C-Forum

Bored at work, and I thought this might be a nicer topic

What are your canoeing-related goals for 2011, if you have any?

I'll start.

I want to really work on my forward stroke, get it to the point where it is video guide good. I think that will solve some problems and make boating a lot easier.
Work on my roll. I want to have a bombproof roll to help step it up.
Progression. I'm working on being able to run some serious IV+, maybe even a V by the end of the season.

Above all, I want to be safe and have fun, cuz if it ain't fun, than why are we doing it?

Anyone else?

I want to run the Little River in the Smokies
Master the Ell on the Big South Fork
Get a Plastic Canoe
Become a better paddler
Get my ACA instructor to level 4
And most of all boat more than I did in 2010 (thinking about getting a crazy check and quiting work to boat and play music)
Greybear

Swift River, Jamaica. If anyone is bored at work, put that in on the Google Maps or Google Earth and go upstream till you see turquoise pool-drop glory.

I've been paddling since 1988 and never had a 50 day year. I've had four spine surgeries since 1995, most recently last Nov. So my goals are to rehab myself back into some sorta shape by ALF and continue the fitness/boating progression through '11 and have a 50 day year in '12, hopefully starting with an Esprit Mexico trip.

Learn to roll reliably in moving water and be comfortable in Class3 before ALF.

Hit Mackfest in April
Speed-up my roll
Huck something
Paddle with more open boaters
Learn, learn, learn

On my list is to step up my creeking game and run some class IV-V up here. The short list includes Sandy Stream, Gulf Hagas, Orbeton, and some others.

Three weeks on the Nahanni in July, starting from the Moose Ponds.

If money permits it, take more off days from work to creek here and there when flows and wheather peaks (that's usually on work days )

Get the whole family even more hooked on ww; that began to catch up in 2010 already.

Set up a shorter playboat c1 and learn more surfin squirting fun stuff.

Re-run some of my favorite multi-days river (batiscan, lievre, malbaie, du sourd) and discover at least one new (dumoine, mistassibi NE and mattawin in the look)

Meet more new paddling budies and catch some fishes!

Creekin' (Hopefully good water)
New PFD's (Personal First Descents)
Get confidence in new plastic boat
Roll
Things I've been wanting to see for awhile but haven't
(Alf, Virginia, Costa Rico, Lower Big Sandy, Upper Yough, Ozarks)
Get as close as I can to 90 days on the water
Stay pain and injury free
Meet new open boaters

I know its askin' for a lot but whatever I can achieve in these areas will be great!

Stay pain and injury free

ditto here!

1. get in better shape - to improve my paddling, of course
2. master the boof
3. get somebody (in addition to my kids) into canoeing
4. get my older two kids paddling tandem together
5. get my older two kids paddling solo in canoes - my older daughter has already been paddling solo canoe some, need to get the older boy to drop the training blade

1. Get some rain.
2. Be far enough ahead in research and school work that I can go paddling at the drop of a hat and not get in trouble with my advising professor.
3. Ace the Middle Ocoee
4. Canoe the Upper Ocoee
5. Demo a L'Edge and one of the Blackfly boats-in-progress
6. Get some video footy of a good creek
7. Paddle the Cossatot
8. Paddle Richland Creek
9. Teach someone to roll an open boat

Shep

1. Outfit a new C1 play boat.
2. Learn some new school play moves
3. Convince or find more like minded paddlers to try a few remote creeks I've found and try to hit them at just the right time. Tired of going by myself...
4. Do more over night trips on tough water.
5. Spend more time front surfing glassy waves
6. More camp fires with good people after a day on the river.

-Improve in slalom (more days running gates)

-Improve in freestyle (Dial in my blackfly at Rock Island, Eternity Hole and the NOC wave)

-Post a time in the Green Race...! (hopefully if all goes well training this fall, no injuries, etc.)

-Take people down runs they haven't done before at ALF

-Attend the Lost Tribe Hiawassee Canoe School weekend again

-Do some new runs in Mexico

-Bag some new rivers in the southeast (I have a hit list of about 10 rivers I want to do if the rain schedule will line up with my work schedule...)

2011 is already off to a great start after a long weekend of FullGnarlz canoeing with Eddy McNarlz and friends on Santeetlah, Big Creek and the Little. Hopefully it will be another great year for open boating!