New Trip Report posted by Frenchy19

Trip Name: LIS-First Solo!.

Entry Point: 14

Click Here to View Trip Report

Good writing! Here are three of many nuggets:

"...creatures no larger than my nostril hairs...."

"...220 pound burrito...."

"...did nothing to stem the skeeters from participating in my weight loss program...."

I was a teacher and became a writer. You could do the same.

I enjoyed your report and photos. You write well. You should reconsider and write more. I like the way you wrote about struggle and suffering and how you controlled yourself when that guy asked you if you got lucky.

Congratulations on your first solo! Great Job Frenchy.

Wonderful report Frenchy! Very in depth report, I was almost there with you, and no, that wasn't me asking if you got lucky =)

LOL Great report, Frenchy19! Made me laugh and made me feel for you with the tent situation. Been there...no fun. I really did enjoy reading it! Thanks!

I really enjoyed your report. I took this same exact trip at the end of May with similar results. I had gear issues on Fat and pushed hard to get out in two days. Fat to Oyster and then Oyster to the EP the next day. I was not as lucky as you on Oyster and ended up taking the site on the far east.

Reliving it along with you I can't help but understand how you must have felt by the time you got the the take out. I even had the same motivation - a big old burger at Ely Steakhouse.

Funny, as hard as it was I still look back on it fondly. Hope you do too.

quote missmolly: "Good writing! Here are three of many nuggets:


"...creatures no larger than my nostril hairs...."


"...220 pound burrito...."


"...did nothing to stem the skeeters from participating in my weight loss program...."


I was a teacher and became a writer. You could do the same."

Thanks for the compliment!

quote bbrown6057: "Wonderful report Frenchy! Very in depth report, I was almost there with you, and no, that wasn't me asking if you got lucky =)"

Funny! Looking back, I wish I wasn't so short with the guy. He and the gal with him were having a blast, and kudos to them for spending the day on the water.

quote BdubBear: "I really enjoyed your report. I took this same exact trip at the end of May with similar results. I had gear issues on Fat and pushed hard to get out in two days. Fat to Oyster and then Oyster to the EP the next day. I was not as lucky as you on Oyster and ended up taking the site on the far east.


Reliving it along with you I can't help but understand how you must have felt by the time you got the the take out. I even had the same motivation - a big old burger at Ely Steakhouse.


Funny, as hard as it was I still look back on it fondly. Hope you do too."

The Oyster to EP 14 was a long day, but I do recall it fondly and look forward to my next solo which will probably be something short in late August depending on permit location availability.

I don't know why but I actually laughed out loud at your comment about needing pliers to undo your knots, along with many of your description. Thanks for taking the time to write this up. One of the better trip reports I've read.

Sounds like a successful first solo, minus the gear issues.

Frenchy,
Solo's particularly your first one is a blast until you find what works good and what doesn't! Sounds like you had a great time even with the difficulties. Great report!

Bruce

quote RainGearRight: "I don't know why but I actually laughed out loud at your comment about needing pliers to undo your knots, along with many of your description. Thanks for taking the time to write this up. One of the better trip reports I've read.


Sounds like a successful first solo, minus the gear issues."

Hard to admit, but I just cannot tie knots. I've been to websites that show, with videos, how to tie 1,325 different knots for various purposes, and I practice, yet when I get into the wilderness, I have more than brain farts when it comes to remembering how to tie the darn knots-I have hard core brain skitters!

This is probably payback for my quitting cub scouts after I got my bobcat badge, but, then again, I am pretty sure my den mother was the person Stephen King modeled his Annie Wilkes character after for his book "Misery."

Maybe someday...

quote Frenchy19: "

quote RainGearRight: "I don't know why but I actually laughed out loud at your comment about needing pliers to undo your knots, along with many of your description. Thanks for taking the time to write this up. One of the better trip reports I've read.



Sounds like a successful first solo, minus the gear issues."

