BWCA Trip Report - 2019 Team BeaVer Fever Kruger Waddell Challenge Boundary Waters Trip Reports
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08/19/2020 11:09AM  
New Trip Report posted by BeaV

Trip Name: 2019 Team BeaVer Fever Kruger Waddell Challenge.

Entry Point: 12

Click Here to View Trip Report
 
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08/19/2020 11:25AM  
BeaV: "New Trip Report posted by BeaV

Trip Name: 2019 Team BeaVer Fever Kruger Waddell Challenge.

Entry Point: 12

Click Here to View Trip Report"

This trip report is written by JimmyJustice. Day 3 also has a piece written by Whitewolf. Day 4 has a piece written by me BeaV. I put these together and published them.

It's been almost a year since we completed this and we(me) hesitated on publishing our experiences, but with the excitement of a new trip coming, decided to share our story.
DanCooke
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08/19/2020 11:40AM  
Quite the race. You all have Stamina!
Very interesting to read. I know I am not up for this type of Challenge! Well beyond my limits for sure. At a slower pace it is a great trip, filled with History and adventure.
.
08/19/2020 02:23PM  
For those wondering about the "discrepancies" between Jimmy's take and Beav's take; Jim tells the truth more than BeaV. :O) BeaV is a great motivator. Though those motivations are "lies" only to be figured out later after all is said in done. Truth be told, ( and I hate to admit- for what about is to transpire on this next "challenge" - BeaV is a great coach/ team player- especially for us not as brute strong as he is. ) Though I would like to hit BeaV over and over with a paddle on not being fed etc, he made the right call. And (MAKK) Kendra goes along with it- with no warning. (She says nothing , and I think eggs BeaV on!!) Sometimes not knowing the hell your about to face is better than knowing. Those two (BeaV,MAKK) together on a challenge are a nightmare for any "normal" paddlers involved- that wanna keep pace. You WILL NOT. But BeaV's mistake on Granite Lake is comical-- cost us the 92 hour finish time!!! (but it was truthfully my slothness and lack of first aid for my trench feet on the GP) Again in all seriousness -- dehydration coupled with serious fatigue - is not something to mess with starting the GP at midnight with no sleep for whoever knows. hallucinations are real (for whatever that means) and the whole experience I cursed at with each painful step on the GP I will willingly do again and again. The teamwork is something you must witness - and that is what I like most and look forward to each time.

But don't do the Pigeon River at night. A trip report in itself * 3 of this one could be written about that god forsaken Pigeon River. (BeaV being so adamant on it being a "cakewalk" didn't help.) For those contemplating such a challenge- the Pigeon and resulting GP are the most difficult aspects of this challenge - and "conveniently" right at the end when you wanna cry uncle.
And here we go again....

straighthairedcurly
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08/19/2020 09:37PM  
Great read! So glad you decided to publish it. I love the different perspectives.
JimmyJustice
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08/20/2020 07:05AM  
Note, our trip reports were initially written exclusively for the 8 crew members of team Beaver Fever and without an eye for a larger audience. As such my report has a writing style tht is loose, and grammatically challenged in spots. It contains inside jokes, gentle kidding and occasional ramblings. After you peel back that onion, hopefully there is enough left for you to get a quality look into my take on 94 challenging hours spent with friends.

We laughed and we cried (well Deke did). We groused and we rejoiced. We had our moments of individualism and we worked as a team. Over 94 hours we blew past any goals we had set individually or collectively. It was hard. It was scary. And even in retrospect, it was fun.
08/20/2020 08:03AM  
You should have named the report: never so many truths spoken as within BeaV’s lies.
Very impressive to witness you guys in the act of preparing for the grand portage. Congratulations on a fine finish!
09/23/2020 03:44PM  
Really great report. Although it's a year late, I think this captures the mental and physical struggle of the Kruger Challenge better than any I've read. Your suffering on the Grand Portage sounds really serious - seems like some of the team crossed that fine line from feeling miserable to actually being in real danger. Scary stuff. It was cool to read some new perspectives, the real story behind BeaV's understatements.

As one of the few who have experienced the Pigeon River at night at low water... all I can say is, NEVER AGAIN!

But honestly, my worst experience on the Grand and Pigeon by far was dragging the canoe upstream at nearly flood stage in spring 2018. We ended up wading in chest deep current in the chilly drizzle for hours and hours, dragging the canoe step by step upstream and trying to keep our buddy Andrew from hypothermia. That was after carrying the Grand Portage uphill with 10 days of food in our packs - another NEVER AGAIN!
LaughingWarrior
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10/12/2020 08:29PM  
Only those who are willing to risk going to far, will ever know how far they are able to go.

Great job team BeaV... I took several days savoring this trip report. I can't wait to see when this team sets a new best record. It's always a nail biting read.

Much Aloha.
muddyfeet
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02/23/2021 12:54PM  
A bit late to the party- I don't know how I missed reading this report, but three people at work today have asked me what it is I was reading that was so funny.

Thanks to the authors for sharing this. I thoroughly enjoyed reading of the adventures of the group and the teamwork displayed. It was entertaining recounting the same scenes from several different points of view. It is clear that the team was resolved to embrace the suck, and did so superbly.

To add data for context- I can attest to the surprises that the Pigeon river displayed that week: flowing at 800cfm on the morning of September 14th- and falling to less than half of that four days later when, these tired paddlers (believing the river to be easily floatable) proceeded to push on as the daylight was extinguished.
JimmyJustice
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02/23/2021 04:29PM  
Muddy

Big pat on the back to you. As mentioned, you built a fast boat. Seeing your hard work pay off while frustrating (from a competitor standpoint) was pretty cool to see/watch. Be forewarned that if you bring your rocket ship back, I might stow some huge rocks in the bow when you are not looking.

JJ
 
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