Last year while going across the "new lake" on the long portage between Lower Pauness and Shell (gotten bigger each year I think), I ran into a group of older gents crossing the spot, too. I chatted with one man who said he was in his 80s (oldest in the group) and had been on well over 100 trips, but that one was probably the last one he could do. I wanted to ask him if he was a board member to look at any possible trip reports or glean some knowledge, but didn't want to pry or seem odd questioning anyone.

I see folks here find out others are members while passing (others don't), but how do you all ask? Seems simple, but has to be more than "what's you're BWCA.com handle?"

I wouldn’t ask unless I saw the logo on something. I know dozens of people that visit the BWCAW every year, but aren’t on this website.

If I see a person in canoe country wearing BWCA.com apparel or a sticker on their canoe or vehicle I will always make a cold approach and ask if they are a member. If they say yes I ask them what their screename is. Then I will introduce myself as Zulu. If I’m familiar with their posts or photos and can recall a detail I bring that up or ask about their trip or equipment. It always goes well even the time a guy had a sticker on his canoe but wasn’t familiar with its meaning or the website.

Yes, if I see the "Flying Moose" on their bumper, on their canoe, their shirt or hat, I will ask for their handle. Otherwise, I just wonder. Unless, of course, I have met them before and I recognize them! :-)

I exchanged screen names coming home from a trip in June. We screamed out the truck windows going 65 down Hy 53. We both saw each others canoe stickers.

Zulu: "If I see a person in canoe country wearing BWCA.com apparel or a sticker on their canoe or vehicle I will always make a cold approach and ask if they are a member. If they say yes I ask them what their screename is. Then I will introduce myself as Zulu. If I’m familiar with their posts or photos and can recall a detail I bring that up or ask about their trip or equipment. It always goes well even the time a guy had a sticker on his canoe but wasn’t familiar with its meaning or the website."

+1

I have the flying moose on my canoes just so other members well introduce themselves or I can introduce myself to them, if I see their flying moose.

Unlike my wife - I am not one to usually start conversations with strangers. However if you display a Flying Moose I will go out of my way to say hello, to meet a friend. Two years ago I wondered around Piragis asking folks if the vehicle outside was theirs as it had a decal. The owner wasn't there but I posted on the board when I got home and found out who it was. I also called out to solo paddler on Knife during our 2015 trip and met ... hell I can't remember who it was now!

So if you see a black Dodge Caravan from Missouri in GM or on the Gun Flint the week of August 18-26, be sure to say Hi!

Blue Skies!
cc

I don't usually ask unless I would see the logo, but I'm usually wearing a hat w/the flying moose. I've only actually met a couple of other members that way, but we already knew we were going to be in the same area around the same time. I've met more members before and after trips.

Well, I am a super extrovert - I chat with just about everyone I meet on the trail, in the grocery store, at the wayside rest - you name it. So, it is my standard to greet people, introduce myself, ask if they are familiar with bwca.com and proceed from there to tell them how great the site is or find out their screen name and chat a while. My biggest problem is that I have trouble remembering the names of all the people I meet.

riverrunner: "I have the flying moose on my canoes just so other members well introduce themselves or I can introduce myself to them, if I see their flying moose."

Same. It's not a "badge of honor" or anything for me, it's a networking beacon.

I agree. Plus, I like the flying moose decal on my canoe! I often forget that it's there until someone comes up to me at a portage and says "bwca"?

I have flying moose stickers on my van and canoe and I always have a flying moose hat on when up there. That is how I've met people from the messageboard. It's been a couple of years though since the flying moose has found me a new friend.

I only approach and ask if I see the moose. Even then I sometimes have a moment of shyness and don’t say anything. Don’t know why. I’m not really an introvert. But I now have a canoe sporting the moose as well as my car. Hoping someone will say hi. Not real likely here in LaCrosse.

Like most have said, if I see the Flying Moose, I sense it's an natural invitation to connect with other members. Thanks to the Flying Moose sticker I've met one BWCA.com member in the BWCA because his canoe had drifted from shore into the middle of the Kawishiwi River as we were paddling by. Found out he lives only a few miles west of Rochester. And because of the sticker that's how I "met" cowdoc driving down U.S. 53 in June. Wish we could have actually had a few minutes to chat, but there's only so much you can do driving 75 mph, lol.

That's why I always wear my BWCA hat! Hoping to meet fellow members! It works, I have had folks all over start a conversation because they see my hat or shirt.

I ask nearly every one I have small talk with at an EP, or at a portage. I have yet to meet another member by chance however.