Hard to admit, but I just cannot tie knots. I've been to websites that show, with videos, how to tie 1,325 different knots for various purposes, and I practice, yet when I get into the wilderness, I have more than brain farts when it comes to remembering how to tie the darn knots-I have hard core brain skitters!


This is probably payback for my quitting cub scouts after I got my bobcat badge, but, then again, I am pretty sure my den mother was the person Stephen King modeled his Annie Wilkes character after for his book "Misery."

Maybe someday...


"

ahahahhhhhahahah! Two knots. Slippery half hitch and truckers hitch. That's all i use. Super simple and effective, or you could just bring in thirty ratchet straps. Problem solved!

quote RainGearRight: "

quote Frenchy19: "

quote RainGearRight: "I don't know why but I actually laughed out loud at your comment about needing pliers to undo your knots, along with many of your description. Thanks for taking the time to write this up. One of the better trip reports I've read.



Sounds like a successful first solo, minus the gear issues."

Hard to admit, but I just cannot tie knots. I've been to websites that show, with videos, how to tie 1,325 different knots for various purposes, and I practice, yet when I get into the wilderness, I have more than brain farts when it comes to remembering how to tie the darn knots-I have hard core brain skitters!



This is probably payback for my quitting cub scouts after I got my bobcat badge, but, then again, I am pretty sure my den mother was the person Stephen King modeled his Annie Wilkes character after for his book "Misery."


Maybe someday...



"

ahahahhhhhahahah! Two knots. Slippery half hitch and truckers hitch. That's all i use. Super simple and effective, or you could just bring in thirty ratchet straps. Problem solved!"

What I should have brought was that hammock you so graciously said you would loan me...problem solved! Except I would have needed the pliers to remove the straps:)

Looking forward to purchasing a WBBB and Superfly tarp...

Thanks, I enjoyed reading.

So the question you have to ask your self Frenchy is will you solo again? I did one solo last fall and, while I loved it, I'm not sure it is my first choice. I'd certainly solo again if I didn't have a partner to go with, but not sure it's my first choice. Though not having to ever consult another sole about what site or what to eat or which way to go was nice.

quote BillConner01: "So the question you have to ask your self Frenchy is will you solo again? I did one solo last fall and, while I loved it, I'm not sure it is my first choice. I'd certainly solo again if I didn't have a partner to go with, but not sure it's my first choice. Though not having to ever consult another sole about what site or what to eat or which way to go was nice."

I'd definitely go again, in fact, I'll probably go sometime this fall. The reason I bought the solo was because it's hard finding people to trip with. I usually travel with my girls, but they're at that teenage stage where they are not that interested in hanging out with Dad, and the guys I go with either do want to be in longer than 4 nights or can only get a couple of days off.

While I like traveling with others, I really like the freedom afforded me with the purchase of the solo. Not sure if the Magic is the right boat for me, however, as I'm two weeks out and my hips are still sore. Looking forward to paddling a Wenonah Wilderness, and I'd also really like to try a Swift Shearwater, but I think this will only happen with a rad trip into Ontario or out east somewhere.

I really enjoyed your trip report, Frenchy. I love hearing about first solos. Sounded a lot like mine and others I have read, except you really had bad luck with the gear. BA will probably replace the stuff for you, but the best warranty is the one you don't have to use. I'm glad you finally found the pictos on Rocky - they're a little different, more mysterious.

I think I still took way too much food on my second solo, but now I only take a little too much. Most times I don't have a fire on solos, so I don't usually take the saw and hatchet - just extra weight. I think both of these activities must have a much greater social aspect than we realize.

Glad you survived it and are ready for your next one...with a few differences of course.

quote boonie: "I really enjoyed your trip report, Frenchy. I love hearing about first solos. Sounded a lot like mine and others I have read, except you really had bad luck with the gear. BA will probably replace the stuff for you, but the best warranty is the one you don't have to use. I'm glad you finally found the pictos on Rocky - they're a little different, more mysterious.


