it's snowing here in ne iowa and i am preparing for my knife lake solo in a couple weeks.
since retiring a month ago, this is my retirement celebration adventure.
i have enough food for 2 weeks of canoe travel.
i have decided, because of weight to split it up, 50-50, one week knife, 2nd week undetermined.
i have been loading canoe packs for 30 years , and with all the upgrades to great gear, it is amazing how much stuff we can take.
i am not surprised, as i do have a few comfort items along.
it's all good, i take my time and enjoy the view, whether portaging or paddling.
i know i could be ocd, anal obsessive, perfectionist, or i like to think, i just like to get it right where i am happy.
i am sippin a tg beer, watching the snow fall, listening to the darlings on spotify and thought i would ramble this fine april 27th day.
thanks for reading.
what it boils down to, is i just love getting ready for a canoe trip, how about you?

What a great retirement gift to yourself!

Our trip isn't for a few months yet, but I have tasked my son with helping me find our menu this year. As I sit here typing this, he has the dehydrator running for a test run on a menu item. He likes to devise his own recipes so I am looking forward to trying this. The whole house is filled with the fragrance of dehydrating mushrooms. The only problem is that it keeps making me hungry! The beer sounds like a good idea though.

I just found out that I may truly be completely retired this year. A second trip in September is looking like a distinct possibility!

Have a great trip.

P.S. Glad the snow is there and not here in central Illinois. Too many flowers out and plants up that won't tolerate the cold.

yea, it's more of a rain event now, us too have so many perennials up, but they must be hardy as it is early in the spring, enjoy your trip prep, and as for retirement, do it!

bwcasolo - we need to grab a beer sometime...I'm here too, dehydrating food, watching the snow, poring over maps and marking them up. Got off the phone this morning with a nice guy who gave great insights into fishing Crooked. I'm more of a fan of Pulpit Rock Brewery, but I could compromise ;)

scott, i too prefer pulpit, email me here, we will hook up. i know enough of crooked to help you. click on the envelope, as you know. can't find your phone no, in book.

Psuedo Sue used to be my fav beer until TG went all anti-ag. Haven't had one in a while, but Tank 7 from Boulevard is just as good.

Oh, and congrats! Crappy weather here in SE IA too, so we're looking at trip stuff too. (which is why I'm browsing here)

Ah freedom! I bought a new solo when I retired and did a 16 day trip, Also did 14 days from Big Lake , 7 to the south, 7 to the north. Just dumped the garbage and grabbed another food bag from the car. We were in the BW 5 times in the 1st 12 mos. of retirement, including a Feb. snowshoe trip. Anyone know when you quit dreaming you're still working ? Still do 16 yrs. later. Enjoy!

bwcasolo: "i just love getting ready for a canoe trip, how about you?"

Yep. :)

Jackfish: "

bwcasolo: "i just love getting ready for a canoe trip, how about you?"

Yep. :)"

+1 Anticipation adds to the enjoyment.

I totally agree. I too enjoy the planning and packing phase. I go through my kit constantly, pack and unpack my bag or bags, test out where in the packs I put my gear for good weight and comfort... and ease of priority access.

Oh yes... I do enjoy doing all of that. It gets my pumped for the actual trip.

I'm heading in May 18th for several days. Can't wait. Using my Old Town Guide 119! hahahaha....

Sounds like we have quite a few Iowegians here. I was gonna ask about TG. Was unaware of the anti-ag deal.

bwcasolo: "it's snowing here in ne iowa and i am preparing for my knife lake solo in a couple weeks. "

My 18 yo son and I are headed to Knife for a graduation celebration on the 21st. Maybe we will cross paths! We will be in a Grumman aluminum tank :-). I need to pull the trigger on a Kevlar and leave the Grumman for such outings as the upper Iowa.

I love the planning part. Getting ready for my next trip is just as big a deal as my next trip.

I agree! Not going until the 3rd week of July but always on my mind these days!

The wives always say that there is no way 3 or 4 meetings are necessary, but they most certainly are. Our garage summits are as much for team building and beverage sampling as they are for gear assignments. Laughs aplenty. Going in with a 5 other guys in early June through an entry point I've not been for some serious fishing, and I've already 'started' the trip a couple months ago. The gear gathering has commenced, the tackle whittling is in full force. I love the anticipation phase as much as the 5 days I'm spending in the BW (which seem to go by too fast).

CoachBigD: "Sounds like we have quite a few Iowegians here. I was gonna ask about TG. Was unaware of the anti-ag deal. "

I LOVE the planning and packing process. I'm in full on planning mode for our early June trip. I'm bringing in a guy that has never been to the BWCA before. Can't wait! Neither can he...he has 2 SETS of twin girls (yikes!)...he is greatly looking forward to some guy time.

Not to hijack the thread...but whats the deal with Toppling Goliath? Love their beers...just not sure what you mean by "anti-ag"

Congrats! Have a great trip. I too love the trip preparations. To me, pulling out the gear all over the garage with a beer in hand and tunes in the background is a major part of enjoying a trip!

Ditto to drying food and packing and repacking to get everything we want to fit as conveniently placed as possible... It's quite possibly a lost art. Our trip is first week of June and I have my garage fully cleared out and I am setting up a "faux" camp to ensure all the gear as the right lanyards, all the batteries are new, all the gear is working to specs and generally, planning for most every eventuality we can forsee. I wonder if I really need that 3rd method of converting water into a consumable or the second spool of zing it in case my tarp lines are too short... it never ends.

I guess, you plan as much as you can because it's fun and also necessary and then you cut loose and go. I still feel that part of the fun is the improvisation necessary for the eventuality you didn't plan for. What I really focus on is trying to prevent those things that will make an otherwise spectacularly life-enriching trip into a catastrophic nightmare like forgetting the first aid kit when you really needed it or Zatarain's fish fry after you return to camp with a full stringer of fish :)

Enjoy those weeks before the trip and then go enjoy the trip. I think there's a little "prepper" in all of us...

Cheers
SG

Bumstead: "The wives always say that there is no way 3 or 4 meetings are necessary, but they most certainly are. Our garage summits are as much for team building and beverage sampling as they are for gear assignments. Laughs aplenty. Going in with a 5 other guys in early June through an entry point I've not been for some serious fishing, and I've already 'started' the trip a couple months ago. The gear gathering has commenced, the tackle whittling is in full force. I love the anticipation phase as much as the 5 days I'm spending in the BW (which seem to go by too fast)."

This is funny we have "winter meetings" also although we try to plan them around such events like the ncaa tourney or the high school prep bowl it seems to be easier to get away. My wife thinks it's ridiculous to get together 3 or 4 times a year just to plan a 7 day trip anywhere especially when technology makes it easy to stay in touch.