Many of us go into the BWCA to get away from gadgets and such.

Do you have to know what going on in the world, like the world can't go on without you?

Just wondering when you get back to your vehicle, do you have to get the news and turn the radio on immediately or buy a paper as soon as you get to town?

I at least try to make it back to Ely before turning the radio on. But it is hard to do after being without it for a few days. Then usually I turn WELY radio on (Yes, the present WELY radio is not half as good as the old format) to get ELY local news and music.

My point is it is hard to disconnect to the world around us and the news. Even tho 99.9% of the news we can't change things and the world would go on without us. It would be nice if we all weren't so addicted to the news-media world. It would be nice if we would put more effort in just living in our little world.

I am not talking about people whom take a weather radio or satellite phone for safety into the BWCA. Only one point there, don't sit at a portage and use your phone. Do it away from others.

Maybe I'm weird, but I never listen to the radio. However, the music goes on about a minute after I start up the truck, and stays on.

Pinetree: "Just wondering when you get back to your vehicle, do you have to get the news and turn the radio on immediately or buy a paper as soon as you get to town?"

Nope, even after 4-6 week trips (assuming I didn't see a huge flash and mushroom cloud). I'll get the info when I'm back at the house via internet, or if I'm hanging out in an airport with my smartphone.

The ride out on the Echo Trail has no radio on. We're usually reliving the trip and thinking about how good the showers will feel and how good DQ will taste. We catch up on the news and sports on the ride home after leaving Ely.

MReid: "

Pinetree: "Just wondering when you get back to your vehicle, do you have to get the news and turn the radio on immediately or buy a paper as soon as you get to town?"

Nope, even after 4-6 week trips (assuming I didn't see a huge flash and mushroom cloud). I'll get the info when I'm back at the house via internet, or if I'm hanging out in an airport with my smartphone."

Awesome.

Just before finishing the Border Route trail, we were hiking by a resort on the western end. A woman was walking down a road that the trail crossed and informed us that Bin Laden was just killed in the last couple of days.

After another canoe trip, I found out that the I35 bridge had collapsed.

News always brings me back to the harsh realities of this world. I wait if I can.

Pinetree: "Awesome."

"like the world can't go on without you?"
I've just noticed that it does, in fact, go on without me.

I never take a radio or worry about news when I'm in the BWCA and once we exit I just learn about things as they come to us. I don't feel an urge to see what headlines we missed. My insulation from the bombardment of "news" in the civilized world that you just can't seem to avoid [it's the only reason I know ANYTHING about the Kardashians! :) ] is one of the things I enjoy about BWCA trips. Several times come out of the wilderness to fairly big news: Olympics in Atlanta bombed, A mine collapse and rescue of its workers, Jacob Wetterling case (a decades-old kidnap/murder mystery in Central Minnesota) finally solved, etc. I don't feel like any less of a person because I learned of these things a few days later than most others did.

Maybe a bit off topic from this thread but one "civilized" device I can't leave behind is a watch or some type of timekeeping device. I've tried doing a trip without one and just "going with nature's natural rhythms" or gauging time by the sun or my internal body clock but I just find that uncomfortable and disorienting. Too often we've run out of daylight way faster than expected and had to eat and do dishes in the dark when we hadn't planned to or have slept quite a bit later than intended and then I just feel groggy and slug-ish through the whole day. I feel much better and "on track" if I have a more solid grasp on the actual time.

Getting the news on current events? Probably wait until it comes up or I'm going back to work.

Getting updates from family and letting them know I'm safe and coming home? As soon as we get a signal and our phones start blowing up.

None of us really care about the news. Family is more important. My wife always has some sort of drama that I need to hear about for some reason too. :( And that is about the time I start looking forward to the next year's trip.

I have a list of songs that I like to listen to on the way back to civilization. It seems to bring me a sense of celebration, reflection, and nostalgia about my trip and life in general. I’m not too interested in the news as I know I’ll see it all soon enough.

