Quote:
Originally Posted by dm7211961@att.net
I was also wondering if you would be interested in maybe putting on a few classes here and there on freestyle canoeing for club members interested in learning new skills. I would be very interested myself since Ive gotton my canoe, Im trying to increase my skills with a single wooden paddle.
As i was writing this i started thinking you or someone else might have already done this in the past and i just didnt know about it.
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Dave,
I am barely beyond a beginning freestyler, but I would be happy to show you what I have learned in freestyle paddling (if I can remember LOL). One way to get a flavor of this canoeing subculture at little cost (just admission to the campground) is to attend the Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous. It is held annually on the first weekend of June at Cooper’s Lake Campground in Portersville, PA. By glomming onto some of the more experienced freestylers, they will generally be happy to demonstrate freestyle strokes and techniques in an informal setting.
The best way to learn, in my opinion, is to attend the Midwest Canoe Symposium (MCS) in Peninsula, Ohio, the weekend after Labor Day. It is freestyle immersion for three days. It can cost several hundred dollars depending on how many classes you take and whether you camp or stay in the dorm. Meals also add to the cost. But in my opinion, it’s well worth it. Jim Satrape, who used to paddle occasionally with TCT, and his wife, Manon, organize and run MCS.
JP