Canoecopia

“Held in Madison, WI, March 12-14. Never been there, but it sure sounds cool!

Canoecopia”

“I mean, I've never been to Canoecopia. I'VE BEEN TO MADISON. DUH! lololol”

“Wow! Just take a look at the speaker schedule. Mostly canoeing, but there's all kinds of other topics, too.”

“I heard them canoes don't float too good after you get 'em all full of fruits and pumpkins and squashes and such.”

“lol

lizs I heard about this and really wish i could go :(

help me talk tree into letting me go ok?”

“lizs, I've been several times and for those thinking of adding paddling to their repertoire, or expanding their paddling into backcountry camping trips, Canoecopia is a great place to check out gear, outfitters, and information. My college usually has a booth to promote our Outdoor Adventure program.

Having maxed out on paddling gear, I didn't attend last year. However, it was at Canoecopia that I bought waterproof VauDe packs, both my Grand Canyon backpack and a "courier" day pack made of raft-style material. I also picked up my second Hennesey Hammock there for a good sale price. So there are opportunities for gear that can be used in any backcountry situation, especially those where it might be on or around water, or in wet weather.

It's also a good opportunity to meet folks and listen to some very experienced trekkers relate their experiences.”

“Wow!! I'd love to see that show. If that was a 3 day weekend I'd consider a road trip.”

“Anyone else? Wanna meet somewhere?”

“I wish I could go...:(

We have an annual kayak symposium in Upper Mi each year. I would love to make it once.”

“mataharihiker, that's the start of my spring break and we haven't settled our plans yet, but going down to Madison is always an option. Should we be dropping in on Canoecopia, I'll let you know.”

“mataharihiker, when you say you will be at Canoecopia all three days, will it just be as a visitor, or will you be connected with an exhibitor? Should we be able to zip down to Madtown (weather permitting at the moment), would there be a way to find you?

If you don't want to say here, e-mail me at iitonen@yahoo.com .”

“sorry, I just saw this..I'm going as a visitor..some of us are already meeting Sunday at 11am in front of the Superior Hiking Trail booth in the lobby..folks I don't know yet..I plan on attending many lectures but haven't quite decided which one when as there are many repeats..I don't have a cell phone (HOORAY FOR ME!) so, right now, I can't think of any way to locate me unless you come up with something..I'm leaving early Friday morning..”

“Just back from Madison and I managed to meet up briefly with mataharihiker and some of her buddies who post to "the other side," but who may show their nom de guerres here. I met Firebug (it's a starting-a -fire-with-white-gas kinda name) and another fella whose name I have already misplaced.

Mataharihiker became the first TTer to meet my lovely wife, reino, when we encountered each other again moving between programs.

Got to see the slide show/talk by a river ecologist who managed to get down the Yangtze through the 3 Gorges just before the dam was finished. He and a friend did it in folding kayaks. It was a good, thoughtful look at a very complicated situation. Certain things in his pics were very familiar to me and reino from our days in the Middle Kingdom.

We bugged out early, though, skipping some talks on Scandinavia and Finland that we wanted to see, because of the weather up north. Very, very windy and snow showers most of the 3 hour drive (with a nice bathroom break at the new, super-sized Gander Mtn. in Wausau, where I scored a couple Lite Chair kits for our Ultralite 3/4 pads on half-off clearance.

Other than that, we had a gastronomic tour of Madison, fitting in Spanish, Chinese and Italian, along with hitting a Von Bondies show at the Annex rock club. If you can't place the Von Bondies, their lead singer is the guy that Jack White of the White Stripes just pled guilty to beating up at a Detroit venue. Based on the guy's guitar playing, he may have had it coming.”

“Sounds like an enjoyable trip. Was the ice out on Lake Mendota, yet?”

“Today's wind had a small sliver on the W side of Lake Monona open, but I didn't get to see Mendota.

Wind advisories have been posted since we got home for the counties we drove through on the way north, so it seems best we left when we did -- blowing enough I was glad I was driving a small, low car.”

“Yeah it was up to 45 MPH here today. But I got in a good test of my new Stovestomper pot, stove and windscreen set. It worked despite the wind!!!”

“I was in your neighborhood Friday night, Saturday and Sunday,helping my daughter with the renovation. Saturday was practically white out condition. You have much more snow on your side by far...and are welcome to it. Got to almost 40 here today and the melt is on again, at least for a little while. There's half a dozen deer in my back yard right now, munching on the free corn. Getting a little tired of this free lunch stuff. Pretty soon one of them is going to start feeding me.”

“Now don't get the idea that we saw you coming, Snake Eyes, and bugged out, lol. We were glad we had headed south when we saw the weather report. Rhinelander got about 5 inches Saturday. We crossed our fingers that the roads would be plowed and our neighbor would have snowblowed the driveway -- both of which proved true on our return Sunday evening. Man, the spring melt should provide nice wet conditions for the skeeters, black flies ... oh, yeah, and the whitewater paddlers!”

“OK - I know a few are going this year and it looks like I may be able to make part of it since it's so close.

