Sometimes you just never know.......

I broke my current partner and longtime childhood chum in on one of the buggiest, marathon paddle days with hardly no fish trips ever.......

Springtime in Algonquin......the black flies were really thick. We didn't even get the boat in the water before he was asking me "what are we going to do"? It was a very good thing that I had persuaded him to get the ultimate bug shirt........

Having never done a trip in Algonquin before I had underestimated the distances involved. The days were marathon....as in, "Gib, are we ever going to stop"?

The fishing was lousy......poor guy had had dreams of big trout on the end of his line but we caught very few indeed.

One rainy night we got pinned down by a bear which knocked our bags around and snuffled through our tent fabric. My unfortunate guest spent 1/2 the night sitting up with a hatchet in one hand and a "survival" knife in the other (I went to sleep).

In spite of it all.........toward the end of the trip I got the distinct impression I had created a monster and when I asked him if he felt like paddling a bit longer in the day he was gung-ho......

So you never know how folk are going to pan out. He could of went either way. Preparation was key.......without the bug shirt I think it doubtful he could of coped and adjusted as he tended to welt up rather easily. 1/2 way through the trip he went from being afraid of the bugs and not wanting to get his feet wet to hardcore.

If anyone is interested here is the trip report.....nice place
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Marten hit on something I've observed regarding the "last day." 

I used to plan our last camp so we had an easy 2-3 hour paddle out the next morning.  But we often experienced "the horses are headed to the barn" syndrome.  By noon on the penultimate day, the group begins to think, "Do we really want to set up and break down another camp, just for a 2-3 hour paddle in?"  That question invariably leads to "Let's push on out this afternoon.  I can already taste a cheeseburger and chocolate malt!"  Exactly what Marten mentioned. 

So now I plan the last night's camp a full day's paddle from the take out point.  I try to get over any big body of water, to avoid getting winded, but I am careful not to get too close, and thus avoid the "horse-to-barn" syndrome. 

prouboy

Over the years I have been in some canoe parties that had a "problem child" in their midst. It does not happen any more because I have learned to take preventive measures. If someone is new they are well instructed in what to bring and what to leave at home. If they look to be getting in over their comfort level an overnight near home should have them pulling out of the main trip.

The travel distance is always adjusted  to keep the group happy. This thread has made it clear that an ambitious schedule puts many in foul moods when the pains become real. I have headed in with new trip mates that think they want to really put in the miles. After a few portages the reality sets in and the route is adjusted so all will have good memories.

Of course the best laid plans do not always work out. When a problem starts to fester it is time for someone to step up and protect the rest of the group. A stern face to face talk sometimes takes care of an annoying issue. I would rather face the consequences of a confrontation than put up with growing resentment among the group.

The group member that bothers me the most; the one that wants to shorten the trip by a day or two. The preventive measure, don't get near the exit until the trip is over.

The worst I can think of is I joined a group that was going and we took two vehicles, she was in the same with me. As we approached the Forest lake exit she said ”aren’t we going to stop for something to eat?” We stopped so she could get something. Next she wanted to stop at the Wyoming rest stop so she could go to the bathroom. When she opened her mouth to ask if we were going to stop at the Moose Lake rest stop, we all beat her to the punch, by this time everyone wanted to get away from her. It was at this time I realized I was probably the one who was going to get stuck paddling with her. Everyone else had a paddling partner!

I did manage to avoid sleeping in the same tent as her the night before we left the landing. I slept outside under the stars to avoid her. It was obvious I was also going to be sharing a tent with her. I prayed it would not rain so I could continue sleeping outside. It was fall, so no worry about bugs.

When we finally started paddling it wasn’t as bad as I imagined, her paddling was so weak and ineffective I just paddled as if she weren’t there. She made for great ballast though, only a little over a hundred pounds so I placed a pack right behind her as a backrest which turned out to be good because she quickly tired and complained, no make that moan, about a sore back.

