BABY BOOMER BABBLE
Floating down the river
A canoe is a simple means of transportation. Not much to the
whole thing. A front and back, and two seats. Add to that a paddle, perhaps
another person, a small cooler for a few refreshments, and you're ready to take
off. The only real decision is, to where?
Over the years, I have had two destinations involved in most of
my canoeing. For probably 15 years, our family went to Missouri to canoe down
the Current River. The group that went could number upwards of 20-30 people.
Holy cow, what a time. We took day trips, averaging probably 15-20 miles. The
campground would bus us to the start, and pick us up at the finish. The only
real equipment included suntan lotion, water guns, and one cooler in each
canoe. The coolers held an assortment of things, mainly beer. You could always
tell who the deer hunters were, they always brought deer sausage. My
contribution was M & Ms and peanuts. Each couple specialized in something.
There was no losing weight on these trips.
We camped in the canoe rental campground. It wasn't fancy, but
adequate. It looked like a small city going up with 15-20 tents being pitched
all at once, with a canopy over the cooking area. The campground had restrooms
with showers, and sold ice, which is an essential commodity in the heat of
summer. Oh, for a dollar for every bag of ice we went through in 15 years.
Meals were made together, the best being breakfast. Scrambled eggs, with
mushrooms, peppers, and onions, fried potatoes, with mushrooms, peppers, and
onions, toast, bacon, and coffee. The menu never varied. It was not a heart
friendly concoction. But boy, was it good. I could tell story after story
regarding these trips, but it would be rather incriminating. Suffice it to say,
it was quite a time. We stopped going when my brother-in-law died, who pretty
much organized the trips and was the main cook. It just wouldn't have been the
same.
My other canoeing adventure involved a whole different canoeing
experience. The Boundary Waters of Minnesota. Ely. A good place to be in the
summer, so long as the mosquitoes don't carry you away. Sort of how I envision
Heaven, minus the mosquitoes. A beautiful town, introduced to me by Charles
Kuralt on his TV series “On The Road.” My son and I, and a couple of other
guys, decided to see what it was like. Seven days in the wild. And wild it is.
You pack what you need for seven days into your canoe and head out, plotting
your course on a map. You portage your canoe from lake to lake. In the boundary
waters, they say there are 10,000 of them, spanning northern Minnesota into
Canada. Each day, you set up camp, which involves pitching the tent, making a
fire to cook and sit around, and looking at the most awesome stars you have
ever seen. There are no lights to interfere.
It is a difficult trip, but a great one. I would recommend it
for anyone wanting to experience the wilderness in its most primitive state.
You might see one other canoe in seven days. It is humbling to face nature
without any of the modem conveniences. There is no quick way out if you get
hurt, although cell phones have made that a little less scary now. (There were
none when we went).
My son and I had a good time, although there was some arguing
over our canoeing skills. When we got back, which involved a day of canoeing in
a driving rain, I allowed him to have his first official beer with us, which
was kind of a right-of-passage for him. He definitely earned it, because he had
to bear a lot of the load. I was completely spent. The beer sure tasted good.
We kept it on ice in the car, just for the occasion.
I like canoeing. It is something my wife and I have been
involved with our entire married life. I've always said a couple that can canoe
together will stay together. For us, that seems to have been the case. We've
weathered some storms and many a tipped canoe. But with a little work, you can
always right it. Then you are right back at it, floating on down the river.