Here’s the OYB Brag Sheet. I get Fan Mail from time to time. And no one seems able to use my built-in Comment system so I have to manually post it here. I just started this page a couple weeks ago, since a few interesting items have come in lately. So the past is past, I guess. When I get Hate Mail, I’ll post it, too. Criticism can be just as interesting and enlightening. I do sometimes get flamed on Forums but it’s usually “You’re stupid,” so take that for what it’s worth.
***
3/13/12 (in response to my Canoe Pole listing at my eBay Store)
Hi: After kayaking and canoeing for decades, I recently tried stand-up-paddling a 12′ sailboard through a local marsh. A bit unstable. So I starting looking for a real SUP board, came across your listing…and tried stand-up-paddling one of my canoes today. Absolutely wonderful! I can see so much more than when sitting and the canoe is plenty stable. I’m not sure how a pole would work on the very soft, silty marsh bottoms, and you are a bit far away from me for “local pickup only,” so I won’t be buying a pole from you. None the less, I did want to say “thank you” for suggesting that a canoe would be a good substitute for a SUP board. Thanks.
***
3/12/12
Jeff
Just a brief mail to let you know the replacement OK gaiter [Swiss Leather] arrived this morning and to emphasise again how pleasant it is to deal with someone who has business integrity and is so easy to
communicate with. Thank you for “bothering.” It would have been so
easy to obfuscate with someone so far away!
I wanted to put a “testimonial” on your website but I am not v. good at
these sorts of things and couldn’t find a way.
Please feel free to use this as a comment publicly.
Yours very aincerely
Christopher Bason
Lincoln UK
***
2/27/12
[I hope Dorin doesn’t mind me posting his email. I don’t mean OYB to be just me. Others should feel free to chime in, but I suppose the question of where can be tricky for a general comment. I used to have a lively Forum here. And hope to again soon. Also, I do get wonderful fan mail from time to time and it is really nice to know that I’m not just alone here, either. –JP]
Dear Jeff,
You’re right, it [casual XC skiing] is fun!
And thank you, you’re quite an inspiration to me!
The story is this: this winter we (me and my family) went to Austria in holiday and, since my middle age knees tryed so hard to tell me in the past alpin-ski winter holidays that it is something wrong to try bending them sideways, we tested the cross-country ski on austrian well groomed, free and extended trails. To be prepared, we watched your instructive videos on youtube. Our test was a success, we were now converted to this kind of sky.
Nevertheless, I browsed your site and I found opinions that I agree with in many theses. So, back home (Romania), I bought an old pair of cross country skis (for as little as 15$) and I did what you said we should do, cross-country ski and have fun. It seemed that you don’t need much for that, it’s just a question of attitude.
So, thanks again and best regards from Breaza, Prahova, Romania.
