High Gas Prices - A Meme For Paddlers

Are high gas prices getting you down?

This cottage season, we challenge you and your family to:

Rediscover the power of self-propulsion!

Paddle more, boat less.

Badger® Bow Jam - On Toast! (No Special Paddling Skills Required)

According to Discover Canoeing: A Complete Introduction to Open Canoeing by James Weir a "bow jam" is "a stroke that will turn a canoe very sharply. When a paddle blade catches or jams under the canoe it will unbalance the canoe and turn it around. The bow jam harnesses this reaction and turns it into a very powerful paddle stroke."

So in celebration of our first Canoecopia - and just for fun - we did up a few Bow Jams for some of our favourite paddling friends. No - we didn't get out in a canoe for our Bow Jam - the lakes are still frozen here in Muskoka at this time of the year. But we still managed to come up with a number of Bow Jams, just the same.

"HEY! GET YOUR NOSE OUT OF THERE DIGGER!"
Badger Bow Jam: 125 mL jar of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam prepared
in Muskoka, Canada by Yummies In A Jar
Very limited quantities are available - contact us for more information.

Fortunately you don't need any special paddling skills for our Badger® Bow Jam - especially if you are trying it with toast for breakfast!

Thanks to Lynn Murden from Yummies In A Jar
for making such delicious "Bow Jam"!

Prepared in Muskoka by the locally renowed Yummies In A Jar, our Badger® Bow Jam is NOT made from canoe bows, but from delicious strawberries & rhubarb*! Inspired by Fiona's love of word play and thus named after the "bow jam" paddle stroke (a.k.a. running pry), as seen in the video examples below, our "Bow Jam" has been described as follows:

"Badger® Bow Jam: The fast and light flavour of the strawberries are perfectly balanced with the sharp, pivoting flavour of the rhubarb. Our Bow Jam will quickly turn any meal into a tasty treat. A delight to any canoeist’s style and taste buds - naturally it  goes quite well with bannock!"

Picture of actual label on jar. Click on the image to enlarge.

Here is a paddler completing a single handed "bow jam".

Want to learn how to do a single handed "Bow Jam" yourself?

(And this time we don't mean the edible kind!)

 Be sure to pick up a copy of the DVD

Advanced Classic Solo Canoeing with Becky Mason

For those who dig strawberries, sugar, rhubarb and wordplay!

*Ingredients: Fruit (Strawberries and Rhubarb), Sugar, Water, Pectin, and Lemon Juice (no sulphites).

Badger® Bow Jam:
both novel and delicious!

Contact us for more information if you think you would dig trying a Badger® Bow Jam. Remember, you don't have to be a master or advanced paddler to be able to do our Badger® Bow Jam! 

But be forewarned - we only have a very VERY limited supply at this time so don't wait to badger us for your jar if you want some!

Badger DIGS Canoecopia 2012

This paddle (set) - close up view - will be unveiled at Canoecopia with
Nova Craft's Jackson Pollock inspired abstract art canoe.

Nova Craft's Jackson Pollock inspired abstract art canoe.

This is a very special season for us at Badger® Paddles. We almost felt like we "got a golden ticket" when we received our invitation to attend Rutabaga's renowned Canoecopia this year. Not only will this be our first official booth at a trade show or event, but this is also our first real official debut in the U.S. and we could not be more excited. It almost feels like it did the time Badger® attended our first ever event at the Swift Canoe & Kayak's Guelph Lake Sale only a few years ago.

Hand painted paddles that will be
available at Canoecopia 2012

But this time, instead of just 6 styles of oiled paddles, Badger® Paddles has grown to include WaterColours™(colourfully tinted solid wood canoe paddles for kids or adults), combination finish paddles (the best of both worlds - a varnished blade with and oiled shaft/grip), Badger® Wood Oil, T-shirts, Badger® toques (hat), and more! Plus, unlike when we first launched, now every adult length  Badger® Paddle includes it's own Badger® Paddle Sock - a sock that will protect and stretch to fit almost any style paddle you have in your collection up to 65" in length - not just your Badger® Paddle.

