DISCLAIMER: This is something I wrote last year that wouldn't publish last year because of my shitty computer.
"Yo ho ho and a bottle of Brass Monkey" Beastie Boys 1986
Where to start...I think I have used that opening a time or two, but seeing how it can be a timeless question that we have all asked ourselves at one time when faced with an obsticle of whatever proportion, I feel it is aptly used here. What a fricken summer, way too short to be sure. I felt like I blinked twice and "boom!" found myself back in the classroom looking at the calander and wishing it was once again the end of May so I can hit the Bigfork with the rest of the gang to have a little fun. But alas here it is only September and the Canoe Trip is but a glimmering dream in a far distant future.
Regretfully, the General and I were not able to canoe the entire river this summer like we had hopped to do. It basically boiled down to me not having the time to do it because of obligations at home witht he family. We were, however, able to get back on her one more time and go for a ride, this time taking my seven year old son, whose nicname is now "Lt. Logan" for his first ride down the river. I will have to get to that story sometime in the future, but for know I'm just going to stick to a little overview until I find that need to write because it is what and how I do thing. If that makes any sense.
We did make the choice for next year's trip to pick up where we left off this year, at his river property and travel down some new territory. It will be fun for sure, the only thing it will lack are rapids. The next set of rapids come in the form of Bigfalls, and the name should tell all. This is stuff that only someone with a lot of balls or a lot of stupidity would try, and do it in a kayak or white water raft. I'm really excited to see this part of the river since I have not ever saw it before. This is what one would call true virgin territory, kind of lack year was when the General and I took our trip from the source.
Well, Em wants the puter so I will say ta for now. Until next time I will remain...Crazy Joe...AKA Cookie
The story of The Bigfork River Runners begins back in 1996. It was the end of my first year of higher education and to celebrate I put together a motley crue of friends to take a canoe trip down the Bigfork River on Memorial vacation. The trip was a blast to say the least; since then we have carried on the tradition of canoeing the river every year on Memorial Weekend. Through this blog The Bigfork River Runners will share their stories and pictures from trips past and trips to come.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Ok, so here I am...yippie-dippie-doo! No but seriously I need some fucking tunes if I'm going to comense to the ancient rite of writing to preserve for all mankind to review in the future. Hang on...that's better...a little Buckcherry...Crazy Bitch. Oh yeah...
Anyway, man it has been way too fucking long. I guess writing is a thing of mood, at least that is what it is for me. I'm not sure why it has been so damn long since I took to the keyboard and put some thoughts on this blog. I guess maybe it's because we don't have a lot of people that read this stuff. I suppose an audience would be more of an incentive but that is taking the bullshit way out because I should write just for the hell of writing.
Well last year was a bit of something crazy since there was only four of us that dared to take the trip on the Bigfork. We left from The General's 140 and made it to Easy-Half Campsite and there we stayed. We had planned to make it a little farther than that, but the weather decided to be a mega-bitch and kicked our ass with a shitload of rain and chilly temps. Now when you have been on the Bigfork as much as I have on the same weekend every year, ya learn a thing or two about the patterns that develope while trying to have a weekend of relaxation and fun. I can feel it in my bones when the weather is going to hold shitty for a majority of the trip and the best damn thing to do is to make an altercation to the plans and stay in one spot. So that is what we did.
We took off Friday morning in the rain, made it the Easy-Half, our first destnation and stopped to pitch camp. Remember one of our goals is to stay at every campe site on the rive so we can check it off our bucket lists. This trip marked the farthest we had ever made it on the river.
It has rained off and on as we traversed down the river puffing on a stogy, swilling a brew or two and enjoying the peace that comes with sifting your way through the waters as nature provides the music in the background. It was a great float with plenty of bullshit to keep us interested in what each other had to say. We talked about the trip, past and present and how we live for these simple moments in life that few get to experience.
It only took five hours to make the ten miles because we were in little rush to make camp. The beauty of the trip comes from the time we spend on the River though it only acts as an enhancer to the joy we feel with the comradship of being with people that love us.
This was a bit of a new experience for me also on this trip, it was the year that the General allowed me to take the Duce 1/2 with Little Mama as he a Rev to The Rebel. Now if you recall The Duce 1/2 is he new 20' Old Town canoe that he, Logan and I broke in the summer before. It was so fucking nice to be able to sit in a canoe with all the leg room I could want plus some. There was more than enough room for our gear to keep things level and balanced, even with some of the extra crap we weren't going to bring because of "downsizing" that the General threw in for us to carry. My only complaint was the fact that the canoe doesn't have rib down the middle so it kind of slides across the water like a sled on the ice. If I could have a canoe like that with a rib, I think I would be in love.
