Take a Paddle: Finger Lakes New York Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks »

Rich and Sue Freeman have written and published 14 outdoor recreation guidebooks for Central and Western New York State. We've criss-crossed the region in search of hiking trails, biking trails, trails to waterfalls, cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing trails, and backpacking trails. I guess you could say we specialize in trails. But, not only the green kind. We've also explored blue trails - the lakes, ponds, creeks, streams and rivers for canoeing and kayaking. Along the way we were intrigued by the exotic cobblestone buildings that dotted the region - they seemed to pop up in the most unexpected places. So for a different kind of fun, we researched the region's cobblestone history and wrote a biking or driving tour guide to see cobblestone buildings.

The company we formed to formalize our "play time" is called Footprint Press. Rich and I ARE Footprint Press. You can't get much smaller company wise. Before forming Footprint Press 12 years ago, we both worked at Eastman Kodak Company. For 10 years we lived through one round of layoffs after another, each time wondering if our turn would be next. Finally we decided that was no way to live - we woke up and decided to go on a long hike. I had backpacked a lot as a teenager and young adult, but my husband was a novice. We dove in and spent 6 months walking from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail.

At the end of 6 months our bodies were tired, sore, and skinny, but we didn't want to stop hiking. We also didn't want to go job hunting. So, we researched and wrote our first "Take A Hike" guidebook and launched Footprint Press. We vowed never to hire employees - and we've kept that vow.

Take A paddle is a comprehensive paddling guide, covering 35 ponds and lakes, and over 370 miles of flat-water creeks and rivers, from the Genesee River east, throughout the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. This guide provides a fun way to explore the Finger Lakes Region.
Slide the bow of your canoe or kayak across the shore of a grass-lined pond or the gravel shore of a stream. Dip your paddle into the cool, still water and glide downstream to enjoy the solitude and explore hidden pools and alcoves. Perhaps circumnavigate an island, see eagles flying above, enjoy the splash of fish darting below your boat, voyage through a historic Erie Canal aqueduct, or spot a deer standing in the creek around the next bend. Plenty of discoveries await you from water level.
Head out for a fun adventure knowing:
-where multiple launch and take-out sites are located
-the difficulty level of each waterway
-where to view current water conditions on the Internet
-the approximate time it will take to paddle
-amenities and fun diversions found nearby for yourself and your children
-where to camp next to or near the waterway
-when is the best season to paddle each waterway
-where to rent canoes or kayaks or find commercial shuttle services