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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Solo Tripping :: Completed My 40th Solo
 
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mkdixon
10/02/2016 06:45PM
  
Nice photos John. I was out for a 2 week+ solo this year at the same time and it appears, the same place. It looks like we somehow paddled by each other on Russell Lake on 9/3. I don't know if you saw anybody else on Russell, but I was in a solo cedar strip boat. I camped that night in your same campsite on McDougall Lake, the night after you were there. The smallmouth fishing was great over there. How about the wind on those days? Didn't let up at all.


You didn't happen to run into Mike K. from Idaho did you? He's turning 70 this year and was out on a 3 week solo trip. I ran into him 2 days later on Baird Lake after he had been out 11 days already.


Mark
 
jdddl8
09/26/2016 01:35PM
  
Sorry about the links, I think these work. I added another year and my Woodland Trips.


Google Photo Links


Quetico:


2116 August https://goo.gl/photos/nz1s2aPmesxbRFrH8


2115 August https://goo.gl/photos/gx7LxgSUt32WyXk9A


2115 Spring https://goo.gl/photos/7SQDCo6KQkSQymzXA


2114 August https://goo.gl/photos/tFnvfrXsj8CoTjBu5


2114 Spring https://goo.gl/photos/z5tt6htWWLKdWvif6


2113 Summer https://goo.gl/photos/SAp5RmPKQtzviNa46


2113 Spring https://goo.gl/photos/AYwNRmQCHSYsjAoq6


Woodland:


2112 Spring https://goo.gl/photos/pcydwJCY8ZdkwdqbA


2111 Spring https://goo.gl/photos/QPBszDHPQRNrbUq37



 
jdddl8
09/26/2016 01:38PM
  
I think you mean 70 and that would be next year!
 
missmolly
09/26/2016 04:53PM
  
One of the best posts I've ever read. 70, huh? You are one wicked cool cat!
 
1JimD
09/26/2016 09:49PM
  
From 1 JD to another, that is a pretty cool photo gallery ! Wish I could hit that much water !
Thanks for sharing !


Jim
 
jdddl8
09/25/2016 07:07PM
  
I just completed my 40th solo canoe trip: 38 in Quetico and 2 in Woodland Caribou.
I have done 18 - 3 week trips and 22- two week trips. Since I didn't discover Quetico until I was 30 I am quite pleased with this accomplishment.

Over the years I have had nearly everything happen at least once including getting lost, going the wrong way, seeing moose & bear, being landlocked, flooded or frozen, mosquitoed, blacked flied and ticked to distraction, squirrelled or moused to death, beaver scares, weird noises at night, no stove or toilet paper, wrong equipment, dumping the canoe, crashing into rocks by wind, failing to stay afloat when running beaver dams, running out of water in creeks, head first falls into muskeg, getting stuck in bogs, broken fishing equipment, and finally cuts, bruises and more serious injuries (but nothing to stop me).

But more than offsetting these difficulties are seeing the most beautiful unspoiled wilderness in North America, exploring new lakes and portages, fishing for great game fish, observing nature at its best, watching spectacular sun rises and sunsets, enjoying your accomplishments of moving through water, over portages & setting up a good camp, capturing the delight of a crackling campfire at dusk & learning new skills and problem solving.

I guess what I have learned over the years is to know exactly where all your equipment is packed, have a plan but be flexible, roll with the punches and laugh at your miscues, incorporate technology for work and pleasure and
finally when in doubt be safe and have a safety net.

I have included links to photos from my past five trips:

2116 August https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNLOJivWZaPelEXLW-OkP1NMSrFE-0-la92mH0F

2115 August https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNwNBcdvrMKixbtP4ObdT63it0d9xbpQljmKEoG

2115 Spring https://plus.google.com/photos/103224665049989177159/album/6160282141623689649?authkey=CITrrfm03o3AlwE

2114 August https://plus.google.com/photos/103224665049989177159/album/6064296587564256497/6064297614989099234

2114 Spring https://plus.google.com/photos/103224665049989177159/album/6027524533347251457/6027525784480767618

 
Alan Gage
09/25/2016 08:27PM
  
That's quite an accomplishment. All long trips too. Good for you. Congratulations and let us know when you hit 60.


Alan
 
TomT
09/26/2016 06:41AM
  
Nice! That's a lot of experience of going solo. And yes, knowing where everything is packed is always an issue for me the first few days. I guess less is better.



 
brux
09/25/2016 08:25PM
  
Links :). Thanks for sharing.


August 2016


August 2015


Spring 2015


August 2014


Spring 2014
 
boonie
09/25/2016 08:40PM
  
Thanks, John. I really enjoyed the photo albums I could access and I hope the other links can be fixed without difficulty - I'd love to see them all. I'm sure I've seen one of them before - probably the one linked to your only trip report.


With all those trips and experiences, there's got to be at least one more good story in there . . . :). If you get any more reports posted, I'll be sure to read them.
 
paddlefamily
09/27/2016 02:31PM
  
Quite the accomplishment! Congrats. I just completed my first solo after 20 years of canoeing in the wilderness with my husband, family and friends. It was fantastic.


Glad to see others have stuff happen to them too. :) Mine was a canoe dump in a bog, but I blame the dog who got spooked.



 
mastertangler
09/26/2016 07:00AM
  
Seems like a good group here. We should do a group solo.........we can be "independent together" ;-)

An Old Favorite
 
SourisMan
10/09/2016 11:02AM
  
My hat is off to you! My solo trips have been fewer in number and shorter in duration. That's some serious solo tripping you've done. Congrats!
 
egknuti
10/07/2016 06:36PM
  
I'm on number 24. I hope I can make it to 40+. Congrats!
 
GraniteCliffs
10/14/2016 08:19PM
  
Forty! Well done