I had a good time at the show and topped it off with a great supper gathering with everyone for supper. Thanks MuleLars and Old Salt for going the extra mile setting up the gatherings. I did not buy anything this year but need to call a few friends to see if they took a Pak Boat home. I did my best to convince them THEY needed it. ;)

Congratulations to Old Salt and MagicPaddler for their excellent presentation on fitting your canoe for a fishing trip.  They were poised and skilled in spite of daunting technical difficulties.  Great job, guys!

I'll post some photos later.  I don't know how to resize them on  my iPad.

We certainly appreciated the great show of support from our friends here at QJ. Everyone patiently waited while the Copia techies worked 20 minutes or so to solve the technical problems delaying the start of our show. It was amazing to me that no one left while we sat waiting. Lawrence stepped up and adlibbed on fish finders and batteries and took questions during the dead time. Great job MP! 8-)

I'll add my kudos to OS and MP as well. Nice job!!

And it was indeed another excellent weekend! It's always nice to connect with everyone who makes the trek. It was great seeing all of you.

I'll also extend my appreciation to MuleLars re: setting up meals and to Old Salt & Magic (with an assist from Wally13) for their fine presentation despite the adversity of technical difficulties.

Alas, even THEY couldn't sell my pink trolling motor....

Jimbo   8-)

Don't give up hope Jimbo. Maybe throw in a flamingo and I'd bet that item will sell!

Great times. Good Saturday dinner gathering and discussions (and it wasn't all about fishing  ;D ) Very informative presentation gentlemen! Thanks to all.

really sad i missed out, i did end up getting down to madison but it was too late and i missed the show. had a last second baby sitter back out and i was not at all prepared to bring the 3 month old on the drive/day trip.

Jimbo wrote on Mar 16^th, 2015 at 4:04pm:

Alas, even THEY couldn't sell my pink trolling motor....

Next year's door prize?

I'll add my thanks to all involved and especially MuleLars. Sorry 'bout those name tags but I did/do appreciate the thought.

It was a good time at the meal gatherings. Thanks MuleLars.  Thanks OS for the free ice cream. We appreciated the good QJ turnout at the presentation.

I'd also like to thank MuleLars for setting up the dinner, I really enjoyed it.  Also good to see fellow QJ'ers in person, telling lies, --er- stories, and sharing mistakes,--er--wisdom on tripping.
I did not pick up anything but the new WCP map at the show.  Was it my timing, or did the cash registers not seem as busy this year?
If Jimbo donates that Pink motor for next years door prize, it needs to come with Magic's current draw data and recommendation for a matching lightweight battery pack...

It looks like the dog ate my last post. I had a great time at Copia. My main reason for going each year is to visit with old friends, talk fishing and canoe trips, past and future, and to make new friends. Portage Dog and I hit it off well. Several wanted to talk Alaska, which may be a future seminar topic. I was impressed that PD traveled from Virginia. In past years, dd has come from Texas, and Ranger has come from Colorado. I'm amazed that folks travel that far and it speaks well of Copia and our QJ camaraderie. While our QJ dinners tend to be on the small side, we always have fun together. Trips get planned, and QJers enjoy sharing Intel on lakes and fishing.

As for our presentation technical difficulties, MP handled it well as he informally discussed fish finders and batteries, and took questions. Great way to step up and hit the pitch. If he decides to offer a repeat next year, don't miss it. He was even updating his test results the day prior to the show. Anyway, he shared hundreds of hour of research and testing in about 15 minutes. Great job.

If you missed it this year, mark March 12-14, 2016 on your calendar. We will plan Friday and Saturday dinners and you will not be disappointed.

Another gathering opportunity will take place the last weekend of April at the Spring Outdoor Expo put on by Midwest Mountaineering. I will be presenting twice on Saturday on Alaska fishing and travel. If there is interest, I will plan a Saturday QJ dinner.  8-)

Jimbo wrote on Mar 16^th, 2015 at 4:04pm:

Alas, even THEY couldn't sell my pink trolling motor.... Jimbo   8-)

Sorry Jimbo. By the time I got free to talk with folks after the show, you were halfway to Minnesota. I had to tell the three guys who were asking about your sail that you must have had a change of heart after our sales demo. :-/ I feel your pain. ;)

Need to check those dates, Old Salt.  March 12th-14th is Saturday through Monday on my 2016 calendar.

I emailed you some photos and also sent them to db.  I am hoping he can set up a thread with photos on it, similar to what I have posted on bwca.com.

