Wow….this is really interesting.  I read that entire page on you on Moped Army!  It’s true I maybe a little crazy to paddle Class V….but you are just plain crazy….lol…I fell into the trap- hook, line and sinker!  I can’t decide if you are a troll, or an essentric outdoorsman with a few quirks, or  totally insane. One thing for sure- you are original.  If I met you in person, and you told me:

• You had ridden your moped on a 7500 mile road trip across Canada
• You used a spear for bear protection
• You like to wear Croc’s that are several sizes to big as river shoes
• You had been kicked off no less than 5 different internet forums

I’d probably just back away slowly, not look you in the eyes and then walk off.  I guess, here online I’ll just read your posts as amusing distractions from the real topic, and not bother responding to them because you are obviouly operating in some other reality.  If you really have done the canoe trips you state- I applaud you for getting out there in your advanced age.

paddleplacid – 16 minutes ago  »  Well Dog Paddle, if you really have guided class five trips on five continents I’ll urge you to give it up as a dangerous pursuit which will eventually claim lives. P.S. Age has very little to do with anything.  A 70 year old from Ottawa had been and still was making annual solo canoe trips from Ottawa to New Brunswick at the time of my first trip at age 57 .. that’s down a river with more flow than the Rhine, into the St. Lawrence Seaway, and then into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Too bad he’s not on this forurm. 

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Just to set the record straight on my background.  I never said that I have “guided class five trips on five continents “….I have never guided Class V to paying clients, and don’t claim to have in any of my posts.  Bob here, just doesnt comprehend what he reads very well…..

 I stated in another post, ”I have led Class V kayaking expeditions on multiple continents”….which is true.  However leading an expedition and being a guide are different things.  The people on those expeditions (Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming) were all my peers, and Class V paddlers in there own right-  I was just the chosen leader due to having the most experience in river rescue, wilderness emt, logistics, etc…

So, Randy maybe you and I are both part of a Ponzi scheme to make people get instruction and didnt even realize it! lol….Funny, I did some investigating as well because I thought PaddlePlacid was the author of the book “Up the Creek” that he keeps refering to.  I don’t think he is the author of that book, or the website you linked to…but, I bet those guys would all get along together…..

Hehe, us and our affiliation with the murdeous ACA.

Certainly can’t claim that these people are not creative in their ideas.

We want pics Randy!

By the way, great photos from Lost Coast, absolutely beautiful. And the pic of you and the drink….i’m glad I read that it was gatorade, you kinda looked like Bear Grylls about to drink something….well, manmade. LOL

Back onto this topic, I checked out some links, and I’m willing to give him the benefit of doubt.  His facebook page substantiates all his views as things he truly believes and does (photos of the red crocs, bear staff, the homemade wanigan which is actually kind of cool, canoe and moped loaded for long trips, etc).  I’m not saying I agree with everything he says (probably closer to “very little of it”), but it’s not like he’s just making it up for arguments sake.

Time will tell how well we all get along here, but I think it’s pretty premature to start banning people (not that there appears to be any moderators left that frequent the forum judging by spam posts).

Well guys, I’m glad the attempt to sabotage my safety efforts built up my credibility because at my age after having had the adventures I’ve had safely, with no broken bones or first aid other than duct tape and paper towel for bandaging a cut or two, it should be obvious I practice what I preach regarding safety.  It should be relatively easy for the moderator-administrator here to find out who the saboteur is, by comparing IP addresses of the person starting this thread to other posters.  Whoever did it is obviously a bit on the cracked side in not being able to tolerate someone thinking differently than they do.  I have made an enemy or two along the way, and was banned from one major Canadian canoeing forum for daring to reveal in a mild mannered and polite way the amount of pollution in Canada’s waterways.  Here in Canada our government backs attempts to draw foreign tourists strongly by subsidizing our glossy outdoors magazines which present the image of Canada as unspoiled wilderness, as well obviously as susidizing one or more of our outdoor adventure forums.  For me to say there is serious pollution to paddle through on many of our rivers and lakes was just unacceptable.

One thing I don’t understand though, is why most of us rely on other people’s word for our safety.  For instance, I think it was Randy who said he would side with the Whitewater Rescue guy over me regarding wearing Crocs in fast water .. but why wouldn’t (Randy if it was you) simply try them out yourself?   I hope, Dog Paddle, that you might take my advice and try a pair of the softer Crocs which grab rocks pretty darn well, like I mentioned in a post previous to this one on the subject, because I think your experience was probably with an unflexible, hard plastic forumalted Croc.

Anyways .. my point is, always has been, and always will be that whoever is reading these forums should have the opportunity of reading all opinions and information no matter how silly those opinions and informations might sound to one poster or another because, like the quote says, the definition of an expert can be said to be someone who knows so much they can’t learn anything new.  I’m glad to be talking with you guys and have been thankful for the opportunity to practice restraining my baser emotions in my responses.