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ewbeyer
senior member (63)senior membersenior member
  
09/09/2013 11:50AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
New Trip Report posted by ewbeyer

Trip Name: Voyageur Route.

Entry Point: Other

Click Here to View Trip Report
 
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billconner
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09/09/2013 01:03PM  
Neat report! Thanks. I'd like to do that - Grand Portage to Lake of the Woods or reverse.

Did you have a BWCA permit for that portion? Any other permits required?
ewbeyer
senior member (63)senior membersenior member
  
09/09/2013 01:36PM  
We had a permit for entry on North Fowl. That was all we needed as we never stayed in Canada - just used portages or paddled border waters. I agree re: LOW. That can be the next leg.
09/09/2013 07:00PM  
thanks for the trip report and the photos. several look like old-time photos, very nostalgic.
blister relief is good!
09/09/2013 08:40PM  
Not sure if it would be a trip for me but I am amazed at the distance you covered. Somewhat like reading a modern day journal of Lewis & Clark.
Savage Voyageur
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09/09/2013 09:54PM  
Nice job guys, and only in 8 days. Thanks for the report/pictures. I did the GP to Sag in six days and it was a killer trip. I can only imagine your trip. I tip my hat to you both.
landoftheskytintedwater
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09/10/2013 11:14AM  
Awesome. This is on my bucket list but from west to east!
ewbeyer
senior member (63)senior membersenior member
  
09/10/2013 03:30PM  
Thanks all. It was strange - we actually figured on averaging about 20 miles per day for about a 10 day pace plus some wind days and whatnot. Actually prepared for two weeks away. We made a real rough estimate of our distance in the tent after the first couple nights. After about day three, I took a little more care in looking at the maps/scale and details of our route and I realized that we were going further than we thought. That sort of inspired us, and about that time, we figured the rest/calorie ratio to feeling good. So, as the days wore on, we would sort of look at each other and say "I feel good, how about you?" and we would continue on. Two perfect wind days really helped our speed too.

I will say that when I got home, I was extraordinarily hungry for a couple of days.

My next trip is likely to be far more relaxing. But, I just had the urge to "go-go-go" for a longer trip and so did my buddy. I think we were inspired by the "distant fires" book. We know one of the guys on part of that trip to York factory. The difference of course was that they were college age, and were are 40 and 35 with kids at home!

Also - the "which direction to go" debate was a fun one. Ultimately, we went with getting the hardest part done first (with the pack drop plan too), starting at the lake (we live in the Duluth area), and having currents with us after South Lake. The flip side is a downhill GP (but the uphill portion was really not that long beyond Hwy 61), and predominant winds. Since wind is THE most frustrating variable, we decided to not bank on it. It also leaves a nice starting point for another leg to L.O.W. or something.
09/10/2013 05:05PM  
you did it the 'right' direction, same as the voyageurs.. I think we talked about this when you stopped in for bandaids. the most difficult part of your trip was the first few days, best to get them out of the way right away.
good luck with planning the next leg of your trip.
G
Guest Paddler
  
09/12/2013 04:38PM  
Thanks for posting such a nice summary of our trip. What a trip.
09/12/2013 07:43PM  
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
SOVOS
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09/19/2013 09:36AM  
Ran into you guys on the North Arm of Knife. Delighted to see that you made your route! Congratulations:)
ewbeyer
senior member (63)senior membersenior member
  
09/23/2013 09:20AM  
Thanks! I think that Sunday night was our latest pulling into camp - nearly needed to headlamps to pitch the tent!
Turnpike
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10/10/2013 12:42PM  
Wow, great trip. I'd like to do that trip some day. My longest day was from east end of Gunflint to south end of Ottertrack.

I'm jonesing to do the Grand Portage and make the run to Vermillion.
10/11/2013 07:45PM  
I used to do the mile thing back in the day, but I've found it much more rewarding to slow down a bit and enjoy things. That said, I admire what you guys did and enjoyed your report. That's the beauty of the BW... You can paddle about any pace you want.
HammerII
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10/11/2013 11:06PM  
You folks were moving hard. Have walked a few miles of the Grand to get a feel for it and what it must have been like back in the day moving huge loads over the trail
ewbeyer
senior member (63)senior membersenior member
  
10/14/2013 11:05AM  
My thought is a really hard "miles" trip makes a relaxing, or a destination trip that much more rewarding, and I will not be able to enjoy the physical/endurance part of it forever.

Turnpike - do it! :) Hammerll - I can only imagine how hard it must have been to move such heavy loads 8 1/2 miles. But I will say, I can understand how one could get hardened to it. After a couple of days, I could already notice that I no longer had such pain in my hips carrying the heavy Superior One across longer and uphill portages. Amazing how the body adapts.
 
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