Canoecopia

Earlier in March we ventured north to Madison, WI to attend Canoecopia - the world's largest paddling expo!  Between browsing the exhibit hall, talking to gear vendors, and attending workshops we gained a lot of helpful knowledge. Madison is a great city to explore, and we are fortunate to have friends and family nearby who tipped us off to some cool places to visit. Thank you to Danielle's aunt Kristy for hosting us! Thank you to Danielle's uncle Phil and aunt 'Lisbeth for dinner! and Thank you to our friend Christopher for your tips and tricks on endurance racing!

We arrived late Friday night and checked out a few vendors before dinner. We also first laid eyes on what would become our MR340 boat. On Saturday, we spent all day at Canoecopia attending educational sessions (paddling techniques, first aid basics, proper paddling attire, etc.). We revisited our boat, and after deliberating over a glass of cold Wisconsin beer, decided to make her our own. On Sunday, before we headed home, we stopped by Underground Butcher for some local cheese and Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company for some local brew.

On March 20, 2018 at 1:20 p.m. we became proud parents of a Wenonah Escape. She is beautiful. We'll share pictures of her Maiden Voyage very soon - along with announcing her name - but in the mean time here are some highlights from our trip to Canoecopia!

Bags are packed and our show guide is printed.

Danielle is planning our workshop schedule on the way up to Wisconsin. 

We made it to Wisconsin!

After dinner with Danielle's friend, Christopher. Thanks Chris for your tips on endurance and healthy living!

In the exhibit hall.

Mosquitoes won't be a problem in our Bug Shirts!

Tying down the canoe is easy in theory...

Quick lunch at Underground Butcher.

We tried some local brew at Great Dane.

Great way to accessorize your vehicle.

The Paddle of the Sexes

Jeffrey and Danielle are Paddle of the Sexes. We are long-time friends who’ve signed up for the MR340, a 340-mile river race across the state of Missouri. We will paddle the Missouri River, in a canoe, from from Kansas City to St. Charles in under 88 hours. Follow us our journey as we train and prepare for the MR340 on July 24-27, 2018.

340 miles in 88 hours means we’ll be spending a lot of time together. For many people, that might sound like a challenge... but we’ve known each other a long time and we think we can do it.

Jeffrey and Danielle met in 2003 at Southwest Missouri State University (now MSU) through our mutual friend, Bethany. Since then, we’ve embarked on many exciting adventures including, but not limited to: Spring Break ‘04 in New Orleans (no one spoke the entire 12+ hour ride home), New York City (Danielle drove herself to the ER in Providence, RI for pink eye/bronchitis in the middle of the night while Jeffrey rode in the backseat), and the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, MO (after our casino trip to Oklahoma got derailed). So, can we survive each other in a canoe for 88 hours? Definitely.

Jeffrey is a teacher-librarian in St. Louis area who promotes reading, digital literacy and effective use of instructional technology. He is also active in his urban neighborhood (Tower Grove South). Jeffrey enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with friends. He looks forward to spending summer break training for the MR340.

Danielle is an attorney at Ozarks Elder Law in Springfield, Missouri. She practices in the areas of estate planning, probate, and elder law. In her free time she enjoys camping, bike riding, reading, baking, and hanging out with her three doodles. However, this summer all free time will be committed to preparing for the MR340.

Please join our MR340 adventure us by following on Facebook at facebook.com/MR340Paddle/ We have a long road (er...river) ahead of us. We will keep you updated as we prepare for the MR340, beginning next weekend at Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin!