Recent content by Marten

I had one of those tents and would a fix a tarp over it as it misted through in a hard rain. Had to change sites one time and just put it on top of the car for the short drive. Did not realize I had started the vehicle top tent craze.

Seems my hobby is maintaining prairie fields and forest. I have 40 acres in the middle of 40 square miles of state and federal land at the top center of MN. No end to the trail maintenance up there where I stay 2-3 months each year. Near my home in IL I have hunting use of 800 acres of prime...

Hard to believe I had both those canoes in my basement a few years ago. I inherited them from an overweight friend that purchased them but preferred to paddle a 16 explorer solo. Stored and rarely used by anyone for 30 years. The Penobscot 15 was never borrowed by the same person twice. I never...

Interesting how the crowds all push.into the same place and the likes of Memaquay and myself would like a few of them to takes our maps and enjoy what we have found. Oh, and do a little clean up as you portage. Because of the distance to reach these places by car over use is not concerning.

I have a Pak 165. I chose it because it serves as another canoe for fly in trips. I chose 165 because you can switch the rear seat to the middle easily. The duffle they pack into is big. The canoe is slower but worth it for what it can do. Trimming it with weight is important as it flexes...

I have paddled a slough but mostly just portaged through a lot of the others. Well unless the beavers have raised the water levels enough to float the canoe.

I have always enjoyed sharing trip info online and then hearing back from someone that needed that nudge to take that next step in their adventures. Having a GPS file showing the possible port age trails and shoreline I used for a campsite was enough to get them off the well beaten paths. But...

Still plenty of places you can throw the sticks aside and set up your tent. No, they are not on Paddle Planner.

" Hello, my name is Bob B. I confess to giving into the dark side and using a double blade. There, I have said it publicly and feel so much better now."

Years ago I picked up a Jensen cat 2 racing canoe cheap. I put in a wooden yoke and took it to Woodland Caribou and used it solo for a month. I loaned my Prism to a trip mate so 4 of us could all have solos. Travelling loaded I sat in the stern with a double blade. I loaded it for proper trim...

Reading a journal from an expedition in the mid 1700's the author noted that the smoke from forest fires was so thick that they rarely saw the sun as they traveled from Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods near Kenora. I have noted as I count tree rings on trees in northern MN that most started...

Lack of rain has been the issue these last years. Out west the last few years and this year in the middle. Fires are bigger now because in past decades too many fires were put out and fuel built up unnaturally . These forest do not age well and a 100 year old forest really burns hot and with no...

BWCA and Quetico are wet and no fire issues. Smoke from fires to the NW though. Southeastern Manitoba has gotten nice rain the last several days and fires are knocked down. Aiken's Lake Lodge on the Gammon River is back open for business as of 8-11. I have been monitoring e61 fire as it burned...

Been using a DB for 30 years. First a 290 Carlyle heavy weight and I liked it for years. Tried a light 240 on.a 30 day trip and never took it again. Spent the money on an all.carbon Werner 260 and am so happy. Mindless lily dipping all day and no.annoying water in my lap.

We may have 4-5 parties in camp, all with their own food. Remote lakes and plentiful fish means a nightly fish fry. Makes sense to cook all the fish together and make it potkuck. Same for pancakes in the morning. Clean up.is so much easier with one dish washing station.