So what exactly is everyone up to in their non-boating hours?

[Bob B.]

I walk my dogs 2-4 miles a day and oversee 2 properties that border mine. I maintain trails, keep lawns mowed, keep the owners in firewood etc. On top of that, it is opening bow season this weekend so I have been tuning my arrows and shooting my longbow.

I am training my pup to track deer as well as therapy training. My old dog Jake is a nationally registered Therapy Dog. We are on staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison and will on board this fall with Children’s Hospital.

 

[stripperguy]

Let’s see…been riding motorcycles since I was 14 years old, currently riding a beefed up Triumph Bonneville Special Edition.
I’ve been a fitness bicyclist since 1983, currently riding a full Ti frame Centurian that I built. Frame was a $650 bargain around 2001, several component and wheelsets since then.
I also fix and sell wrecked vehicles…cars, jeeps, motorcycles, motorhomes. I hate to see things scrapped needlessly and I really like puzzles.
I also have a heavily modified 1977 CJ5, that I did all of the work on, from engine rebuild to regearing the axles and transfer case and countless suspension and steering mods. Very capable and nearly unstoppable off road.
I also sail a 19 ft high performance dinghy that I strip built, but it’s too powerful for me to single hand
However, of all the hobbies and activities, my absolute favorite thing is skiing. Specifically, back country skiing. Hike up with skins, ski down. No trails, no tracks, virgin snow every time down. It’s a great combo of excitement, challenge and suffering.

 

[scratchypants]

I gave up motorcycles last year. First bike at age 9 - a Yamaha MX80, then an XR100, and later an XR250R ('93). For road I started with a BMW F650ST, then a 2003 Triumph Tiger ("girlie") - a 10-year hiatus - a 1974 CB360G, and finally a Moto Guzzi V7 II. I wasn't riding very much, felt guilty when I did (wife and dogs left behind), and just wasn't enjoying it like I used to.

It's a funny thing - learning that I can stop doing things that I don't fully enjoy. I think my guitars and amps are next on the block - I suck, have always sucked, and can't see myself getting better with less plasticity in both fingers and mind.

 

[Alan Gage]

It's a funny thing - learning that I can stop doing things that I don't fully enjoy.

That is a hard lesson to learn and one I still struggle with. I tend to hold on because I remember the enjoyment it once gave and I keep thinking it will give it again. It's often such a relief to finally let go.

Alan

 

[LanceR]

We travel a lot for hiking, backpacking, camping and occasional canoe trips. We took 15 trips last year of five to twenty days length.

I "retired" from 29 years military service in 2005 and although I'm pushing 70 I still teach climbing part-time. And I'm a deputy fire chief of a rural fire/rescue/EMS department. Until recently I was a part-time adjunct EMS instructor for our local technical college although I still teach CPR and team-focused CPR for rescue professionals.

When we're in town I work full-time or more than full-time hours for our county EMS department...... which is the source of money for, among other things, play money we spend on the trips.

As I type this I'm sitting in our camper on another trip. We're in Cedar Point Campground, a very nice Forest Service campground on the mainland a mile down the road from the bridge to Emerald Isle in the southern Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Tomorrow morning we're hopping on the ferry at Hammocks Beach State Park to go out to a barrier island to scout for a future trip to some oceanfront tent campsites.

Lance

 

[Keeled Over]

I gave up motorcycles last year. First bike at age 9 - a Yamaha MX80, then an XR100, and later an XR250R ('93). For road I started with a BMW F650ST, then a 2003 Triumph Tiger ("girlie") - a 10-year hiatus - a 1974 CB360G, and finally a Moto Guzzi V7 II. I wasn't riding very much, felt guilty when I did (wife and dogs left behind), and just wasn't enjoying it like I used to.

It's a funny thing - learning that I can stop doing things that I don't fully enjoy. I think my guitars and amps are next on the block - I suck, have always sucked, and can't see myself getting better with less plasticity in both fingers and mind.

LOVE your choice of bikes - you have covered the motorcycle spectrum. I have 4 guitars upstairs, and I have never successfully completed a B Minor on any of them.

