Explorers Unlocked: A Look Inside Brendan Walsh’s SUP Excursion Across the Connecticut River
Published by Allie Hochman
How Bicycle Brendan Conquered This Physically and Mentally Challenging Journey
Not all superheroes wear capes, and in this case, Kulkea’s incredible ambassador, often known as Bicycle Brendan, showed that superhumans sometimes come with a paddleboard and a mind-blowing sense of adventure. Meet Brendan Walsh, a fearless athlete, adventure-junkie, and founder of the Be Good To Each Other Project, aiming to bring positivity to the world through numerous charitable organizations. He may not be soaring through the sky, but he conquered the unthinkable, paddling through the rapids of the Connecticut River, enduring endless twists and turns, and raising awareness for the causes that mean the most to him, one wave at a time.
In an effort to challenge himself physically and mentally, while also fundraising for the Connecticut River Conservancy, Brendan hopped aboard his standup paddleboard and steered through the entire Connecticut River, knowing very well that others have attempted, but never completed this mission successfully. Alongside his longtime friend and fellow thrill-seeker, Matt, this admirable pair checked what might have been their biggest challenge yet off the list. Now that they’ve had some time to recover, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Brendan to dive deep into his experience from start to finish.
Where His Motivation Stemmed From
As their recent trip to South America was coming to an end, Brendan and Matt couldn’t help but think to themselves, “What are we going to do now?” Being a native New Englander, Brendan’s passion lies with local adventure, hence the trek through the Connecticut River. “A lot of the challenges I have done are very focused in New England, and I think it’s a really cool place for adventure,” Brendan explained. “Not only that, there’s so much history here to experience along the way.” He was committed to “showing the importance of the river that’s in our backyard.”
Days Leading Up to the Trip
You might be wondering, how does one prepare for a multi-week paddleboarding excursion? It’s no secret that New England weather is incredibly unpredictable, meaning Brendan had no choice other than training through Maine’s brutal winter, and as you can probably imagine, the water was still partially frozen. He explained this was “not super easy, but that’s a lot of what this is. It’s really kind of figuring out how to do it anyway. That was really how I took on every single day of this challenge.” In addition to taking on the far from ideal conditions that came his way, Brendan also emphasized the importance of strength training in the gym, saying “my base of endurance with that helped me get through it, because I quickly realized this was going to take every bit of knowledge, skill, and ability I had.”
Challenge Day 1
After months of training and planning out their route, Brendan and Matt were aware of the possibility they’d likely have to make life-or-death decisions on the fly, and perhaps even change their course completely. And this began right on day one, as they were given some insight from a local outdoorsman, causing them to make a slight alteration to their plan. “Seven seconds in, we smashed into a rock, end over end… instantly swimming, and that happened about five more times that day,” Brendan recalled. “I thought I had seen some stuff before I left… but quickly realized that these were things that not only had I never seen before, but probably very few people have.” Yet, nothing could stop this daring duo, as Brendan admits that “every single day I would be reminded of that and pretty much ask the river Gods for safe passage!”
When Everything Felt Stacked Against Him, Brendan Found a Way to Push Through
Brendan gave us a glimpse into his mindset throughout the entire challenge, sharing, “I used to be the positive reframe [person], but you realize there’s a certain point that toxic positivity also doesn’t help you problem solve.” As he encountered each bump in the stream, he maintained one thought: “Why do I actually want to do this?” Reflecting back, Brendan emphasized that this “was one of the most intrinsically motivating things I’ve ever done. It got to a point where you see that everything’s stacked up against you, so now I thought, ‘I have to do this… I must finish because of all of these challenges.’” And not only that, “these were challenges that I never even knew existed, so I felt like this was an exploration of sorts, not just some long bikeride.”
The Defining Moment
With each paddle came another unforeseen hurdle, and if you ask Brendan, “Every single time the wall got bigger, I just needed to see even more.” But there was one particular moment that stuck with Brendan, where he and Matt made their way around a dam and were shocked to discover a structure that resembled a door, seemingly impossible to get around. “There's a pile of rubble, there’s a waterfall we tried to get across that would require something like a ladder that you’d use to cross a crevasse in Antarctica or the Himalayas,” he explained. “And it came to this moment where all you could do was just leap. We couldn’t quit, we carried all of our stuff down this man-made mountain, and had to throw ourselves into the most powerful force on Earth, which is rushing water.”
While it certainly took immense bravery, there was no chance these two men would shy away from this next step. “And in that moment, it was so quiet, there were really no thoughts in my head at all. I thought, ‘I’m just going to do this right now.’ And that felt like the defining moment of the trip right there, which was, it doesn’t really matter, I’m just going to do it.”
Inspiring Others to Challenge Themselves
While this particular challenge required an elite level of training and fearlessness, Brendan feels strongly that there’s an opportunity for anyone to challenge themselves, no matter how significant the risk. Regardless of one's passion or hopes for the future, “everyone does their personal best, you start somewhere, and whatever you’re doing is a great thing,” Brendan exclaimed. “I want to live a life of unique experiences, and I think that means chasing your own personal records. Whatever that perspective is for you, it is the greatest perspective you could ever ask for.”
And for anyone looking to take on their very own physical or mental challenge, if you ask Brendan, the best thing you can do is “just be willing to figure it out. Because every single time I’ve done something, I came up with three or four different itineraries, and none of them worked out,” he shared. “And that’s exactly what I expected to happen, but there were even more twists and turns along the way. I think if you just show up willing to figure out what’s going to happen, you’re going to be able to do whatever thing it is that you’re trying to take on.”
The Gear That Supported Him From Start to Finish
Here at Kulkea, we take great pride in the craftsmanship, durability, and functionality of our outdoor adventure gear. And after making it across the entire Connecticut River, jumping into the rushing rapids and all, Brendan expressed the value of his OTRMost Hydration Pack. “Despite literally being tossed through multiple sets of rapids, the rain cover never fell off,” he remarked. “It was an instrumental piece of gear for me because it was my nutrition bag. I always had 2 L of water on me, the pockets filled with snacks, in the back I had sunscreen [and more],” Brendan proudly shared. All in all, we can officially confirm that OTRMost has been rapid tested, making it the perfect bag for any summer excursion!
Get Your Very Own OTRMost At an Exclusive Rate
If you’re looking to embark on your very own summer adventures, whether that involves hiking, biking, or maybe even paddleboarding in true Brendan style, you can’t go wrong with the OTRMost Hydration Pack. We’ve collaborated with HydraPak™ to design a unique, performance-driven hydration system with easy access to 1.75 L of liquid through the high-flow bite valve. And the hydration system is entirely leak-free, so you can take full advantage of the 15 L of storage space without having to worry about wet gear. For a limited time, you can get your hands on this epic bag for 25% off the original price, instantly elevating your upcoming expeditions.