Sharing stories over an open fire, paddling into a morning mist. Sound interesting.
Fall is upon us and the Quad Cities group has not started any planning so here goes. I shared Text with Mike from that area and while the first weekend in October is open, the next one is the first weekend of November for both of us. We have had good luck with late fall weather so I am suggesting a meet up November 2nd back at the site on Lake McBride north of Iowa City. We will have to confirm that is still available. All are welcome and no admission fee to anyone with BWCA.com gear or stickers.
Anyone interested? and alternate dates and places are open to consideration. If there are enough with interest but time conflicts with 11/5 more than one group telling lies around a fire sounds like good use of firewood.

I would try and make it out at least for an evening around the fire. I'm only 15 minutes from there. I did make it to the last gathering there and enjoyed getting to meet the people behind the screen names.

Ben, I am absolutely interested! Macbride sounds like a good option too... especially since they furnish the firewood :-)

Ben,
I will plan to join you. Great location since it is only 6 miles from Ely.
Ely, Iowa, that is.

November 2 sounds good to me, also. I think the fee was $6 per night, firewood included; and trees available for 'hangers'. At least, that was last time.

This sounds interesting. I did have some tentative plans but I have to admit that sitting around a fire and sharing stories sounds like a better plan.

Thanks for posting Ben. I am in for November 2nd.

Now that I'm retired, I think it will work for me, I'm in Center Point Iowa

Wife and I will be traveling at that time. Always a good time. Have fun!

Dang... I'm gonna be up in NW Illinois chasing big bucks for a month right after Halloween... I've got to make 1 of these

Looks like we have a gathering. I will make some calls tomorrow and Wednesday confirming availability and any costs, etc and post a link. November 2nd at McBride.

I'll try and make this. It's about a 3 hour drive for me. I'll have a kid and dog along if I can make it work.

Camping at McBride
No reservations required, $6 per night. Directions for the primitive campground are on the link. Now lets hope for some good weather.

I have to admit, I was not sure which quad cities this was referring to. I still do double takes as I enter the Iron Range and see a sign for the Quad Cities (Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert, and Mountain Iron)

CoachBigD,

Quad Cities = Rock Island and Moline Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf Iowa. The Mississippi River separates the 4 Cities. An interesting fact is that the Mississippi River flows east and west in this area ... the rest of the Big Muddy Mississippi River flows north and south.

Combined these 4 Cities amount to about 450,000 people. Interstate I-80 and I-74 converge here.

Not many folks outside of Illinois and Iowa have ever heard about the Quad Cities.

There you have it ...

Wally13,

Yep, I am just a little east of ya on the border of Polk and Jasper county. Davenport Assumption took my son's baseball team out of the state tournament two years in a row.

I would imagine even less folks have heard of the Quad Cities in the range. :-)

CoachBigD: "Wally13,

Yep, I am just a little east of ya on the border of Polk and Jasper county. Davenport Assumption took my son's baseball team out of the state tournament two years in a row.

I would imagine even less folks have heard of the Quad Cities in the range. :-) "

Well, this Minnesotan has heard of both quad cities. I've been to the Minnesota quad cities several times but I have not been to the Quad city area in Iowa before. I'm going to have to make this one.

CoachBigD: "Wally13,

Yep, I am just a little east of ya on the border of Polk and Jasper county. Davenport Assumption took my son's baseball team out of the state tournament two years in a row.

I would imagine even less folks have heard of the Quad Cities in the range. :-)"

My good buddy is the AD at assumption, Wade King my kids go to center point.

We'll try and make it if we're not still harvesting. We're an hour SE of there or so

I got a few things I'd like to give away or swap, maybe we can have a mini swap meet too. I'm also going to bring some books that are taking up shelf space LOL

My son is still at U of Iowa so I can make the case for a visit with him and a visit with the BWCA.com group. Count me in.

so we camping at the south campground, Oh Mac Bride brings back memories I got arrested by the park office in 1975 for jumping off the cliffs, then he wouldn't let me drive home b/c I didn't have a helmet with my for bike, so my mom had to drive 25 miles to pick me up she was not too happy LOL

Just got off the phone with a park official. The showers will be closed, but vault toilet open. Water at the hydrants should be on. I advised him we have 6 likely plus 4 possible at this time. Let us hope for dry weather and looking forward to seeing everyone at the south campground.
A pot luck Saturday afternoon and sharing at breakfast sound okay? Bring your boat, it is a nice lake and not too far from where we camp.
And I do not see a problem with a little swapping if you have some things.

swapping or just giving away things I don't need or want or I have multiple of them LOL

bhouse46,
Thanks for being the point man for our Quad Cities gathering.
It should be a fun get together.

