...you use the REI gift card to buy a ice chest for car camping-----

.....when you pry my paddle from my cold dead hands!!.....?

pswith5: ".....when you pry my paddle from my cold dead hands!!.....?"

GOOD ONE !

I was going to say pushing up daisies Pete.

I get a little depressed using a gift card for non canoe related items as well but my gear room is packed with multiples of everything I need. Now it gets spent on things like Darn Tough socks or high end underwear (pun?).

you know they are over, until then-paddle onward.

When wife stand in door and says you are not able to drive anymore or hides the keys to the car or minivan.

....they start shoveling dirt on my casket.

When they spread my ashes on a distant lake?

Nothing wrong with doing a little car camping.

A mans gotta know his limitations

Reality has a unique way of inserting itself despite our best efforts. And here I thought base camping on Basswood would always be plan B.

A great Plan B.

wetcanoedog, I've seen many canoes with coolers larger than that parked at a portage. Everybody looks at each other waiting for someone to volunteer to carry it over. These coolers usually only make one canoe trip before they become car camping gear. At the end of a long portage you could pick one up for pennies on the dollar or for free.

I just plan to take the tow from Moose to the portage over to Splash and camp there.

Your paddle doesn't work as well as it used to without medication

Ya just keep going--on account that you don't yet realize it's over because your medication is working wonders.

bwcadan: "When wife stand in door and says you are not able to drive anymore or hides the keys to the car or minivan."

If you're still driving a minivan your paddling days are far from over. :)

When you've spent your entire life canoeing the bwca, and Quetico, and decide that there is a whole big country out there that you've been missing. Then decide to backpack the high Uintas, and spend 8 days hiking above the treeline....spectacular!
Time to get into shape ;)

mooseplums: "When you've spent your entire life canoeing the bwca, and Quetico, and decide that there is a whole big country out there that you've been missing. Then decide to backpack the high Uintas, and spend 8 days hiking above the treeline....spectacular!
Time to get into shape ;)"

After traveling the country with a canoe or two in tow I got to see some great places. Sometimes even able to stop and hike a bit or whatever. Also saw and heard of plenty of paddling opportunities, so don’t sell your fleet too soon.
As for me I keep blowing out in my midsection and one arm hanging by a thread. I’ll do what I can for now, but I plan to be back in that canoe and all when these issues are resolved.

nctry: "

mooseplums: "When you've spent your entire life canoeing the bwca, and Quetico, and decide that there is a whole big country out there that you've been missing. Then decide to backpack the high Uintas, and spend 8 days hiking above the treeline....spectacular!
Time to get into shape ;)"

After traveling the country with a canoe or two in tow I got to see some great places. Sometimes even able to stop and hike a bit or whatever. Also saw and heard of plenty of paddling opportunities, so don’t sell your fleet too soon.
As for me I keep blowing out in my midsection and one arm hanging by a thread. I’ll do what I can for now, but I plan to be back in that canoe and all when these issues are resolved. "

Oh I'm not selling anything.....just need to see and do different stuff

I'm dead, and not a second sooner

When I don't come back from the BWCA.

I picked up my friend for a trip and his wife does not make an appearance to say hi. She's in her bedroom. I stay overnight on his couch and we leave early in the morning. Still no wife appearance. Drop him off after the trip and stay overnight again on his couch- still his wife does not come out to greet me. That was 4 years ago. MY FRIEND'S TRIPPING DAYS ARE OVER! (Not mine though).

you Wouldn’t be saying your not making a trip this year I hope

Being in canoe country will only be over when the last float plane is pulled from service.

When I'm adrift in my canoe lying atop a burning pyre of jack pine.

Banksiana: "When I'm adrift in my canoe lying atop a burning pyre of jack pine."

Deep, with a couple subtle puns in one sentence, awesome pinus.

I'll know mine are over when.......I'm done.

Whether you think you can or think you can't , either way you're correct.

Car camping is not cheating on the BWCA...well maybe a little. Backpacking and hiking and paddling longer kayaks on big lakes and salt waters just helps keep us in shape for paddling the BWCA. But if you are cheating on the BWCA, forgiveness is easy. You will not get served divorce papers, it's not over yet.

Car camping is just another way of enjoying the Superior National Forest. Great remote campsites, endless day trips into the BWCA, limitless gravel and unimproved roads for Cycling, and hiking. All can be had in one on trip.

LindenTree: "

Banksiana: "When I'm adrift in my canoe lying atop a burning pyre of jack pine."

Deep, with a couple subtle puns in one sentence, awesome pinus."

Man linden... spell check could have bit you on that one...