BWCA Where's Ben? Found him! Boundary Waters Listening Point - General Discussion
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Listening Point - General Discussion
      Where's Ben? Found him!     
 Forum Sponsor

Author

Text

andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/15/2018 07:55PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Ben (nctry) has been wandering the country moving boats hither and yon. Today he started a bit east of San Francisco, did a few stops and then started heading south. We met on the side of the road where I thought there was enough shoulder for him to pull over with his big trailer. I would have loved to have him come see our town on the water and even spend a day there and do some fishing, but Ben is a rolling stone, constantly on the move. We met at 4:30PM, were together almost till 5PM, and then he was on his way further south to deliver a boat. Plus, driving his trailer over the hills to our town would have been tough.

The reason for our get together was I took him up on his offer to haul a canoe to MN in return for a donation to the forum. I'm very excited that I will now have a solo at our cabin in Ely.

The pictures are Ben strapping my Sawyer Summersong onto his trailer and Ben with his very friendly dog. The San Andreas fault runs under the lake in the background. So, Ben and I met in North America but the hills in the background are on the Pacific Plate as is the town where I live. Unfortunately, those lakes are closed to all public access as a reservoir. I would seriously love to paddle them.

Not sure if you can tell but Ben is wearing a BWCA.com t-shirt.

He is a really great guy. Definitely someone you meet and feel like friends right away.



 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
IceColdGold
distinguished member(928)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/15/2018 09:28PM  
Thanks for the update. I've been wondering where he was at.
 
02/15/2018 10:16PM  
Is there anyplace Ben hasn't been? He gets around.
 
02/16/2018 01:18AM  
Glad to hear he's still rolling along. Your last comment about being a great guy is no surprise to those of us who have had the pleasure of meeting him, I know he likes to meet "old" friends but any new members that have a chance to meet him, don't pass up that chance. Be safe out there Ben. Fred
 
KarlBAndersen1
distinguished member(1324)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/16/2018 05:36AM  
I was wondering the same just yesterday.
'Kira is a sweet dog - really enjoyable.
Ben is a good friend to us all - even if you haven't met him.
 
02/16/2018 06:33AM  
Ben is as kind hearted and generous as they come.... safe travels!
 
02/16/2018 07:21AM  
Ah, T-shirt weather. I bet he's liking that!
 
BlueSkiesWI
distinguished member(517)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/16/2018 08:15AM  
Safe travels!
 
ozarkpaddler
distinguished member(5163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/16/2018 08:19AM  
rtallent: "Ah, T-shirt weather. I bet he's liking that!"


Amen to that!
 
02/16/2018 09:49AM  
Ben, if you are passing through the central valley on Hwy 99 or I -5 let me know and I will meet you. Lunch is on me. Larry

65 degrees here today in the central Sierra.
 
Grandma L
distinguished member(5628)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/16/2018 10:12AM  
I am so jealous - he gets to travel the country, enjoy the scenery and meet BWCA.com folks. Travel safe, Ben!
 
02/16/2018 10:21AM  
We need to put a tracking chip on that guy! I haven't had a good coast-to-coast trip since the early 90s. It looks like great work and he gets paid for it!
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/16/2018 12:44PM  
rtallent: "Ah, T-shirt weather. I bet he's liking that!"


Friggin embarrassed to admit this, but we got a laugh out of it. I was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt and after I got there put on a light sweatshirt. We did joke about how the weather seems different to us. It was 60 degrees.
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/16/2018 12:47PM  
About Central Valley: he was heading to an Lemoore AFB near Fresno but for a pretty quick pickup enroute to Sacramento and a quick round trip to Reno. I think that’s all today!

Larry: check your email.
 
02/16/2018 03:38PM  
Someone should make a "Where's Ben?" shirt akin to the "Where's Waldo" stuff.
 
02/16/2018 05:54PM  
Ben is the real deal. very sincere guy and would give you the shirt off his back
 
02/16/2018 06:03PM  
Mocha: "Ben is the real deal. very sincere guy and would give you the shirt off his back"


I have seen that time and again just on this forum and how he will go out of his way to help people.
 
Canoe42
distinguished member(1051)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/16/2018 06:39PM  
If passing through Chicago, let me know. We got rooms. 66% of the kids are gone.
 
02/17/2018 12:25AM  
andym: "About Central Valley: he was heading to an Lemoore AFB near Fresno but for a pretty quick pickup enroute to Sacramento and a quick round trip to Reno. I think that’s all today!

Larry: check your email. "


Got it andym, thanks. Talked to Ben today, sounded good. Did not know he was not planning on taking the trailer to Reno. Larry
 
02/17/2018 01:18AM  
Canoe42: "If passing through Chicago, let me know. We got rooms. 66% of the kids are gone."




I see your place all over the country... Motel 66%

Gee, I'm no different than the rest of yous... This site is full of better people than I'll ever be.
I got to Carmel valley last night after seeing Andy. The gal I delivered the boat I dubbed the yellow submarine put me up in her spare cottage. She also had a fresh pizza and a beer waiting for me. The shower was so welcoming. Getting to her place including an up and over a 10% grade hill. Glad I got to test out the new clutch and tranny.
Andym is a great guy... I enjoyed the brief meeting... The whole bay area was kinda cool. Except the fact you have no good places to pull over and enjoy. Today I picked up a big ol' wooden boat at an air Force Base. Tomorrow I deliver it in Reno and then head to my sister's for rnr in LA area... Finally the warm AND dry coming. I felt bad for poor Andy almost freezing to death in the 60 degree cold weather. Haha.
So, if your up on White Iron Lake out of Ely and you see a white streak out there, give him a shout for being such a great guy himself.
Canoecopia is coming up... Look forward to seeing you guys... I better get back to bed, Kira doesn't like to be disturbed... Haha.
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/17/2018 01:48AM  
Ben, so what was the story with the yellow submarine? Family heirloom?

Thanks for the kind words. And can’t wait to see if the Summersong lets me keep up with my wife rowing her alumacraft ultralight on White Iron. Kira and you are welcome when we’re there.

Next time we need time to show you the best parts of the Bay Area.
 
02/17/2018 07:15AM  
andym: "Ben, so what was the story with the yellow submarine? Family heirloom?


Thanks for the kind words. And can’t wait to see if the Summersong lets me keep up with my wife rowing her alumacraft ultralight on White Iron. Kira and you are welcome when we’re there.


Next time we need time to show you the best parts of the Bay Area. "




Yes, some kind of gift they'd got way back when. I don't understand it but to each their own. I assume her husband is no longer with us. It was quite a climb up her road. You saw the skin on frame kayak I had up on my truck. I had to weave it through the trees to get there. Then 3:30 in the morning try to even find a place to turn around.
 
golanibutch
distinguished member (181)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/17/2018 03:44PM  
looking forward to seeing you at copia ben! safe travels.

matt
 
02/17/2018 05:55PM  
Ben. did you wind up taking 395 down the east side of the Sierras?
Larry
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/17/2018 11:19PM  
Yep, had to be something like that. Those squarish thwarts suggest someone they know did the work and get pleasure out of seeing it. Darn good reason to enjoy a boat.

Hope they paddle it among the otters at Elkhorn Slough.
 
02/18/2018 02:08PM  
MHS67: "Ben. did you wind up taking 395 down the east side of the Sierras?
Larry"




No, but it was all I could do to go up to Reno and down to Encia in my 14 on duty. Today is a much needed time off. I-5 south of Sacramento really beat up my neck. Should have been wearing my brace. That's one bad road.
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
Listening Point - General Discussion Sponsor:
Cliff Wold's Outfitting Co.