Thorin Loeks

A few weeks ago, I finally completed my childhood dream: to paddle a canoe from ocean to ocean across North America ☀️

It took way longer than I ever thought possible. The first two photos are of me on the first and second days of this journey near the Pacific, 4 years ago. The rest are from yesterday reaching the Atlantic. I had no idea how much my life would change over the following years. I met so many wonderful people and spent so many days on sandbars communing with nature, writing music, and reflecting on life. I had so many setbacks, but I never stopped returning to the river.

It took me about 3 million paddle strokes, hundreds of days camping. I played dozens of grassroot shows of my original music in towns, camps, and homes along the way. I made life long friendships, weathered countless storms, and ate more instant mashed potatoes than anyone would believe possible. 

I had deep conversations with people in unexpected places, laughed to myself about all the little and large things in wild places where no one could else could hear me, and sweat more than any human should.

Now I am here, at the end, and it still hasn't fully hit me. I paddled out into the sea yesterday overcome with emotion. It took so much to be here, bolstered by the kindness of so many amazing humans who believed in me along the way.

The sun was setting as the waves pushed me along the coast to my final camp and I just let go and let myself feel everything. So much ecstatic joy, sacrifice, and gratitude washed through me.

If there is anything I have learned in the last four years, it is that the world is heartbreakingly beautiful. And if you find the courage to listen to your heart and take leaps into the unknown, this beautiful world will likely be there to help you find something priceless. Not just a deeper connection to the world and yourself, but a greater capacity to believe 💛

New year, new me ✨️ 

Thank you 2024 for all the highs, lows, and life lessons. I have such deep and profound gratitude for this amazing journey called life and the priceless people I have met, shared it with, and learned from along the way.

Here's to 2025 being a year of clarity, purpose, and new adventures. Every day is a treasure 🌅

After months of traveling by canoe across America, I have decided to pull my paddle out in Memphis, Tennessee, for the season 🛶🌅 

This year has been truly incredible. Beyond completing Lewis and Clark's return journey, I created some priceless memories, music, and friendships that I will treasure forever. 

I still have 600 miles left to paddle to complete my larger dream of canoeing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. While I was hoping to make it this year, a part of me is grateful to be finishing next summer. With fair weather, fresh batteries, and even more time to process what this odyssey has meant to me, it just feels right that I will be returning to the river 🏞 

A big thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported and believed in me and this dream. While it has been far harder and has taken way longer than I ever thought it would, it has become an enriching, growing, and deepening experience beyond what I could have possibly imagined.

I hope that over the coming months, I can continue to create and share some truly special songs and projects with you that reflect how much this has all meant to me 🫶

All my best, 

Sincerely, 

Thor

Still pinching myself that I have successfully paddled the entire Missouri River to St. Louis via Astoria Oregon and the Pacific Ocean ☀️🛶 More than anything, beyond incredible days on the river and in nature, the friendships I have made out here have been the true gold of this journey ✨️

I have more or less retraced Lewis and Clark's entire return journey and now plan to continue down the Mississippi to the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully, the weather gods are with me 🙏🌤

I'm very pleased to announce the release of my new song “Either Way”!

My producer Braeden and I have been putting a lot of love and effort into bringing this together over the last few months. So pleased to be finally sharing it with you. 

Road tripping across the USA on my Back to the Canoe Tour has been a blast 🏞✨️ So great to reconnect with my friends along the river and make some new ones! 

Currently preparing to be back on the water paddling towards the Gulf of Mexico 🛶🌅 I have my last show of this tour this coming Saturday in Mobridge, South Dakota, playing for my friends at the Bridge City Marina. Then, if the weather gods are kind, I will ship back out in my solo canoe to begin paddling the second half of Lake Oahe. 

Thank you for your incredible support everyone and see you down the river road ✨️🙏

A great time for songwriting 🎶✨️

Just about to start recording my new album and have some really exciting updates for 2024.

Hope you all have a wonderful week 🫶

Happy New Year everyone ✨️

Hope you are all doing well as this new chapter begins. 2023 was amazing for me in so many ways, but I'm ready to make 2024 even better. Feeling very motivated to continue working towards the dreams I've had for years.

On the top of the list is to fulfill a childhood dream of canoeing across America, which has taken me about halfway now from the Pacific Ocean to South Dakota over the last two seasons. This year, the plan is to compete this voyage, of another 4000 km or so, to the Gulf of Mexico.

The second is to start regularly releasing the new music I've been writing, culminating in my next album. I have so many meaningful songs that I'm looking forward to begin sharing with you all.

Last but not least, I hope to be more intentional with building, appreciating, and maintaining the relationships with family and friends that I have been lucky enough to cultivate over the years. There truly are some wonderful people in this world and I feel very grateful to know and be loved by a few of them. That being said, everyone is on their own journey and life keeps moving so quickly. It's easy to lose touch, but even one thoughtful message or phone call now and then can mean a lot. I know it does for me.

Wishing you all a very special 2024. Let this be a year of following and fufilling your dreams with the people that matter to you 🫶🌅

Grateful to announce the release of my new EP “The Light” 🌅 🎶

So pleased to finally fully share this collection of songs with you all.

Big thank you to Braeden Rangno and David Tallarico for their amazing work in the studio as producers and audio engineers.

Wishing you all a wonderful autumn ✨️