I think I still took way too much food on my second solo, but now I only take a little too much. Most times I don't have a fire on solos, so I don't usually take the saw and hatchet - just extra weight. I think both of these activities must have a much greater social aspect than we realize.


Glad you survived it and are ready for your next one...with a few differences of course.


"

Thanks! BA is fixing the tent and replacing the mattress pad (which I did not even ask for; just included it as anecdotal info in the email I sent them. The thing was 10 years old. BA gets a big thumb's up from me on this one.).

My shoulder needs some more rest, but I am going to do a solo in October if I can figure out how to get out of a couple of workshop days over the MEA weekend at the school where I teach. I think I feel a cold coming on...!

Just tell them you were kidnapped by alien bigfeet in an interstellar canoe, Frenchy! And interrogated for days in the wilderness before being released unharmed :). If you REALLY believe, you'll be able to pass the lie detector test.

quote Frenchy19: "Not sure if the Magic is the right boat for me, however, as I'm two weeks out and my hips are still sore. Looking forward to paddling a Wenonah Wilderness, and I'd also really like to try a Swift Shearwater, but I think this will only happen with a rad trip into Ontario or out east somewhere."

Don't rule out the Souris River Tranquility. I loved it, plus if you go to Atikokan to rent one or just to try them, you can tour the factory. I could not find a south side outfitter that rented a Tranq but several on north do.

quote BillConner01: "

quote Frenchy19: "Not sure if the Magic is the right boat for me, however, as I'm two weeks out and my hips are still sore. Looking forward to paddling a Wenonah Wilderness, and I'd also really like to try a Swift Shearwater, but I think this will only happen with a rad trip into Ontario or out east somewhere."

Don't rule out the Souris River Tranquility. I loved it, plus if you go to Atikokan to rent one or just to try them, you can tour the factory. I could not find a south side outfitter that rented a Tranq but several on north do."

Good call. I did rent a Tranquility from Red Rock for an ill fated solo attempt about 10 years ago, but I do not remember how it handled as I was completely freaked out by a massive storm that blew in shortly after my departure from Lake One.

I do want to tour the SR factory as I have a Quetico 17 and really enjoy that boat.

Very nice report. We took the same route just 3 days earlier. We had beautiful weather for most of our trip. On Wednesday, we were camped on Lynx and it got brutally hot. We spent a good portion of Wednesday afternoon swimming at the beach at the end of the Ruby portage. We exited on Thursday early in the morning. Timing is everything :)

quote snakecharmer: "Very nice report. We took the same route just 3 days earlier. We had beautiful weather for most of our trip. On Wednesday, we were camped on Lynx and it got brutally hot. We spent a good portion of Wednesday afternoon swimming at the beach at the end of the Ruby portage. We exited on Thursday early in the morning. Timing is everything :)"

You had an in with the gods of good weather! It was warm when I was in, but it was also really windy, so that helped, and a hot day in the Dub beats a hot day at home any day of the week!

I really enjoyed reading your report, thank you for taking the time to write it!

I loved your pet name for the tent, made me chuckle every time you brought it up, sorry to hear it eventually failed.

Nice report, I enjoyed reading it. I've been considering my first solo trip and this is pushing me towards trying it.

sounds like an adventure for a first solo. you have a lot of patience.. i would have ripped that tent to shreds out of sheer frustration and blamed it on sleep deprivation.

enjoyed the pic of that huge rock..wow!

Tent Update: I sent the Sarcophagus to Big Agnes and explained what happened. They replaced the zipper and also repaired a tear elsewhere in the screen that was there when I purchased the thing. Upon hearing that my mattress also blew a leak the same evening, they also sent me a new Air Core, no questions asked, even though I did not expect nor ask them to do so as the mattress was a good 10 years old.

I still hate the Sarcophagus, but I have nothing but good to say about the customer service at Big Agnes!!

If anyone wants a solo tent pretty cheap...:)

quote Frenchy19: "Tent Update: I sent the Sarcophagus to Big Agnes and explained what happened. They replaced the zipper and also repaired a tear elsewhere in the screen that was there when I purchased the thing. Upon hearing that my mattress also blew a leak the same evening, they also sent me a new Air Core, no questions asked, even though I did not expect nor ask them to do so as the mattress was a good 10 years old.


