A Dad and his Daughter
David L. McHone
It seems to me, that there are many significant things that happen in our lives that we don't recognize as a special event, at the time it occurs. Taking a trip to the boundary waters with my daughter is special and I knew it, as soon as we began to prepare. There are a lot of personal experiences that make this trip special. My wife suggested a trip to the boundary waters for our honeymoon. (Talk about testing a new relationship!). She had been on wilderness trips many times and had led groups during her college years. My first experience was, love at first sight! We have returned a number of times and I have made a couple of solo trips.
As time passed, we got caught up in the work world and the responsibilities of a new baby girl. As my daughter, Elizabeth, was growing up she would look at my pictures of the boundary waters and listen to my stories. As she was approaching her 16th birthday she told me she would like to make a trip with me. The one thing I have learned about the experience of going into the boundary waters, first with my wife and then with a friend, is that someone has to 'want' to make the trip. So; over the next few months, we began to plan our trip. I decided that my daughter's first experience would be the Quetico - Sarah Lake area. I contacted the Williams & Hall Outfitters to set the date and let them know our requirements. Let me say right here that the Williams & Hall folks are a group of outstanding professionals, in every sense of the word. I have used their services numerous times for almost a decade. Each time, my requirements were different, including a couple of last minute changes that were challenging for them as well.
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