Just about to leave, going into Missing Link on Sunday. The wind looks like it could be tough on Monday, hope for the best. Will have a trip report when I get back.

Bryan

Have a great 2nd solo trip, Bryan!

How long are you out and where are you headed? I'm leaving home tomorrow and entering Wednesday not far away at Cross Bay with an exit through Missing Link.

Enjoy! Perhaps it was just that I was there earlier this year, but it seems many of us have journeyed into that area this year. It is a pretty area and you should have some great color for your trip.
How long are you staying?

Awesome! I hope your 2nd is as good as mine was. This makes me wish I was heading out for #3. Maybe you and boonie will cross paths. DeterminedOrange is someone I enjoyed meeting and boonie is someone I'd like to meet sometime.

Looking forward to the Trip Report.

Thanks guys, I had one last chance to get wifi tonight and read your words of encouragement. Getting a late put in at Round lake tomorrow and plan to exit late Thursday or early Friday. Either way going down to Long Island or out to Crooked depending on wind. I'll be in my solo stripper, sorry no flying moose on that one. If you see me, say hi! Thanks again.

Just got back, came out late yesterday vs. this morning due to continuous rain in the forecast and I was only two small portages away. It was a nice trip, I'll maybe get a report going soon.

I ran into boonie on the way out, just entering Ham Lake to start a 12 day solo. He is a heck of a nice guy and we had a good chat, I hope he didn't get delayed too much with the wet start.

so what was the final route?

Oops. I forgot that Steve’s trip was going to be almost 2 weeks long. I sent him an e-mail this morning thinking he was about to start his drive to Minnesota.

quote cowdoc: "so what was the final route?"

Well, I had some things to think about and listened to my heart which changed this trip into a mini loop/relax/base camp type of thing. I entered Round Lake Sunday morning after an early AM drive up and exited Cross River Wednesday afternoon. I traveled through Missing Link, Snipe, Cross Bay, Rib and Ham Lakes, camping on the second and third. During the day I explored and bushwacked around Cross Bay and Rib.

My trip started on Saturday when I stopped at a wedding reception for a family member. I stayed that night at my parents house to save two hours driving. It was on this visit I learned that my mother has been diagnosed with cancer. This sort of let a little wind out of my sails and I chose to continue but not press too hard. Once again, soloing is about being flexible.

It was a nice time, the wind wasn't too cooperative but the lakes were small. The temps were perfect and didn't see anyone for two days. In fact, boonie was the first I saw since Monday morning. That was really nice talking with him.

quote DeterminedOrange: "

quote cowdoc: "so what was the final route?"

Well, I had some things to think about and listened to my heart which changed this trip into a mini loop/relax/base camp type of thing. I entered Round Lake Sunday morning after an early AM drive up and exited Cross River Wednesday afternoon. I traveled through Missing Link, Snipe, Cross Bay, Rib and Ham Lakes, camping on the second and third. During the day I explored and bushwacked around Cross Bay and Rib.


My trip started on Saturday when I stopped at a wedding reception for a family member. I stayed that night at my parents house to save two hours driving. It was on this visit I learned that my mother has been diagnosed with cancer. This sort of let a little wind out of my sails and I chose to continue but not press too hard. Once again, soloing is about being flexible.


It was a nice time, the wind wasn't too cooperative but the lakes were small. The temps were perfect and didn't see anyone for two days. In fact, boonie was the first I saw since Monday morning. That was really nice talking with him.
"

Sorry to learn of your Mother's diagnosis, but she has a good strong son to help her along.

I'm jealous of your trip!!

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I'll add her to my prayers. Originally I had planned to try and meet up w/ boonie and do a partial group solo w/ him but coaching my daughter's soccer team and other parts of life got in the way. I'm glad you enjoyed your 2nd solo.

Thanks for the kind words and prayers for my Mom.

Funny thing I noticed again about soloing, I was easily discouraged by the solid rain forecasted and left a day early. Tandem trips I would never have done that unless urged by others to do so. Maybe it is because I got so much peace and quiet in 4 days, I didn't feel the need for 1 more?

Anyway, thanks again guys.

Sorry to hear about your mom. Good time to be there for her. I ended a trip early once when I knew my dad was having back surgery. Hang in there.

Glad you had a good trip. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. FRED

Sorry to hear about your Mom's diagnosis. Many have a high rate of cure and I certainly hope that is the case with your mother.

It was nice meeting you and talking.

Thanks boonie, glad to see you are back OK. Hope you had a good trip!

boonie, just realized I have three pictures from my trip with you in them. I like to snap some photos at most portage landings and you were still in sight so I took a couple. Not the best quality and you are going the other way but thought you might like to see. I can email if you want them, an edited version of one here:

Thanks, yes I would like to see them. At least you got my good side ;).

Afterwards I regretted not getting a picture of you and that beautiful stripper, but I guess I was focused on beating the rain to Snipe, hoping to get set up before the rain since I had never set this shelter up. I didn't quite make it, but at least it wasn't a downpour either.

One of these days, I'll get some pictures up and a trip report - just too much going on now.

Thanks again for the picture.

D.O. hope things go well with your mom. Between you, boonie and myself, I think we tramped through most of this area. Glad everybody had a good trip.

You 3 have me wanting to hit this area on my next solo. I did a daddy/daughter trip to Cross Bay Lake and back and a daytrip with my wife from Round to Cross Bay River through Missing Link/Snipe and both of those trips in addition to your solos make me wanting to see more of the area.

Hey boonie..... on a side note... did they give you the Northstar Yoke to use on your trip w/ the Norhtstar Magic?

ducks-

No, I just ended up with some crappy old yoke with one side missing a washer and it had a knurled knob of some sort that was digging into the wood slot and just kept turning sometimes (similar to a stripped thread) and was hard to tell sometimes if it was tight. A couple of times it slipped and once came off entirely when grabbed by branches, causing me to fall and drop the canoe. Kind of disappointed in that.

ducks-

Forgot to mention that I thought the area was really neat. I thought Snipe was a really nice lake (kind of similar to Omega). It's an interesting trip down from Cross Bay to there and then through Howl to Tuscarora.

boonie.... that's a huge bummer about the yoke. We really liked Snipe passing through on the daytrip and thought the same thing about Omega. From there to Tusc through Howl is some of what I'm interested in. Looking forward to your report.