Some questions:
Who's going?
Where are you all staying?
When will you be there?”

“not me :-) BUT... here's the almost definitive list:

http://forums.backpacker.com/thread.jspa?threadID=79537&tstart=0”

“Thanks lizs.”

“We are there Fri. and Sat. Staying across the street at the Sheraton. Dr. Atomic and mercedes girl are at the Comfort Suites in Middleton, Matahari is staying over also but not sure where. Plan to meet up Saturday at 12:30, Superior hiking trail booth”

“Have fun folks. Won't be making it this year as I'll be enjoying 80-degree weather in Austin, TX, at a conference. The outlook for Madison is pretty balmy temperatures by Wisconsin terms, 40s, but may be rainy.

But I did just order a SOAR 12 inflatable canoe to use as a tender for our sailboat. SOAR will have a booth at Canoecopia and the owner will be there -- he handled my order himself and told me so. I can't wait to get it at the end of the month. New geeeear!”

“http://www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia/floorplan.asp

I'm in the market for a canoe this year.
This time I'm going early and shopping more!”

“Years ago I got a bargain on a canoe, when I attended the last day of a boat show in Minneapolis.”

“



Spirit II availability: Weight*
Kevlar Ultra-light 42lb. $2,249
Kevlar Flex-core 54lb. $1,899
Tuf-weave Flex-core 63lb. $1,399
Royalex 68lb. $1,199”

“I've already got my list together. We'll all have to meet up again, as usual. I missed out last year.”

“good prices???”

“My mom and dad go every year. One of these years I'll join all of you crazy canoers!”

“Years ago I got hold of an excellent mahogany canoe. She was a sweetie, but alas she was stolen.

I organized a trip down the Ocmulgee river - Jackson Lake to Macon - a two niter. (See "If Ya Ask Me, These Three Ya Gotta See!" thread).

We had six peeps in three canoes - mine, an aluminum, and a fiberglass, all 16 footers. There was no discernable difference in nary one of them. They all performed well.

The moral of the story:
A canoe is a canoe is a canoe, imo...”

“Peek under rocks and leaves as you travel about. Stop and make offers for those seemingly forgotten floatables discarded to the backs of yards.

I bet you'd score on your first try...”

“A good keel on the bottom will reduce side slippage and help in maneuvering in tight quarters. This is as compared to a flat bottom canoe.”

“I will be there”

“Nice Nigal. I'll be looking for something durable for AR but as light as you can get with that criteria.

I'll try that too gojo. Good advice. I mean so many people buy outdoor gear and never use it.

Yeehaw - can I start the trip page yet, can I?”

“ok, since you insist :-)
http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/1163.php”

“So is this show just canoes or do they have other things there?”

“There were other things last year - all sorts of cool outdoor gear, but mostly dedicated to paddling.

The website has a list of exhibitors but the speakers have not yet been announced.”

“OK, you canoeists/kayakers/trip goers. You've inspired me to actually get my Webshots album done on the "Diggin' the Root River" trip from July.

Enjoy (and don't worry if I pick on anyone... hehehee)

Click on zeeeee photo for more!

”

“Can you make it to Madison in March lizs?”

“Awesome. Let's see some paddle trips start showing up on the trips page.

How bout the first weekend in May?”

“

"Can you make it to Madison in March lizs?"
dhutch1

March??? canoeing???
On Lake Mendota the ice won't go out this spring until April 9^th. But any time is party time in Madison.
last edited: 12/27/06 1:43:04 PM”

“It's an indoor event nowslimmer. A whole expo center full of paddle sports and outdoor gear. That's where I found my beloved....Lendal (aka, the sweet black shaft)

Last year it was in the high 60's when we were there. Oh and they serve some pretty darn good ale there. MMMM!”

“It's getting to be about time to set a meeting place and time. I've posted my schedule on the trip page. Maybe in the lobby out front of the day care (too dangerous?). I figure on being there early.

Lesseee, shopping list
Replacement straps Yakima kayak rack
T Ends for the black shaft
Canoe”

“Maybe a nice lightweight paddle for those hard to buy for friends from Michigan? ;)


We got Abby her first real big kid PFD last night (no more flaps behind the head and loops between her legs. She's been wearing it non-stop since. Going to have to pry it off of her for school in a few minutes.”

“That's awesome! You guys are the cool kind of parents.”

“shopping list:
Pelican case for iPod
check out Keens
think about a portage pack from Granite Gear
books
Smartwool socks
cool, weird gadgets I don't already own”

“Mata, I thought you owned every cool gadget made! : )”

“Next week-end!

Have we decided where we are meeting and at what time?

I suggest meeting both Saturday and Sunday if not everyone plans to be there both days...traditionally at the Lake Superior Hiking Trail booth in the lobby...

Opinions?”

“Okeedokee, Superior Hiking Trail booth it is - Mata I don't have the gazette. What are the hours? I expect to be at the center early.”

“OOOoooo, I am so jealous! I so wanted to go to this -- and nearly did. My mom and dad will be there. I told them to look out for you guys. ;-)”