I like to update on current events as soon as I can after a trip, so the radio goes on.

And I always enjoy the updates I get when encountering other paddlers in the bush. This usually happens when the other paddlers learn I have out for awhile. Canadians are especially good about updating me on news from the states.

We only take a noaa radio along, only listen to weather when we feel it might be iffy the next day. Back in the car, we do listen to the radio, music only, on Sirius Xm so there is no news. We wait for the news until we're back home, unpacked, cleaned up etc. No hurry to find out news we can't do anything about.

Generally, no news is good news, but I check in with Susan as soon as a signal is dependable and close friends once on the main road home.
Showing my age here, but Murrow and his ilk were the last sources of news, since then it has been mostly hype. no news is good news and I seldom listen, even when at home. Mostly I travel with nothing on, sometimes music from the app on my device. Silence is golden.

I usually bring. WX radio but never turn it to AM-FM. Back in the car I prefer to think about my trip and start thinking about my next one. I’m already missing the peace of the woods. I feel no need to check news or listen to music on the 4-6 hour drive home, and sometimes wait until the next day.

Technology is killing our ability to operate as independent beings.

I only really listen to music on the way up and on the way back. So....never really. See who left voicemails or texts when I get back to service but no hurry unless something needs it.

We always debate on the way IN....what song to play last as we're getting close to the EP since that might be the one stuck in our heads for a week :)

We've had bohemian rhapsody....free bird....who knows. Hopefully not some lady gaga song

Since KQ sold their stations in Babbitt and Grand Marais I don't listen nearly as much. I've never been a news talk radio person but I like a little classic rock in the early morning or evening while completing chores. Now I just use my phone and a blue tooth speaker. Never have it on while I'm in the canoe or on portages though and I always keep it at a very low volume.

We listen to audio books and SiriusXM classic rock in both directions during our commute to/from Canoe Country. When back home I go through back issues of the local papers to catch up on local issues and to see if any of the folks I had the good fortune to work with for 30+ years are included in obits. National and international news will get to me in its own time--I don't go out of my way to catch up on it.

TZ

cyclones30: "I only really listen to music on the way up and on the way back. So....never really. See who left voicemails or texts when I get back to service but no hurry unless something needs it.


We always debate on the way IN....what song to play last as we're getting close to the EP since that might be the one stuck in our heads for a week :)


We've had bohemian rhapsody....free bird....who knows. Hopefully not some lady gaga song "

Over the years it seems like I just start saying the words of a certain song on portages. Probably do the same verse all week long on portages.

Note: I sing to myself very quietly. I don't think the animals or my partner want to hear me.

Gadfly: "Since KQ sold their stations in Babbitt and Grand Marais I don't listen nearly as much. I've never been a news talk radio person but I like a little classic rock in the early morning or evening while completing chores. Now I just use my phone and a blue tooth speaker. Never have it on while I'm in the canoe or on portages though and I always keep it at a very low volume. "

Use to love listening to the old format of WELY, it was a format not heard anywhere else.

They might say: "so and so coming to town and may need a ride or maybe can pick up your mail etc"..

I am one of those who takes in a short wave radio and listens to it here and there. My wife and I will occasionally turn it on and listen to the NPR shows in the afternoon. The last few years the signal has been so unpredictable during the day. On our trip last May (to Snipe Lake) we were unable to get any reliable signal.

When I solo, I also listen to the shortwave broadcasts once in a while. Those can be very interesting.

Mike

It usually gets turned on by whom ever is in the passenger seat (for music), some time before we hit Duluth. Not sure how long I'd wait. I don't listen to the radio much anyway, nor seek out news.

I turn on the radio as soon as I get in the car.

Here is a link to radio garden, you can listen to radio stations around the world, you can get your WELY fix here from anywhere with internet connection.



"Radio Garden" listen to radio stations across the world.