 

[Keeled Over]

We travel a lot for hiking, backpacking, camping and occasional canoe trips. We took 15 trips last year of five to twenty days length.

I "retired" from 29 years military service in 2005 and although I'm pushing 70 I still teach climbing part-time. And I'm a deputy fire chief of a rural fire/rescue/EMS department. Until recently I was a part-time adjunct EMS instructor for our local Technical college although I still teach CPR and team-focused CPR for rescue professionals.

When we're in town I work full-time or more than full-time hours for our county EMS department...... which is the source of money for, among other things, play money we spend on the trips.

As I type this I'm sitting in our camper on another trip. We're in Cedar Point Campground, a very nice Forest Service campground on the mainland a mile down the road from the bridge to Emerald Isle in the southern Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Tomorrow morning we're hopping on the ferry at Hammocks Beach State Park to go out to a barrier island to scout for a future trip to some oceanfront tent campsites.

Lance

Wow - you are busier, in a good way, then the combined effort of everyone I know. Good for you!!

 

[yknpdlr]

I retired 12 years ago with 41.5 years of combined active military and government civilian research laboratory credit to my pension, plus retired with concurrent 22 years in the AF reserves. I loved traveling to visit my son in the AF and grandkids while he was stationed in Korea, Germany, and nearby countries, plus visiting found cousins in my grandparent's homeland village in Poland.

Much of my slack time has been spent canoe racing and training for the same in the Adirondacks and Yukon. And working on building my lake cabin, where I am on the lake association board of directors as president. I have been on a volunteerwilderness search and rescue team for 30 years as a state certified SAR crew boss where I served as president of that organization, and was recruited to teach and still continue to teach land navigation to state law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and state SAR members at my state's homeland security training facility. I have also spent 30 years as volunteer trainer of high adventure wilderness trek leader guides for BSA National Camping School in the Adirondacks and co-authorred a related training manual adaptable to national regional areas.

 

[ppine]

Wow!

Hi ScottS,
I used to hang around with buckskinners in Colorado and Wyoming and learned to sew buckskins, tipis, gun leather and horse equipment. Leather work is very rewarding.

I am training my Border Collie to collect firewood She can play chess, but she can't beat me.

 

[ppine]

Sometimes I just want to go paddle a Tripper or find a sailboat. Sometimes I want to go out and buy an old Indian.
We great car shows in Nevada like Hot August Nights. If I go to enough shows I don't need to buy a hot rod.

 

[BigandSmall]

Skiing in the winter, both downhill and XC. Dual sport motorcycles, trail riding mountain bikes, fishing, hiking, quadding, traveling. Lots of BJJ in the past trashed my body but it was fun. I used to build up old Toyota trucks but now only a lightly modded daily driver. Kayaking became an obsession 14 years ago and I got my first good canoe 2 years ago. I built my first kayak about the time we got into kayaking. My wife is petite so I build her something that fit her better. Building paddle craft is another great winter activity I should have had listed at the top.

 

[Dana]

I can't say paddling is a major percentage of my leisure activity but I've probably been doing it for longer than anything else, ~60 years. I spend a lot of time hiking and backpacking, XC skiing when there's snow (downhill skiing just got too expensive).

Being well off center on the engineering spectrum, I spend lots of time building or fixing stuff, from working on the house and cabin..

...to making small stuff, whether metal or wood (like these lamps):


Flying is a big part of my life, this is my Rose Parrakeet (a 1930s design, but this one was built in 1992:

And I'm currently posting this while sitting in our (my wife would say it's hers, but she lets me come along sometimes) 1989 Tiger motorhome (pictured next to the Hatz biplane I traded for the Parrakeet):

 

[Penns Woods]

Beautiful plane. Do you take any trips with the plane?

 

[Dana]

Beautiful plane. Do you take any trips with the plane?

