The Boundary Waters Trip 2011

Sometimes I find it hard to understand how or why it's fun and enjoyable to brave the great outdoors that are filled with mosquitoes, ticks, rain, lack of a nice comfy bed, rain, a hole in the ground for a toilet, rain, and, this year, nasty biting black flies. Oh, did I mention rain? I guess that's the "girly" part of me. Someday I may just tag along on this guy excursion just to find out what the insatiable draw really is.

For now, here's what I understand the general outline of their trip to be (...or what could actually be revealed to an "outsider" like me).

First, the weak and feminine are weeded out and only the truely rough and tough load into the van. Then they head north for 11 hours in search of untouched wilderness (as untouched as you can get around here). Before their encounter with nature, they stop by the "outfitters" to be fitted with a few needed supplies (maps, permits, ect.) and within another hour's drive, they finally reach their destination.... a parking lot that's a half mile away from water. (You're probably thinking the same thing I am right now... ) They unload their fishing equipment, canoes, and packs (filled with food, cooking utensils, clothes, raingear, tents, sleeping bags, tools...) and carry everything the half mile to the water's entry point. (OK, it's not sounding so fun at this point, but let's go on...)

Then they load everything into two canoes (while still saving space for six people to sit in those canoes) and paddle for 4 hours to reach their first campground. The four hours of paddling were interspersed with lovely things called "portages"...

A "portage" a fun 'game' where the lake or river runs into rapids and everyone hops out of the canoes and makes several trips to carry all the gear, packs, and the 85 lb canoes over the land, past the rapids, to canoe-able water again. These portages can be anywhere from 300 feet to half of a mile (on this trip). (Hmmm, sounding any better yet?)

Once they reach their site, they set up camp. They put together their tents and ready their sleeping areas. Then it's dinnertime! This first night is the night of luxury. They eat steaks brought from home (that were frozen and thaw enroute), cookies, lemonade and popcorn because generally, they don't have time to fish for their dinner that first night. (It's sounding a bit better...) Then they tuck into bed as the sun's starting to set to be refreshed for the next day (...and to get out of the mosquitoes, I think).

Ahhhh, they wake up bright and early, light the morning fire, and mix up a batch of "just add water" pancake mix to cook on a griddle. Caleb made up the mix before they left... whole wheat, dried milk and eggs, sugar, ect. Mmmm-mmm, tastes just like home...

Then they head out to catch their dinner....

They fish from the canoe...

They fish from the shore...

They fish in the cold...

Then they fish some more...

And every once in a while, they catch something....

Some big somethings...

And some bitty somethings...

Then, it's fish fry time!!
After a day or two at that campsite, they pack up all the gear and canoe/portage further into the wilderness to set up camp all over again. From what I understand, they repeat this process several times throughout the week. They also had some new experiences this year...

It rained alot this year. It would rain on and off throughout the day... EACH day. It was also super windy on at least one of the days. In fact, here at home, my dad and I wondered how they were fairing since there were tornado warnings up in their area.
Their new rain gear got lots of use this year...
On one of those windy days, while they were fishing on the opposite side of the island, their canoe (which was tied down over a rock at the camp) broke free, rolled into the water, and started floating downstream. Thankfully, a stranger saw it and found the guys and asked if they were missing a canoe. It was full of water, but amazingly, it floated right up to the shore and they didn't even have to get in the water to get it. It suffered only a small leak (which was repaired with their supplies) and a dent.
There are some very beatiful areas that they venture into. The views of huge boulders, rushing streams and animals in their natural surroundings are part the reward for all their hard work. Paul heard a Trumpeter Swan which apparently really sounds like a trumpet. They saw a variety of critters. They even had a bald eagle's nest right over the "throne" (code-word for "hole-in-the-ground toilet").

The sunsets are incredible.

I love this picture of the golden sunset shining on the opposite horizon and reflecting in the water.

Ken and Matthew Thomas (above) joined the manly adventure this year.

The boys find the firewood and the dads split it.

Every lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and they have a pasta dish with every fish dinner. They fill in the hungry in-between times with beef jerky, a cheese stick, trail mix, or dried cranberries.

As I asked the boys what their favorite part of the trip was, they came up with answers like, "catching fish" or "not the ticks!" or "exploring the new campsites!" They all agreed that one of the things they like the most is the time with eachother and with their dad. I am so thankful that they have a dad that is able (and willing) to spend time and energy to "bond" with his boys. Through his words and actions, he is teaching them how to be a "man". He's certainly leaving them some big shoes to fill.