I have a five hour drive home, and have yet to ever turn the radio on for my trip home. I usually turn my phone on to let my wife know I'm headed home, and an approximate ETA, and then that gets shut off until I'm home as well.

I try to stay disconnected as long as possible. BTW.....who won the election?

bhouse46: "........Mostly I travel with nothing on......"

bhouse.....for the rest of our sakes - at least put on some shorts!!! ;P

yep - back in the car, i usually have WELY on. Same on the way to EP, although now it might include any of a multitude of SiriusXM stations as well.
On the way to MN, I like tuning in to local staions along the way as they pop up and then fade out. But also cd's and SiriusXM stuff as well.
I like the disconnection from events when I'm camping. I did bring my ipod along the last couple trips though and sometimes listened to music.

Bearpath9: "Maybe I'm weird, but I never listen to the radio. However, the music goes on about a minute after I start up the truck, and stays on."

Same here. I never listen to the news.
I fire up Pandora so I can get me some Allman Brothers!

portagedog09: "I try to stay disconnected as long as possible. BTW.....who won the election?

Oh my gosh! There's one to leave alone! Or are ya tryin' to stir the pot? :)

@ bt3 .....the pot

I don’t listen to it at home. To busy here getting well informed on the internet! Haha!

I have around a 10-12 hour drive home and I like to buy a newspaper to read while I wait for dinner in a restaurant. I like my news old school.

TomT: "I have around a 10-12 hour drive home and I like to buy a newspaper to read while I wait for dinner in a restaurant. I like my news old school. "

I like to buy a newspaper anytime I'm in a city/town away from home.

I’m no news person. When you hear every day that world is going to hell in a handbasket, pretty soon you start to believe it!
The radio is for music and science Friday!

HowardSprague: "

TomT: "I have around a 10-12 hour drive home and I like to buy a newspaper to read while I wait for dinner in a restaurant. I like my news old school. "

I like to buy a newspaper anytime I'm in a city/town away from home."

I am from Illinois and would look for the Star Tribune in Ely but more often than not I’d settle for the USA Today. Go to the Sports section first of course. :)

egknuti: "I have a list of songs that I like to listen to on the way back to civilization. It seems to bring me a sense of celebration, reflection, and nostalgia about my trip and life in general. I’m not too interested in the news as I know I’ll see it all soon enough. "

Spot on

I bring a little am/fm radio and I night you can get news from countries all around the wold as it bounces off the atmosphere. It's very neat

Mostly a solo tripper, I bring a radio along for when I start talking out loud to myself. Especially winter camping.......almost too freakishly quiet at times.
Of course I'm mindful of others, low volume and I keep an eye out for others passing by and will shut it off if so.

I usually come out of the woods on Saturday's, and it is a fun little tradition of mine to listen to Polka as I pack up camp. Only time I ever listen to that genre.
Just a music guy, not a big fan of listening to others talk on the airwaves. Will find out about the world when I get home.

But...... on our March 2019 winter trip, out of cell range, we tuned in every night around the campfire to hear what was being shut down or canceled. I left my office to head up on that trip, and have not worked in the office since. A lot of "What ifs?" were brought up after toasts around those campfires. Kind of a surreal trip, I think having the radio helped a bit, then it wasn't all guesses as to what was happening while we were away.

I've been tripping out of Sawbill most years lately. On my way out after packing up the truck I try and resist the urge to use Sawbill's wifi. Then, inevitably, somewhere on the road back to Tofte the signal will get strong enough to update my work e-mail, and the trip is over...

It's not so much getting away from the gadgets as getting away from the meaningless distraction and "noise". I'm old enough to remember when the phone was attached to the wall and you only got calls from people you knew, and only rarely, and mail wasn't full of "junk". I only listen to music on the radio, don't follow the news on TV, and read little of it anymore. I just wait until it catches up with me when I get out.

I bring a radio to have access to weather reports if it start looking questionable. I have a tiny MP3 player/radio that is very small and light.

