Wow, I can't remember when I was this excited to get onto the canoe trip. I'm like an twelve year old waiting for Christmas because he knows he is going to get the 22 he asked "Santa" for because he saw it in his parent's bedroom. However there is something else that has been pulling at my soul for quite sometime now.
The General and I have talked about canoeing the entire Bigfork the source to the end where she dumps into the Rainey river. You know, the river that makes the boarder between us and the Canadians. Well the talk of doing just that has been in the works for quite sometime now between the General and I. I have looked and re looked at the map a thousand times plotting and thinking out this trip. From all my contemplations and analysis of the route and days, I came to the conclusion that a trip like this would take around two weeks to complete.
The Bigfork River, as she flows, is 166 miles long from her source, Dora lake, to the convergence in the Rainey River. She is one of only a hand full of rivers that flow North in the United States. She is a majestic beauty that can enchant any man or woman with her serene beauty. However, it has came to my attention as of recent days, that one can make it from Sand Lake all the way into Dora and onto the Bigfork, which kind of lends the idea that Dora is not the true source of the Bigfork. Now this may be true, but I would have to, and will, speak with a DNR officer and ask what the definition of a source is and why Sand isn't considered in the Bigfork. But that is a lot of technical bullshit which I will save for a later date.
I know I have already established that the General and I are going to start at the source this year and by the time we reach the end of the River Runner's trip we will have knocked 55 miles off of the Bigfork. This is going to be the classic trip with a bit of a twist. For the third time in history we are going to start the trip without the entire crew, however, the last two times we picked up along the way it was only one person, but this time it is going to be a majority of the crew. So we take a two day early trip and cut out most of the first leg in the first two days...32 miles to be exact. From there we do the rest in a four day period, the other 23 and then that is the end of this year's River Runner trip. But that isn't the end of this year's canoeing.
Now I want all to keep in mind that read this that I'm going to have to find a place for my four children when I continue canoeing the river this year. What I'm hoping is that my Mom will agree to watch the kids for the time that I'm gone, well three of them at least. I'm going to make sure this trip happens when Wade is down at his Dad's house because that is what happens during the summer with my step-son Wade, he stays with his Dad a lot during the summer since we have him most of the time during the school year. I also have to get permission from my lovely faience Emily to go on this trip.
Now I have never taken a trip this long on the water and often thought about this trip with a very important problem to overcome; which is having enough supplies to sustain life while traveling a great distance on the river. It has been proven that we can pack a lot of shit within the confines of a seventeen foot canoe, however, this year we can take the Tank and break her in on this massive trip. With three extra feet at our disposal we should be able to pack enough things to make sure we have enough water, and essential item if there ever was one, and food. We can plan to make a stop at Johnson's Landing for water since the map indicates that it is a source of fresh water for those that travel the Bigfork. The next stop on the trip would be Big Falls, one of only two places where we would have to portage the canoe and gear. Little American Falls would be the first, which is a short jaunt compared to the half-mile we will have to do when whe hit Big Falls. That is going to be the one big problem we have because that is a long way to haul gear, even if one is only bringing the essentials. We need to create some kind of cart that can be used to haul everything in one big swoop, or make a few trips...but a half mile man...damn!
Each of our stops on this epic adventure is going to take place at one of the designated camp sites that the DNR provides, except for one. On the third leg of this journey we are going to have to make camp somewhere along the way on State land. I have located a spot on the map and it looks to be a nice place along the Bigfork, so we should be able to make something that other's can use but not abuse. We make a great camp site, except for the fire incident, but we won't go there right now. I think I have already discussed the building camp thing here.
There is one site that I want to hit no matter what and that is the Goudy site because it looks to be really isolated so I'm wondering if we will get the same feeling we do from the Rice or Doons site; a place that can only be reached via river. That will be another place where we put a plaque of The River Runners.
In any case I feel that this year will be the year that we are able to do the entire Bigfork for the first time...I have a feeling that this might become something of a tradition where other member's of my family can get involved. I still feel that the first time should just be a small adventure. If we could find a way to get a few people on the trip then we would be just slamming ya know. Even still, just the adventure alone is going to be something that is worth a good mentioning on this blog. I don't want people to worry because I'm going to take a lot of notes, especially after we pass the General's land, because that will be the farthest we have ever been done the river. I want to share what I see with words and pictures. It should be something that is rather awesome to read, at least for those that read this blog.
