Fifteen eager paddlers loaded up their gear, mounted their kayaks and commenced on a 10-day journey through 650 miles of Alabama waterways at the northern part of Weiss Lake early last month. Subsequently, only four competitive participants crossed the finish line at Mobile Bay.

The Great Alabama 650 launched its inaugural endurance race along the Alabama Scenic River Trail, which passed right through central Alabama, with a celebratory stop in Wetumpka.