Marshall Lake 2015

[memaquay]

Timeline is somewhat selfish for me. Irene's birthday is on Aug 6 and our anniversary is on the 17th, I don't want to miss either of those dates. If people want to show up here on the 6th, we will probably be having a few beers in the backyard. We have lots of room to put people up for the night.

There are many options for the trip. We can do the first five days then travel down to Stewart or Stone lake and come back up to the bridge. Or we could do a completely different trip in the same area. We could have my truck and trailer at the bridge, and drive to the next river, the Ottertail. Could paddle the Ottertail to Ogoki River and down to Amy falls and back, no ports, just lots of paddling. Have a look on the maps of the area and let me know if anything is of interest to you guys, I'm happy as long as we are out there.

 

[Odyssey]

Nothing selfish about that timeline Rob. Unless of course the b cake won't be making the canoe trip. (lol)
We weren't inviting ourselves into your pre&post-trip time, but thanks for the welcome. Sincerely thank you. We're planning to be on the road on the 6th, so can you keep the cake candles burning till the 7th? (lol again) Seriously, we expect to pull in on the 7th ( maybe 8th if she sees any antique markets on the way. Please tell me there aren't any). We'll be back on the road post trip whenever suitable. If we have enough time we'd tag on another paddle/car camp or family visit while we're up there. We'll see.
Never heard of those other places. They sound interesting. Shuttle? I'll drive my minivan if that would be helpful. I was intending to drive it mostly back- seatless, so M and I could possibly sleep in it for travel.

 

[Mihun09]

A minivan? Oh my. I have 4wd SUV and could take extra peeps as needed once gear is squared away.

 

[Iskweo]

We had thought that going up into Stone and then backtracking to the bridge again would be a good idea for me so I give that one a thumbs up. I wont be setting any speed records either Brad so take your time. We stop to fish a lot. A swim or a quick sit down and nap in the shade is not out of the question either. It all depends how I feel, which lately has been pretty good.


Christy

 

[Odyssey]

I was talking about this with M as we drove through the messy freezing rain today. We were dropping our daughter and her dog off at her apartment, after they'd spent the weekend with us. I got to spend time with her very friendly canine. We two slouched around the house for two days while the two ladies went out "doing important stuff". I was "dog sitting", even though it looked like we were just hanging out; but I was taking my responsibilities very seriously. "Wanna go back outside and play some more? Yeah? We'll come back inside soon and each pick a chair to stretch out in."
It's quiet now, the dog is gone home now with her master, and I'm missing them both already. Our resident cats have stopped sulking, and no longer hurling kitty swear words from under the beds. Things are getting back to normal. The freezing rain has turned to snow and I'm remembering our conversation in the car.
"How was your day? Get all your errands done?"
"Yes dear. How was your day minding the dog? Was she a handful?"
"Well, I kept her motivated. You know me. It was a little tiring, but I worked out a routine just fine."
"That's nice dear."
"By the way, what do you say we take it easy on the Marshall trip; give the big portages a miss?"
"I really like that idea. Do you think the others will go for it?"
"They might. We'll see."

 

[memaquay]

Ya, that sounds like a good plan!

 

[memaquay]

Three hour paddle from the bridge...


One of the ports we'll be missing by coming back up.

 

[Odyssey]

Monster muddy carries!
Think of all the "fun" we'll be missing!! That swim looks nice. I mean in the lake, not on the portage.
Here's a question. Mihun's sexy beast of a vehicle makes me wonder if my 2wd selection of vehicles are inadequate. Are those roads okay for a southern suburban softie type automobile?
Thanks for jazzing me up with pics of that place. Who'd a thought there's a beach! Bud Lite por favor!

 

[memaquay]

Hard to say what kind of shape the road will be in. I have gotten up with my malibu before, but last year, the wash outs made it only truck friendly. As long as we have two vehicles that make it, we will be fine for the shuttle stuff.

 

[snapper]

Memaquay - I've been out of the loop since just before Christmas so I'm just seeing the dates for the trip. Looks like I'm out due to a commitment I made last summer for that timeframe. Regardless of my bad luck, thanks so much for setting this up. I'm really looking forward to the adventures you'll all be sharing on this trip.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...Be well.

snapper

 

[memaquay]

This is how I envision the trip...well, maybe not in a tree.

