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       Trip Report - Island & Isabella river tour, chasing the ice out
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Date/Time: 03/29/2024 06:31AM
Trip Report - Island & Isabella river tour, chasing the ice out

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
Spartan2 06/03/2022 05:39PM
Thanks for the warning. I had been noticing posts about that. I even went down in the basement and hunted up my "Original Bug Shirt", which I bought at Canoecopia back in '13 before our last canoe trip and have never used. Hunted up all of the head nets, etc. Thinking of maybe getting a bug shirt for Anna, too.


TuscaroraBorealis 06/02/2022 07:46PM
Spartan2: "Oh, Paul! What a wonderful report! I started reading it a couple of weeks ago, and then other things got in the way (such as a really nice Memorial day long weekend at the lake cottage) and I realized recently that I had never finished. Your reports are always the best of any on here, and this one didn't disappoint--except that in this case I DIDN'T feel like I would like to be along on the trip with you! Brrr! Not my kind of canoe trip!



Loved a variety of your quotes and also enjoyed your musings. But this particular quote from friend Paul will have to be shared with our granddaughter later this month when we are on the Gunflint at the cabin. She started out with us when she was four years old, and she is now 19. And this quote describes her perfectly:



"The level of contentment attained from the simple pleasures of poking at a fire with a good stick is inestimable.""



Thank you Lynda, I'm glad you enjoyed it.


Regarding your Brrr! comment. Generally speaking, I understand your sentiment. But, as I tried to convey in the report, winter didn't seem to want to let go in Northern Minnesota. And the weekend I took this trip was just about the first time we surmounted a temperature past the mid-forties. So, it felt a lot warmer than it actually was. Of course, (not swamping etc.) staying dry was of paramount importance. :)


Hope you enjoy your annual Gunflint Trail cabin excursion. I'm sure you're already aware but, FYI: the bugs are crazy bad up here right now so, come prepared.
Spartan2 06/02/2022 03:40PM
Oh, Paul! What a wonderful report! I started reading it a couple of weeks ago, and then other things got in the way (such as a really nice Memorial day long weekend at the lake cottage) and I realized recently that I had never finished. Your reports are always the best of any on here, and this one didn't disappoint--except that in this case I DIDN'T feel like I would like to be along on the trip with you! Brrr! Not my kind of canoe trip!


Loved a variety of your quotes and also enjoyed your musings. But this particular quote from friend Paul will have to be shared with our granddaughter later this month when we are on the Gunflint at the cabin. She started out with us when she was four years old, and she is now 19. And this quote describes her perfectly:


"The level of contentment attained from the simple pleasures of poking at a fire with a good stick is inestimable."
TuscaroraBorealis 05/27/2022 11:48AM
Jaywalker: "Like you value Butthead’s opinion on gear, I value your opinions on campsites and portages. I appreciate the effort you go to to tell your story and to document sites along your way. I paddled through there last June and the images are so different due to the water. Thanks, TB."


You're welcome and, thank you.


I'm especially curious as to what that 1st portage on the Island River looks like in normal water levels and what peoples experience/assessment with/of it was?
gravelroad 05/27/2022 10:16AM
Kudos and thank you for sharing. Especially appreciate seeing that heinous double-bladed paddle used to desecrate the holy pure tradition of solo canoeing. ;-)


Counting down to the moment when the Mason wannabes chime in here ...
ducks 05/27/2022 06:21AM
Another great report. Once again your report lived up to the anticipation. Thank you for sharing.
straighthairedcurly 05/26/2022 11:27PM
Once again your trip report has transported me to the wilderness. I felt like I was along with you. Thank you for your beautiful prose. I loved the sleepy beaver sunning on the rock. I never thought about beaver lodges flooding in the high water, it must be a stressful time for them. Your description of the chiming noise of the ice crystals brought back memories of some of early spring paddles locally. Such an amazing sound.
Speckled 05/26/2022 01:28PM
Awesome report. I had planned a very similar trip - entering August 29th. While I think the ice was off the river, the road wasn't passable. Would have went the next weekend, but was busy or we may have ended up meeting at the EP.
Jaywalker 05/26/2022 12:27PM
Like you value Butthead’s opinion on gear, I value your opinions on campsites and portages. I appreciate the effort you go to to tell your story and to document sites along your way. I paddled through there last June and the images are so different due to the water. I even saw two adult and two juvy swans right in the same place. Just about drove my young dog crazy when one of them did that fake broken wing gag to get me to follow it. Thanks, TB.
napinch 05/26/2022 07:48AM
Another great trip report! Always enjoy reading your reports (and great pictures) and this one had some quotes that I plan to take with me for further reflection.
Luke
MidwestFirecraft 05/26/2022 07:16AM
Thank you for the excellent right up and all the pics.
smoke11 05/26/2022 06:40AM
Awesome Report thanks for sharing.
TuscaroraBorealis 05/25/2022 09:00PM
Here is a link that has some information about Forest Center, including the threads I spoke about in the report.


TuscaroraBorealis 05/25/2022 08:59PM
New Trip Report posted by TuscaroraBorealis

Trip Name: Island & Isabella river tour, chasing the ice out.

Entry Point: 34

Click Here to View Trip Report