Tag Archives: BWCA
All Packed!
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… This is seriously calorie dense food. We spent today buying fun new gear at REI and … Continue reading
No Pictures of Purgatory
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, grand portage, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling, The End
8 Comments
Crippling Grand Portage
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, grand portage, honeymoon, kymsfavorite, outdoors, paddling
10 Comments
Evil Pigeon River
Arrrrrrg. This story is daunting just to write. The last two days were so epically weak, so tragically hard, yet so stupidly simple, I can’t do it justice. It needs some good cinematography and a soundtrack. Perhaps David Attenborough could … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, challenge, grand portage, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling
4 Comments
Raging for the final push
It was a very good day. Day 16, rested and ready. We were a paddling portaging machine! 8:30am to 6pm, 23.75 miles. It started with a family of swans and included a stop for Amazing Woodsman Willy.
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, grand portage, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling
2 Comments
Rain, tears, and tea on the Gunflint.
The day started with a headwind. After so much portaging the day before we had been looking forward to longer stretches of paddling. A strong south wind made it slow going and quickly sapped the relief right out of it. … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, Gunflint Lake, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling
4 Comments
Bluckville in Portage Hell
Imagine a honeymoon in the pristine north woods. Deep clear lakes ringed with low sweeping cedars, majestic white pines, and dancing gold aspens. Secluded, peaceful and potentially very romantic. Which I suppose it was until day 13 and 183 miles … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling, portage
6 Comments
To the bars!
We woke up determined to move. To hell with the weather radio. We were going to paddle. Dawn was chilly but beautiful. Frosty mornings in the woods have a funny rhythm.
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling, snow, winter
2 Comments
Wind and Snow
Two days. We got stuck on a little spit of land with tiny trees and shrubs and a leaky tent for two days. After nine beautiful days of paddling through Voyagers National Park and into the BWCA we got the … Continue reading
Posted in Adventures
Tagged BWCA, camping, canoeing, honeymoon, outdoors, paddling, snow, voyageurs national park, winter
3 Comments
Stillness before snow
The day before the snow was perfect. Everything was clear and still. The sky was a cloudless eternal blue. It was beautifully bright without any oppressing heat. The water was glass. Our canoe glided effortlessly as paddles dipped and pulled … Continue reading
Midwest With Zest 