The Grand River 04-03-11

[Paladin1aa]

Good trip. Grandson Evan had a good time.

[85dragonfly]

Let me add my thanks to Rich for a very nice trip last weekend. Most enjoyable day on a beautiful river. Rich and I were talking some about FreeStyle Canoe paddling, and I was saying that while many folks think of that mostly as people paddling canoes in routines set to music (which they certainly do), the fact is that most people who set about getting some instruction in these techniques are much more about simply learning better boat/paddle control - and I can attest that it certainly does that. Apropos of that, I include a brief "piece" here which says just a little something about FreeStyle paddling:

"For many of us who paddle solo canoes in particular, there is a subtle but very persistent awareness which underscores nearly every paddling experience - that is the simple, quiet Joy in just feeling the boat move through the water under you in the ways in which it naturally wants to move. That Joy is increased as you learn more about how you can facilitate, enhance, and make use of that movement - learning how to speak to the boat with your blade, your weight shifts, your heeling; but also in learning how to listen when the canoe speaks to you, which of course is what it?s doing when it responds not only to your actions, but also to other forces - current, wind - which are acting upon it. Among many other things, paddling is an on-going conversation between you and the canoe about moving through the water right here, right now. FreeStyle instruction is all about learning how to be an effective and efficient communicator, and a Good Listener as well. It?s about learning how to hold up your end of that conversation."

Just something to think about. There's a FreeStyle symposium in Peninsula Ohio in September, real close by. I recommend it to any canoe paddler, and will post a reminder about that event in the months to come.

Thanks again Rich