2022 CANOECOPIA EXPEDITION!

 There was a group of kayakers who left Baxter County, Arkansas and traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, in mid-March of 2020.  Their goal was to attend the world's largest paddle sports tradeshow (called Canoecopia--www.Canoecopia.com), being held in the Alliant Center in Madison.  However, after the group had already left Arkansas, the reports on social media showed that the Canoecopia event had been cancelled, by government order, due to the emergence of a novel Corona virus strain.  This was just the beginning of a world-wide phenomena called the COVID19 Pandemic.  When we finally got to Madison, we drove through the desolate parking lot of the Alliant Center, and then decided to go by the retail store that was sponsoring Canoecopia, which is called Rutabaga Paddling Center ( www.rutabaga.com  ).  The store was closed to the public, but undaunted, we started conversations with the workers who were unloading trucks outside, which eventually enabled us to go inside and meet the owner of Rutabaga, Mr. Darren Bush.  To say he was devastated, is not an overstatement.  Yet, he took the time to give us a personal tour of his store, and planned out an alternate itinerary for us, of hiking trips in the area.  He even managed a smile, for the selfie he took with us!  He encouraged us to come back, and said he would honor the wristbands we had, to attend 2020, for the next in-person event.

 

We were determined to go to the in-person event, held two years later in 2022, and set out for Wisconsin on Thursday, March 10, with a planned overnight in Ottawa, Illinois ( www.pickusottawail.com ).  We found a fun restaurant for supper in downtown Ottawa, and also a different restaurant in the same town for lunch the next day.  These two establishments were the only two restaurants we used during our five-day trip.  The remainder of our meals were the delicious WHOyaker potlucks.

The next day, we woke up to see that snow had blanketed the parking lot and the vehicles we traveled in:

The snow did not keep us from going to visit the historical event that Ottawa is famous for---location of the 1858 debate, between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, in front of the Reddick Mansion (www.reddickmansion.org ).  Ottawa, Illinois is famous for its murals, so we took a "windshield tour" to see as many murals as possible in the downtown area.

From downtown Ottawa, we drove the recently snow-plowed highway,  to Starved Rock State Park ( www.starvedrockstatepark.org/ ).  The 2,630 acre state park,  that is situated on wooded bluffland,  above the Illinois River, has a fantastic visitor center, where we stopped to view the exhibits and use their spacious restroom facilities.

We then crossed the river to the Illinois Waterway Visitors Center ( www.mvr.usace.army.mil ) above the lock and dam, and we were able to observe a tugboat with a cargo of benzene being floated through the lock.  The visitor center is famous for being an outstanding location for viewing eagles.  In fact, they had their telescope set up so we could get a "birds eye view" of a nesting eagle, so well focused, that we could actually get a closeup "view of the eye of the bird"!

From that location, we drove the remainder of the distance to Madison, Wisconsin, in time to make it for the official Canoecopia  startup time of 3:30 pm on Friday.  FINALLY, we were able to see the world's largest paddlesports trade show/symposium in person!

There were numerous seminars going on simultaneously, and this is a photo of one wall screen, for a class called "Essentials for a pocket survival kit"

Another class was by Dr. Neal Schroeter, about emergency procedures in the wilderness:

Another class was on how to choose the perfect paddle for your needs:

One of the seminars was about paddling the Buffalo National River, so these gals made quite the statement with their matching BNR tee shirts!

Also we learned the proper way to grip your paddle:

Another class was on proper exercises for paddling strength, and we learned that uplifting the arms is a good stretch for strengthening your paddling:

Meanwhile, back at the large house we had rented in Madison for the weekend ( www.vrbo.com ) these ladies enjoyed some hydrotherapy in the hot tub:

The next morning, Helen gave her daughter a cold snow scrub,  in the hot tub.  The deck had been dusted in snow overnight, and the thermometer read six degrees! 

One night, after arriving back at the lodging after a full day of attending seminars, the ladies made a beautiful charcuterie board.

