wrote on Jul 11^th, 2005 at 6:22pm:

Hey all, I missed a bunch of these messages 'cause I was already on my way to Ely and didn't have internet access for 10 days or so.  Sorry I missed folks.  Stumpy, I've never seen the portage races . . . can you describe?  And how did you guys do?

Years ago they had portage races right up sheridan street, but these new (first year) ones had a few new twists to them.
Teams consited of two people. One person would run about 100 yards with canoe turn around and run back. Next the partner would run the same carrying a duluth pack wieghted with sand and a 4 man tent. Once the pack carrier returned you both set up then tore down, folded, and stuffed the tent in its sack, put it in the pack and snapped all three buckles closed. We took second, snapping our final buckle an instant after the winners.
My planned partner stayed out fishing too long that morning so I went to the park alone and managed to pick up an Outward Bound gal (Katie)for my partner. She did well.
When I arrived and saw the canoes were Grummans I was happy (anyone can run with a kevlar on their head). There were only 4 teams entered and I easily won the canoe carrying leg of it.
Neither Katie or I knew there was sand (about 30 lbs, I would guess) in the pack along with the tent, until she started to carry it.
But alas....I cost us the win when I at first used the cross pole of the tent (4-man Eureaka) as one of the corner poles on my end. Thus costing us at least 10 seconds and the race.

We did get T-shirts for our $20 entry fee. The winners were suposed to get $100, but I'm not sure how that went, when they only took in $80.

I plan to be there next year.