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The solo mystique

Pat Moore was one of those opinionated soloists that seem to be lacking nowadays :) He actually thought his way was the way. Article written by Mike Galt. Both were pioneers in the sport of canoeing for canoeing and also for noticing.. not just getting from A to B.
 
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Well Yellow Canoe, you certainly know how to wake a fellow up in the morning! Here I was sleepy, the morning coffee was delicious and I started to read that article and bang! Awake and cranky!

Now, some of what he writes, almost by default is probably true, the rest seems to me to be a ego romp with simplistic comparisons and overblown generalizations. He, indeed any of us, can paddle what we want; but good manners and basic civility dictate that a person ought not piss in the other fellows canoe.

I do note that he wrote that back in '78 so one can hope he's grown up a little in the interim.

When a person thinks they have found a great design for canoes and wants to yodel their praises from the mountain tops, that's great! Go for it and be happy!! But when that same person finds it necessary to trod other folk underfoot to reach what they think is their deserved elevation, they really are not the hot stuff they though they were. Arrogant and elitist are two words that spring to mind.

Having been in this world some time now, banging around and being banged on; I think what it's taught me is toleration; the other guy is working out his solution to the problems he's facing and I respect his efforts, knowing all the while there will never be an end to the process.

But, Yellow Canoe, thank you for this along with all the other interesting things you bring up!

Best Wishes,

Rob
 
Interesting... just an opinion, and I took it as such.

Would also be interested in his "neat Spartan kit" article... will look for it and post a link if i find it.
 
I should probably wait till I paddle a solo before commenting here, but with the weather outside and all, and heaven knows I can't keep my mouth shut that long, so...I found the article informative, given that I know so little about this thing I love. That is another part of the message, the love of exploring this craft and what the paddler can do in it, with it, and where it can take you. I must agree Rob, that there was an uber ego trip going on, but that's an inner battle I've been fighting over the years; the elitist thing sets my teeth on edge, but I can relate to it. I used to paddle boats that should have had claw feet, and despised the smooth and silky trippers gliding past us. One summer, as I struggled with my two sons in our aluminum tub, bedraggled and miserable, we saw a fashionable tandem pair skimming by. They were dry, warm and fast. We were not. I was not thinking charitable thoughts. Despite our middle age and stature, and with fair experience and skills, and not bad gear, we canoe travel very easily and comfortably now. Last trip with my wife, as I helped her on with the big pack, and I geared up myself for the final carry home, I glanced over to see a fellow standing amidst his gear. Our eyes met, and I was surprised to recognize that look; he was not thinking charitable thoughts. I suddenly thought "Oh God! Have I joined the fashionably elitist jet set?" I still rebel against the whole ego driven elitist attitude, but force myself to realize that like so many things, it's all in my head. Like I used to say to our kids "The tools in your hands are only half as important as the one on your shoulders. Attitude is always under rated, but oh so important." I still meet ego trippers occasionally, and just before thinking uncharitable thoughts, I ask myself "Which perspectives can I see this from, and what can I learn here?" Then, some uncharitable thoughts might come to mind.
Thanks for the great read YC, and thanks for thoughtful perspective OM.
 
My definitions
Elitist: does something well that relatively few can do well. Robin and Murat are both elitists. (No doubt I have left off lots..OM. You are an elitist too. ). I can not make a wooden canoe and am just starting on learning how to fix them So Robin is more elite than I am on that one. I don't know much about axes and leather work. OM is elite in my eyes in that regard. Murat makes paddles and I make clubs. He is among the paddle making elite.

So it goes with stuff too.. as we learn more and get old..old..we tend to gravitate toward better and better stuff as experience has hopefully taught us something. Plus I could never today pick up my first canoe a 15 foot 70 lb Grumman.

Now snottery is an attitude. In person I doubt anyone here would be eligible to join that club.

Oh to me you gun guys are elite too. I have no knowledge or experience in anything involving shooting or hunting.
 
I loved it!

I loved it!

I don't mind opinion as long as it is presented as such. As a solo canoerI feel much the same way although not nearly at his skill level. Anybody notice that cool dubble triangle seat in the overhead shot? hard to see well,but it looks like it is designed to rotate the body 45 degrees toward the paddle side to ease the reach. I want to try that if I can fabricate a seat like that.
Turtle
 
It was purple prose to me, somewhat overblown with adjectives and flowery speak. I've done a fair amount of solo canoeing, and although i have routinely passed groups of canoes, I always stop and talk to them first, see if I can bum a beer or a smoke. On occasion, this has interrupted my solo trip, and turned into a party. I'm thinking of a trip about 15 years ago, ran into some moose hunters and ended up having one heck of a night.

Anyway, solo canoeing is somewhat exclusive, perhaps as opposed to elitist. It's exclusive because those who solo regularly often tend to do so because no one else will canoe with them. I like to think that up here it's because there are not a lot of canoeists, and not because of my several character flaws.
 
