A Life on the Water
Since achieving sobriety at 50, David has logged over 16,000 miles in a kayak or canoe, often alone, and often with Stormy riding shotgun. His paddling career has taken him to paddle the shoreline of Lake Khuvsgul in N. Mongolia, the Eg River, the Salenga River into Lake Baikal paddling post of the 1,200 miles shoreline in Siberia, the Colorado River through the desert Southwest, the Yukon, the Snake River, the Yellowstone to the Missouri to the Mississippi down to Baton Rouge a 3,000 mile paddle with 100 nights on the bank. He has survived colon cancer, the colon cancer surgery gone very bad, lives with prostrate cancer and thrives in the solitude of nature.
His mantra is simple: “If I drop dead, I want it to be doing something I love.” It’s a philosophy forged in fire and refined on the water, where every paddle stroke is a reminder of what he’s overcome—and what still lies ahead.
Sharing the Journey
This trip isn’t just for David. With help from a fellow veteran and a bit of modern tech, he’s sharing his story with the world. Video updates, reflections, and behind-the-scenes footage will be posted as regularly as he cab to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Instagram. It’s all part of a larger mission: to inspire other veterans and recovering addicts to rediscover life’s meaning in nature, movement, and reflection.
“I’ve never met anybody on the river as old as I am,” he laughs. “But I don’t think age should be a stopping point. I think it should be a reminder to keep going.”
Mile Markers and Milestones
Over the coming weeks, David will pass iconic locations like starting in Tulita, where the Great Bear River joins the flow; and the eerie limestone cliffs of The Ramparts. He’ll cross the Arctic Circle and enter the sprawling Mackenzie Delta before reaching his final stop: the cold, vast waters of the Beaufort Sea.
Each of these locations marks more than a point on the map—they’re symbols of persistence, survival, and transformation. Each one is a chapter in the final volume of a remarkable life story still unfolding.
A Message of Hope
David’s journey is deeply personal, but it’s also a message. Through his website and upcoming podcast, he hopes to remind people—especially other veterans—that healing is possible. “I’m so enamored with my sobriety,” he says. “I hate to go to bed because I can’t wait to get up.”
He’s written two books: one about his experience in Vietnam and another about the journey to self-reliance and peace. A third is in progress about the property he lives on he is part owners of in Newberry National Monument on East Lake. He wants to tell the story of how the property came to be, what it has done for him and his journey in life in sobriety.
But this one—the Mackenzie trip—isn’t just about writing. It’s about living. About finishing what he started, and showing others what’s still possible, even at 78.
Follow the Expedition
You can follow David’s expedition live via GPS/the interactive In reach map, read journal entries, and watch video updates by visiting https://1indsob.com. Like, share, and subscribe on your favorite platform to help spread the word—and maybe help someone else find their way back to the river.