Lynda

Spartan2 wrote on Mar 17^th, 2015 at 10:15pm:

Need to check those dates, Old Salt.  March 12th-14th is Saturday through Monday on my 2016 calendar. I emailed you some photos and also sent them to db.  I am hoping he can set up a thread with photos on it, similar to what I have posted on bwca.com. Lynda

As usual, you are correct Lynda. I got those incorrect dates off the Copia website. Correct dates are March 11-13, 2016. I also forgot to mention you guys coming from Michigan and Pineknot coming from Ohio. QJers know how to travel.  8-)

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Thanks Lynda and DB!

puckster

Great photography, Lynda, especially given the difficult subject matter... ;)

Linda thanks for the pictures.  Enjoyed seeing your granddaughter.  Being a relatively new grandparent I can say isn’t it fun to see them grow into this world.

Yes, it is fun!  We only have two grandchildren, and that is all we will be having.  One granddaughter and one grandson.  They are very different in personality and interests, but they are both terrific kids and it has been wonderful to see them grow and change.  In May Anna will be 12 and Robert will turn 9.  Both have been to Minnesota.  Anna fell in love with it, Robert thought it was OK, but a bit quiet for his taste.

We are especially blessed that their parents ( it's our son's son and our daughter's daughter) trust us to take them away for extended periods of time--like 12 or more days--by ourselves!  Even traveling, sometimes out of the country!  Grandchildren are much different, and more fun, when you get them away from their parents!   ;)

I knew I would love being a grandparent, but I didn't even begin to realize how much!  It almost makes growing old worth it!   ;D

One of the things I really enjoyed about Copia this year was being able to visit with fellow QJers 'after hours', away from the show. The purpose of this poll is to gauge interest in reserving a block of rooms at a nearby motel, to facilitate those who want to get together 'off hours'. Answering the poll is not a commitment, but simply to show interest. Thanks. 8-)

Old Salt,
I think that would be a wonderful idea.  Dinners are nice, but it is difficult to carry on conversations.  So if this is your poll, count me in.

I confess...it's my idea...if it's a good idea...if it's a bad idea, I have no idea... 8-)

I think it is a really good idea. It is hard to visit with everyone and this would allow for that. Line a wall with maps and let the dreaming begin.

OS - Even though I'm local, I'll vote for the room block. I'd definitely participate in group gatherings like that.

I'd also seriously consider a gathering at my house like we did a few years back. If I could count on decent weather like we had this year, I'd suggest a cookout on the deck  :thumbup

Then again, that deck had 8" of snow on it this morning  :o :P

ml

If we had a block of rooms, we could probably get a meeting room at the motel and order pizza.  We did this for a wedding a few years ago and it worked well.  Some motel have rooms they use for their free breakfast and those rooms are always empty in the evenings.  Whether we could drink beer in those rooms would have to be checked out.  Some motels have fairly large areas next to their pools. One downside of being next to a pool is that it can be noisy.  Anyway that is my basic thought.

I have the same idea, Westwood. I don't want any proximity to a pool, due to noise. I don't like yelling at my friends. The impromptu, unofficial QJ social committee will begin checking options. If any wish to join this austere group, let me know. We welcome your input. 8-)

I would be likely to attend such a gathering. Would this be in lieu of an evening meal?

Magicpaddler wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2015 at 10:24pm:

I would be likely to attend such a gathering. Would this be in lieu of an evening meal?

Stay tuned. Could be both/and... 8-)

We might even have a poker/euchere/500 table for Puckster et all. ;)

Hey, thanks everyone for coming. It was a good one, the weather cooperated and people seemed to be happy.

If you want a room block, let me know and I can see what sort of deal I can get since I am already negotiating prices for next year's rooms.  The Sheraton will have a regular room for $109, which is pretty dang good.  If you all have cars, the Country Inn right behind Rutabaga is run by nice folks and I bet I could have them comp a meeting room if you wanted to have a get together.

Anyway...back to work...

Gratefully,

Darren

P.S.  Canoes are back...we were way above our projected units for canoes. I think having North-bell-star back helped, we sold all but two of our boats that were supposed to last us until June. 

DB

I'm working with a couple of fellow inuks to have a plan to make this happen next year. If you like this concept and haven't yet posted or voted, please do so soon. We're trying to figure out some realistic numbers on possible QJers. When we have options, a new poll will be posted, so stay tuned...

We've got a great group here on QJ. But, you already knew that... 8-) :thumbup :thumbup

Canoelover,

Sent you a pm. Send me your email if that works better.

Thanks,

OS 8-)