The Backyard

Like I said before, in the beginning we took the bare minimum for gear. Yet like the seasons in Minnesota, things always change. When the General became a regular on the trip he always seemed to have some new item or gadget that made the time canoeing and camping a lot easier. There is a saying on the trip now, "If you don't have it, ask the General because he probably has two." The saying is more often true than not.

During the last few days I have been making my lists for this years trip. Here are the things Emily and I will be putting into our canoe this year.

Two people with life jackets - A must have not only for legal reasons but also to keep your ass afloat if you happen to fall out in the rapids. It has only really happened once.
Two to Three boat cushions - Canoe butt sucks
Two Large Coolers - One for beer and the other will be either half bottled water and half soda, or it will be the cold food cooler.
One Large Tote - In this we are going to put two sleeping bags, our tent, shaving kit and clothes. The sleeping bags and clothes will be in dry bags and the tent will be triple bagged in garbage bags.
Three Lanterns - We like to light the night.
The Coleman Stove
One ten pound propane cylinder with a (T) attachment for either two stove burners or two lanterns, or one of each.
Six Gallon Jug of Fresh Water - One can never take too much water.
One compact folding table - Another archaic piece of camping gear from 1978. But it is light and works great.
Three Tarps - For this, that and the other.
Three Paddles - This year I will be using a paddle that has a black hard plastic blade, from a paddle I broke a few years ago, with a custom diamond willow handle. This was a gift from Grandpa to me this year. I will make sure to have pictures of it up on this blog ASAP.
Two Chair-in-a-bags - This have been a staple ever since Duckie went on the trip. It sure beats using a cooler.
One Utility Pack - With every thing from Bug Drug to bungee cords, extra tent stakes to nylon cord. I have all kinds of items that go in here to aid with the trip, way too many to name.

There maybe some other odds and ends that will go into our canoe, but that really isn't truly decided until the mourning we load all the shit into our water crafts. I also have a tote that is filled with cooking items, such as two large pots for boiling water, a smaller pot for beans and a fifteen inch frying pan, all the cooking utensils, cutting board, knives, griddle, can opener, coffee pot, various spices, dish soap, scrubby pads, pot holders and so on and so forth. I'm not sure if this is going in the General's canoe or the Mule's.

I do know the General will also have a table in his canoe, however, his isn't as compact or light as mine. His own ten pound propane cylinder, the stereo, chain saw, although this year we are going to encase it in a sealed five gallon bucket. Last time we took the chainsaw it got a tad wet and we had a hell of a time trying to get it going. A horse-shoe kit, always a camp favorite. Two lanterns of his own. Two coolers and possibly the dry food tote. The General also has a mobile grilling great the my cousin Tallywacker made for him out of stainless steel one year. It is a great set up and makes grilling steaks or burgers a breeze. He also has a utility pack filled with all kinds of strange wonders, most of which we tend to need on the trip. Can you believe that one year we had our rain tarp rip and the General just so happened to have a grommet repair kit in his utility pack. He made one hell of a Boy Scout.

In recent years I have considered buying a portable shower for the trip, but then I get to thinking about the ritual bathing in the Muldoon rapids. There is a calm spot on the Muldoons that is perfect for taking a much needed bath while on the trip. The water is still very swift, but extremely cool and refreshing. On the second day at the Muldoons we take turns at this spot to freshen up and prepare for one last night of hard core partying. I think it is going to be a few years before we buy that shower, if ever at all.

As you can see we take along just about everything you can possible imagine on this trip. The General once brought along a small TV so we could all watch the video from the previous year. We truly don't want for anything on the trip, which sometimes makes it out like a camp out in a backyard. Nevertheless, something is always forgotten...I wonder what it will be this year.

Well it is time for me to go round up some more gear. Only sixty one hours to go before the scheduled launch from the Bigfork landing. Until next time I remain...Crazy Joe