I thought I was a member if I was on here. What do I know. I revert back to the Groucho saying that ‘I don’t want to be in any club that would have me as a member’.
That said, I need a couple of t shirts. I’ll get a pair. Am I an official member then? Or only when I wear the shirt. Or how does that work. I’m not getting a tattoo. Sounds painful. I’m not a sticker guy. Can’t explain that. I had a sticker collection once. STP, Quaker State, had quite a pack. Then my little brothers lost them all. Explains that. Can’t do that again. Lesson learned. If you get a sticker, stick it on something, because if you leave it unstuck chances are your little brother will lose it just because he’s stupid and doesn’t know how cool it is. And it doesn’t change just because you’re both in your fifties.
I don’t really need a hat. If you see a tall handsome guy with a smile on his face and a BWCA.com tshirt on say hi. I want to be in the club!

I just bought a hat and some stickers last month in hopes that I might meet some other members when I am in Ely at the end of this month.

If you see a 50ish guy driving around in Subaru with Colorado plates and a flying moose on the back window give me a wave. I will be wearing my new hat with pride as I wander about town before and after my trip.

If you see our "flag" flying from our clothesline come on in and say hi!

ducks: "I always have a flying moose hat on when up there. That is how I've met people from the messageboard. "

Ha! That's how I recognized you in Grand Marais at Java Moose during Moose Madness a few years back!

Spartan2: "Yes, if I see the "Flying Moose" on their bumper, on their canoe, their shirt or hat, I will ask for their handle. Otherwise, I just wonder. Unless, of course, I have met them before and I recognize them! :-)"

Me too. I've met several and it's usually a real "Treat!"

Minus the identifying decal, I think "Are you on any of the Boundary Waters/Quetico message boards?" is a little easier with more likelihood they'll know what the hell you're talking about.

Asked a guy at the Madison airport after Canoecopia, and sure enough it was Denton Doc.

About 12 years ago on a trip with OneMatch, we were going from Boulder to Adams. I caught up with him on Adams and he was having a conversation with someone about to portage the opposite direction. Not sure how it came up, but maybe Jerry asked him if he was "on the canoe message board" or something similar. Assuming CCBB. He was NDCanoe, from this board bwca.com. We weren't familiar with each others' handles, but the common denominator (besides loving what we were doing that week, of course) was when he asked "is that the board Bogwalker is on?" :)

MN_Lindsey: "

Zulu: "If I see a person in canoe country wearing BWCA.com apparel or a sticker on their canoe or vehicle I will always make a cold approach and ask if they are a member. If they say yes I ask them what their screename is. Then I will introduce myself as Zulu. If I’m familiar with their posts or photos and can recall a detail I bring that up or ask about their trip or equipment. It always goes well even the time a guy had a sticker on his canoe but wasn’t familiar with its meaning or the website."

+1"

Lindsey, you may take Zulu's approach some of the time, or you might just start taking pictures of unknown vehicles with flying moose stickers headed north on I35 and post them on this forum. While we've never crossed paths in the backwoods I remember that high speed meeting like it was yesterday.

Met JB and diva on a portage before I really knew them. It was a couple years or more later when JB saw a picture of Bernice and I in a canoe together that he recognized us. Bernice and diva really hit it off. Wasn't sure who Bernie was going to go with from there. Hahaha.

Zulu: "If I see a person in canoe country wearing BWCA.com apparel or a sticker on their canoe or vehicle I will always make a cold approach and ask if they are a member. If they say yes I ask them what their screename is. Then I will introduce myself as Zulu. If I’m familiar with their posts or photos and can recall a detail I bring that up or ask about their trip or equipment. It always goes well even the time a guy had a sticker on his canoe but wasn’t familiar with its meaning or the website."

It can be the start of something fun.






Zulu: We are in Ely this Saturday. Reservation at the Steak House for 6:30. Will I see you there again? :-)

I remember that chance meeting well Schweady! Freddie was running the portages back then. We were heading into Agnes and you were coming out. We got your campsite. 7 years ago already! No I won’t be able to make it to Ely this year. Maybe I will see you at one of the Midwest Moutaineering Expos sometime. Have fun. Have a burger for me at the Steak House!

Met another BWCA.com member yesterday, DownStrm. Jeff was down from Iowa staying in the Branson area and made a day trip over to paddle with MississippiDan and I. He is quite an accomplished paddler with one heck of a sense of balance, occasionally using his modified Esquif Pocket Canyon as a SUP board. It was a treat, another great person I can "Chalk up" to meeting from this board; I hope to host him on the river again!

Going out next weekend! Can't wait! It's been 4 years and 2 kids since I've been back out on the water!

If I see the logo I will usually say hi .