Well my friends, it is getting about to be that time that I need to hit the hay and dream about cruising down the Bigfork. Until we meet again I will remain...Crazy Joe.
The General and I have talked about canoeing the entire Bigfork the source to the end where she dumps into the Rainey river. You know, the river that makes the boarder between us and the Canadians. Well the talk of doing just that has been in the works for quite sometime now between the General and I. I have looked and re looked at the map a thousand times plotting and thinking out this trip. From all my contemplations and analysis of the route and days, I came to the conclusion that a trip like this would take around two weeks to complete.
The Bigfork River, as she flows, is 166 miles long from her source, Dora lake, to the convergence in the Rainey River. She is one of only a hand full of rivers that flow North in the United States. She is a majestic beauty that can enchant any man or woman with her serene beauty. However, it has came to my attention as of recent days, that one can make it from Sand Lake all the way into Dora and onto the Bigfork, which kind of lends the idea that Dora is not the true source of the Bigfork. Now this may be true, but I would have to, and will, speak with a DNR officer and ask what the definition of a source is and why Sand isn't considered in the Bigfork. But that is a lot of technical bullshit which I will save for a later date.
I know I have already established that the General and I are going to start at the source this year and by the time we reach the end of the River Runner's trip we will have knocked 55 miles off of the Bigfork. This is going to be the classic trip with a bit of a twist. For the third time in history we are going to start the trip without the entire crew, however, the last two times we picked up along the way it was only one person, but this time it is going to be a majority of the crew. So we take a two day early trip and cut out most of the first leg in the first two days...32 miles to be exact. From there we do the rest in a four day period, the other 23 and then that is the end of this year's River Runner trip. But that isn't the end of this year's canoeing.
Now I want all to keep in mind that read this that I'm going to have to find a place for my four children when I continue canoeing the river this year. What I'm hoping is that my Mom will agree to watch the kids for the time that I'm gone, well three of them at least. I'm going to make sure this trip happens when Wade is down at his Dad's house because that is what happens during the summer with my step-son Wade, he stays with his Dad a lot during the summer since we have him most of the time during the school year. I also have to get permission from my lovely faience Emily to go on this trip.
Now I have never taken a trip this long on the water and often thought about this trip with a very important problem to overcome; which is having enough supplies to sustain life while traveling a great distance on the river. It has been proven that we can pack a lot of shit within the confines of a seventeen foot canoe, however, this year we can take the Tank and break her in on this massive trip. With three extra feet at our disposal we should be able to pack enough things to make sure we have enough water, and essential item if there ever was one, and food. We can plan to make a stop at Johnson's Landing for water since the map indicates that it is a source of fresh water for those that travel the Bigfork. The next stop on the trip would be Big Falls, one of only two places where we would have to portage the canoe and gear. Little American Falls would be the first, which is a short jaunt compared to the half-mile we will have to do when whe hit Big Falls. That is going to be the one big problem we have because that is a long way to haul gear, even if one is only bringing the essentials. We need to create some kind of cart that can be used to haul everything in one big swoop, or make a few trips...but a half mile man...damn!
Each of our stops on this epic adventure is going to take place at one of the designated camp sites that the DNR provides, except for one. On the third leg of this journey we are going to have to make camp somewhere along the way on State land. I have located a spot on the map and it looks to be a nice place along the Bigfork, so we should be able to make something that other's can use but not abuse. We make a great camp site, except for the fire incident, but we won't go there right now. I think I have already discussed the building camp thing here.
There is one site that I want to hit no matter what and that is the Goudy site because it looks to be really isolated so I'm wondering if we will get the same feeling we do from the Rice or Doons site; a place that can only be reached via river. That will be another place where we put a plaque of The River Runners.
In any case I feel that this year will be the year that we are able to do the entire Bigfork for the first time...I have a feeling that this might become something of a tradition where other member's of my family can get involved. I still feel that the first time should just be a small adventure. If we could find a way to get a few people on the trip then we would be just slamming ya know. Even still, just the adventure alone is going to be something that is worth a good mentioning on this blog. I don't want people to worry because I'm going to take a lot of notes, especially after we pass the General's land, because that will be the farthest we have ever been done the river. I want to share what I see with words and pictures. It should be something that is rather awesome to read, at least for those that read this blog.
Well my friends, it is getting about to be that time that I need to hit the hay and dream about cruising down the Bigfork. Until we meet again I will remain...Crazy Joe.
