The Time Has Almost Arrived

Here I am once again sitting on the eve of the annual Memorial Weekend Canoe Trip. The River Runner's are pumped and primed to get on the water and have a little fun under the beautiful Minnesota sun. The weather looks to be fair for the most part. A touch cooler than normal, but I would rather have it a little chilly as opposed to a hot and humid weekend. Those just aren't as much fun because the heat and a hangover don't tend to mix really well. We may get that touch of rain, but the forecast has been changing so much that I'm not really sure what to expect. Doesn't matter though. Little Mama and I have packed the right clothes for whatever Mother Nature has to through at us.

Just got off the phone with The General. The plans are set and we are pretty much good to go on all aspects of the trip. All we need to do is make sure we hold true to what is our responsibility and pray that the others hold true to their's. It is amazing the planning that goes into this trip. The logisticas alone can boggle the simple mind.

Ok, well I have been on the phone non-stop for the last few hours just setting things straight. So I must say farewell untill I'm able to add to the blog with stories from the 2011 trip.

Until next time I will remain...Crazy Joe.

Less Than 36 hours to Launch

Well ain't that just a peach. I suppose I should give an update as to the status of the trip this year. Duckie's friend Jolene is out which is a bummer. It is always nice to have and FNG on the trip to rag on and give shit to, well hopefully things work out better next year and she can make it with the rest of us. She is going to miss a hell-of-a-trip this year, but that is OK, like I said, there is always next year. The General and I are going to be leaving on Wednesday, which is known by those that don't follow, so that is still a go. I can barely contain myself because I want to hit the river so damn bad. Nevertheless, there my be a little bit of a hiccup in the plans.

Like every year of the trip I have been following the level of the river and the weather like a hawk. I check both several times a day leading up to the trip to see what kind of conditions we can expect while on this annual vacation. And like always it changes from day to day but that doesn't do a thing to put us off from the trip. We go in rain or shine, we prefer shine but we will take and deal with the rain as it comes. The hiccup that I'm talking about is that on the day The General and I launch we are looking at 20 to 30 mph winds from the north which may make crossing Dora lake a real fucking bitch. Let me explain...

For those that have never been in a canoe they can be a tricky water-craft to use. They are tippy for one...it does take a little to work out some balance in a canoe. When one gets good at it they can stand in the fucking while going down the river, still it is a different story when crossing a lot of open water. For one thing there are the waves. Waves can be deadly to a canoe, especially if they come at a person from the side. Nothing can tip a canoe faster than a good gust of wind and a wave. In some cases there is little a person can do but wish for the best. The next problem that is presented from having to travel the expanse of unobstructed water is the wind itself. The wind can take hold of people that are powering a water-craft via man-power. On the river the wind can be funneled down the waterway and make progress really slow and a lot of work. Add these tow combinations together and it can make a trip of fun turn into one from hell.

The canoe trip was never meant to be a workout. It has always, and will always be, a trip to let go from the school year and relax with good friends and family. There should never be a need to work our asses off to where we are not having a good time. I know that on some trips, and this one in particular we are going to have to make some tracks to stay on schedule, however, we can do that if we stick to a plan I have developed. I don't want us to be on the river for too long without having a lot of fun in the process. Hmmmm? I may have just came up with an idea...hehe.

As you know Highway One has been the nemesis of this trip for many-a-years. It has been the set of rapids that has claimed more River Runner's than any other set that we go through. I was holding onto a plan that we should not really drink all that much on the trip until we get through those rapids, however, if we stop on some state land before those rapids, cutting day one short by two miles, we could get lit on the river and not have to worry about being sober to do the rapids. This in return would ad two miles to day two of the trip, which is always an awesome thing because we can spend more time on the barge (when we hook all the canoes together and just float as a group) which is one of the best parts of the trip. Although I am the leader, I'm going to put this to a vote when we all gather at the Bigfork Landing and see what the other River Runners have to say about the idea. It may be shot down, but then again it might be something that we do.

I got a surprise for the River Runners this year that only Little Mama and The General know about. I have made a flag for the trip. It is just a crude idea that came to me one day and it is a little cheesy, but I am proud of it. The General thinks it is tits. But he thinks anything is tits...he must be a boob man or something...lol. I think I should ask him.

Well my friends...I need to go and check my gear and make sure that I have all that I need for the journey. I hate being in the bush without the right preparation...read into that if you want...so I must leave you all. I promise to make a post tomorrow night for all the ones that don't read.

Until next time I will slowly become...Crazy Joe.