Nice photo indeed. Remember Ectachrome? Great film, now go by the wayside.

Tim

Great perspective and understanding from an 8 year old. Listen and the young shall tell ye. (I made that quote up.)

Tim

Some very well-written thoughts.  Kudos to all.  For the past couple years, I've been trying to explain to family and friends the allure of canoe country.  Living now in Ohio (but always a Minnesota native) I don't meet many who've experienced the BWCAW and Quetico, let alone ever gone on a canoe trip.  When I try to explain why I do it every summer (and why I fight through the weather and bugs and rigors), the reactions I get range from, "That sounds so cool" to "Huh?" to "That's crazy!  Who do you talk to for a week when you solo?".

I think the allure of this adventure starts with this thing called the wilderness concept.  I too believe it is more a state of mind than anything physical--it's almost a spiritual sense that allows us to understand why wilderness can be an important part of our lives. 

When I begin my trips each year, especially a solo trip, I usually find myself nervous the first day or two.  I worry I may have left something important behind, or may have left something behind on the last portage or campsite, or perhaps I'll get sick, or fall and injure myself and maybe have a real tough time making it out.  Then, as I gain more distance from the crowds, things get quieter and calmer and I begin to settle into nature's rhythm.  My nervousness changes to contentment and profound pleasure.  Then comes that realization that as humans we are very small and almost inconsequential in the wilderness that surrounds us, to the planet we live on, and the stars and galaxies we see in the night sky.  Not that we aren't special in God's eyes, but just that in the physical universe, we aren't much.  Sitting quietly and simply observing nature in the BWCAW or Quetico brings a real humbling feeling.  And I'm truly thankful for that feeling--absolute joy that I have the opportunity to sit on this rock, at this time in my life, and gaze at the water, the trees, the sky, the wildlife and the stars.  And when that happens, and it always does eventually, I realize the rat race back home in the "civilized" world is not as important as some would make it seem. 

And maybe that's why wilderness and its concept is important.  It helps us keep life in perspective, to cherish the relationships we have with our family and friends, and be good stewards on earth while we are still here.