Finding Calm

Our little wilderness group found something rare on a huge lake. Calm. Perfectly still water. I have never seen this lake calm. This lake always wants to eat canoes. Usually when navigating these waters we are focused on the next wave, one wave at a time and no time to look around and actually see.Continue reading “Finding Calm”

Old Story Still True

We often know a person (we think) through their writing. Like many, I probably disclose myself in small measured doses through my writing as most of us reveal without even knowing it. I had forgot about this old post. Jack Flacco of https://lookingtogod.org/ pointed me back to a lot of memories from an old postContinue reading “Old Story Still True”

Outside Of Time

I have been gone. A small group of us canoed and portaged lakes and rivers away from knowing what time it is, internet wrangling, home, warm showers, soft beds, cars and most forms of communication to the rest of the world. Do smoke signals from the camp fire count? The wilderness is it’s own entityContinue reading “Outside Of Time”

BWCA Adventure Expectations

I really should leave the page blank as one should embark on a wilderness adventure with no expectations. With expectations at zero and something memorable happens, it’s always a surprise. Being it was not my first trip, I had some expectation baggage, but being human I pretend to have no baggage. I no sooner steppedContinue reading “BWCA Adventure Expectations”

Raging Waters Rescue

This can’t be happening I thought She sat above the small cliff on a bold mossy rock weeping over the angry flooded river scene below. Drenched and weak from her own capsized canoe experience she knew the big man in a back eddy current was floating toward the edge and would soon be taken byContinue reading “Raging Waters Rescue”

Stalking Beaver

My Inspiration: Brother Craig wrote about the Beaver. So relevant on many levels for today…Check out his poem here  Thanks Craig, you write so well! A not-really not for bed-time story with the grandkids!  Here I was, drifting in a canoe and minding my own business on an absolutely calm evening with the lake allContinue reading “Stalking Beaver”

A Family Tastes the Wilderness, and it’s Good

My oldest grand daughter is going into her senior high school year so she had the privilege of choosing the family vacation. She chose to go to the BWCA wilderness with grandpa as guide. How cool is that? 5 days unplugged from technology and looking at the sky for hints of a weather forecast. 5Continue reading “A Family Tastes the Wilderness, and it’s Good”

Adventure and Fear: The Hunt and Haunt

Confessions of an adrenaline junkie I have this….um; weakness, bent, brash drive and pure happenstance existence to dive into the unknown. At least it’s unknown to me and usually those (un)lucky enough to be along. Consider these true and unembellished snippets. A teenager and I rescued a drowning man about to hit a cascading rapids afterContinue reading “Adventure and Fear: The Hunt and Haunt”

Fishing is always good

Sometimes the catching is good as well.  I am happy to represent truth in this statement. I have a natural bent for life on the water and in the woods. The more remote the better. Maybe parts of our DNA bent are like-minded you and I. Maybe not! Maybe you think my DNA is aContinue reading “Fishing is always good”

My Wilderness Stories Mostly True (4)

   Danger, Beware of Unaware Hey it’s a nice sunny day in the great outdoors. What could possibly go wrong? Below are a fraction of my actual BWCAW stories encountered from my 60 wilderness trips. Story #1) “How are you doing?” I asked an oncoming paddler. “I was h-h-h-hit by l-lightning a c-c-c-couple nights ago andContinue reading “My Wilderness Stories Mostly True (4)”