The Paddling Experts Blog » Author Archive
School’s Out! A Few Recommendations for Summer Paddling
Hey… we don’t work all the time! and when we aren’t working, we’re probably out paddling (or thinking about it). So… Here’s some of our favorite spots we are planning to visit this summer. Lower Wisconsin River, Arena to Spring Green This is my family’s favorite day trip. It’s a short drive from urban Madison, but it’s a world away in terms of its wild character and natural beauty. … Read entire article »
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Whitewater Weekend…(Part 2)
…The Power of H2O It had only been a month since we’d been to the Southeast for some creek boating, but with spring break approaching and the promise of good water in North Carolina – well, it was just too much. Four Madisonians, Brian Day, Lenny Sheps, Mark Jankowski and I, would leave the Monday morning following Canoecopia for a week of creeking. Brian’s Honda Civic and Mark’s Toyota Tacoma were loaded and cruising down I-94 by 11:00a.m… two vehicles, four paddlers, and seven kayaks. Yep, seven. I was the only one without two kayaks since I would be picking one up at the Pyranha USA headquarters in Asheville, NC. The forecast predicted plenty of rain, but if water levels weren’t right, then we would need our playboats. As usual, we drove … Read entire article »
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Whitewater Weekend…(Part 1)
The Frothing Rivers of the American Southeast The Honda Civic was loaded, to say the least. On top sat a Yakima Rocketbox containing paddles, PFDs, and cold weather paddling gear. Two creek boats, a Pyranha Micro 240 and an Eskimo Salto, also sat proudly on the roof rack, displaying their scratched hulls to passersby. The hatch and back seats were filled with assorted, required paddling accoutrements: tent, sleeping bags, food (can’t forget the Nutella!), camcorder, and Monte Smith’s Southeastern Whitewater paddling guide. The plan? Brian Day and Mark Mastalski, driving 15 hours to join five other paddlers for a long weekend paddling some of North Carolina’s and Tennessee’s finest creeks. With the rivers in Wisconsin and Michigan still frozen solid, this was a great opportunity to get our boats wet. The weather? … Read entire article »
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French River Adventure II
Part II*: The Ontario trip: French River – Georgian Bay – Key River (*to read Part I, scroll to the bottom of this page) Last time, Elizabeth, Andrew, Dave, and Howard the Dog had just begun the fourth day of their trip, their second day on the French River… So, just how lost were we? … Read entire article »
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French River Adventure I
The Ontario, Canada trip: French River – Georgian Bay – Key River The crew: Andrew and Elizabeth in the Lamoille; Dave and Howard (the Chesapeake Bay Retriever) in the Explorer … Read entire article »
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Wolf and Peshtigo River Trip
Darrin and myself drove up to the Wolf River on Monday. After a brief stop at Bear Paw Inn … Read entire article »
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The Boundary Waters: There’s No Place I’d Rather Be!
I don’t know what it is about the Northwoods, but you know it when you … Read entire article »
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Sunny Florida
Chapter One: The Drive… -or- “The Fellowship of the Spring (Fever)” One particularly bitter January day, I was struck with a thought. A voice in my head shouted, “Go South, My Son!” … Read entire article »
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Not Your Mother’s Boundary Waters Trip
The first paddling trip of the year can only be done in one place. The … Read entire article »
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Local Trip: Sugar River (Avon Bottoms)
Sugar River – Avon Bottoms April, Less than an hour south of Madison, WI, the Sugar River … Read entire article »
Filed under: Where We Paddle