On day three we decided to make an igloo. It would be a fun way to spend a layover day. We were optimistic. Years ago I bought this thing:
We watched all the videos and did all our research. It was so promising.
We’d tried and failed three times in past years. This time would be different. We had tons of fresh snow and ALL day to work on it. Continue reading
It snowed for the first two days. Beautiful picturesque winter wonderland snow. We were so stoked to finally be on this adventure.
Notice how much I’m leaning against that damn pulk. It felt like it weighed a ton!
We crossed two lakes (Ojibway and Triangle in the Superior National Forest). Then did a gnarly portage to the Kawishiwi river in the BWCA.
Little bit of Narnia
The portage took an hour mostly because Will insisted on using his new skis while pulling the pulk (aka sled). There was much crashing on the many hills and turns.
Once on the river we had planned on going northeast towards Lake One. That’s what we had told everybody. Not an hour later we ended up turning around. Falling through the ice was (is) one of my biggest fears. We had discussed at length our safety plan for multiple scenarios. Which is one of the reasons Will walked in front. Continue reading
Here we go!
Last week I tested recipes: granola, meat cheese balls, hot cocoa mix…
This week I assembled food I would never otherwise eat…
So much butter!
This is seriously calorie dense food.
We spent today buying fun new gear at REI and then packing it all up.
So much stuff!
Tomorrow we drive up to Ely for a week of winter camping. I’ve been looking forward to this for months, no years! It’s going to be awesome.
I hope to have a great story for you when we get back.
Next in the winter camping storyline: Chop Wood, Carry Water
If you know me and readers, I think you do, you know I’m chronically all wound up. Physically, mentally I’m prone to run on overdrive until I’m a twitching mess. I like being active. I like running, swimming, lifting, hiking, biking, racing, and generally bouncing off the walls. I don’t think I’m the only one.
In this last year I’ve really found a routine that helps. It’s soothing. Yet because it’s not what I’m inclined towards it’s so easy to skip it. I don’t think I’m the only one who does this either.
So I have a gift. For all the overachieving, type-A, twitchy athletes out there. I present my new class:
Restorative Athletics: Injury Prevention for Active People.
Wednesdays 7am at the Midtown YWCA
6 week sessions – $88 for non-YWCA members.
You can register online or by calling 612-215-4333
We’ll do some:
– Myofascial release with foam rolling and balls.
– Meditation/visualization/breath work for both stress reduction and athletic performance.
– Yin Yoga for deep passive stretching.
– Activating exercises that improve neuromuscular control, alignment, and stability.
Join me! It’ll feel great.
Yup. 2014 is over. And these things still aren’t done.
Sometime around 2011 I started talking about blogging and getting better at all social media. It took until 2013 before I got the blog up. Literally “learn Twitter & Pintrest” has been on my to-do list for the last year. Yup, still not done.
Just one of many lists it didn’t get crossed off on.
In April a friend gave me a new binder just for all my recipes. I started reorganizing them sometime last summer. Yup, still not done.
In March I started a new strength routine. I asked my fellow personal trainer what a reasonable goal would be. He said to be able to jump half my body height and deadlift twice my body weight. I wanted to be able to do a handstand and a muscle up. I was totally going to be able to post my accomplishments by 2015. Yup, not quite there.
I got up to 5 reps of 185 lbs. I can jump on that box if I sneak up on it and don’t look it in the eye.
I’m sure there are more things I haven’t quite done. But I was also going to write this blog post sooner…
The truth is that most things I end up feeling really proud of take a very long time.
Back in 2007 I was going to learn to cook. It took about four years until I felt truly confident with all my cooking skills. Now I’ve got more recipes than I can keep track of and I don’t even need them most of the time.
In 2004 I really wanted to like biking. It took until 2008 before I became a bike commuter and it took 5 years before I started to really like it. I biked through 5 winters with terror in tears. Finally this winter I’m really ok with it.
So cheers to another year filled with things not quite done. I know by now that just because I didn’t get it done doesn’t mean I won’t, and nothing is every really done.
I am working on a new skill. I feel deeply out of my element.
I often coach people to learn new skills such as swimming, or strength training, and now yoga. I tell people it’s ok if it feels unnatural, awkward, or counterintuitive.
I say “Nice, good job. Do it again.”
They give it a try and I can see the struggle and frustration.
And I say “It’s ok. Do it again.”
They try again and there’s a split second where it came together, then immediately falls apart.
I say “Better, good! Do it again.”
The tables have turned. I feel very much like the student. Intellectually I totally understand how good this will be for me. But gosh dang it, this is hard. Continue reading
If my vacation is miserable enough, life seems easier.
Just kidding. Sorta.
When I was a kid I cursed my parents for living in stupid boring frozen Minnesota. When I grew up I was leaving. Then I grew up and found that I love it here. Winter is awesome because it makes me awesome. We’ve gone on two winter camping trips and are planning our third for mid January 2015. We’re not that crazy. I’ve got six good reasons that make it worth while.
Continue reading
In the dark. Walking on the side of highway 61. At the end of our 19th day in the woods. After hiking the historic Grand Portage to Lake Superior. There was light. We looked down onto a field of parking lots.
There was a “Trading Post” gas station. Through more parking lot there was the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino. I felt giddy with delight and horror of modern civilization. I have never paid so much or been so excited for so much mediocrity. It was large and rather ugly. Our room was standard ugly. But it had hot water, and toilet paper. We showered but didn’t have clean clothes. Gleefully we went to the bar for dinner. The burger and the fries were straight out of a freezer. But the beer was cold, and the food satisfyingly calorie dense.
Grey morning light revealed even less to be excited about. We went to the dining room for breakfast. We had a panoramic view of a great bare lawn of gravel leading up to Lake Superior. Breakfast was topped with plasticky triangles of cheese. This place was grim. We were in purgatory. Continue reading
18 days and 238.5 miles we were finally done paddling. We had paddled and portaged in heat, illness, stillness, wind, snow, rocks and ice. There was just a measly 8 miles to walk to hot showers, cold beer, and toilet paper. We had made it to Grand Portage.
The 90 pound bales of fur
Reenactment from Fort William Historical Park found on SitesAndStories.wordpress.com
We began by re-situating our gear. Paddles and PFDs (life jackets) were lashed to the insides of the canoe. Weight was reconfigured between our packs. We also attempted to get ourselves properly clothed for a hike.
My pants and boots were completely soaked from the day before. I removed my feet from their tall boot pools and tipped the water out. I stripped off my useless rain paints then the fleece layer, then the wool layer. In a misty cold rain I stood above the wet muddy leaves on a picnic table. Standing there nearly naked I rung out what I could. After putting it all back on again I returned to my boots. The pools had partially returned. I tipped them over but nothing came out. Looking back in I watched as water slowly reappeared in the foot bed. Again I tipped them over and this time shook them violently. Nada. Pools still reformed. The fleece lining inside the neoprene kept catching the water as it tried to drain out. When upright it would collect again in pools at my feet. The perfect waterproof paddling boots that had kept me so warm and dry were now hopelessly waterlogged. They would be unfortunately heavy for the 8 mile hike. It turned out to be so painful, I quickly stopped noticing my feet. Continue reading
Sweet savory perfection. Sage breakfast sausage inside apple spice muffins topped with candied bacon. One of my very best creations. I first made these three years ago. The candied bacon is both what makes it special, and a pain in the ass to make. That combo makes them dismal for regular weekday eating but perfect for special occasions and parties.
I start with making the candied bacon.
Continue reading
Midwest With Zest 