Why Are You Here?

[Woodpuppy]

I still claim I got my end of the canoe (front) around the rock. The next thing I know I'm in the water yelling to Coldfeet to get his feet up and facing down river.
If you want a real laugh ask Coldfeet about removing the surgical stitches from his head while on a paddling trip. Then you'll have a good understanding of what it's like to paddle with him. Lets just say it will be fun and you won't know if you are laughing with him or at him, until tears run down you cheeks.

So long as you don’t have to put stitches IN him on a trip!

 

[RickR]

How did you find or stumble upon Canoe Tripping?

Karen and I just happened to stumble into dougd and "The Gentlemen" at Cedar Stump Campsite on the Rapid River in Maine, late September, 2018. We were camped on the island in Sunday Cove, Umbagog Lake, and woke up that morning to very high wind. Definitely a better hiking than paddling day. While walking the trail along the Rapid we saw the path to Cedar Stump and went down to check it out. Doug in particular spent a lot of time with us, answering newbie canoe tripper questions. He suggested we check out canoe tripping.net, which might be helpful. It was! I was a CT lurker for nearly a year, trying twice unsuccessfully to register. Technology is not my wheelhouse. Somehow Doug (administrator then) realized I was struggling, contacted me, and signed me up. Thank you Doug!

And, what keeps you coming back?

The content and the community of contributors who are unfailingly kind, respectful and knowledgeable. I've learned so much on this site, and I'm continually amazed by the generosity of posters who freely share their experiences and expertise. CT is the only forum I have any experience with, but I know a good thing when I see it.

 

[coldfeet]

Staples not stitches. I’m sure someone here probably had a better leather man than the one you guys used on me. Didn’t pull the staples out but that hanging neck skin of mine tightened up some.
And yes, I do recall you getting the front of the canoe around the rock, I was probably waving at Robin and not paying attention. Happy Easter Waterspyder and others.

 

[stripperguy]

I didn't "stumble" here, I followed Willis when he was starting things up. He was active on another forum that caters to ADK actitvities.
We were making plans to paddle and camp together...
I'm pleased that the various admins have been able to keep the site alive, and the recent switch to Xenforo has really boosted the membership contributions (along with Glen's gentle guidance).

I stay here for several reasons.

I have a lifetime of ADK, boatbuilding, and engineering design experience, and have run out of folks do pass it along to...it would be a shame to have all that knowledge die when I do! I truly enjoy helping others when I can, even if it is only virtually. And sharing my ADK experiences helps me relive some of my fondest memories and keeps those memories alive, so it's really self serving. Sorry.

I particularly enjoy the trip reports from places that I know I'll never see, whether some First Nations trips or daytrips from Sweden or the Netherlands. I also greatly enjoy the trip reports from all of the varied perceptions, whether I agree or not, it's important to see the world through someone else's eyes.

The camaraderie and subtle (and not so subtle) humor suits me well. The ongoing themes about Spam are priceless.

SO, yeah, I'll stick around for quite a while longer...

 

[Canotrouge]

Well, I got an email that someone was looking for me here, so I signed in(first time since the new site) and then I saw that I won some kind of trophy? In my message box? No idea what is arhat all about!
Cheers

 

[goonstroke]

Erica, Kim, Clemency (and anyone else who needs to hear this), never stop. Like any good campfire gathering, everyone brings what they can.

IMO, TRs do not have to be epic narratives that are generously illustrated with gorgeous pictures or sprinkled with videos worthy of an emmy (I think that's film and not acting ). Even a quick "I went, it was disappointing" (and why) is helpful.
...

I totally agree. I enjoy (and envy) the epic stuff, but I also enjoy the shorter and less ambitious trip reports.

Just like a build/outfitting fail can save others a lot of grief, a frank negative TR can be really helpful, whether it's a bad place, bad weather, planning errors & omissions, whatever. "Drove all day to get up there, almost got ran over by an ATV on the portage, TP in the fire ring, I can see three satellite dishes from my tent. Not coming back here, the end."

 

[Erica]

I totally agree. I enjoy (and envy) the epic stuff, but I also enjoy the shorter and less ambitious trip reports.

Just like a build/outfitting fail can save others a lot of grief, a frank negative TR can be really helpful, whether it's a bad place, bad weather, planning errors & omissions, whatever. "Drove all day to get up there, almost got ran over by an ATV on the portage, TP in the fire ring, I can see three satellite dishes from my tent. Not coming back here, the end."

