About a month ago, my daughter suggested we go canoing on the French River this long weekend. Given our summer, I had visions of rain cold and those lovely fall winds Georgian bay is so well known for.

We left Wednesday night and had 4 days of warm sunny days with uncharacteristically light breezes. We had a great time!!

Good to hear Fred, sounds like a fabulous experience..

The weather up north has been great, I was up in Huntsville/Dwight just yesterday...yes, I drove past the Axiom plant and it is closed on the weekend. I love that area around Huntsville, it's just gorgeous up there, right on the lake(s).

In keeping with your canoeing thread, Fred, I went into Langford Canoes, across the hiway and up the road a little from Axiom. Man, they make some nice canoes...paper thin kevlar on the sides with shaped wood gunnels and bracing, beautiful craftmanship, super lightweight construction.

I need a cottage up there. No wait. I need a house up there...yah, right on Lake of Bays($$$$)

Sounds fantastic, Fred! You'll both have those memories for the rest of your lives!

Congrats, I bet that was one heck of a trip.

Thanks guys. Adrian, it really is gods country up there. I would love to live up that way.

I think I need one of those paper thin Kevlar boats. My 55lb Scott seemed awfully heavy on portages this time around.

You're right about the memories Mark. I don't see my daughter much these days so it was a great opportunity for us to re-connect.

On a sad/funny note, I have officially entered my 'old man with a hat' years. For the first time this year I got a nasty sunburn on the top of my head. Thought I also needed suspenders until I realized I just needed to tighen my belt a little.

55 lbs isn't too bad really, some are up around 70 lbs. The lightest of the Kevlars look to be in the high 30 lb range with most of the ones I looked at were in the lower 40's. I'm gonna check them out at the Boat Show in January, they always have excellent deals there.

Check dat....some are in the low 30s!!

Sounds like it was a great time Fred. I was out in my Old Towne Pack yesterday. I like that it is only 33lbs. Of course, it is only a one person canoe.

You're right Adrian, 55lb isn't bad, but I'm not in the best of shape these days and my foolish youth is catching up with me in the form of a bad back.

Merch, I tried a couple of solo trips in my prospector and it just didn't turn my crank. I like company on my trips. 33lbs sounds like something you could haul across those seriously long portages without killing yourself.