Brandon: We said before we ever left U.S. soil, if we can get our selves, our kayaks and all our gear to the shore of Lake Baikal, put in, and take the first few strokes, we'll call the expedition a success. For us this has been the crux of all our projects: putting them together, raising funds, sponsorship, visas, and on and on. It's fun in its own way and it's getting easier each time, but it makes the actual paddling and camping seem easy.

WD: Describe the most poignant moment of this trip - a moment that made the whole thing worthwhile.

Heather: Every moment of the trip was magical. Lake Baikal is a very mystical, spiritual place. But, it was the end of our journey that made the trip all worthwhile. As thanks for all the help our host family had given us we had agreed to leave our boats and paddling gear behind as a gift. Upon our return to the village after completing the circumnavigation, Brandon and I spent a few days resting and packing for the flight home. The children of the village spent hours just sitting in the boats on land, paddles in their hands, pretending to kayak around. One little girl sat in the hatch playing a harmonica we had given her while her brother sat in the cockpit paddling. Those are the memories burned in my mind forever!

Brandon: I wouldn't have said this out loud while we were on the lake, but I wanted to experience the legendary fury of Baikal, to feel the force of the Sarma or one of the other 30 named winds that explode like a hurricane. We got hit hard around day 20, but we'd watched it build all day and were lashed down and tucked into camp when it hit. On day 67, though, I got my wish. We basically got caught between 60-70 mph winds and a good sized surf landing onto boulders. Fortunately we both got off the water unhurt, but we spent the rest of the day in our drysuits running around on the beach, just being in the storm, measuring the wind, taking pictures. That day was unforgettable.

"Brandon and I are at our most comfortable when we are in the wilderness, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life..."

WD: Some couples would be reluctant (or unable) to undertake such a long and arduous journey with their significant other. How do you make sure you don't end up killing each other?

Heather: Brandon and I are at our most comfortable when we are in the wilderness, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. We rely on each other and each other's strengths. We completely trust and respect each other. I know how lucky I am to have a husband who not only supports my crazy dreams and passions, but no matter where my ideas take me, he will be by my side ready to charge!

Brandon: You have to keep in mind that when we're exploring or racing together, we're doing what we love most in life. I think a lot of people misinterpret the word "expedition" to automatically mean "pain and suffering." For us, being out on Baikal or on our bikes in the Rockies, wherever, that's as high-quality and comfortable as life gets, so our relationship is usually at its strongest. It's when we're home dealing with the day to day grind that we get nit-picky and edgy with each other.

WD:Both of you have done a number of expeditions - what drives you to undertake such adventures?

Heather: It is what we love. Life is too precious not to follow your dreams. When we decided to do our first expedition the overwhelming response from people we told was "Do it while you are young" or "I wish I had done something like that." That really inspired me to prove anyone can have a dream and make it happen. Neither Brandon nor I had ever been in a sea kayak before we built two wooden kayaks and paddled the 900 miles of the Sea of Cortez. One of Brandon and my's greatest inspirations is a legendary paddler named Verlen Kruger. To celebrate his 80th birthday he and his 78 year old wife decided to paddle the 2000 mile Yukon River! That is what life is all about!

Brandon: It's partly about being out in the wilds for weeks or months at a time. You reach a point where you're just resonating with the wind, with the swell; you know where the moon is even in mid-day; you can spot Orion and know how many more hours 'til dawn. And it's also about having time to read and write and stretch and fish, the things we don't make time for when we're home. Expeditions recharge the batteries.