Basics  
Where do you live?
Beautiful downtown Weldon Spring Missouri (pronounced miss-ur-rah)  
Nestled in the armpit of the suburban sprawl that is St. Louis
Approximate number of previous nights spent canoe camping?
 ~50 (~30 of these are solo tripping nights)
Do you have the gear or use an outfitterer?
 I have now accumulated everything but the canoe.  
 How many shopping days till christmas?
Preferred/Typical party size?
 ONE. I like to be completely alone in the wilderness.
What length of trips do you do/available to do?
 5-7 days. Want to do at least a 10 day next year.
Preferred season?
 Early spring(mid-May), Late fall(mid-Oct, when moose season is winding down)
What % of the trip do you travel/base camp?
 I'll take both please. A few travel days to get to a remote camping site. Then sit and
 enjoy the solitude of the wilderness for a few days before I have to paddle out.
What difficulty level do you go for?
 I go for places which offer seclusion and beauty. If it's difficult to get to, then the
 seclusion is about guaranteed.  

Paddling  
Bow or stern preference?
 er, uh... I sit in the middle.
What is your paddling rhythm?  
 Sprint. Peddle to the metal. Balls out. Glide when needed.
 Repeat as necessary until destination is reached.
Paddle the shoreline or beeline?
 Shoreline mostly, I get nervous in a tippy solo canoe, unless the lake is like glass.
How nasty of water are you comfortable paddling in?
 Nasty? I'm staying put with a cocktail, camera, and my journal.
Do you have strong navigation/map skills?
 What's a compass? I get from point A to point B by reading the map, watching the shoreline
 for landmarks and knowing where I am. Easy to say, but I'm a dork. I steer clear of them
 hugh lakes with a zillion islands if I can manage it. (yes, I carry and can operate a compass,
 and yes I've found myself temporarily unaware of my position on a couple of occassions.)
 
Portaging  
Do you usually single/double/triple/or? portage?
 Make mine a double please. More than two times across and the portage can get boring, especially
 those 320 rod ones which I always seem to gravitate toward. Something to do with seeking seclusion.
Do you carry everything on your back, or alot of hand carry?
 I like two free hands. I have a tendancy to wobble and fall down. Also like to
 be able to operate a camera if something interesting pops up, slithers by, or runs
 across my path.  
How well do you handle the mountain goat portages?
 Just fine thank you. 300lb squats at the gym during hard water season make most hills a
 non-issue.
How well do you handle the boot sucking bogs?
 As long as my boot stays attached, I'm a happy camper. I don't come out here to keep my
 Eddie Bauer designer camp boots clean and shiny. Actually, I don't own any Eddie Bauer
 designer camp boots, just a pair of well worn Redwings, and they stay wet the entire
 trip. Something to do with how I learned to care for a canoe early in life. Last year
 I rented a canoe which the outfitter had just acquired. It still had the owner's manual
 taped to the thwart when I went to put it in the water. I was embarassed to see even a
 few tiny scratches on it when I brought it back.
 
Camping Style  
Would you rather cook or wash the dishes?
 er, uh, if I don't do both, neither gets done. Same goes for setting up the tent, fly, and
 cutting firewood.
Fresh or dried foods?
 A mix. I use my own designed cold sack for fresh. Store bought freeze-dried is handy.
 I like a steak first night out. Hot dogs are a tasty change after a few days out.
Cook over a fire, or over a stove?
 Stove always, 'cept for the steak. The fire pit is for cocktail hour ambience.
Cook breakfast or breakfast bars?
 Cook, unless I'm in a hurry.
How many fish meals do you like to have during a trip?
 I don't fish. I prefer barnyard animals when I eat flesh, and taking the critters out of the
 lake just to throw 'em back only annoys them.
Hang the food pack or ground it?
 Bear can... grounded.
Axe? Saw? Both?
 Saw.
Sit around campfire all night OR wake at crack of dawn? (or both)
 I like a nice fire, and a cocktail of Crown Royal and lake water at sunset.  
 If cocktail hour drags on late into the evening, well... that kinda stuff just happens.
 Either way, I'm usually up early, even on lay-over days. I can sleep when I get home.
On a travel day, what time do you like to hit the water?
 Up by 6, in the water by 8 when the weather permits.
 If there's time (weather doesnt appear to be turning bad), I'll cook first.
 
Fishing  
How much time do you like to spend fishing?
 None. See above. Just that much less gear I have to slug along.
 
Misc  
Do you have any medical conditions to be considered?
 If I had a medical condition, I would consider it.  
Level of alcohol consumption?
 Some is good, more's better, too much is usually just about enough.
Is photography high on your list?
 Yes. Digital.  
Do you like to go after pictographs?
 Aint been there yet.  
Do you like to go after waterfalls?
 The sound of running water always makes me want to go.
Do you like to go after the northern lights?
 I usually get up to go in the middle of the night. Something to do
 with the cocktails before bedtime.  
 
Personality  
If the bugs are bad, will it ruin the trip for you?
 Nope. They're all just part of the experience.  
What weather conditions are difficult for you to deal with?
 Wind. Wind, and Wind.  
If we've got a problem, would you rather discuss it or bury it?
 Fix it, discuss it later.  
Other than illness or injury what events or conditions would make you want to quit a trip early and

head home?
 Once non-stop wind and rain for 4 days straight made me crazy and I headed out early.
 I'll never let that happen again. And I no longer spend any daytime in my tent when it's raining.
 I like to sit out in the rain and enjoy just being there.