You guys too Kerry, Narwhal, but the BWCA is probably a little calm for you guys anyway.

PS mz: I've done Mt. Whitney in a day. That was many moons ago.

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

When we did that, we burned the diapers in the campfire. Just don't do it before cooking supper.

I love the BWCA/Quetico. We did the Falls chain about 15 years ago, putting in off the Gunflint trail and then paddling straight north thru the Quetico. I think that was the last time my flatwater tripping boat was in the water.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Here are some pictures of an easy Colorado canoe trip. Third picture down on the right, my daughter and I are in the background surfing a small wave.

http://home.comcast.net/~nbanta/boating/BoatingPics_files/Page412.htm

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

My daughter's first river trip was when she was 9 months old on the Colorado River thru Horsethief and Ruby canyons. But that was in a raft.
About 3 months later we did the Green River thru Labrynth Canyon at high water. I had a floating car seat rigged up with my daughter strapped in it with a fixed sunshade on top. It was set up on a platform attached directly in front of the bow seat on top the gunwales on our 18' Whitewater III so my wife could take care of her. We came around a corner and there was a train of huge standing waves and no choice but to run them down the middle. We buried the bow in one and my daughter, in her car seat, went completely underwater as we dove thru the wave and out the other side. It completely swamped us but didn't bother my daughter in the slightest. She was having a great time!

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I've done a lot of paddling with my daughter and I've done a fair amount of canoe instruction with kids. In my experience, teaching kids to canoe is much easier in C-1's and C-2's than in open canoes because it is much easier for them to reach the water. I bought my daughter a C-1 when she was about 4. She could paddle it straight for about 3 strokes but her attention span was too short to consistently paddle well so I bought her a kayak which she has paddled until this year (she's just turning 11) when she returned to a C-1. She is now a pretty good C-1 paddler and can control the boat on flat water at will. She's paddled the C-1 a little on moving water but no serious whitewater yet. She's paddled the kayak on Class II rivers for a couple of years, although I always stay close to her since she doesn't roll.
One useful trick that I found helped my daughter with stern strokes, is to put an extra pedestal in the boat behind the rear seat and let the kid sit back there and paddle, or at least do draws/prys. I put the extra pedestal in my Starburst and she had a great time because she felt she was in control of the boat. I could also rectify any mistakes from the stern seat but having her sitting in a position of control, as opposed to paddling in the middle with no control, seemed to make a difference.

I've got a good friend who is also a canoe instructor and we're learned some important lessons. When it comes to teaching your own kids to canoe--don't! He teaches my daughter and I'll teach his daughter.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I did the Upper Gauley River a few years back. Lots of fun, despite the fact that I nearly drowned. But still lots of fun.

Here's an excerpt and a website from a write-up about it:

Gauley River Rafting

From the site:
"The Upper Gauley River is truly world class white water rafting, characterized by enormous water, steep drops and technical rapids.

This high-impact, high adventure trip is the ultimate rafting experience, boasting Class III - V+ rapids!
The action is almost non-stop from beginning to end and demands full physical and mental preparedness; recommended for experienced paddlers (age 16 & older). Don't be tempted to bring along a friend who may not be up to the challenge."

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.