 

[Rippy]

What ya trying to say Big Dog.

 

[Odyssey]

He plans to get us all dog tired.

 

[Rippy]

He plans to get us all dog tired.

Makes sense now. Probably get tired just hauling his beer.

 

[Odyssey]

Rippy. The guide (he) likely doesn't haul the beverages, the tourist (me) does. That'll be okay. How heavy can empty calories be?
I'm thinking this dog party will be doggone fun.
Run, run, run. Sit, sit, sit. We will like it. Nearly all of it.
Paddle, paddle, paddle. Eat and drink. There's more to canoeing than you might think.
Some will fish. Some will play. We'll sit under the moon, and we will bay.

Okay. You might sing. I will shout. I'm done with Dr Seuss. I'm all tapped out.

 

[Rippy]

Brad I think you hit on something in your last post. The Guide. I like that. It certainly sounds authoritative and final to me. As it should. It inspires confidence. Sort of like Hieki the inventor, or The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. I wouldn't want to follow just anyone into the woods and neither should you.


The Guide formerly known as Memaquay

Look at The Guide. Look at The Guide. He seems to be quite bonafide. None of his clients have ever died!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. How could he possibly drink this much beer? My back shall break from the weight of it I fear.

What's this on the portage? A tree in the way? Call the mighty guide Memaquay. He packs an axe and a chainsaw, eh. For him a tree is just child's play.

Good day!

 

[memaquay]

Ha ha, you guys are messed up! Good laugh to wake up to though when it's 40 below. Can't wait for ice out, or as we call it around here, the middle of June!

 

[Odyssey]

I think Old Man Winter is a canoetripping lurker. He must've read my whinging and whining blabber post on the winter thread. We have some colder and whiter days and nights here now. My wife insists on cranking up the electric fireplace in our basement family room. I think about the hydro bills and prefer to skip TV and sit upstairs in the snug and warm kitchen. We were going out to friends to watch the Super Bowl, but there's 25cm on it's way this afternoon, so we may stay home instead...and wait for spring. No complaints here. I asked for winter, and now I've got it. Let's see. Geraldton ice out by June? That means the water will warm up just enough for dog paddling by August? Perfect.

 

[Mihun09]

We sure are looking forward to this trip. Mind you, if the fishing in Gripp is as good as Robin said, you all just leave me there, I'll find my way out.

Brad, can you send the snow this way, we have none of it. The fields are bare, I can see a large patch of grass in the backyard. Early spring I think, will have to ask the ground hog tomorrow.

 

[Odyssey]

Mihun, you're welcome to as much snow as you can get your mittened hands on here. The best stuffs in my driveway. I'd start with that. I'll put the coffee on.
We have a snow day today!! We don't get Nor'easters, mostly lake effect storms. They sweep in from Lakes Erie and Huron as the polar air from the north tries to give a cold shoulder to the moist sultry gulf air from the south, and we wind up with their flurried offspring! According to the radar, those two amorous air bodies are rolling over towards the Maritimes now. One more round of coffee and toast and I'll head out the door to push some snow around.
I used to stand in my back yard and look over to a neighbour's tall stately White Pine tree soaring over his house and yard, and think about the north. It was easy to forget about my obvious surroundings of sidewalks and strip malls, and imagine myself on a lakeshore near a small smokey fire, waiting out a storm. That tree is gone now. They grew nervous of it's size, and took it down piece by piece last summer. Sad really. It's hard to have a good northern daydream in my yard now. But on this blustery morning I'll try to imagine myself at a different latitude enjoying a different attitude, and in a snow-free season; one of quiet anticipation of soon loading up the canoes for a blissful paddle down a lake. There'll be the plonk of a lure dropped over the side, as a fisher trolls for a second breakfast.
See how easy daydreaming can be?
I guess I'll just tumble out my door and start building snow banks for snowless friends to come and get. I'll leave my excellent driveway snow in easy pickup piles, waiting for you to come on by. I'll put the coffee on.