starwatcher wrote on Oct 7^th, 2012 at 3:06am:

I remember one afternoon that we were all doing that once back in the day. It was fun at the time. That particular day it lightened our spirits tremendously and still makes me chuckle. Could have been the day after the optimists stopped pointing out sucker holes in the overcast.


Heres a blast from the past:

Abandoned/Hitch Hiker on Bell Lake (Man Chain)
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I started visiting Boundary Waters / Quetico as a boy, with Dad & brothers. Got busy raising family and then gradually taught my wife to love the place like I do. We've tripped yearly for 16 years, still going strong for a couple of upper-60's campers. We've invited many people, but find that 95% prefer Holiday Inn. We enjoyed our daughter and her husband for a 10-day Quetico trip, but they ran out of steam 1/2 way through it, and won't return. If we ever get anyone else to share Quetico with, I'm going to be very careful to limit their travel to 3-4 lakes, and limit their time to 5-6 days. The stress of it all can unhinge the strongest person, because it's so foreign to typical daily life. We'd enjoy the company of similar-experienced people on future camping/fishing/canoeing/portaging adventures, but don't know how to find them. We're retiired in the K.C. area, enjoying 13 Grandchildren, and planning next fall's trip. Jack

Kingfisher wrote on Oct 11^th, 2012 at 6:51pm:



Ditto.  This website is loaded with potential for you.

Typically, quite a number of members get together at the CanoeCopia event in Madison, WI, every March.  We often have both a website luncheon AND a website dinner at local restaurants.  Both are good opportunities to meet, greet, & size up prospective paddling party members.

Welcome to QJ!

Jimbo   

I was the group leader on a trip in 92 I think it was.  Anyway we were on Day two out of PP heading up the Man Chain.  On the portage from This Man to Other Man one of the hot shot guys got in my face and screamed at me.  I'm not going any farther.  He was pissed that we just didn't stick to Carp Lake for the week fishing.  Hated the portaging, but knew the trip as was planned several months in advance as a loop. 
So I said lets set up camp on Other Man and take a vote on it as to where, what we are going to do.
In camp that night the vote was 3 to 1 to continue as planned, Man Chain, Falls Chain, Kawnipi, Agnes back to PP in 8 days.  The Irate guy was pissed again upon loosing the vote.  After about 20 min of arguing, I stood up and wadded all the maps, then tossed them into the campfire and said.  I'm leaving at 6am in the morning and I know exactly where I'm going.  I suggest if you wish to tag along be up and ready.  Off to bed I went.  The next morning I had all 3 guys ready and willing to move on.
My father in-law on the rest of the trip kept asking if I had a back up map.  I lied and said nope, just keep on paddling. The Irate guy was his brother In-law.  I suspected a mutiny if they were given the chance.
qp

The very first canoe trip my wife went on with me was a trip organized through the Sierra Club.  The leader had written a decent book (which I actually read).  Participants were supposed to have some experience.  I thought it would be well-planned.  My mistake.

One poor gal ended up with an airplane carry-on wheelie.  Another participant brought blue jeans (I am no fan of cotton on a canoe trip).  But the biggest issue to me was the meal planning.  Nothing dehydrated.  Four and five pot prepare-from-scratch meals (often started in the dark), with subsequent clean-up.  Of course, all of that meant extra bulk and weight.  I often triple-portaged.

Fortunately, I was able to help my wife make good packing decisions, so she had what she needed and I gained a little credibility.  After that we planned our own trips.  We make water (don't carry it in food), and generally do one-pot meals.  We are not that fast, but almost always single-portage.