Tag Archives: camping
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
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
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
First Kitten, Second Fish.
Two years ago we stumbled out of the woods onto highway 61. Twenty days of marriage and deprived of just about all comforts except each other. It was the epic honeymoon trip that felt far more momentous than the ceremony. Last … Continue reading
Have Fun. Don’t Die.
I had an odd experience. I’ve been puzzling over it for a month now. You know when something happens that makes you stop and think? You wonder “huh, that’s different” or maybe it was strikingly familiar. Either way it feels … Continue reading
Women In The Woods
We had fun in the the woods, in the sun, and the wind. Fun making friends at a remote bar and playing dress up with a park ranger. A camping trip with so much fun I can’t begin to fit … Continue reading
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.
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
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
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.