Been looking back on a lot of old posts as I try to pull together a trip for this year. It is AMAZING how many posts I come across from Jan. Even now, I read his posts with a different filter than anyone else. He knew a ton and shared it freely with everyone here. Such a loss, man...Never got to meet him, but I bought some gear from him, and take along his knowledge on every single trip I take. The site is forever different since he left us.

Brandon

I know how you feel Brandon. Jan was one of a kind. He lived close to me and we had many good times together. Anyone remember his laugh? What a character he was. Some of the best times were in chat room on Friday or Saturday nights. He was the life of any party, in person or in chat.

His laugh was one of a kind!!!! He was one of a kind!!!! I was very blessed to have met him.

yup......

double post (Jan would have complained about that glitchy function....lol)

I spoke of him a lot last week on my trip up to Sag, remembering his loop trip around Hunters Island, etc. He had an amazing amount of knowledge and kindness. I have been away from the board for a while and it was sad not too see a thread started by him on Listening Point.

I'm getting ready to put his patch on my portage pack. Been looking for just the right spot. He'll be on all my trips in spirit from this point forward.

Group Solo 2014 Quetico Trip...one of my favorite pictures of Jan !

I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.

He was a good friend.

SunCatcher

Jan and I swapped Emails about solo tripping concerns.i saved the best one and when I
look at my mail I still run across his reply.makes me feel like he is still out there someplace.

I really miss him too, the hundreds of coversations with him especially in chat, its just something that you really looked forward to. He had an amazing ability to make you want to choke him one second and then hug him the next. If you didn't know him personally you would think sometimes who is this crotchety curmudgeon, and then you find out some amazing thing that he did for someone and you realized that the ruff gruff demeanor was mostly an act. He is truly missed by his family, and by most people that have been in chat with him. To say he's missed at wingnights is an understatement !!!

P.S. Thanks for keeping posts of the bwca.commers that have passed in the system. I still read some of the posts from people that are no longer here and it really still connects them to this wonderful site.

quote SunCatcher: "
Group Solo 2014 Quetico Trip...one of my favorite pictures of Jan !
I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.
He was a good friend.
SunCatcher"

Great photo ! I think of him often when I'm paddling and swear I can see his expression in the ripples of the water.

Was his name Jan, or is that an abbreviation/nickname? Reason I ask is because my name is Kelsey so I am always curious about other unique boys' names.

His name was Jan. Many of us only knew him as kanoes. His legacy here will live on forever.

The two sides of kanoes! !!! Classic! I miss him too. I have been known to talk to him in the wilderness too.

quote cowdoc: "yup......

"

Good pic. Where were you guys putting in? Looks like Moose Lake.

quote SunCatcher: "I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.

He was a good friend."

Where could I find a video of Jan? Do you have one to share? I miss his "voice" on this board also.

quote ducks: "His laugh was one of a kind!!!! He was one of a kind!!!! I was very blessed to have met him."

+1

Glad his flag still flies in chat!

and the way he would wait for people at the gate at Wingnight.

I didn't get to know him nearly as much as some of the rest of you. I was only able to meet him at one wing and a few times in the chat room. That being said, he's left a huge impression on me when it comes to all things BWCA. I too find myself thinking of him a lot while I'm doing anything canoe related.

quote bapabear: "

quote SunCatcher: "



Group Solo 2014 Quetico Trip...one of my favorite pictures of Jan !



I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.



He was a good friend.



SunCatcher"

Where could I find a video of Jan? Do you have one to share? I miss his "voice" on this board also."

here ya go.. "the hat incident"

quote HighnDry: "

quote cowdoc: "yup......

"

Good pic. Where were you guys putting in? Looks like Moose Lake."

Williams &Hall

Thank God for tarps

quote BasecampMom: "

quote ducks: "His laugh was one of a kind!!!! He was one of a kind!!!! I was very blessed to have met him."

+1


Glad his flag still flies in chat!


and the way he would wait for people at the gate at Wingnight."

When I was working in Iowa I was fortunate enough to catch a MN wingnight. I parked and got out of the truck, Jan met me halfway and as I raised my hand to shake he said "We hug here". That was a great weekend. PS I stole Paul's photo and had Photbucket make me a 16X16 canvas print, it's on the wall up there with my gear. He's probably pretty disgusted with how messy it is right now.

Kiporby has a bunch of Jan videos, but at the moment, according to his last InReach message, he is hopefully in a warm tent on Bingshick Lake in the BW.

quote Hoaf: "

quote SunCatcher: "
Group Solo 2014 Quetico Trip...one of my favorite pictures of Jan !
I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.
He was a good friend.
SunCatcher"

Great photo ! I think of him often when I'm paddling and swear I can see his expression in the ripples of the water."

Looks like a guy who really appreciated the outdoors and new what he was doing.

quote Pinetree: "

quote Hoaf: "

quote SunCatcher: "
Group Solo 2014 Quetico Trip...one of my favorite pictures of Jan !
I like to listen to a video's with him in them, brings back his voice and the laugh.
He was a good friend.
SunCatcher"

Great photo ! I think of him often when I'm paddling and swear I can see his expression in the ripples of the water."

Looks like a guy who really appreciated the outdoors and new what he was doing."

Shortly after I found this board he did a solo around Hunter Island, I think it was 20 days.

I wasn't fortunate enough to meet him as many of you were. We did sell a few items and buy a few items from each other over the years on the board. Always seemed like a nice guy and was a pleasure to deal with, as most folks here are.

Yes, it does leave a "Wound" when you lose someone like Jan, Amok, et al here on this website, because many of the folks here are so passionate about this place. It's kind of like a big "Family" here, so unlike most places on the internet. I'm so glad the format of BWCAW.com keeps those posts alive in the OP's names; that way we can hang on to a little piece of our departed loved ones.

Yeah, I don't visit nearly as often as I did. I never met him either, but had the chance to throw a few questions at him over the years, and he always came through.
I can only hope to have such a positive affect on the world as he did here.

I think of Jan often and definitely miss him tons. With our upcoming mini wingnight at Old Chicago, I will miss his welcoming Hug. He was always the 1st one there, and ready to give out a Hug. I miss his infectious laugh big time.

Jan and Ken were the guys who took me under their wing when I came here without a clue. I was approaching my first trip as possibly a bucket list item because I live so far away and wasn't sure I would be able to do it again. That turned out better than I thought but the help they gave me was priceless.

i sure do too , he IS a legend :)

My favorite picture of Jan is the one getting into shape with his portage pack on - riding his lawnmower ;-). Or the wing campout covered in mud.

Here is a Jan's coloring book page.
PBS old friend.

quote KevinL: "My favorite picture of Jan is the one getting into shape with his portage pack on - riding his lawnmower ;-). Or the wing campout covered in mud.


Here is a Jan's coloring book page.
PBS old friend."

Now THAT's pretty friggin cool right there