Occasionally when I solo, if it's totally silent at night I will listen to headphones as I fall asleep.

When it's super calm, every single twig falling and animal moving around sounds very loud and close and it always makes me want to get up and check it out, which can drive you nuts if you let it.

when it's windy, there's no problem it's nice white noise.

Occasionally I may listen to headphones while sitting in a hammock relaxing, but usually the sounds of nature are better and enough for me.

I've never brought my phone along, yet.

I'll bring a combo AM/FM/WX thats powered by crank/solar/battery so I can keep up on weather.

I also bring a old cell phone so I can put in ear buds and listen to white noise to sleep.. Otherwise the I'm kept awake by my past HX of being around load things all my life..
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeee..

Those of you who have tinnitus know what I mean..

As a side story, I happened to be sleeping in my hammock, what lake it was escapes me.. My ear buds had fallen out and I hear some real quite noises, I assume its coons in camp.. I roll out of my rack, sweep camp with a flash light and I don't see any eyes, and the noises are gone. I crawl back into my hammock, get comfortable, noises start up again.. Rinse and repeat a few times.. Then it dawns on me that my tinnitus for some reason had stopped, and what I was hearing was my GI track doing its thing.. I tossed my buds back in and fell asleep. Don't worry though, my tinnitus was waiting for me in the AM..

I haven't listened to any actual radio in years. Now it is audio books or podcasts in the car when driving.

A couple of times when guys brought radios or ham radios to camp and got them out to listen to in the evening, the others suggested what would happen to them if they weren't turned back off.

I like to keep it off for a while. I’m not ready to jump back into that noise right away. One of my favorite parts about a trip is the quiet I’ll usually turn it back on in the car around Duluth on the way home which is about 1/2 way home. We’ve done a few trips where we’ve spent a couple nights in Ely or Grand Marais afterwards and we’ve kept the radio off until the drive home.

When I'm at home I have music on all day, and I read the news regularly in the AM and PM. Rarely watch the news.

On my trips I don't listen to the radio other than the weather radio. I found out about the 35W bridge collapse at the Sawbill store when I got back. I do have an ipod for music that I use periodically.

Other than the 35W collapse I generally listen to music on the way home. On that trip I listened to all I could find,\.

Off topic a bit but I can remember when I first went to canoe country way back in the 80’s, it was really cool to be able to tune in WELY. Coming from a big city then hearing what small town radio was like was so fascinating to me. I distinctly remember a section where they had a Trading Post, where they would sell things for local people. Another time they broadcast a lookout for a lost dog. A little different than the morning zoo on Chicago radio.

Also the music selection. Wow, I just loved it. Bluegrass mixed with folk and then some classic rock but it was not the usual hits. It had the feel that the DJ was just playing whatever they wanted.

Anybody remember that Charles Kuralt used to own the station for a bit? Another thing I’ll add is that it’s still there but big corporate seems to have gotten its dumbed down hooks into it. I miss those simpler days sometimes.

Usually I wait quite a while before doing this. I leave the windows open and slowly transition from my camping state of mind to a driving one. Sometimes it seems to take a while to get used to traveling so fast. As far as timing, normally I wait until I return to the first town I reach to turn on my electronic distractions, including my phone. I do not subject myself to news or other non music choices until I get home.

Yes WELY back decades ago was always fun to listen to. They had a format you wouldn't hear anywhere else.

Pinetree: "Over the years it seems like I just start saying the words of a certain song on portages. Probably do the same verse all week long on portages."

Ditto and always have. I also huff and puff in time to the verse spinning in my head, lol.

portagedog09: "I try to stay disconnected as long as possible. BTW.....who won the election?

bhouse46: "........Mostly I travel with nothing on......"

bhouse.....for the rest of our sakes - at least put on some shorts!!! ;P"

I laughed three times at this. Once for each funny, then once again as I am typing this. THANK YOU.