Pirogues Big Lake Expedishun

[bearridge]

Friend Pirogue,

Ya gotta lend us a hand. The civilized life iz mitey hard on a fella after ya been away fer even a few days. Time dont even move in a circle when yer listenin' ta Swampy tell a tale.

I know ya aint left yet, but caint ya tell what all ya plan ta take, where ya plan ta meet up, the path ya aim ta paddle 'n such? How bout the grits? Oldyaker kin tell where ta git the best I ate in a month a Sundays.

Ya gwine ta wear a blue tarp....jest so everbody will know yer a member in the paddlin' geezer canoe clud? :mrgreen:

respectfully,

bearridge
paddlin' geezer emeritus

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Hunter S. Thompson

 

[Pirogue]

First off, I thought the reports on the Buffalo River Expudishun were great. I'll bet that fast water running high Chuck puckered so tight you couldn't drive a pin up... oh yeah, family site.

Talkin bout the civilized life. Brother, I am longing for some far away land. But it's getting close.

We will be landing into Minn around 11 am Friday the 13th then driving up to Ely.
After having a last supper and a good nights sleep, we will head up to Lake Mudro entry point #23. From there we will head out for seven days.

Along the route, there promises to be pictographs and an area called Table Rock where we plan to camp. Evidently Table Rock is a spot where they Voyguers historically camped. We will be sleeping with history.

Kevin has the itinerary so I don't have the whole loop in front of me. Maybe I will get it from him this weekend.

Here's something though. The other day Kevin asks me "How longs a mile"? I say, "A little over five thousand feet, why"?

Then he states, "I totaled our portages. We are looking around 22 thousand feet."

You gotta be KIDDING ME- That's over four miles!

So I now have a new pair of hikers I didn't plan on buying.

The gear is spread out. I have sprayed the pack, stuff sacks with waterproofing. I bought a new compression sack for my sleeping bag.

Gear wise I am taking TP, two compasses, multiple knives, head lamp, flash lite, emergancy kit (first aid, survival blanket, iodine tablets, magnizium fire starter (2), emergency fishing hand line), sleeping bag, warm weather fleece bag, fiskar folding saw (leaving the hatchet home), paracord, playing cards, book (haven't bought it yet, I am still trying to finish The Main Woods by Thoreau, various personal hygene stuff, three pairs of unmentionables, fleece jacket, two flannels, a couple tee shirts, gloves, bank robber hat, regular hat, sleeping pad, two pairs of pants, one pair swimm'n trunks (or maybe not :shock: ), n' a pair of camp shoes.

Oh yeah, a tent. Did I mention to y'all I bought a new tent?

We are also taking minimal fish'n gear n' a camera.

Provisions will be provided by the outfitter. ypical dried stuff but we do get fresh steaks for our first night.

Is it time to go yet?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Brother Pirogue,

May I make a couple of suggestions? Add some baby wipes in a ziploc for use after the TP. And, take the hatchet.

But, rather than use it to chop with, use it as a splitting wedge with a handle. Set it on the end of a small log, & pound on it with another block of wood to split wood to get to the dry heartwood. Firewood where you're going is WELL picked over & you will have to use poor pickings. Dry heartwood may be the only dry wood around.

Just passing it along.

 

[bearridge]

Friend Pirogue,

Thanks. I needed that. You'll see how much when ya git back. My $.02, dont take no POS camera. POS pichurs aint worth shucks. Better ta lose yer fine camera 'n risk good pichurs than ta git some crappy pichurs frum a disposable.

We missed ya on the Upper Buffalo. How much would ya give ta watch a bevy a Wisconsin women force the High Sheriff ta strip?

We all hope you 'n a few other AWOL paddlers will be there when the roll iz called next time on the Upper Buffalo. Wanna hear Swampy sing "We Shall Gather at the River"? He iz a fine singer....better than Yogi Berra fer sho. Wanna eat good? We are near bout top heavy with Italians! :mrgreen:

regards,

bearridge
sideways bound

P.S. Have a great time....we will all be there with ya....cept dry 'n warm. :lol:

War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
John Stuart Mill

 

[oldsparkey]

Pirogue

As bad as it hurts me I have to agree with Jack about the baby wipes. They have all sorts of uses in a camp and for easy packing you can get them in a pouch nowadays and not a hard container.

They can be used for personal hygiene, a rub down bath if you are unable to get a real one, easy the sting of a sunburn or insect bites, as a moisturizer for the body or hands ...or just to give you that good clean feeling before hitting the sack...... just all sorts of good things.

Chuck.

 

[bearridge]

They can be used for personal hygiene

Friend 'n High Sheriff,

What the heck iz that? :mrgreen: :roll:

regards,

bearridge
sideways bound

I jest want to see one more place that aint settled before I take up the rocking chair. Gus McCrae

 

[oldyaker]

Man, your gonna hate portaging, you'll tell yerself it ain't so bad, but your gonna hate it :wink:

Take good care of yer feet and break in those new walk'n boots some fore ya go, git some of that mole skin sticky bandage stuff ta takes with ya.....works good over foot blisters if ya git some of of those hurt'n things.

Have a great time I know you will. Oh, almost forgot, bring some bug potion to rub on yer face and neck, noth'n worse N' them nasty things fly'n around yer face when yer carry'n 80 pounds of canoe on yer shoulders.

"Anyone who tells you portaging is fun is a liar, or crazy, or maybe both."
Bill Mason

 

[Kayak Jack]

... break in those new walk'n boots some fore ya go, ...

A metjhod that I've used and like is to fill the boots with hot water, and let them sit a half hour. Prepare your feet by first putting on thin sock-liners of silk or polypropylene, and next thick socks of wool.

Then pour out the water and wear the boots dry. Then put "Snow-Seal" grease (comes in a blue tin can) on them.

This will prepare a pair of leather boots better than any other method I've found. If your boots aren't leather - go straight to JAIL, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

 

[Pirogue]

By this time tomorrow I will be on my connecting flight in Memphis. I must admit that I am starting to get a bit anxious. Today will be a long day at work.

Kevin called me and told me snow is going to move thru the area tomorrow. I have never driven in snow before so he gets the driving duties. Jack, he is another Michigander. By the looks of the .weather, you would think Ol Sparkey was going on this trip too.

See ya'll in about a week!

 

[bearridge]

Friend Pirogue,

Shucks....that iz the weather channelized folks. Whatever they come up with iz near bout always wrong. I like the NOAA 'er the Accu Weather folks oldyaker likes.

Chuck likes the Farmin' Almanac 'n Truthful Jack jest makes it up az he goes....frum tea leaves 'er lines on hiz hands I reckon.

I sho wish I wuz goin'....cept fer the boat totin'....'n the long drive.....'n work.....'n one 'er two more small trubles. :wink:

Go to Accuweather and look at their 15 day palm reading. It looks better.

I reckon ya got a few polartec tops 'n a lite shell? It kin git mitey cold when ya caint see the sun 'n it iz drizzlin'....even in the 60's. Polartec iz lite 'n will keep ya warm even if ya stay wet a lot. Same with wool, but wool weighs so much.

Dont fergit ta do like Ole Cowboy Van....dont wash. If ya smell bad, the bugs will let ya be.

Be careful if ya run up on all them naked Michigan gals who put in frum Ely 'n wuz headed fer Maine that time when Art run up on 'em. They mite have been sireens....I aint sho.

That iz all the tips I kin think of fer now.

Have fun,

bearridge
bodine school of meterology


Gus McCrae: I'll tell you what. You ride on up there, clear out the Indians, build a little cabin, get a nice fire goin' in the fireplace and me and Jake will gather a herd and then we'll come on up.
Woodrow Call: I'd like to see the herd that you and Jake could gather. Herd a whores, maybe.
Gus McCrae: Well you ain't no more a cattleman than I am, Call, and ya know it, too.
Woodrow Call: I wanna do it, Gus. I wanna see that country, before the bankers and lawyers all git it.

 

[oldsparkey]

Pirogue

Cheer up you will have some fine weather cause I'll stay down here. Have fun and get some fish but don't feed the bears.

Looking forward to the trip report when you guy's get back.

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

We're all lookin forward to a belt-bustin trip log. If ya see Cap'n Meriwether or Sacajawea up there, tell'em "Hi" from me? If ya see Bill Mason, better have another drink; he passed on a few years ago.

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

Pirogue's gear list
Canoe
paddle
ice spud
snowshoes...

Dang, if he isn't paddling in Michigan it sounds like it
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Pirogue]

Expedition successful STOPAll present and accounted forSTOP Harsh territory STOP Will post report and pictures shortly STOP
Regards

 

[bearridge]

Friend Pirogue,

That new law got ya hog tied? I seen ya put up some pichurs. I reckon it wuz good ta have a tent in that snow? :lol:

No rush on the tale tellin', but we aint gwine ta ferget. Ya owe us a report. Be sho ta put some truth in it somewhere....fer Jack. :mrgreen:

regards,

bearridge
bodine outdoor leadership school

Aint much of a crime, whackin a surly bartender. Gus McCrae

 

[Kayak Jack]

(Pssst! Pirogue! Over here. You can stretch the truth a bit if you want. Every once in a while I do - just a teensy weensy bit, though. And, never on anything really important.)