Archive for the ‘Family – Martin’ Category
August 7, 2011 – Paddle Out Day
Today was a day just to paddle out. We had reservations at a bunk house, so we didn’t have to worry about finding a campsite or driving home 10 hours.
But first there were 6 portages to cross. The 2nd and 3rd were a bit intimidating. It might not look bad in this photo, but from the waters edge, it seemed like straight up – a challenge with an 18.5 long canoe on your back!
The portage trail itself was a bit bouldery and still wet from the night before. Luckily, the only time I tripped was without the canoe on my back.
Here’s some extra fancy purple fungus on the trail. Sometimes asparagus and some other things are purple when they are cold, but it had been warm, so I think purple was the normal color for this guy.
The day was mostly overcast, and we stopped for lunch at this campsite, which had the closest fire grate to the water I’ve ever seen at a BWCA site.
one year ago…”Children of the Corn”
August 6, 2011 – Last Night in the BWCA Brings Rain
The morning broke like all the rest on the trip – calm and warm.
That was welcome as we had about three miles of Winchell Lake left before we portaged to some smaller lakes that wind wouldn’t matter as much.
After a little more than a half day of paddling and some swimming and fishing, the skies finally unloaded on us.
I’m not sure you can call it a camping trip without rain. Martin was eager to try out his new raingear, at least for a short time.
It was time to break out the tarp for a bit of protection around the kitchen.
Martin insisted that I take this photo for Claire, who had given Martin this freeze-dried ice cream for his birthday. There you go Claire – this package traveled well – from DC to Iowa to BWCA.
August 5, 2011 – Camping on Winchell Lake
Our next night was on Winchell Lake. Winchell is a long lake, about five miles long with steep elevation on the south side, fronting the Misquah Hills.
Martin was a trooper on the portages. On the first portage he asked if he could take this backpack. He hauled it all 14 portages on the trip over 700 rods, a bit over two miles.
Here, the boys are waiting for the fish to stop by on their lines. In the background, a fire relatively recently passed through, thus all the dead trees. The fire jumped the lake and kept going.
The fishing paid off – here Martin shows two of the fish he caught for a fresh dinner!
There’s not much that’s more relaxing than floating in the middle of a northern lake on a warm day. The temps were in the mid-80′s which is a tad warm for this area, but the humidity was low, so it was still pleasant.
The boys getting ready to start a fire – always a popular past-time.
This site had a great bear tree. The pack is hung up for the day, relatively safe from critters stealing the food at night.
one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #219″
August 4, 2011 – Wilderness Journey Begins Up the Gunflint at Poplar Lake
We left Tettegouche and had final stops in Grand Marais for last minute groceries, permits, bait and the like and hit the water by about noon. We took off from Poplar Lake, where the other duo rented a canoe.
Here we are, moments before we head out.
Here’s the route – we had no specific plan, but the white is the route we ended up taking – Poplar to Lizz to Caribou to Horseshoe for night one camp. Then off to Gaskin to Winchell for 2nd night camp. Then from Winchell to Omega to Henson to Gaskin for 3rd night camp. Finally last day from Gaskin to Jump to Allen to Horseshoe to Caribou to Lizz to Poplar.
Lizz Lake, our official BWCA entry point.
Martin manning the bow.
James, my Dad partner on the trip enjoying a cup o’ morning on Horseshoe Lake.
Martin manning the breakfast griddle with a pancake almost ready to go!
one year ago…”Getting Ready for State Fair-Like Event”
August 3, 2011 – Tettegouche Part 2
Our campground was within easy walking distance of a number of waterfalls on the Baptism River.
Here’s Two Step Falls in the fading light of day.
A most popular past-time for 10 year-old boys is throwing rocks in water – here you can catch part of the splash of the latest rock to be launched.
Further upstream the boys found a large log that was stuck in the river and first tried to help it downstream, and then later, maneuvered to direct bubbles in the stream.
Martin thought that perhaps using a lever might help the project. This is in front of the High Falls of the Baptism – the highest waterfall in Minnesota – a great place to play.
In the evening, I took a stroll down to the lake to take in the sunset over Lake Superior, and sprinted out to Shovel Point.
