I’m no canoeist. I’m closer to the city-slicker side of the spectrum than the veteran river rat. Consider me as more of a Seth Green in Without a Paddle character as opposed to Burt Reynolds’ Lewis Medlock in Deliverance.

Sure, I grew up paddling recreationally with family. Yes, my future is tied up in equity of a paddlesports company. Ah yeah, did I mention that I spend a lot of time escaping reality between the pages of old river adventure novels and Canoeroots Magazine? All the things considered, I’m still new at this. I’m so new at this that on my first 12-mile canoe trip my Dad – who used to paddle class IV rapids in his sleep – jokingly implied that he would be impressed if I could get the boat to stay straight.