Thanks everyone, last year we got a full set of BWJ at least to 2018 or so. I've got plenty of reading to do there yet. I just figured I'd see what else to look into.
I bought this book when I first started going to the Q and highly recommend it. I've NEVER done one of his routes EXACTLY as he laid them out but used them as a foundation for trips I did do.
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I would lay out his routes on a paper map, then mark places I wanted to deviate too.
Then I would look in the QJ trip report archives to find info about those places. Between that and asking on the forums, I got a lot of info that would have taken years to learn on my own.
I think it would be fair to say you could spend the average tripper's lifetime of paddling in the Q and still learn something new every trip. Just the time of year/weather can change the course of your whole trip.
That's why most of us have Plan B's, maybe more. I used the FUBAR plan last trip.
Posted by: Old Salt Posted on: Jan 18th, 2020 at 11:49am
The BWJs are another great resource. I’m planning to bring a couple of boxes of back issues to Copia to sell $5 each. If anyone wants to buy a bunch, we can probably come up with a quantity discount. Let me know if you’re looking for something specific.
Posted by: Jimbo Posted on: Jan 18th, 2020 at 9:39am
Some of the best and more current information is on this site. It’s called ‘trip reports’.
That's funny because the two books I recommended are basically trip reports. I should gather all of my trip reports since 2007 and publish a book. "Quetico Misadventures!" by TomT
That's basically what Tim Mead did with his book. He's also a frequent BWJ contributor. He pulled together those pieces, added a few new ones and there was his book.
Tim really knows his stuff. He still posts to QJ every once in a while. He's known around here as "Ancient Angler." Quetico is only one of several outdoor topics he writes about. Tim's a great guy and former University English professor. He's traveled all over the place and has published re: numerous subjects in his retirement. In that respect (& others), he is one of my heroes. See his website at: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) .
Way back when, I used to live in NC and I flew up to Quetico every year for many years. I didn't discover that Tim was practically a neighbor of mine (NC has long been his home state) until long after I relocated to MN to get closer to Quetico. That was too bad as I could've used another paddling party partner a time or two back then.
Tim was the target of one of my very best practical jokes, ever. I'd like to say he had a good sense of humor about my prank but - to this day - he still has no idea he was even duped by what must have seemed like a "weird Jimbo mental telepathy" at the time. The episode is now long-since forgotten by him, I'm sure. Nevertheless, it remains a favorite campfire story of mine... a "gotcha trick" of the highest order.
Later,
Jimbo
Posted by: MossBack Posted on: Jan 18th, 2020 at 9:28am
Over the years I have bought every book I could find that had anything to do with canoe travel and especially the Quetico. More recently I built bookshelves and had my Father's old reading chair re-upholstered. Early in that endeavor the idea was to have ample material to re-read when I was older and no longer making trips.
Now I wish I had spend more time in a canoe than reading about it. Damned employment always gets in the way of more interesting life events.
MB
Posted by: TomT Posted on: Jan 18th, 2020 at 9:03am
Some of the best and more current information is on this site. It’s called ‘trip reports’.
That's funny because the two books I recommended are basically trip reports. I should gather all of my trip reports since 2007 and publish a book. "Quetico Misadventures!" by TomT
Posted by: Old Salt Posted on: Jan 17th, 2020 at 7:51pm