The last time I saw Kyle Parker was in August.
Kyle Parker paddles his way last August on the Wisconsin River past the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center just south of Spring Green. Parker paddled the entirety of the 420-mile river in five days, 19 hours and 57 minutes, making it the second-fastest solo paddle of the river on record.
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Kyle Parker, seen here earlier this year on the Namekagon River in far northwestern Wisconsin, will soon depart on a more than 5,000-mile paddling and hiking trip. The Green Bay native plans to canoe from northwestern Washington to Miami, Florida, a four- to six-month journey that will include upstream paddles and portages over mountain ranges.
Ethan Scheiwe, manager at Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, shows off a lightweight carbon fiber paddle from Bending Branches, a canoe and kayak paddle company in Osceola. Kyle Parker will use this brand of paddle in his monthslong journey.
Ethan Scheiwe at Rutabaga Paddlesports shows off a collapsible cart that Parker will use on his trip.
Photos: A tour of Horicon Marsh via pontoon boat
Passengers on a Blue Heron Landing boat tour of Horicon Marsh explore the wetlands.
A passenger on a boat tour of Horicon Marsh takes photos of a flock of herring gulls.
Jill Smith of Fox Point and her grandson, Leo Smith, 3, use binoculars to survey the surroundings during a boat tour of Horicon Marsh.
Historical artifacts related to the city of Horicon are displayed inside the Blue Heron Landing.
Kayaks are stored under the foundation of Blue Heron Landing in Horicon. The company also rents canoes and offers guided tours via pontoon boat and mud boat.
Various species of birds are displayed on a poster inside the Blue Heron Landing in Horicon. The nearby marsh attracts more than 300 species of birds.
A map inside the Blue Heron Landing shows the 33,000 acre Horicon Marsh. The southern third is owned by the state of Wisconsin and the remaining two thirds by the federal government.
Troy Kirchoff has been traversing Horicon Marsh for as long as he can remember and is now guiding pontoon boat tours on part of the 33,000-acre marsh. Kirchoff and his wife, Jodell, purchased the Blue Heron Landing earlier this year after the longtime business had closed in 2019.
Horicon Marsh attracts more than 300 species of birds, including kingfisher. Waterfowl such as ducks and geese will soon begin to arrive in droves as the fall migration begins.
Troy and Jodell Kirchoff purchased Blue Heron Landing early this year and have completely remodeled the building and added a bar and coffee shop. Troy grew up in Horicon, and Jodell in Juneau. They've been married for 34 years.
Troy Kirchoff prepares to launch his pontoon boat Wednsday that was filled with customers for tours of the Horicon Marsh.
A sign on the West Lake Street bridge in Horicon lets boaters know they are about to enter Horicon Marsh.
The Blue Heron Landing, located at the Highway 33 bridge in Horicon, has been providing boat tours of Horicon Marsh since the early 1960s.
Troy Kirchoff arranges artwork on the walls of Blue Heron Landing, the business he owns with his wife, Jodell, in Horicon.
Jill Smith of Fox Point, and her grandson, Leo Smith, 3, prepare to depart on the custom-built pontoon boat at Blue Heron Landing in Horicon. A second pontoon boat could be added next season. The business also offers mud boat tours and rents kayaks and canoes to paddle up the Rock River and into Horicon Marsh.
Wildlife native to regional wetlands is displayed inside the Blue Heron Landing in Horicon.
A blue heron mount and other local memorabilia greets visitors to the Blue Heron Landing in Horicon.
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
