by Rachel Hunter
The Gouverneur Public Library on Jan. 4 held a local author presentation featuring John A. Clark who published the 173-page book “Journey To Daybreak: Ocean to Ocean Solo by Bike, Boat and Boots.”
John Ash Clark, a native of Fulton, New York, was a prominent high school wrestler in Section III becoming his school’s first sectional champion in 1964 at 145 pounds. John became a member of the Saints’ wrestling team as an athlete in 1965 the same year the program was revived at the University. It did not take him long to establish himself on the roster becoming the first ICAC Champion in program history taking the title his sophomore year at 160 pounds. He would go on to earn First-Team honors that same season and would win his second career ICAC title during his senior campaign in 1968-69. After graduation, John was drafted in the Vietnam war and came back to earn his second bachelor’s degree and his Master’s in Education in 1972. Shortly after, he became the Saints head coach during the 1971-72 season.
As head coach of the program, John led the St. Lawrence University wrestling program and the “Iron Five” to the 1988 NCAA Division III Championship and was named the 1988 NCAA Division III Coach of the Year that same season. He also coached his wrestlers to a New York State team championship in 1977 and his teams produced nine NCAA Division III National Champions along with 64 NYS All-State place winners. Thirteen of his teams had top ten finishes in NCAA Championships; four of them finished in the top four. His career 182-54-7 record in dual meets ranks highly among Division III schools.
Upon his retirement from coaching at St. Lawrence in 1990, he took on the duties of Athletic Director for eight years and managed an athletic program that included 26 intercollegiate sports. During that time, John was instrumental in taking the Saints from the Empire Athletic Association to the Liberty League. John Clark (SLU ’69) was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.
In 2003 John was diagnosed with prostate cancer and following surgery became a spokesperson on cancer survival. Shortly after in 2004, he embarked on a dream of his, to bike, boat, and hike across Canada, something he called a “Journey to Daybreak” in which he biked 3000 miles, traveled 900 miles by sea kayak, and 500 miles on foot in Newfoundland. A gifted storyteller, John Clark shared about his trek at the Gouverneur Public Library last Thursday. Mr. Clark was introduced to the local crowd by new Gouverneur Public Library Director Karen King, and had a captive audience throughout the hour-long book presentation.
“What motivated me to do what I did? When I was in college I wanted to ride a bike across country but back then everyone had a summer job… Back then I wanted to ride a bicycle when I was in college across country. Nobody had time to do it. So that dream went dormant, until I retired from the university. There was marriage, children, job, the Army. But the dream came back. It was dormant for a long time. During my last year at the university I asked nine people. I was going to have a team of people go with me – a doctor, nurse, coach, athletes. They all said, “Great idea. Count me in, next year.” The next year came about, and I asked the same nine people and I heard: “Great idea, John. But I need another year.” So two months later I was on my way to Vancouver by myself. That’s what happens. People talk, and they want to do it. But if you get the idea to really do something like that, you have to go – and that is what happened to me.
“I was a coach my whole life. (Coach Randy Morrison) knows that. I was a wrestling coach, and my job was to get athletes to dream. I was in the dream business. That was my job. My dream was to cross the country by myself, under my own power. But that is John’s dream. I am in the dream business to encourage you to dream, no matter what your age is. I did this stuff in my 60s. I am 77 now. Most of this journey was done in my 60s. But that’s John. That’s what I was built for. But what I am here to tell you: Be in the dream business. For me, it was crossing a continent solo. For you, it may be taking up flyfishing. It may be learning how to sketch. It may be a musical instrument. It may be learning a language. It may be learning how to play chess. It may be crocheting or knitting. What I want to tell you is: No matter how old you are, no matter what you think your limitations are, be in the dream business – whatever it is, whatever your age is. Be in the dream business. If there is one message that I would want to pass along to you it would be: Be a dreamer. Dream away. What is it that you don’t know how to do that you can do? I kind of bit off more than I thought… but don’t be discouraged. Be in the dream business.
“I sign every one of my books. I sign my name and then I write: “Whatever you dream, follow it.” That’s what I sign. Now I don’t say pursue it. I am very careful with my words. I say follow your dream because your dream will take you places you have no idea you are going to go. Pursuing a dream is like going in a straight line. It sends a wrong message. No. When you follow a dream, it takes you to hidden treasures. It takes you to places that you had no idea where you were going to go, and it takes you to people you had no idea that you were ever going to meet. I call it the "Bumper Car Theory.” That’s what following a dream is like. When you follow dreams, nothing is a straight line. It takes you to places that you don’t even know you are going to go to.”
Mr. Clark then told the crowd that he published his memoirs in “Journey To Daybreak” for two reasons. “I had a very famous grandfather who traveled all over the world,” he said. “He lived in the arctic at age 84, and slept in a sleeping bag in a tent. But he never wrote anything down. So we have no record. We have no idea what he thought. I didn’t want to make that mistake. I wanted my grandchildren to know who I was, what I did, how I thought… The second reason I wrote the book was for each of you because I wanted whoever picks up this book and reads it that it will be a blessing to them, and that they got something out of it.
Mr. Clark told the crowd that the book was written during many early morning sessions. “There is a 2 o’clock train that goes through DeKalb Junction. When the train came through and made noise, I got out of bed so my wife wouldn’t wake up. So I wrote this at 2 a.m. every morning for a couple of years. When I got up out of bed, I had no idea what I was going to say. None. But as soon as I started to write, the words would flow like a spring.” He added that he couldn’t have written the book without the helpful assistance of his wife Donna. The couple met as students at St. Lawrence University in 1965 and married shortly after graduation. They have raised seven children together and have 17 grandchildren. The Clarks own and operate a bed and breakfast just outside of Canton. For 15 years, John Clark was a producer of “Rod and Reel Streamside,” a long running PBS fishing series. During the 90s, the Clarks co-pastored a non-denominational Christian church in Pierrepont.
