Late season paddling

Greg Nolan

enthusiast
Back in Brooklyn after several days in Maine. We arrived there at the end of what was, in some parts of the state, a record snow storm for so early in the season, but Dover-Foxcroft got only a few inches of snow from the edge of the storm. What with laying a slate sidewalk and putting up new curtains in the house, I didn't get any more work done on the OT 50 pounder I'm working on.

But two days after the storm, there was little snow left, and we were able to get some hiking in -- the hackmatack (tamarack, larch) were especially striking in their late fall yellow with other trees having lost their leaves:

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and we did get in some canoeing on the local stretch of the Piscataquis river--

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when I first used the Wabanaki-style paddle made by birchbark builder Steve Cayard that Deborah commissioned, to mark my retirement:

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The paddle is not only beautiful, but seems likely to become my favorite user (at least for use when it won't be subject to the assorted banging about that paddles sometimes suffer) -- it's light, balanced, and smooth in the water.

Next trip up will likely be in early December -- may get a bit more paddling in for the year then, and hopefully, some restoration work done on the 50 pounder.
 
Really nice, and what a paddle! Looks like an enjoyable day.
I recently picked up an 18' OT Guide, boathouse fresh from Maine, and couldn't resist dropping it in the Shenandoah for a fall paddle when I got it home.
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Really nice, and what a paddle! Looks like an enjoyable day.
I recently picked up an 18' OT Guide, boathouse fresh from Maine, and couldn't resist dropping it in the Shenandoah for a fall paddle when I got it home.
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For some reason the other pics didn't attach, and I don't see an "edit" feature - I'll try again!

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