I'll echo that: Thanks Ben! I'll bring a maul, etc. for processing their wood, which tends to be in rounds.

Three weeks from today we should be showing up at the campsite and the good times starting. I count 6 or 7 likely and 4 possible. Accu-weather is showing a dry spell with comfortable temps. Sunset is at 6 and sunrise Sunday at 6:40 with a daylight savings bump overnight.
I propose a pot luck at 5:45, enough time to eat and pick up before dark. And if I have to tell you what happens after dark.....I imagine we could coordinate a couple griddles for breakfast. If the weather is decent I will bring my Magic with intent to paddle before heading home.
I will make a smoked pork chop and cheesy potato dutch oven dish that will serve 5-6 and cinnamon bread french toast for breakfast.

Ben ... sounds like a plan. I will bring a supper dish. Maybe smoke up some Brisket and Mac & Cheese. If you can bring your 2 Burner Stove ... I can heat up my dish. Maybe some Blueberry muffins for breakfast. Perhaps you could throw in some extra coffee too for the gang as your stove and large coffee pot has worked well for past gatherings.

I will try and make it to Lake McBride earlier in the day, perhaps by noon on Saturday and set up tent, cut up firewood and go for a paddle. Maybe others attending can come early afternoon and we can all paddle together. Sunday morning paddle after breakfast may be in the cards too.

I will try to make this. Google says 5 1/2 hour drive. If all goes as planned I will be bringing crappie and bluegill for the potluck. Does anyone camp on Friday night? 726 miles round trip is a trek for 1 night.

I'm still looking forward to coming! I will again bring a batch of chili and my old 2-burner white gas Coleman stove.

Blutofish1,

I may be able to head over to Lake McBride on Friday afternoon. I am supposed to help my wife with moving some heavy equipment at around 4 pm on Friday. If I can find a person to take my place, I will drive over to the lake mid afternoon. It’s only about a 70 mile drive to Lake McBride from the Quad Cities.

By the way I know the Avon, Indiana area real well. After graduating from Purdue back in 1979, I moved to Speedway and worked in a 5 county area including Hendricks Co. for 5 years. I married a Hoosier from Crawfordsville too. I started paddling canoes on Sugar Creek. I even had a bud who partnered with Ted Bell to build canoes. Ted eventually moved to Minnesota to start Bell Canoe Works.

Can fill you in on my ties to many folks around the Avon area over a beer in a few weeks.

I can spring for the coffee, Ben, as you guys seem to be hitting main entres. Will see if Paula will make some homemade bread and look around for some horse derves.

The two burner and coffee pot are packed. It will be available for Saturday, but the griddle will be cooking Sunday morning. Menu seems to be coming together, anyone make a good pot of beans? Eggs and breakfast meats to grill? Another stove would be great.
I might be able to break free Friday afternoon and arrive in time for set up and a paddle before dark.

rtallent: "I can spring for the coffee, Ben, as you guys seem to be hitting main entres. Will see if Paula will make some homemade bread and look around for some horse derves."

That’s the worst part of the horse.

Heh heh! Hope not...

Doesn't look like i'm gonna make this. The wifey wants to do a trip to southern Indiana. She wants to do a late fall fishin trip. Hope I can meet you all next year.
We do pretty well in the late fall.

I'm interested but won't know until it gets closer. I plan on floating the Yellow in Iowa Saturday and Sunday if anyone want to come along. 16 bridge to the canoe campsite in the state forest on Saturday. Then take out before the Mississippi by Effigy Mounds. Email me if interested.

blutofish1,

dang ... I was so looking forward to your potluck crappie and bluegill.

I have a lot of good memories ice fishing for crappie and bluegill near Crawfordsville, IN back in the early 80's.

I still plan on coming out on Saturday for the afternoon and evening. Hopefully will get a little time on the water also. I won't be camping though. I'll bring a couple plates of deer summer sausage and cheese. My wife said she'd make a chocolate cake. The only catch is that she said she's coming too. I'll bring my old two burner Coleman stove in case it's needed.

