Rick Ranson, the third child in a family of six children, was raised the son of an enthusiastic, story-telling Royal Canadian Air Force Captain, and grew up in military bases across Canada, from Vancouver to Labrador. When he was 16, Ranson hitchhiked from Winnipeg through the US to Toronto, and then from Winnipeg to Mexico, before canoeing from Winnipeg to New Orleans. After a brief stint in Australia (1974–1975), Ranson settled in Winnipeg, MB, where he lives today.

Ranson has worked as a longshoreman, a drill ship’s welder, a boilermaker, a farm equipment salesman, an editor for McGraw Hill, a forklift operator, and a business owner. Ranson has contributed to several publications, including The Cottager Magazine, Gam on Yachting, Western Producer, and The Herald. He is also the author of Working North DEW Line to Drill Ship, which chronicles the eight years Ranson spent working as a welder in the Canadian Arctic. His latest book, Paddling South: Winnipeg to New Orleans by Canoe , was released in October 2007 and was shortlisted for the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction at the Manitoba Book Awards (winners announced on April 26, 2008).

Visit Rick Ranson's website, where you can find out more about Rick and his books through photos and podcasts:  http://rickranson.com/ 

Podcasts:

Rick Ranson Reads Paddlings South (MP3)

Paddling South into Publishing (MP3)