Mr. Clark also told the crowd that he just received feedback on “Journey To Daybreak” from his friend and former Columbia Wrestling Coach Ron Russo. “I hadn’t talked to Ron in 30 years, but I found his address and sent him a book. He called me two days ago, and we spoke for an hour on the phone. He said, “John, I’ve never read a book like that.” I said, “Well, in two days, I am going to Gouverneur, NY, and I am going to talk to some people about the book. What would you say that I should say to them? I thought his words were interesting… interesting enough to tell you. These are Ron’s words: “First, your book reveals that there are no coincidences in life. None. Nothing happens by accident… John, while you were traveling solo you were a magnet to people coming to you.” I can tell you that is true. Most of the people who came to me were native, indigenous people. I would talk to them, often for hours. I would ask, “Why are you talking to me? What is interesting to you?” They would say, “We understand what you are doing in traveling across the country by yourself. We respect that, and consequently you are important to us.”
Mr. Clark then read “Gold Medal Day” just one of the 64 chapters in his book – each chapter a story within itself. Mr. Clark’s vivid storytelling brought Day 8 of his bicycle journey to life for the local audience.
The local author then opened the floor for questions from the crowd gathered.
Gouverneur’s own Coach Bob Porter said the following: “I first met John when he was a sophomore coming into St. Lawrence University from Fulton, NY. We worked in the training room together. I was doing grad studies and he was a sophomore at the time. Years later, he coached his son to New York State Champion just like (Coach Joel Baer) coached his son, which is a marvelous thing. One of the things that people should know about John Clark is I can remember going over to watch Canton when he was coaching and they were honoring their seniors. In all my years in athletics, I had never seen this done. He honored the Gouverneur wrestlers – one at a time – just like he did his own seniors. That brings tears to my eyes, Coach. It speaks very highly of you.”
“Well, you always respect your opponent because they are doing the same thing you are,” Mr. Clark said. “Thank you, Bob.”
Mr. Clark also talked about his research and limited preparations for the trek, and so much more. “I walked through a hurricane. I hit a whale with my oar. I came close to a big black bear in Western Ontario. The fears that you have prior to doing something hardly ever materialize. Right before I left on my bike I saw a public television show on the dangers of bears and lightning. Here I am on the Great Plains. There is lightning all around me, and I am on Bradley. I am on a metal bike, but you don’t even think about it. It’ just kind of strange. When I confronted a bear, I thought: “This is so beautiful.” I didn’t even think about the danger. Her fur was really shiny. If you have a bearskin rug on a wall, it’s dull. But when you are close to a bear in the wild, it is really spectacular. Your fears very seldom materialize in the way that you think… and when you are by yourself, you have license to do really goofy things. You talk to your walking stick. You talk to your boat. You talk to your bike. You get to the top of the mountain, and you pat the bars on the bike in thanks for getting you there…”
When Coach Porter said, “I love the title,” Mr. Clark explained its origin story. “At the end of my journey, there is a place in Cape Spear, Newfoundland, a projection of land that is shaped like a spear. It goes out into the ocean. The tip of that spear is the easternmost point in all of North America. I wanted to be the first person, technically, in North America to see the sun come up. I thought that would be kind of cool. So the last day I wanted to be at daybreak… so the “Journey To Daybreak” became the title. I was so excited when I got there that there was nobody there. So, technically, I was the first person to see the sun that day.”
He concluded by saying the following: “Everyone in this room could do what I did. But you would do it in a different way. People say often to me. “How did you do that?” When you have a seemingly impossible task, keep breaking it down into something that you can handle. Let me give you an example. If you are climbing a mountain, don’t think of the top. That is just going to get you frustrated. Think of the tree and get to the tree. Stop. Drink some water. Let your heartbeat go down. Then say, “Okay, now I have to get to that bridge.” You keep breaking it down until you can deal with it. Then you just do it over and over and over – and pretty soon you are at the top of the mountain. When you have an impossible task, don’t think about the end… just do what is right in front of you. It’s the same thing with writing. If I thought I was actually going to write a book, I probably wouldn’t have done it. All I did was get up at 2 a.m., with the train whistle and start writing… I just did it over and over again until I had a story to tell.
“If there’s a lesson for me to pass on to each of you, it would be: Be a dreamer. Dream. Dream about something you always wanted to do – and then do it. Just take it in little bits, and surround yourself with people who do know what they are doing. One thing I am good at is preparation because I spent my life preparing athletes. I know the power of preparation. Whenever you have something you want to do, you spend 80 percent of your time preparing. Bad things happen all the time, but if you are really prepared… I had to teach myself rescue techniques and other things I had no clue. That’s preparation. I would buy 14 books on road bikes and the dining room table would be a mass of papers. If you are going to do something, prepare. It makes the task a lot easier.”
The crowd gathered offered thunderous applause for John Clark as the book presentation concluded. Local residents then had the opportunity to ask the author questions, see the map of his route, purchase signed copies of “Journey To Daybreak” and enjoy refreshments provided by the Friends of the Gouverneur Public Library.
The Gouverneur Public Library is located at 60 Church Street in Gouverneur, and is open to the public on Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit gouverneurlibrary.org or call 315-287-0191.