Wally13: "blutofish1,


dang ... I was so looking forward to your potluck crappie and bluegill.


I have a lot of good memories ice fishing for crappie and bluegill near Crawfordsville, IN back in the early 80's."

Wally13, yes we used to have enough ice in the 80's and 90's. Anymore we are lucky to get 2 or 3 days of good ice. I was looking forward to the gathering, great meeting new folks. I have met many at the Rockford get togethers and canoe copia.

I'm away from my access for the next several days. Weather appears to be dry and chilly. I am sure looking forward to some campfire stories.

I'm still planning on coming Saturday afternoon, will bring some bacon and maple deer links for breakfast, looking forward to it.

I'll add eggs and/or pancake mix to bring. That should have the morning pretty well covered. Looking forward to this, though it could be chilly!

I might drag a tripping partner along too, and I always have good beer to share LOL

Thought I would be able to carve out this weekend, but life has other plans. Won’t be there. Maybe another year.

I have to work Saturday so I may be pulling in late. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Bump. Anybody have a hot tent? Heh heh...

I left messages with the park ranger asking about the wood supply, no response yet. It will get chilly so a fire will happen. Also remember to bring something to put under your buttocks in your chairs. Us hangers know well the cold butt syndrome.

Just got confirmation from Nick at McBride. "Plenty of firewood."
I hope to arrive just after lunch and will get a fire started unless someone beats me there.

Great news on the firewood!
Who all is bringing their boats? I am undecided at the moment.
NWS forecast for Saturday: 'Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. '

Ghamer,

I was planning to go for a canoe paddle but I think it will be too windy and cold on Saturday. Gusting to 20 mph ... leaving my canoe in my garage. Bummer.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to pass on bringing the canoe out too. It should be enjoyable sitting around a fire though.

Hope you all have a great time visiting. I will not be joining you as I have just returned from a 10 day road trip. I helped my mother move from Phoenix Arizonia to Morris, Illinois. Drove through Denver and Albuquerque on my way to Phoenix; spent three days there, then to Albuquerque, Wichita, West Des Moines to see my brothers, then drove I-80 past Davenport on our way to Morris. I did think about you all as I drove past. Stay warm! ~ Karen

I'll shoot for around noon on Saturday, maybe earlier. Will have coffee and eggs to go with the breakfast, and some odds/ends for Sat evening. Will bring the Magic and have a look at conditions. Ray

I just checked weather. It will drop below freezing about 9pm heading down to 26 at midnight then warming slowly again. Windy Saturday afternoon and cloudy Sunday morning. I think I will leave my boats home. Hiking boots I likely will bring.

Sue and I are making apple sauce so I tossed a few into a pan that is now in the oven, apple crisp. Mike P. is bringing ice cream. I will bring a few of the apples, we have too many again this year.
Sounds like dinner and breakfast are covered.

I'll be making chicken fajitas. I'm going to bring my Curtis Nomad. I've only had it out once, this year, and need the practice in it. Hoping for some pointers on it, if we get on the water. As a precaution, I'm also going to bring a wetsuit.

Be interested to see your boat Jeff! I don't have a wetsuit, but will be doing the regular other precautions.

Any reports? Stories? Rumors?

We had a great time at Lake Macbride this weekend! Great food, great stories and great company!
Group Shot: back row: Ben House, Mike Porter (Wally13), Gary Hamer, Ray Tallent
Front Row: Bev (Mrs. Mashuga), Mashuga (Randy)
Downstrm (Jeff) and Marty and Darlene all arrived after dark and did not make the group shot.

A couple more shots:

Thanks Ben for organizing this! Great time; the weather gods favored us; got to love Wally13's stories and those of others. Got in a bit of paddling on Sunday, but mostly visiting and, of course, cooking and eating...

Sounds like a great time! I hated to miss it. Hope to see many of you guys at Copia.

gah. Had Grant's confirmation last weekend. Need to connect with you all again, had fun last Fall in Decorah, glad you all had a blast!

I had a nice time visiting with everyone. I think we had a tad bit too much food but, no one went hungry. I'm not sure how the camp fire stories went from canoeing to 'streaking' back in the college days but, it was all good. Some of the younger folks on this forum may not even know what 'streaking' is. I look forward to hopefully doing it again to next year.

Did anyone actually paddle? How are the bugs?

No bugs at all. Really enjoyed the conversations and sleeping in the crisp air.