Cupcakes and Canoes!

I was thinking about how to best describe this past weekends wonderful canoe trip and this is what I came up with: It was like having a red velvet & cream cheese icing cupcake – truly a unique treat!

I realize this description may seem like a bit of a stretch but I currently have cupcakes on the brain and therefore will continue to use baked good analogies until I find one!

Cupcakes aside (for now) - connecting with our customers in the great outdoors is such a treat because our “customers” become our “friends and fellow paddlers”.

Gareth and I took two incredible ladies for a Pitt Lake paddle over the weekend. Their pizzazz, laughter, and persistent paddling, along with their love of good food, adventure and mischief, became a perfect match for the sunny weather we experienced.

Here’s a few photos of the good times we had:

The ladies making our canoe look good!

Gareth always packs too much and has to bring an extra canoe to carry his stuff ;>

Natalie successfully launching a throw bag into a tree to hoist up a tarp

Melanie successfully launching a throwbag at Gareth to test his reflexes

We brought along the oh-so fierce Keira.

She's very fierce.

Not as fierce as this dude though

An orange and strawberry crumble - a delish Ridge Wilderness tradition

Heading home after some good laughs, good food, and one on one time with Mother Nature

A sincere thanks to all those endearing and supportive people who keep Ridge Wilderness alive and well!

Paddle Fun at Paddlefest!

Ridge Wilderness was proud to represent canoeing at MEC’s Paddlefest last Sunday. We went to share how dynamic a canoe is and how a canoe can be used as a mode of self-expression. To see how, let’s review exhibits A to F.

 Exhibit A: Adorable. The boys finally getting along and going in for a “canoe cuddle”

Exhibit B: Never mind

Exhibit C: Dave clearly enjoying paddling “ducky style”

Exhibit D: Gareth showing off.

Exhibit E: Never Mind

Exhibit F: Beth showing the boys some style, while Gareth plays his paddle like a banjo.

So as you can see, the canoe is not just a vessel for traversing water - it can be whatever you want it to be. At Ridge Wilderness we are big believers that “play” does not expire once adulthood is reached. The canoe is where we allow our imaginations to run wild and free – where we like to play and get our sillies out! Come join us some time!

Paddling fun with Ridge Wilderness guides happens every Thursday evening. For more information click here.

Meet Some Crazy Canoeists

Before we blog on, lets put a few faces to the Ridge Wilderness name.

Meet Dave, creator and chief executive of Ridge Wilderness Adventures. He is recognized by the canoe industry as a master instructor and lead developer of canoeing programs in Canada. He’s kind of a big deal :)

To be more precise, Dave’s simply crazy about canoeing and seeing him maneuver a boat is like watching a champion figure skater glide. If learning canoeing from him you will notice, he breaks down canoe skills to there absolute essence - fun!

 Meet Gareth - lead guide at Ridge Wilderness Adventures - known for getting creative with a canoe. For example, his repertoire of "canoe tricks" includes jumping a canoe over another canoe, like a horse over a hurdle. As a stand-up paddleboard instructor the tricks continue and a session with Gareth involves seeing these tricks, and seeing Gareth falling into the water! Nonetheless, his love of the outdoors and having tonnes of fun outside is contagious.

Meet Beth, practicum student extraordinaire– aka Practi. She learned at a young age that she was clumsy on land, and thus decided to pursue a life on the water. Her dream is for all streets to be replaced with canals so she can finally get to the grocery store without fear of falling. Learning the ropes at Ridge Wilderness is bringing her one step closer towards her dreams!

Together, we hope to reach new heights (and not fall out of the darn tree) !

Long Live the Canoe

Who canoes anymore? We do and we’re proud of it!

Here at Ridge Wilderness we are truly passionate about paddling. To us, it’s not about sport, skills, and serious paddling – no, no, no - it’s about building a community on the water and we feel the canoe is the perfect vessel. Here’s our short list of why we love canoeing, in no particular order!

1. Want to go for an adventure on the water with a group of friends, family, students? Our 25 foot Voyageur Canoes hold up to 12 people - no need to worry about the skill levels of your group. You’ll be gliding along taking in breathtaking views, sharing stories, and experiencing the adventure, All Together!
2. Have you ever tried to paddle a canoe and ended up going in circles? Don’t get frustrated – get paddling with Ridge Wilderness. We’ve been there (paddling in circles) and have designed our courses - from Basic to Advanced, in lakes, rivers and oceans - to teach the skills and show how crazy fun canoeing is!
3. There would be no Canada without the canoe! There is a rich history of canoeing in Canada – its development being vital to First Nations and the fur trade. At Ridge Wilderness we celebrate canoe heritage in everything we do – whether taking out school groups for our Floating Classroom program, or teaching the basics of canoeing.

If you’re simply intrigued by canoeing or are a diehard canoe lover,

Check us out online

Give us a call at 604 477 4663,

Email us at info@ridgewilderness.com , or

Meet us in person at MEC Paddlefest Vancouver on Sunday, July 10^th, 2011

Together we can Paddle-on people!