My kid and I were discussing something totally unrelated recently but her words rang true.

"If I understood why, that would mean I was crazy too."

Nothing fancy here but I have said this on EVERY trip, probably more than once, "it can't get any better than this". Haven't proven myself wrong yet.

I have one more for you, but it comes with a story.  You have to read the story first.  I found this one in the Canadian Waters gift shop in 1971 after my first canoe trip (the Namakan River Loop, a 6-day trip with my husband.)  It was on a set of 8 note papers, with the text on one side and a black woodcut-type drawing of a loon in the reeds on the other side.  I bought the box of note papers for my "souvenir".  When I got home I used seven of them for writing notes to my friends--we used to do that back in the 70's before email--and then I saved the last one and put it in a frame.  It has hung in our home ever since.

A few years ago I wanted a "signature" line for Quiet Journey, so I decided to write to the author for permission to use it, since, as a professional musician, I am very sensitive to never breaking any copyright infringement laws.  I googled Roger Drayna and found a link to his church in Wausau, WI, so I wrote a letter to him and sent it to the church.  I told him about us, about our years of canoeing and where we had gone, about how his little note was hanging on our wall, and asked if I could use his quote for my signature.

He called me shortly thereafter.  He was very gracious and gave permission readily.   The quote is from an article he wrote for "Field and Stream", after a Quetico fishing trip.

Roger Drayna died in 2012.  I am confident that he would be pleased if I pass it on to you.

From: "Canoe Route to Fishing Adventure" by Roger Drayna, © 1971 (used by permission)

"How can one sum up this wild and lonely land?  There is no easy way.  It must be known in glory and adversity.  In cold and wet and sun and wind.  In sky lines and rock and surging water.  In the men of the party who, through the struggles of each day, become a sort of community of saints, dedicated to a concern for each man but sounding very little like saints at all.  To make such a journey is to stand very near to splendor and to sense it for the delicate and wondrous thing it really is.  And, it must be held to carefully in photographs and in words but mostly in memory.  For, despite the promises we make, way does lead on to way, and perhaps we shall never come back."

Wow...thanks everyone! I needed that.  Keep them coming.
This past year my dad and I took perhaps the most enjoyable trip we've ever had in the BWCA, not that any have been bad, but this one was amazing...a week after we got home he had a ruptured bowel and almost died.  It really added some perspective.

On one particular paddle in Little Saganaga the water was perfectly still with the sun just beginning to rise and I realized that moment had been created just for us. No one else not even us will be able to see that or experience it again.  To have been there at that time was an awesome gift!

Thanks for help...I think this is going to be a cool gift and hopefully I will get around to sharing some of the photos soon!

Be Blessed!

"Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing."
-Thoreau

For the people who paddle with dogs:

"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience." - Woodrow Wilson

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man.  Mark Twain

"As long as we have each other, we'll always have something to argue about."   up

Here are a couple more that I really like:

"On the plains of hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the dawn of decision, sat down to wait, and waiting died." - Sam Ewing

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

Pat

Another favorite of dad's . . .

"That scum-sucking, barking rat of yours has just taken his last dump on my lawn. I find one more- just one- and I'm gonna catch him and staple his ass shut."

Westwood wrote on Nov 17^th, 2014 at 3:01am:


Well Westwood, here's another one to consider when thinking about when to start your second life.   

"They're shooting at our regiment!" 

(translation --  others are dropping around us like flies.  So get up and get going.  You never know when it's your turn to drop.)  It's a good quote for guys like me in our 60's.

puckster