I still hate the Sarcophagus, but I have nothing but good to say about the customer service at Big Agnes!!


If anyone wants a solo tent pretty cheap...:)"

That’s good to hear, I’m thinking of picking up a Copper Spur UL2 for solo use, snuck into one the other day and couldn't believe the room it offered for 3.5 pounds, but could never stomach the price if their service wasn’t good.

quote Ragged: "

quote Frenchy19: "Tent Update: I sent the Sarcophagus to Big Agnes and explained what happened. They replaced the zipper and also repaired a tear elsewhere in the screen that was there when I purchased the thing. Upon hearing that my mattress also blew a leak the same evening, they also sent me a new Air Core, no questions asked, even though I did not expect nor ask them to do so as the mattress was a good 10 years old.



I still hate the Sarcophagus, but I have nothing but good to say about the customer service at Big Agnes!!



If anyone wants a solo tent pretty cheap...:)"

That’s good to hear, I’m thinking of picking up a Copper Spur UL2 for solo use, snuck into one the other day and couldn't believe the room it offered for 3.5 pounds, but could never stomach the price if their service wasn’t good. "

Ragged - Nemo is going to be jealous of this statement. :)

Wow! Heat, bugs, and gear failure....bet you can't wait for your next solo adventure :) Fall is a good choice...try a short 3-4 day loop, they are my favorite. Just enough time to recharge.

quote mooseplums: "Wow! Heat, bugs, and gear failure....bet you can't wait for your next solo adventure :) Fall is a good choice...try a short 3-4 day loop, they are my favorite. Just enough time to recharge."

Sounds good...I'll need to play hookey from school for a couple of days, but it will be worth it!

Great Report Frenchy!
I would love to know your reply to...
"Well, did you get lucky?"
To be honest, I find his question to be hysterical considering that it was a solo trip.
Thanks for sharing!
Ross

A good read but will be even better 20 years from now. I think it is important that we write some of the bigger milestones down for our kids to read. Thanks for sharing.

quote H8weakness: "Great Report Frenchy!
I would love to know your reply to...
"Well, did you get lucky?"
To be honest, I find his question to be hysterical considering that it was a solo trip.
Thanks for sharing!
Ross


"

Not my finest moment, but it went something like this...

"Well, did you get lucky?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

"You know what luck is, don't you?"

"Yes I do. It's what you're about to run out of if you don't get your f*&%ing canoe out of my way."

Again, not my proudest moment, made especially more so as the woman he was with was filming this whole interaction with her point and shoot...

Great trip report Frenchy. I too laughed at you nickname for your tent as I know what it's like to sleep in a solo tent. Thank you for sharing your trip.

Great report Frenchy... You did an awesome job. Keep it up and you'll be publishing your encounters and living high off the profits. :) It's fun to name things out there... But a tent to me is just a shack. I had a Copper Spur in WCPP that was borrowed as mine wasn't in yet. I've got a few nights in my new one and the last one I was flooded out badly... but I stayed dry! My buddy has sent his in for various reasons and BA sends a new one if it can't be fixed. I'm thinkin I'll get a few nights in it yet this year, but I'm taking the Lean shelter too I think. Both tents together weigh less than most tents or about the same. Twenty days til the big trip...

Like Ross, I thought it was a pretty funny question, Frenchy. I'm sorry you were having such a bad day - understandable under the circumstances though - and missed an opportunity to share the wealth. I hope you have better luck on your next solo.

quote nctry: "Great report Frenchy... You did an awesome job. Keep it up and you'll be publishing your encounters and living high off the profits. :) It's fun to name things out there... But a tent to me is just a shack. I had a Copper Spur in WCPP that was borrowed as mine wasn't in yet. I've got a few nights in my new one and the last one I was flooded out badly... but I stayed dry! My buddy has sent his in for various reasons and BA sends a new one if it can't be fixed. I'm thinkin I'll get a few nights in it yet this year, but I'm taking the Lean shelter too I think. Both tents together weigh less than most tents or about the same. Twenty days til the big trip..."

