Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

THE FIVE WORN OUT INDIANS
by crazycanoe

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 07/27/2014
Entry & Exit Point: Moose/Portage River (north) (EP 16)
Number of Days: 5
Group Size: 5
Part 6 of 8
DAY 4, WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

Breakfast – French toast with syrup and bacon.

We headed out early and on the 96R portage a group of guys passed us on the portage. “One-eyed girl carries picture box stalking critters” practically ran the portage to catch them. They were already launched and she yelled out to them to please do us a favor when they got to town. She repeated our name, outfitter name, and takeout information, and they repeated it back to us a couple of times. Ok, so THAT’s two tries to get a message to our outfitter, and still not knowing whether they would receive any of the messages still left us concerned.

We did the next portage, 70R and headed into Nina Moose Lake, where we took the first campsite on the east bank. BACK to skeeter land (I don’t think I’ve mentioned skeeters in this report enough ….just sayin’).

We set up camp and filled bellies for lunch (eating some of our dinner meals for lunch – I believe we ate Chicken and Rice Mountain House freeze-dried meal and a Beef Stew meal with bread and butter and mashed taters). Had some nice non-forecasted thunderstorm this afternoon AND again early evening.

For dinner we ate Turkey Tetrazzini and mashed taters, and blueberry muffins for desert.

This being our last evening, we toasted with a homemade concoction (called Arbagutz) made with Ginger Brandy and Peppermint Schnapps, to our beloved and missed friend - Rambo (and father of one member). We sat and listened as his son, “Young virgin boy with many knives chopping wood” told us many stories about him and his father. We ended the evening with a special ceremony for Rambo that only the people that know him could appreciate. THIS country was something that he LOVED. It just seemed only appropriate to give closure here in the BWCA. We could not have asked for a better evening. The water was like glass and no wind or skeeters. It was a very solemn evening of once again mourning, rejoicing, and letting go.

Loon singing




Lunch grub

Lunch grub

Voyageur staff hats - traditional picture on every trip

Blueberry Muffins

Day 4 fog

"Girl wearing hoops, hate 'em skeeters" and "One-eyed girl carries picture box stalking critters"


RAMBO'S SPECIAL TRIBUTE


The "symbol canoe" for Rambo

Rambo's special ride

Symbolizing a viking ceremony that Rambo always stated he wanted if something were to happen




Day 4 Sunset on Canoes