Click to View the Full Thread

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Looks like someone found my barrel

Author

Message Text

Mocha

07/16/2025 06:44AM

well, that is really cool! a more recent time capsule.

timatkn

07/16/2025 06:56PM

Never get tired of the humor you deliver :)

T

inspector13

07/16/2025 07:07PM

In sharing this with newer friends, I got a lot of thumbs up and laughing emoji s with positive comments.

pleflar

07/17/2025 06:49PM

It's not a win if the wilderness or wildlife end up more attuned to humans.

HighnDry

07/17/2025 08:59PM

Nothing that duct tape can't fix :)

OneMatch

07/17/2025 05:43PM

Hey everyone,
Thanks for the comments on the song. I truly enjoyed your enthusiasm! It was a ton of fun to write and record along with playing it on stage for the Canoecopia audience.

On another note, it looks like my hope that this was my barrel was a false alarm. It turns out the paddler who took the pic was on the other Caribou Lake, not the one I lost mine on. So the mystery continues - but the song lives on.

Honestly, getting that song was worth the loss of the barrel!

Thanks again.

scat

07/17/2025 08:07PM

Yawn…. Great song & story. I haven’t heard any bluegrass type music in a long time and that struck a chord so to speak. I listened to it like 5x so far this week. If you have any more you can share I would love to hear it. Makes me want to get a bluegrass cd. It instantly reminded me of the Gerry Garcia album Old and In the Way, which I have, but can’t play without a turntable stylus dang. Maybe you have a cd, if it has more cool songs like that I might be tempted to check it out. C’mon man give us one more like that one.

Cheers scat

HowardSprague

08/03/2025 10:11AM

Headwind is one of my favorites of yours.
Guitar leads - John Foster?

LindenTree

07/23/2025 04:17PM

Good music Jerry. I thought you only wrote campfire songs.

pleflar

07/16/2025 07:32PM

No matter if the barrel in photo is yours or some other paddler's, the bear won.

OneMatch

07/15/2025 10:45PM

Some of you may remember that in 2013, I awoke on my campsite on Caribou Lake to confront a bear dragging my 30L barrel into the woods. I went back to that campsite 5 years later determined to find my barrel. I even wrote a song about it (The Bear Barrel Polka). Never found it.

Thanks to Howard Sprague on this board, he found a Facebook post that someone found a 30L some years ago and posted a pic of it. It sure looks like mine tho it's hard to identify the contents in the pic. I've reached out to the OP hoping to find out which site this was found on to hopefully close the case.

I'm betting this barrel is mine.

Original thread is here Original bear barrel thread

Freddy

07/16/2025 07:13AM

So could you post a rendition of your song or do we need to book a flight to Nashville? :-)

OneMatch

07/16/2025 08:59AM

Freddy, I can post it via a simple YouTube link. Also, we did it with Kevin Callan at Canoecopia one year. I'll post that as well. Good for a few smiles.

Thanks for asking. But definitely let me know if you ever come to Nashtown.

Here is the YouTube link of the actual recording of the song:
Bear Barrel Polka

Kevin Callan and the Bear Barrel Polka at Canoecopia

Freddy

07/16/2025 01:53PM

Thanks Jerry!

Truly Outstanding. I'm not a member of the Recording Academy, but I believe this deserves nomination for a Grammy.

scat

07/16/2025 04:01PM

Dude - That is awesome. The combo of bluegrass and polka is a winner. I liked it right away when I got the bluegrass notes, great lyrics, very fun.
Stupid bear...

Bravo - I like it! scat

inspector13

07/19/2025 07:56PM

I didn't get any yawns. But then many of my older friends are dead and out of the way, unfortunately. People I know find it clever.

Spartan2

08/03/2025 10:58AM

OneMatch: "Thanks again everyone. I'm honored to have a few "fans" here. And I truly am very appreciative of your support.

Meanwhile, since you asked, I actually have several CDs available - all very acoustic with lots of fiddle, guitar and such. You can listen to samples and purchase here

Thanks again!
Jerry"

We are Jerry Vandiver "fans." We always go to all three of his performances at Canoecopia and that is interesting because even though they perform the same songs each time, there is always something different and memorable. We have all of his CD's and whenever we were headed north to the Canoe Country we listened to the songs to get us in the mood. We would often sing along, just me and Spartan1 and our granddaughter, who also knows all of the material.

Don't just access his music for free--buy a CD and support him in a career that is beyond "fun for a moment." There are songs on each CD that have a humorous theme, but there are also sentimental compositions, thoughtful compositions, bluesy tunes, and even a few renditions of classics that are unique (I love his recording of "The Water Is Wide".) If you asked me for my favorite Jerry Vandiver song, I would think and think, and have to come up with about a dozen! :-)

If you happen to live in Michigan, you can catch Jerry and Caitlyn at the Quiet Adventure Symposium next year on the Saturday right before Canoecopia. We'll be there, too, God willing.

OneMatch

07/18/2025 10:32PM

scat: "Yawn…. Great song & story. I haven’t heard any bluegrass type music in a long time and that struck a chord so to speak. I listened to it like 5x so far this week. If you have any more you can share I would love to hear it. Makes me want to get a bluegrass cd. It instantly reminded me of the Gerry Garcia album Old and In the Way, which I have, but can’t play without a turntable stylus dang. Maybe you have a cd, if it has more cool songs like that I might be tempted to check it out. C’mon man give us one more like that one.

Cheers scat
"

Ok, scat! Here ya go. Hope you like it.

The song is called Headwind

LindenTree

07/20/2025 12:36PM

I liked that song Headwind Jerry.

scat

07/20/2025 10:40AM

I think you misinterpreted who the yawn was meant for. It wasn’t the song I assure you. Look at the post ahead of mine. I will leave it there.

That last song is amazing, I love the instrumental cuts in between the lyrics. You got mandolin, dobro sounds like, and I’m like ok need a banjo, and then that kicks in at the end. Love that style, I’m a big fan. If you have a cd I’d love to have one. Gotta listen to that driving to the put in ya! Send me an email.

Rock on! scat

OneMatch

07/20/2025 01:19PM

Thanks again everyone. I'm honored to have a few "fans" here. And I truly am very appreciative of your support.

Meanwhile, since you asked, I actually have several CDs available - all very acoustic with lots of fiddle, guitar and such. You can listen to samples and purchase here

Thanks again!
Jerry

Big Tent

07/23/2025 09:58AM

scat

07/23/2025 07:37PM

I love that style of music. It’s like the Merle Haggard Bakersfield style or sound. Great lyrics interspersed with great solos from different players in the band on different instruments. But more bluegrassy, like that too. At least that’s how I hear it.
Bravo awesome big fan rock on.