile AuSable Canoe Marathon and one Missouri River 340 canoe race. He also skied in 29 American Birkebeiner ski marathons as well as, several other USA ski marathons. In 2008, Doug competed in the Yukon 1000 with partner Dave Dahl. The Yukon 1000 is a canoe marathon on the Yukon River. It starts in Whitehorse, travels northwest for 1000 miles and ends at the Dalton Highway Bridge, where the Alaskan pipeline crosses the river. The duo completed that race in 8 days. Doug was 65 at the time! See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1RLKxqGq8 Doug still competes in shorter distance races and enjoys his time in the outdoors. When not able to paddle outdoors, Doug has found a friend in the PaddleSport Training Canoe Adapter. Doug has recently completed 250,000 meters on his canoe adapter since the Birkebeiner this past February 24th! Doug Berg After teaching English for 5 years at Minnetonka High School, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St Paul Minnesota, Doug Berg took an interest in a newly planned program the school was considering for at-risk students. Doug offered to take on this new position if he could incorporate into the curriculum canoe camping trips similar in nature to the renowned Outward Bound Programs. The admin of the school accepted his proposal and Doug spent the remainder of his teaching career helping students develop important life skills through outdoor activities. Doug estimates he made over 100 trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as other exciting river trips outside the state with his students. Doug credits those canoe trips with his eventual interest in marathon canoe racing. By the late 1980s Doug was entering some of the longer marathon canoe races like the 70 mile General Clinton Canoe Regatta in central New York State with partner Greg Zophy. Doug retired from teaching in 2000 and was able to spend more time with his outdoor interests that included cross country skiing and bicycling as well as marathon canoe racing. By last reckoning Doug has competed in an impressive list of marathon races, including: 14 General Clinton Regattas, three Texas Colorado River 100 mile races, one 120 mile AuSable Canoe Marathon and one Missouri River 340 canoe race. He also skied in 29 American Birkebeiner ski marathons as well as, several other USA ski marathons. In 2008, Doug competed in the Yukon 1000 with partner Dave Dahl. The Yukon 1000 is a canoe marathon on the Yukon River. It starts in Whitehorse, travels northwest for 1000 miles and ends at the Dalton Highway Bridge, where the Alaskan pipeline crosses the river. The duo completed that race in 8 days. Doug was 65 at the time! See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1RLKxqGq8 Doug still competes in shorter distance races and enjoys his time in the outdoors. When not able to paddle outdoors, Doug has found a friend in the PaddleSport Training Canoe Adapter. Doug has recently completed 250,000 meters on his canoe adapter since the Birkebeiner this past February 24th! Doug Berg After teaching English for 5 years at Minnetonka High School, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St Paul Minnesota, Doug Berg took an interest in a newly planned program the school was considering for at-risk students. Doug offered to take on this new position if he could incorporate into the curriculum canoe camping trips similar in nature to the renowned Outward Bound Programs. The admin of the school accepted his proposal and Doug spent the remainder of his teaching career helping students develop important life skills through outdoor activities. Doug estimates he made over 100 trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as other exciting river trips outside the state with his students. Doug credits those canoe trips with his eventual interest in marathon canoe racing. By the late 1980s Doug was entering some of the longer marathon canoe races like the 70 mile General Clinton Canoe Regatta in central New York State with partner Greg Zophy. Doug retired from teaching in 2000 and was able to spend more time with his outdoor interests that included cross country skiing and bicycling as well as marathon canoe racing. By last reckoning Doug has competed in an impressive list of marathon races, including: 14 General Clinton Regattas, three Texas Colorado River 100 mile races, one 120 mile AuSable Canoe Marathon and one Missouri River 340 canoe race. He also skied in 29 American Birkebeiner ski marathons as well as, several other USA ski marathons. In 2008, Doug competed in the Yukon 1000 with partner Dave Dahl. The Yukon 1000 is a canoe marathon on the Yukon River. It starts in Whitehorse, travels northwest for 1000 miles and ends at the Dalton Highway Bridge, where the Alaskan pipeline crosses the river. The duo completed that race in 8 days. Doug was 65 at the time! See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1RLKxqGq8 Doug still competes in shorter distance races and enjoys his time in the outdoors. When not able to paddle outdoors, Doug has found a friend in the PaddleSport Training Canoe Adapter. Doug has recently completed 250,000 meters on his canoe adapter since the Birkebeiner this past February 24th!