It was Scout camp in the early 80's, Canoeing Merit Badge specifically, where I learned the basic strokes and after paddling freely around the lake at Camp Two Bear in WI, acquired my love of the freedom that paddling brings.  Several trips on the Wisconsin and Kickapoo rivers enhanced those skills and then more down the south fork of the Shenandoah years later as a Scout leader revived that lust for the freedom of paddling.  That led to the first wilderness trip in '99 with Scouts into the Quetico.  It wasn't until then that I really honed the basics and began to get into a rhythm that began to feel natural and developed that muscle memory that ST spoke of.  The Shenandoah has a few Class I and II's and I can read a bit of river, but nothing extensive.  I prefer flat or mostly flat water paddling, but would take a remote river trip with perhaps a few folks with some more whitewater skill and a bit of practice on my part.

pd