Ok. I’ll finish my report on the Peace River. (See bolded)

Thanks to yellowcanoe and gamma for their supportive comments. I’ll never be doing the elaborate video stuff. But I will try to finish the writing part I can do.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Well, I got an email that someone was looking for me here, so I signed in(first time since the new site) and then I saw that I won some kind of trophy? In my message box? No idea what is arhat all about!
Cheers

So glad to hear from you! Thought you might have vanished to the woods!

 

[Canotrouge]

So glad to hear from you! Thought you might have vanished to the woods!

Well thank you! Sometimes I wish I could vanish to the wood…

 

[Robin]

Mike McCrea said:
"I have mixed feelings, expressed previously, about the endorphin-release user responses to “Like” buttons, or to an oddly formulaic calculation of emoji “points”. I recognize that function is psychologically designed to be keep users addictively coming back."

I'm the one responsible for introducing the "like" button years ago. Someone suggested it and I figured what the heck, why not. I didn't realize it had such hidden meanings like " endorphin-release user responses" and "oddly formulaic calculations". I had to google that stuff, silly me.

I'm glad it's still here, I think it helps point the site in the direction folks "like".

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Again, please no more tangent discussions of likes or reaction scores in this thread. Thank you.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Well, I got an email that someone was looking for me here, so I signed in(first time since the new site) and then I saw that I won some kind of trophy? In my message box? No idea what is arhat all about!
Cheers

Welcome back, Canotrouge! Yes, folks have been wondering about your absence.

 

[Mike McCrea]

I thought of another reason why I often visit Canoe Tripping.

Muscle memory ooops.

I open bookmarks, meaning to go somewhere else, and without thinking click on Canoe Tripping. Seriously, several times a day.

Sometimes I stay to read, but often enough I mutter “Dammit, that’s not what I wanted” and immediately click on the correct bookmark.

Fortunately Canoe Tripping does not tabulate a score for frequency of visits.

Please no.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Ok. I’ll finish my report on the Peace River. (See bolded)

Thanks to yellowcanoe and gamma for their supportive comments. I’ll never be doing the elaborate video stuff. But I will try to finish the writing part I can do.

I think I have read a similar experience from another paddler.....re that river. But do write yours!

 

[snapper]

Been gone for about a week so didn't see the start of all this...anyway, to the initial question, I discovered the site after the situation with Willis. He worked at a college I had previously worked at and his wife worked in the town I was working in. All and all, that tragedy brought me to this site as it was mentioned in various newspaper reports. As to why I keep coming back? Just read all the previous replies to mine. So many wonderful people who are willing to share of themselves, their time and their talents. Honestly, I feel like a slacker because I don't post all that often but I'm so happy to be here. The level of friendship, humor and devotion to each other (and canoeing) is difficult to find anywhere else so thank you, to everyone, for all you contribute.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[canube]

I found the site while planning a trip to the BWCA. My first impressions were that there were a lot of trip reports (for a lot of places), there was a surprisingly high percentage of people here doing solo trips (my preferred style), there were people here who were willing to share lifetimes of experiences and that the site lacked the arrogant "old guard" that sometimes predominates these types of forums.

I keep coming back for 3 reasons: first and foremost, because all of the above turned out to be true and then some. I found the information I needed for my trip and became fascinated with the prospect of building a stripper (still haven't started that project but I'm getting close).

Secondly, I really enjoy reading the trip reports and I found that I enjoyed writing one almost as much as I enjoyed my trip. I was also very pleased that so many seemed to appreciate my report and I completely understand Michael's addiction to "likes"... It really IS heart-warming when you know that your work is shared with people who can appreciate and enjoy it.

The 3rd reason I keep coming back (usually morning and evening) is a matter of saving time... The last time I was offline for 12 days, it took me a week to catch up on all the stuff I'd missed!

This is the only online forum in which I participate and I thank each of you for helping maintain the "everyone is welcome around this fire" feeling.

PS: Rob, have you checked in on the Plaid Prancer this winter?... Haven't seen him in a while...

 

[canube]

why would you even think I was talking about paddling with you? I had a fantastic time paddling with NT, Topher, tripplehex, Brian, and many more people...you don't know these people but a few others do. There is a company called Blair and I stayed behind it.....

 

[Patrick Corry]

So...this isn't where we discuss Sartre, Camus, and the French Existentialists?

Anyway, that's what the title of the thread suggested to me on first viewing! The French philosopher and poet, Rene Daumal, wrote a poem about mountaineering (my first passion) from which the following quote is excerpted,

" You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know."

For me canoe tripping embodies this same spirit. Maybe not "higher up", but perhaps "farther out". Being a part of the Canoetripping forum family keeps me in touch with this spirit.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

Wow, Patrick!

 

[Woodpuppy]

^^what he said!