Oh Yellow Canoe!! I love it: "Snottery"!!!

As in: "If I win the lottery, I may indulge in Snottery!"

I suppose there may be sure enough "Elitist" people with that nice definition you have, but it's not me. Take leather craft for example; most everything I know comes from somewheres else. Different people showing me things, how to do this or that. Or from books.
Really, to put my finger on something that I alone did, well shoot I can't do it.
My wife has this roller thing that she runs over her clothes to pick up dog hair and lint. (of which we have a great sufficiency of plenty!) I guess the most proud minded thing I could say about myself is that I collect ideas from everywhere, just like that roller. But that don't make me special, just sticky.

Now: if God should chose to bonk me on the head with a winning lottery, I promise to eschew snottery!

This has turned out to be fun!
Best Wishes,

Rob
 
Being in a elite group is not a bad thing, but the term "elitist" has a negative connotation in my mind. I associate snobbery and "snottery" (my new vocabulary word for the day) with the word elitist. My 2 pence.
Dave
 
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Everything I learned came from someone else. If someone hadn't shown me and guided me I wouldn't be doing the few things I can do as well as I can. Same goes for everyone I guess save those with incredibly lucky genes.

I don't see "elite " as a negative thing. We have elite hockey players and elite skiers etc and pay them well. (not so much the pay thing in canoeing). And we don't necessarily think of them as snobs.. they just do something well.
 
Anyway, solo canoeing is somewhat exclusive, perhaps as opposed to elitist. It's exclusive because those who solo regularly often tend to do so because no one else will canoe with them. I like to think that up here it's because there are not a lot of canoeists, and not because of my several character flaws.


I got into solo because of my work schedule. Often it was three or four days on and three or four off. But I worked every weekend. My work week was not nine to five. If I wanted to paddle I had to paddle after two pm up to dark on a weekday. Not because I was intolerant or undesirable.

There are two kinds of canoeing. One is using the canoe as a method of transport. The other is canoeing as a exercise sport possibly with no destination at all but with hours of training.


Sometimes the two meet as in a Venn diagram. Sometimes not.
 
This article reads like a period piece, 1978, and in tone and content it parallels what was sometimes written about sport motorcycles from the late '70s to mid 80s.Many boomers were settling into middle age and finding that they had a little money and time. They also wanted to rediscover a little romance, and that always suggests a little(ahem!) exclusitivity.
 
I learn so much here. a) There are variations in both spelling and meaning, of the word snobbery. b) Elitist carries either good or bad connotations, depending upon your activity or point of view, and most of all c) When tripping in the Geraldton area, pack extra smokes and beer.
The only thing missing here, is a campfire and a bottle to pass. Good thread.
 
I always thought it was like this...

Elite= top level, at the top of your profession, league, etc in skill, etc
Elitist= believing and behaving as if you are entitled to the top level, as if others are "beneath" you

"-ist" seems to me to mean you believe that thing is above all other things

like Islamic just means "about Islam" but an "Islamist" is a kind of religious terrorist.

I guess I am a canoeist. ;)
 
When in the Geraldton area, pack extra smokes and bear. The campfire.. well it is in the wood stove. You are all certainly welcome to gather around it tonight. I read bottle to ..never mind.

Where are the reading glasses...
 
Ha ha, you guys are making me laugh up a "Snottery". That's when you laugh so hard, a little drip starts. The wood stove is indeed going. It is around -23 C or some such foolishness tonight, going down to the equalizer of all temps, -30 tonight. And it's still early in December! I am becoming one of those elitist climate deniers, there can't possibly be global warming!

My back is almost better, so I'm feeling kind of feisty, might strap on my primordial and splendid wooden snow shoes and float across the ivory drifts, leaving the pedestrian trudgers to their shuffling ways, sheltering their orbs from the sun sparkling off the fresh varnish of my wooden wonders. I'll cast nary a glance back as the clod booted snow pushers ignore my fleet progress as I swish past them like the a vengeful North Wind.

In actuality, I'll be winded in about two minute and have to stagger home and go to bed.
 
I looked up the word elitist, and yup, it pretty well means just what I thought it means. I don't consider myself superior to others in any way, nor does anyone see me as such. Even my grandchildren know me better than that. No surprises there. I am social climbing though. I'm working on my snottery (I've embraced this word now) in all things related to coffee, beer, and whiskey. I figure when I've got that licked, I'll move on to mustard, cigars and after shave. In due time, I'll be a regular bourgeoisie camping in hedonistic high style; with great mustard on my sandwiches, smooth sipping scotch, and smelling pretty fine. Mind you, to afford this glamorous lifestyle, I'll probably have to trade my canoe in for a claw foot tub, but it'll all be worth it. Oh, I think I just talked myself out of it. Come to think of it, everyone's still welcome to my campfire any time, just don't expect good mustard, fine cigars and ...Well, the coffee will be good anyway.
Good to hear you're on the mend Memaquay.
 
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