So we made it to Easy-Half and stopped for the evening, or weekend, whichever you want to call it. It was a descent site with plenty of room for several canoeists. It did have a rather dramatic little hill on had to traves to get to the top of the camping area, but nothing compared to the one at the Doons. Em and I took a nice spot next to the trail that was fairly level with a little bit of seculusion incase we wanted to have a little pre-marital fun...hehe. The General was closer to the permanent table that was a nice spider infested construct with tons of carved names and dates that had been worn down with the passage of time. I may have a pic or two to throw up. Rev decided to make his basecamp a little closer to the river that was kind of down the hill a bit. In all truth with all the rain we got I was a bit surprised he didn't have more water in with all that blessed us on trip.
Since mentioned the pics I had to take some time to check out the camera, which be my phone since we couldn't find the camera last year. Anyway, I do have some pics of the site that I have to put up for all to enjoy.
This is Easy Half with all the tents...
Anyway, man it has been way too fucking long. I guess writing is a thing of mood, at least that is what it is for me. I'm not sure why it has been so damn long since I took to the keyboard and put some thoughts on this blog. I guess maybe it's because we don't have a lot of people that read this stuff. I suppose an audience would be more of an incentive but that is taking the bullshit way out because I should write just for the hell of writing.
Well last year was a bit of something crazy since there was only four of us that dared to take the trip on the Bigfork. We left from The General's 140 and made it to Easy-Half Campsite and there we stayed. We had planned to make it a little farther than that, but the weather decided to be a mega-bitch and kicked our ass with a shitload of rain and chilly temps. Now when you have been on the Bigfork as much as I have on the same weekend every year, ya learn a thing or two about the patterns that develope while trying to have a weekend of relaxation and fun. I can feel it in my bones when the weather is going to hold shitty for a majority of the trip and the best damn thing to do is to make an altercation to the plans and stay in one spot. So that is what we did.
We took off Friday morning in the rain, made it the Easy-Half, our first destnation and stopped to pitch camp. Remember one of our goals is to stay at every campe site on the rive so we can check it off our bucket lists. This trip marked the farthest we had ever made it on the river.
It has rained off and on as we traversed down the river puffing on a stogy, swilling a brew or two and enjoying the peace that comes with sifting your way through the waters as nature provides the music in the background. It was a great float with plenty of bullshit to keep us interested in what each other had to say. We talked about the trip, past and present and how we live for these simple moments in life that few get to experience.
It only took five hours to make the ten miles because we were in little rush to make camp. The beauty of the trip comes from the time we spend on the River though it only acts as an enhancer to the joy we feel with the comradship of being with people that love us.
This was a bit of a new experience for me also on this trip, it was the year that the General allowed me to take the Duce 1/2 with Little Mama as he a Rev to The Rebel. Now if you recall The Duce 1/2 is he new 20' Old Town canoe that he, Logan and I broke in the summer before. It was so fucking nice to be able to sit in a canoe with all the leg room I could want plus some. There was more than enough room for our gear to keep things level and balanced, even with some of the extra crap we weren't going to bring because of "downsizing" that the General threw in for us to carry. My only complaint was the fact that the canoe doesn't have rib down the middle so it kind of slides across the water like a sled on the ice. If I could have a canoe like that with a rib, I think I would be in love.
So we made it to Easy-Half and stopped for the evening, or weekend, whichever you want to call it. It was a descent site with plenty of room for several canoeists. It did have a rather dramatic little hill on had to traves to get to the top of the camping area, but nothing compared to the one at the Doons. Em and I took a nice spot next to the trail that was fairly level with a little bit of seculusion incase we wanted to have a little pre-marital fun...hehe. The General was closer to the permanent table that was a nice spider infested construct with tons of carved names and dates that had been worn down with the passage of time. I may have a pic or two to throw up. Rev decided to make his basecamp a little closer to the river that was kind of down the hill a bit. In all truth with all the rain we got I was a bit surprised he didn't have more water in with all that blessed us on trip.
Since mentioned the pics I had to take some time to check out the camera, which be my phone since we couldn't find the camera last year. Anyway, I do have some pics of the site that I have to put up for all to enjoy.
This is Easy Half with all the tents...
Another at Easy Half with The Rebel and Duce 1/2...
A pic from the table the day we were getting ready to make tracks...notice the sun is out and a big ass tree is floating down the Bigfork...that is how much rain we got.
Well all those that don't take the time to read this shit...I'm going to see later on this story line...the story of Easy Half 2012.
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