We were always the trailing canoe, everyone else had two able paddlers, and one of the guys who thought he was Bill Mason or maybe Paul Bunyon suggested that we switch partners. He quickly fell behind and when we had to paddle a small creek with a class I rapids she threw down her paddle and grasped the gunwhales so tight her fingers turned white. The front of the canoe caught a rock and they spun around and dumped. Now we had to listen to her whine about being cold. We made camp and put her to bed. I was now joined by the two other people from “our” tent who did not want to sleep with her. We plotted different ways we could kill her and dispose of the body without getting caught until we fell asleep.

When we finally got back to the take out she proclaimed “I’m never going on a canoe trip again” Everyone looked at each other thinking the same thing “we’re not ever going to ask you again” I finagled a way into the vehicle she wasn’t riding in on the way home.

I guess I didn’t learn my lesson, a few years later someone asked me to join their trip to fill out an empty spot. It turned out I ended up with the male version of this woman, but that is another story.

qp,

That's a Man Card moment if I ever heard of one up
I should of done that a few times with the 3 guys I used to go with. Of course in my case I would of been traveling alone

Took 3 buds on their first trip 10 years ago. I put the most gung ho guy in charge of getting the food since he was an excellant cook and I am not.   ...so what,s he bring? Frying oil,10lbs of potoes,and MREs!  We did manage 2 fish meals,but ...   

The very first canoe trip my wife went on with me was a trip organized through the Sierra Club.  The leader had written a decent book (which I actually read).  Participants were supposed to have some experience.  I thought it would be well-planned.  My mistake.

One poor gal ended up with an airplane carry-on wheelie.  Another participant brought blue jeans (I am no fan of cotton on a canoe trip).  But the biggest issue to me was the meal planning.  Nothing dehydrated.  Four and five pot prepare-from-scratch meals (often started in the dark), with subsequent clean-up.  Of course, all of that meant extra bulk and weight.  I often triple-portaged.

Fortunately, I was able to help my wife make good packing decisions, so she had what she needed and I gained a little credibility.  After that we planned our own trips.  We make water (don't carry it in food), and generally do one-pot meals.  We are not that fast, but almost always single-portage.

QP
I can just see you chomping a stogy and tossing the maps into the fire.
MagicPaddler

I was the group leader on a trip in 92 I think it was.  Anyway we were on Day two out of PP heading up the Man Chain.  On the portage from This Man to Other Man one of the hot shot guys got in my face and screamed at me.  I'm not going any farther.  He was pissed that we just didn't stick to Carp Lake for the week fishing.  Hated the portaging, but knew the trip as was planned several months in advance as a loop. 
So I said lets set up camp on Other Man and take a vote on it as to where, what we are going to do.
In camp that night the vote was 3 to 1 to continue as planned, Man Chain, Falls Chain, Kawnipi, Agnes back to PP in 8 days.  The Irate guy was pissed again upon loosing the vote.  After about 20 min of arguing, I stood up and wadded all the maps, then tossed them into the campfire and said.  I'm leaving at 6am in the morning and I know exactly where I'm going.  I suggest if you wish to tag along be up and ready.  Off to bed I went.  The next morning I had all 3 guys ready and willing to move on.
My father in-law on the rest of the trip kept asking if I had a back up map.  I lied and said nope, just keep on paddling. The Irate guy was his brother In-law.  I suspected a mutiny if they were given the chance.
qp

This has been a greatly entertaining thread!  My (to be) wife labeled me "the canoe nazi" on the first (and overambitious) trip I took her on.  I seem to recall portaging to Trousers in growing dark, the first night out, following our dog's white tail...  Not good.   That was a long time ago, and she married me anyway.  I have mellowed out, I think (more just from age than from any quality of character...).
     Also, I remember -- and this is even longer ago -- when I worked as a teenage "guide" for scout canoe trips out of Moose Lake.  I always had groups with great adult "advisors", far as I remember.  Another guy, though, had an advisor that insisted the crew practice silent landings and sneaking up on other campsites...  Sort of confused the wilderness experience for reserve training, I think...