Because shipping would have cost about the same as making the round-trip drive to pick up the kayak paddle I had bought online, I let the weather decide. It was a nice day, so I got directions to Mitchell Paddles in Canaan, NH and set off in the morning, thinking I was heading for a small kayak shop.
The drive would be worth it if I could also find a nice place to take a little hike in the lakes region of NH.
When I found the address, (on a dirt road!) Mitchell Paddles turned out to be one young guy - Peter Mitchell- and his shop, where he makes wooden, carbon fiber and Fiberglas paddles for all kinds of boats. I had come to the SOURCE!
Peter handed me my beautiful cedar Greenland-style paddle, which he had made himself, and then gave me a tour of the entire operation, which had been established by his parents who live next door, 40 years ago.
Oh, and on the way home, I took a nice little hike partway up the Mt Kearsarge Road in Warner, NH.
