Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous Update

It's almost time for the Second Annual Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous (WPASCR) on June 12-14, 2009, at Cooper’s Lake Campground near Slippery Rock/McConnell’s Mill.

The WPASCR event is for solo canoeists & the solo canoe curious public. Buy or sell boats or equipment, test paddle new and used solo canoes & talk to other solo paddlers.

Gear exchange, pick up trips, informal programs, demonstrations and more! The schedule is now available, see below. I'll be leading a trip on French Creek on Friday the 12th. Special thanks to the Portersville/Prospect Rotary Club for sponsoring this event. Please support the Rotary by registering for and attending their buffet dinner!

For updates as further arrangements are finalized, check the website at: http://www.wpascr.org/

Friday, June 12

Test Paddling & General B.S. ongoing all day

10:00 Paddle French Creek Meet at Bicentennial Park in Meadville See details under Trips on the Message Board Lee Ann Reiners trip coordinator

Noon - ? Dead Fish Polo – ongoing depending on interest, at designated area, check in at Wind & Water Boatworks tent

2:00 Ladies Only Clinic – with Becky Sheeler on the lake

3:00 “4 Elements of Seaworthiness” David Yost – in the lakeside pavilion, bring a chair

5 – 7 Open Paddling – no formal events, time for dinner

7 – 9 Jim Perrett, guitar virtuoso, voted one of the ten best blues guitarists by a national blues radio channel, plays acoustic gypsy jazz and more under the lakeside pavilion

Saturday, June 13

Test Paddling & General B.S. ongoing all day

Dead Fish Polo – 0ngoing, see notes on Friday

10:00 Ladies Only Solo Primer with Kim Gass, meet at the Instruction area beach

11:00 Paddle making demonstration – Marc Ornstein at Dog Paddle tent

1:00 Freestyle Exhibition – Marc Ornstein and/or friends on the lake at the Instruction area beach

3:00 “Efficient Paddling, Body, Blade & Boat” – Charlie Wilson at the Instruction area beach

4:30 “Modern Canoe Construction” – Dave Curtis in the lakeside pavilion

5:30 Beer Tasting (North Country Brewery supplying their award-winning beer) begins at the Big Barn directly behind the campground store

6:00 Catered dinner at the Big Barn directly behind the campground store: Chicken buffet, $15 for adults and $7.50 for children under 12; alternative for vegetarians--$8--vegan, gluten-free chili PLEASE register by June 8th cut-off date.

7:00 -? Beer Tasting Continues in Big Barn

7:00 – 9:00 Rick Bruening, singer/songwriter of contemporary folk music, plays and sings in the barn behind the campground store, following the dinner and during the beer tasting

Sunday, June 14

Test Paddling & General B.S. ongoing until whenever

Gear Swap in the pavilion tent by the lake starting at 9 -?

Noon -? Dead Fish Polo – ongoing depending on interest, at designated area, check in at Wind & Water tent

Other events may spontaneously erupt, listen for bullhorn announcements