Paddle of the Century 40 years ago, Don Starkell and his teenaged sons set off from Winnipeg’s Red River on a world-record-setting canoe trip. Don Starkell wasn't the kind of guy to shy away from improbable odds. So when people told him his dream of paddling a canoe from Winnipeg to the Amazon was impossible, it fuelled his determination to do it. The epic trip would stretch nearly 20,000 kilometres, through 13 countries, and would include life-threatening tropical storms, fierce waves and a near-execution in Honduras. Don on a bike trip from Winnipeg to Nova Scotia in 1984. (Rhonda Rich/Submitted by Dana Starkell)