Thanks... I haven't flown the Parrakeet far yet, but I traveled a bit with the Hatz... the longest was from CT to WV for a fly-in event on an island in the Cheat River, camping on the island. And a number of trips to NY and NJ. The Parrakeet is much more limited in baggage space, so we'll see. But they're really not traveling machines, more "around the airport on a nice day" toys.

 

[Aslowhand]

Besides canoeing, I have many other interests, often small projects like sharpening and refinishing axes or identifying as many different birds/insects/flowers etc. as possible in one day or some other idea I'm pursuing.

I really enjoy playing the guitar, even though I'm not particularly good at it. It helps me to switch off.

Since I sit a lot at work, I need physical activity to balance things out, so I spend a lot of time outdoors...hiking and if there is snow backcountry skiing in the Alps...

...and I enjoy time off grid in my hut...

I also practice karate three times a week.

Does planning the next wilderness canoe trip count as non-boating time?

André

 

[ErktheRed]

this past year I’ve been in recovery from my cancer treatments, somewhat 5 ish months of remission, so my normal outside of canoeing activities have been altered. I bought a gravel bike and have been riding anywhere from 20-45 miles a session. Multiple times a week, usually to some bakery/coffee shop for a well deserved sweet pastry. I’ve been tweaking my daily tool kit that I store on my bike, basic tool needs but as compact and light as possible.

I JUST started going back to work, so that has been fun… work.. fun..?

I’ve been going through old gear and either donating or dropping off at a new used gear spot in town. Trying to downsize but I keep finding vintage snowboards that end up in my collection. Weird!

More home repairs, easy reading, starting a diy 2 person sauna in our backyard and getting back into rope splicing.

Normal days in life, you’d catch me in the water snorkeling & fishing, on the trail mountain biking or dabbling in wood working. These days have been slow and sometimes I go crazy from the amount of “regulations” but have been finding someway to occupy my time.

 

[Gamma1214]

Mostly, I work. Seems like that's about all I'm doing these days with the day job, the horseshoeing side gig, repairs to my house, my rental, my oldest daughter's and now my youngest daughter just told me she looked at a house that "has a leak in the roof but just in one place" UGH! (I suppose I should be happy that she's only 22 and she's thinking about buying a house. AND this one is close enough that I can easily get there to help her out. Now, if only I hadn't taught my kids that I can fix anything.)

I'm actually looking forward to retirement (I think I can soon afford it) so that I can finally get some work done. I might also be able to get back to hobbies which, in addition to canoe-related things include back packing, volunteer work with the North Country Trail and my church, foraging wild edibles and building things (koi ponds, carports / pavilions, and other outdoor living spaces mare my favorites).

Like some of the earlier responses, my biking is done motorized and wind therapy for me is currently a '94 Wide Glide



I enjoy helping my woodworking friend with his sawmill and spend a lot of time helping out around my parent's farm.

I dabble a little in stained glass and quite a bit in wine making. As some of you might imagine, there are no grape-based wines in my basement although I do mix grapes into my Elderberry jelly to increase yield and give a firmer set.



I (theoretically) enjoy bass fishing but I have not had my boat in the water at all this year and I enjoy relating stories on my website (though I've not done much with it this year either)

This winter, along with building at least one more solo canoe, I'm hoping to actually get something done on the '79 Jeep CJ5 (Silver Anniversary Edition) that I've been attempting to restore for 6 or 7 years now. At this point, it's a rolling chassis but I should be able to get the engine back together and set the drivetrain in before Spring.

Oh yeah, I've been contacted by one of the Allegheny County sportsman's clubs to give a presentation on wilderness canoe tripping. Finished the slide show tonight & the talk is on Thursday. Should be an interesting evening but they feed me so I don't have to cook.

 

[Bob B.]

I walk my dogs 2-4 miles a day and oversee 2 properties that border mine. I maintain trails, keep lawns mowed, keep the owners in firewood etc. On top of that, it is opening bow season this weekend so I have been tuning my arrows and shooting my longbow.

I am training my pup to track deer as well as therapy training. My old dog Jake is a nationally registered Therapy Dog. We are on staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison and will on board this fall with Children’s Hospital.