Combination finished paddles -
varnished blade with oiled shaft/grip.

We are really having as much fun with this event as we can so be sure to stop by the Badger® Paddles booth and say hello to Mike and check out some of the hand painted paddles Fiona has done for this special occasion - including the Jackson Pollack inspired art paddles to be unveiled with Nova Craft's abstract art canoe (see above photos).

So if you want to just talk paddling, or have questions about how our paddles are made, or are interested in purchasing a paddle from it's maker, then Mike will be more then happy to chat with you. Just look for the Badger® Paddles booth. Canoecopia is held annually in Wisconsin, U.S.A. by Rutabaga. This year Canoecopia will be the weekend of March 9 - 11th. For more information and/or tickets, please visit www.canoecopia.com. Or read the 2012 Canoecopia Gazette. Hope to see you there if you can dig it!

Badger now tweets on Twitter too!

Whew!  Say that title 10 times fast!!!  "Badger now tweets on Twitter too!"

Yep, it's true... Badger Paddles has joined Twitter and our social networking trisector is now complete!  We are still only a few days old on Twitter so be sure to start following Badger's tweets and growls for special offers and exclusive news.

We just hope that cute little blue Twitter bird doesn't mind sharing it's virtual nest with a "badger"!

Find us on Twitter here:  www.twitter.com/BadgerPaddles

Don't forget... you can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/badger.paddles

Badger Paddles' 1rst Cameo Appearance!

Algonquin Outfitters have been servicing Algonquin Park-goers and locals for almost 50 years and are world famous for bringing adventure to hundreds and thousands of people. 
Just released this week are a series of NEW videos showcasing AO's Oxtongue location; outfitting services; experienced and knowledgeable staff; lightweight canoes and high quality equipment.

AO's Randy Mitson best describes their awesome services:
"Algonquin Outfitters, a family owned and operated business, has been serving Algonquin Park canoe trippers since 1961. We are paddlers ourselves, so we know and love Algonquin and we know and love canoe tripping! With several locations in and around the park, a wide range of services, including equipment rentals, complete and partial outfitting, guided day trips, custom guided trips and water taxi service, Algonquin Outfitters can meet the needs of just about any Algonquin Park visitor.

From planning to packing, Algonquin Outfitters can help with every aspect of your canoe trip. Our Partial Outfitting service allows you to rent just a canoe and/or extra pieces of equipment. Complete Outfitting lets you show up with your personal gear and find all your food and equipment ready to go - ideal for people without the time, experience and/or equipment to put together their own wilderness trip. Our packages include all the camping and canoeing equipment you need for an enjoyable trip, as well as a nourishing, delicious menu designed for wilderness travel.

The most valuable part of our outfitting service is the training, advice and help that our experienced guides and outfitters will give when custom tailoring your trip, route and equipment to your abilities and desires. Provided for no extra charge, this service is just one of the things that makes Algonquin Outfitters one of the finest outdoor adventure stores in North America. You can even bring this service along on your canoeing experience by hiring one of our guides to accompany you on a fully guided trip."

Watch for a couple of cameo appearances by Badger Paddles!  Also - be sure to check out Algonquin Outfitter's Channel (on Youtube) for some more great informative videos and stop by an AO location during any season.... you won't be disappointed!

Algonquin Outfitters My Ultimate Canoe Trip Contest has a winner!

Congratulations from Badger Paddles to the winner of AO's My Ultimate Canoe Trip Contest!!!

Pauline from Huntsville, ON was the lucky recipient of a Swift Canoe, 2 Badger Canoe Paddles plus more great gear. A prize package valued at over $4500.00!

You can view more details about this great contest and the awesome prizes Pauline won on the Algonquin Outfitter's Blog. But even though this contest is over... do not fret!

AO always has great contests to enter like their Summer Photo Contest which runs for another month. Visit the AO website for other details and great outdoor products. They have a social network and their stores are the best place for outfitting for any season. There are always great specials like when AO visits the Toronto Ski Show this year - up to 70% off as well as great prizes to be won on their website. Click here for more details.

And good luck to all who enter the AO Photo Contest...