It the first time for my wife and myself to attend the QJ lunch on Saturday - and also the first ever trip to Canoecopia.

I enjoyed meeting some of the faces behind the labels (knafelc, Old Salt, Jimbo, the Spartans and others). We had hoped to attend the Saturday dinner but events intervened - maybe next year.

For a newbie, Canoecopia was pretty overwhelming. We were expecting a lot of vendors and big crowds but what we saw blew us away. We took in some of the talks (especially those related to camping and Quetico) and especially liked Daryl Blazino's talk on his Quetico Top 20 (his book is really enjoyable to read also).

We hope to return (maybe next year) although the two-day drive each way at this time of year can be a little daunting. The weather has to be just right.

Thanks to everyone at QJ who originally brought Canoecopia to my attention.