A Through-Paddle from Ely to Atikokan
Rod Franz

From 7/7/02 through 7/20/02, Troop 214, Salina, Kansas sent four crews (32 people) on a high adventure trek through the Boundary Waters in Minnesota and Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Two crews started in Atikokan, and paddled south, and two crews started in Ely, MN and paddled north. The account below is the log of one of those crews. While details vary, the experiences are probably typical of other crews.

Crew Members, E070902A: Andrew (Crew Chief), Daniel, Matt, Chris, Zack, Levi, Mike (Adult), Rod (Adult), Frank (BSA Base Interpreter).

Day One 7/7/02 Salina to Albert Lea
We gathered at South High parking lot, and after loading gear and a round of picture taking, departed at 8:15 AM or so. The target time for departure was 8:00, so we did pretty well by typical Scout time.

The adventure consists of 4 crews--23 youth and 9 Adults packed into 2 15 passenger vans, a pickup truck, and a mini van. Sack lunch at rest stop north of Kansas City, and arrived at Methodist Church in Albert Lea by 5:00 PM. Highlight of the day was a traffic jam caused, we think, by a semiload of pigs that was being sprayed down by a couple of fire trucks just south of Albert Lea--in the middle of a construction zone! High adventure is what you make it!! Dinner at various fast food joints.

Day Two 7/8/02 Albert Lea to Virginia
Out of the Church by 7:00 AM. Breakfast at Micky-D's. High point of the day was the visit to Cabella's. Spent about two hours in the store, which was about $100 to long. Talked to some folks from Lindsborg on the way home from the Boundary Waters. Traffic in Minneapolis area was intense, but arrive at the Church in Virginia by 4:30. This church not air-conditioned and the night was warm but not uncomfortable. We went over last minute crew instructions as a group, and organized our 'off water' gear, so it would go to Atikokan. The adults traded keys to vehicles.

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Boundary Waters - Quetico Information