Then it was up early the next day to head back to the Alliant Center, for a different kind of "soak" than what one receives in the hot tub.  On the contrary, we were all trying to "soak up" as much knowledge as possible from the opportunities provided by Canoecopia.  There were demonstrations on knot tying:

There was also a place where you could practice tying various knots:

Out on the showroom floor, there were many different kinds of equipment on display, including one for making kayaking accessible for those in wheelchairs:

I also encountered Rutabaga owner, Darren Bush,  out on the show room floor, carrying his banjo, which he has only been playing for the last three years.  He was heading for one of several "arts and culture" seminars Canoecopia provides. 

On the final day, we took our charcuterie leftovers to the Alliant Center and had a WHOYAKER potluck lunch.  There was food service available for purchase at the Alliant Center, but we opted to take our meals in our backpacks, so we did not have to lose precious time waiting in line, for menu items to be prepared.   The photo shows there were eight ladies in our group, and I heard Rutabaga owner, Darren Bush, refer to us as the "Arkansas Posse"!  At one of the seminars where door prizes were being awarded for who came from the farthest away, he gave each member of the "Arkansas Posse" an outdoors-related door prize!  By having a variety of interests within the group, and splitting up based on our interests, we covered seminars on paddling the Ozark National Waterways Park, paddling the Boundary Waters, camping for folks over fifty, outdoor photography, preparing for wild animal/human encounters in the wilderness, Apostle Islands paddling, wilderness medical emergency guidelines, overcoming fear, leading groups in the outdoors, campfire culinary skills, kayaking with your dog, compass navigation, choosing the proper kayak for your outing, paddling the Mississippi, and many other seminars too numerous to mention!  After we returned to the lodging in the evening, we would share what we learned, and use "screen mirroring" from our smart phones, to put the images on the big screen television, at our rental VRBO. 

Many of us ended our time at Canoecopia by attending the live music concert (that included Darren the banjo man) playing songs related to paddling and the outdoors.  It was a high-spirited song-fest, that received a standing ovation, as an expression of gratitude for the countless hours of preparation that goes into staging "the world's largest paddlesports tradeshow/symposium"!

After Canoecopia ended on Sunday afternoon, we drove to a market the locals told us about, where we bought Wisconsin cheese (Afterall, we could not leave "The Dairy State" without savoring the delicacy that made them famous!).   Then we drove about half hour further down the road to visit  Devils Lake State Park.  At one pulloff, we observed an attractive couple doing a professional-looking photo shoot, of their shiny black sports car, against the contrasting white of the frozen lake.  So, of course, we asked them to take a photo of our group:

 

In March of 2020, Devils Lake State Park was the location where our group did extensive hiking on the Ice Age Trail (after learning indoor events were cancelled) and photos of that adventure is in the archives, in an article called "Canoecopia Expedition", dated July 2, 2020.

This photo of the still icy-looking road, explains why there were very few visitors at the park on this late afternoon day, even though it is one of Wisconsin's most visited state parks!

On the trip home, we were delighted to find lower gas prices in Rolla, Missouri, because it had been almost a dollar MORE per gallon in Wisconsin!

We offset the high price of gas by having a picnic of leftovers along the way home, instead of stopping at a restaurant:

However, since we saved money on lunch, we splurged at the ice cream store in Rolla, as a final treat before making it back home:

 After all the ladies in our group had left the store, except for Helen, the owner of the ice cream store asked Helen what type of group we were.  She told the owner that we were all her daughters.  When the owner commented that none of us looked alike, Helen's quick, (tongue-in-cheek) reply was, "Oh, they are all by different fathers!"   This reminded me of one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses.  The paraphrase of Psalm 133:1 from The Message says, "How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!"   I can assure you that this trip with my "paddling sisters" was wonderful and beautiful!  It gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia

ST. ANDREWS STATE PARK EXPEDITION!

St. Andrews State Park ( www.floridastateparks.org ) is located in Bay County, in Panama City Beach, Florida.  The park has 1,200 acres, and gets its name because it is located on St. Andrews Bay, a 69,000 acre estuary located in northwest Florida.

The park has many amenities, including concessions such as the one shown here, that rent watersport equipment.

This photo shows the kayaks that can be rented for paddling around the adjacent Grand Lagoon, shown in background.

Swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving is allowed in the park, but participants in those sports are cautioned about the presence of RIP CURRENTS in this type of water environment.

Bicycle rentals are also available, and there are many areas throughout the (mostly flat) state park, that provide pleasant locations for pedaling.

The sign at the top of this dock indicates this is the boarding location for the park's shuttle to Shell Island.  Shell Island is a seven-mile long barrier island that is part of the park, but has no bridges leading to it, so boating is the way people choose to access it. 

In addition to docks being used for Shell Island shuttle arrivals/departures, docks also have telescopes that will allow you to peer across the bay.  I was able to see the Sheraton Hotel where I was staying that was a mile away!  And since I always end my blog with the phrase "Miles of Smiles", I was amused at the poem on the side of the telescope---"See a mile, with a smile"!

 

 

There is an interesting page on Facebook called "Look at the front of my kayak".  This photo would qualify for their criteria, as it looks out over St. Andrews Bay.

 

This area is famous for its birding opportunities, and the park has erected signs and viewing platforms that enable a bird watcher to see the maximum birds possible.

Because the park has five distinct ecological landscapes within its boundaries, birders have opportunities to see a larger variety of species.  The five habitats are undisturbed pine hammocks, sugar sand beaches, native coastal scrub and wetlands, a lake, and inland shallow water tidal habitat on the lower Grand Lagoon. 

Thankfully, boardwalks have been built to provide visitors access to the "inner reaches" of the wetlands.

At the end of the board walk is a viewing platform, with benches, and interpretive panels to tell visitors what wildlife they might see in this particular habitat.

The park also has an area near one of the popular beaches on the Gulf of Mexico side of the park, where visitors can rent surfboards and inflatables.

 

And, of course, there is a gift shop where you will have hundreds of choices of souvenirs to take back home as a reminder of your fun time at the beach!

 

It was interesting to see that the large wall signs for sale in the gift shop, have the same advise as given in the Bible!

History buffs will probably enjoy reading about the heavy equipment that was used for industrial purposes in the distant past of St. Andrews Bay:

In the Southeast part of the United States, lumber production was a booming business in the past, as a growing nation needed wood to build homes and businesses.  Unlike today's lumber mills run by computer technology, in the olden days is was gears and pulleys and blades and "elbow grease" that got the job done.

Even though this Eagle Scout completed his project over 15 years, it is still providing a service, through education of guests, as well as students who come to the parks on school field trips.

It is easy to see why there were many accidents in saw mill of the past, as there was no protection for the workers from the spinning saw blade. 
 

 

St. Andrews State Park has a lovely walking trail that is near Gator Lake, and its short length means one does not need hiking gear to enjoy it.

Although no special gear is required for a hike, a good set of eyes that are alert to walking through alligator habitat, IS a requirement!  I have read enough stories about people who were killed in Florida from an alligator attack, that I take these warning signs very seriously!

I always take a photo of the sign that shows the trail map, before I start out on a hike.  That way I can refer to it, if I get confused as to which path to take.  Also, signs like this will usually tell you the total length of the trail and how long it generally takes to walk through it. 

I was intrigued by this scene of the scrub brush and trees,  forming a complete arch and canopy, for the bench along the trail. 
 

Since there are two and one-half miles of beach within St. Andrews State Park, it is easy to spread out and "social distance" from other guests.  I am using this photo of me giving the "V for VICTORY" uplifted arms gesture on the beach, as the visual aid for my First Place for Health ( www.FirstPlaceforHealth.com ) memory verse that says, "But thanks be to God!  He gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 St. Andrews State Park has a pier that reaches out into the Gulf of Mexico.  This section of beach was able to escape the development of resort hotels and condominiums that border it, because it used to be a military reservation.  

 

I enjoy doing photography around ocean piers, because they provide so many "framing" opportunities for the sun, sky, and people!

As the sun was setting on my day at St. Andrews State Park, it was easy to see why it is one of Florida's most popular state parks!

So, if you want to "peer through a pier", while listening to the pleasant sound of waves rolling against the sand, make your way to St. Andrews State Park.  It will give you "MILES OF SMILES"!!