I too am lucky enough to have one paddling partner I can count on.  Me... for now.

There was an old man in his late 70's I met in the woods a couple falls ago.  With long wavy proud gray hair, that made his way through life as a jazz man, owned a bar in the tc area.  This lucky fellow had his daughter leading the trip, into her forties herself I'd guess.

They had a bear visit there camp the night before I met them.  Lots of folks would have been camping somewhere else after their evening.  For them it was just another experience.

Chemistry 101... with the woods.

k