The view from Shovel Point, looking back down Lake Superior towards Palisade Head. It was an exceptionally calm and quiet night on the lake. As a native Duluthian who moved away as a toddler, but moved back for high school and undergrad, the lake exerts a pull on me, even after all these years. I was happy to spend even this little bit of time alone on the cliffs overlooking the lake in a rather rare calm and pristine mood.
one year ago…”From the “Berries Like the Rain”
August 2, 2011 – Boys Week Out Begins!
Martin and I journeyed north with another dad and ten-year old for a father-son wilderness excursion! As it is over 500 miles to the final destination, we took it in a couple of days. The first day we drove to Tettegouche State Park in Northern Minnesota.
There are some nice journeys on the narrow, if not beautiful backroads of the North Shore of Lake Superior.
One of my favorite sightseeing points is Palisade Head, now part of Tettegouche State Park. It’s a wonderful cliff overlooking Lake Superior.
Here, Martin dares to peer over the edge!
Finally, Dad and Martin on the top. Shovel Point is in the distance and a destination for later in the trip.
July 16, 2011 – On the Water
One of the attractions of a week on the lake is the clean water.
Martin tests out a kayak.
Linda revels in the water – free to swim anywhere in the lake devoid of motorboats and jetskis.
Martin and I out for a beautiful canoe ride on a calm evening.
Emma and I out another evening soaking up the lake and forests.
July 15, 2011 – Dock Life
A large part of our life on vacation revolves around sitting on the dock.
Emma and Kate greet canoers on their journey.
It’s pretty much a law of the universe that the smallest person gets thrown off the dock.
Dock jumping hardly ever goes out of style.
Neighbors one cabin down fish near sunset.
Our travel compatriots relax on the dock – our cabin is straight up behind the dock.
A view of the dock facing out to the lake.
July 12, 2011 – Fishing Waters
One of the things I most look forward to is fishing in beautiful surroundings.
Here Martin shows off a baby northern pike he let go.
The nicest fish of a pretty lousy fishing week – the biggest of three smallmouth bass caught right together in some swift water – this one was 19 inches and was released.
Me in my natural habitat – on an island in a channel, baiting up.
The rapids entering into Lake One from Lake Two.
The head of the rapids from Lake One, heading to Confusion Lake. I could spend a lot of time wandering down this river to the next lake!
July 8, 2011 – Gothic Garlic
It was garlic pulling day at high hopes today.
Here’s the kid version of the American Gothic with some of the garlic we pulled today.
The parents and their gothic pose.
oe year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #216″
July 3, 2011 – Great New Insulation Cutter
I found this great new insulation cutter – named Martin!
xxx.
June 24, 2011 – Martin’s First Trout
As long as we had to drive to Decorah to pick up Emma from music camp, we thought we’d take in some trout fishing in the area (yes, I know to most of the world “Iowa Trout” is an oxymoron of the 1st degree). My brother met us with his camper, so we didn’t even have to sleep on the ground.
Martin had a bot of a struggle at the beginning learning a new kind of fishing that requires pinpoint accurary in casting, but he eventually got the hang of it.
And again…
I couldn’t resist this short video of a classic scene of young boy and flopping fish. We look forward to smoking the 20 trout we brought home!
one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #214″
June 1, 2011 – Hayrides Never Go Out of Style
One of our neighbors was good enough to offer us as much of the loose straw in his loft that we care to haul away – coons and the like have destroyed most the strings. It’s a pain to get out and haul, but offers us great mulch and the chance for Martin to ride on a load of straw under a big sky, with the wind in his air, bouncing up and down on a load of straw.
He was able to ride the mile or so across the field on top of the load – something every kid should have a chance to do. Now, when the wind stops, I’ll spread it on the garden.
one year ago…”Summer Painting”
May 25, 2011 – Plugging Away on Getting Garden Planted
It’s been a slow start to the gardening season – mainly due to weather, but also due to Linda’s trip to DC and now her trip with Claire to the BWCA wilderness.
So Martin and Emma are enlisted to set some starts out in one of the beds.
one year ago…”Getting Tomatoes In”