Thanks, Ben. As you know, it's been a tough year for me personally, so to have been able to make the trip was a success. The tent? It was a pain in the butt, but I learned from it, to say the least! I also learned that I love soloing, and I hope to make a short trip this fall providing I can the time off.

I am looking forward to hearing about the details of your Odyssey...just do not make the same mistakes that Odysseus did!

quote boonie: "Like Ross, I thought it was a pretty funny question, Frenchy. I'm sorry you were having such a bad day - understandable under the circumstances though - and missed an opportunity to share the wealth. I hope you have better luck on your next solo."

Everything was going pretty well until the tent decided to explode! I am looking forward to the next solo, although I am not sure it will be in the Bell Magic. Three weeks out and my hips still hurt...then again, I turn 50 in September, so maybe it's not the boat!?!?

I will fish more on the next trip and make darn sure that my tent is bomb proof. While I appreciate BA fixing it for me, I can say without hesitation that I will never use that thing again!

I was thinking the other day that maybe your hips hurt because you had tight hamstrings/hip flexors, but you said you didn't have that ptoblem in the tandem. Still, it wouldn't hurt to do some stretches.

Have fun on your next solo. When was it...Oct? At least there won't be hordes of mosquitos :). I'll be up the Gunflint the end of Sept.

Nice trip report Frenchy, very entertaining reading. I noticed that you and I have at least a few similar priorities: a room at the Adventure Inn and the humongo-burger at the Ely Steak House. I got my room before the fish hook removal and the burger right after. That couple at the take-out, there was something going on there. Why did the woman film the episode? It was almost like a Greenpeace sit-in or something. Only one f-bomb? I am a retired Army First Sergeant, I would have moved it for him whether or he wanted me to or not, and insulted his mother while at it.
A few comments on what "hurt" you on your trip:
I use a two-person backpacking tent, the Eureka Spitfire 2. I am 6'2" and 230, and I can sit up in it to dress. It is not overly large, though; the 2 people who use it better be close friends. It sets up quickly, is not too heavy, and does not feel like a sarcophagus.

I also bought the ENO hammock at Piragis. It requires no knots due to the strap system, and I did sleep in it on the second part of my trip. Rolling over on your side is mostly an exercise in futility, but I had no problem sleeping and my back hurt a little less than in the tent, with the backpacking weight air mattress.

Again, nice trip report, please do write one after your next trip. I just did my first, and there is a learning curve! I put the entire report in the preamble, and had to re-write it all. The first version was better. I also put a photo of a Bison in the BWCA.

Thanks again for one of the best reports of the year.

Great report Frenchy! I was going though the dates on the report page & it says 6-25-13. As I am reading & enjoying every last sentence, I looked at the date & said wow, he's doing this tomorrow :)
I was locked in & couldn't put it down.
Excellent job of writing!
All the written above is great! Love it!
I wouldn't mind doing a solo some time but I don't think my wife would allow it. She would have to come with.
Can you tell us exactly where the pictographs are on Rocky? I've never seen any & have caught my attention.

Thanks again on one of the best reports I've read as well. I hope you re-evaluate your decision on writing another report, Very well done!

Great report Frenchy. I was on the edge of my seat during the tent zipper episode. What a nightmare. I hope my new BA tent serves me better. I too am overwhelmed at slobs that try to burn strange items and leave them for us to clean up. Or slobs that litter the sites with shell casings or in my case pistachio shells. I spent hours cleaning them up. I have never gone solo but I am intrigued . It is funny how soloists don't eat much. I too am an avid fisherman and and always bring leeches and care for them tenderly. I too would have struggled with the decision to finally to dump them in the woods to lighten the load. I hope the thwart bag is getting some usage. Thanks for the report.