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Day 269 - CLOSING UP THE GAP

8/31/2010

Daily Stats
Start: 8:30 AM - Wyalusing State Park, WI
Finish 5:45 PM - East Dubuque, IL
time: 9:15 hours
Daily dist: 52 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: None
Weather: Mostly cloudy - rain off and on, 80’s, SW winds 15+
Notes: Big miles on a big river

Yee ha, 52 miles in one day! I had forgotten how fun this river is to paddle.

With twelve days allotted to reach Grafton (near St. Louis), I had figured that I’d need to average about 38 miles per day in order to make it on time. The lower half of the Mississippi, the section I paddled last winter, flows free from St. Louis all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Not only does it not have dams and locks in the way, the lower half of the river just plane flows fast. My pace down there last winter was well above six miles per hour. If I could maintain that pace I could pound out fifty mile days easily and reach Grafton in just eight days.

However, the upper half of the Mississippi is quite a bit different than the lower half. Up here the Army Corps of Engineers has built a series of dams with locks to create what they call pools in order to maintain a navigable depth of water for boat and barge traffic. With all of these impoundments I couldn’t use my old river pace to calculate how long it’d take me to reach Grafton because I had no idea just what kind of pace I could average in the slack water in the pools and faster flowing water below the dams.

Mike and Scott in this John boat ended up locking thru with me. They are on their way back from La Crosse where they spent the weekend for Scott's birthday.

After my parents dropped me off at the boat ramp at Wyalusing this morning, I set out for what was my first full day on the Upper Mississippi, anxious to see what sort of pace I could set. Well… after logging a 52 mile day, even with a later than normal start, I’m fairly sure I’ll be able to reach Grafton by the 11th. I didn’t necessarily want to go 52 miles. But the end of my standard 8 hours of paddling put me right at Lock 11. Once through the lock I was hoping to see nice sandy islands on which to camp like I’d seen up above but there were none. Instead I paddled a bit further on before settling for what turned out to be a great camp on a wooded island below Dubuque.

Rainy day on the Mississippi

It was a rainy and windy day on the water but I had fun just the same, and now that I know I can set the needed pace, I can relax and plan my next two weeks of paddling with more confidence.

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Day 268 - CLOSING UP THE GAP

8/30/2010

3 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 2:15 AM - Boscabel, WI
Finish 7:15 PM - Wyalusing State Park, WI
Time: 5:00 hours
Daily dist: 27 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy, 80’s, SW winds 10+
Notes: Many memories of last winter and my first time through here.

If you’ve been following along with this blog since the beginning, you are probably well aware that there is a bit of a gap in the loop that’s the result of being chased south by an early winter storm last year. Like I said in the last post that Portage always was and still is the town I consider the finish line of this trip. The fact remains, however, that I have a little unfinished work to do in order to make it official.

It may not mean anything to many other people, but I have a burning need to close up that gap and know better than to think that I can take my time and paddle those miles some other day. For that reason, the day after reaching Portage (still tired from all the celebrating), I am back at it.

Boscabel was the place where my parents found me at the end of the third day of paddling last fall at a canoe launch with a half foot of snow on the ground. By the next day more snow had fallen along with the temperature and the river was clogged with huge rafts of snow and ice. As a result, my parents and I were left with no prudent choice but to jump south to warmer weather and an unfrozen river.

Today was a different story. With the temperature in the 80’s, clear skies, and a pleasant wind, it was an absolutely glorious day. Watching the river flow past the put-in (finally in the direction I was going once again) I was giddy with excitement to be getting back on the very river I grew up on.

A little warmer than the last time I saw it.

With the river pushing me at two miles per hour and my added three, I made awesome time heading downstream toward my destination for the day, Wyalusing State Park. Wyalusing lies at the confluence of the Wisconsin river where it meets the Mississippi. I’d paddled this section of river once before, about eleven years ago as my brother and I finished paddling the entire length of the Wisconsin River. With my mind swimming with memories of last winter and eleven years ago, I drank in the beauty of the steep hills that flank the river dripping in lush green vegetation.

With a late start (we did have to drive four hours to the put-in) it was nearly dark by the time I reached the take out at the boat ramp in the State Park. The road to the boat ramp was closed for construction so I locked the Ikkuma to a kayak rack nearby and walked out with my gear to my parents waiting in my truck. This being our last night together for a while, we went into town to enjoy a meal at a restaurant then returned to camp for a campfire. Knowing that we’d be saying good by once again in the morning, all three of us were uncommonly silent as we sat watching the flames dancing in the fire. Alas, sometimes the only way to have someone return is to let them go.

Pretty nice

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Day 267 (Portage at last!)

8/29/2010

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I made it!

Pulling out right where I put in last December

It was a day of surprises and moments I’ll remember forever. Thank you everyone that came to see my return (by water) to the very spot on the Wisconsin River where it all started last December. It was overwhelming to see all the friends and family that showed up to wish me well.

It’s been a long trail and I couldn’t have done it without the help and encouragement everyone has given me throughout the last nine months. It has also been a very long day so please forgive me for forcing you to wait a bit to hear more details.

Daily Stats
Start: 10:00 AM - Governor’s Bend, WI
Finish 1:45 PM - Riverside Park - PORTAGE, WI !
Time: 4:45 hours
Daily dist: 6 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: John, Tom, Elizabeth, Dad, Aaron, Dave, Margie
Weather: Clear skies, 80’s, SW winds 10+
Notes: Arrived at Indian Agency House at 12:00 noon

After getting sorted out at the campground our group of five paddlers which included (my brother Aaron, Dad, Cousin Dan, and friend Margie) headed out for Governor’s Bend where I left off yesterday. Waiting for me there was the first major surprise of the day. My good friend Dave Lindo had flown in all the way from Oklahoma City to see me cross the finish line. So he wouldn’t have to wait around for me to arrive, Dave and I drove back to the Indian Trails Campground to borrow a kayak so he could join me on the water. By the time we returned my mom’s cousin Tom and his daughter Colleen had also joined our group. Right on schedule at 10:00 we all launched into the Fox River and two hours later (after carrying around the only fallen tree that blocks the narrow river) we reached the Portage canal and the end of the Fox River for this trip.

The group leads the way to the finish line.

Waiting for us at the Indian Agency House was two dozen onlookers there to see the arrival back in Portage. There to greet us as well was the very same gentleman that escorted me out of town on his SUP board last winter. Portage Doug (as he’s known in our family) had paddled the length of the canal from his apartment on the other side of town. It was an unexpected surprise but suddenly I was shown a means to get across town to the start point on the Wisconsin River that didn’t involve walking which is what I thought I’d be doing. So it was, after many hugs, hellos, and a quick interview with the press, that I dropped the Ikkuma into the canal and paddled it across town. There wasn’t much water in the canal but it was just enough to float my boat.

The canal isn't what it once was but it's still better than walking.

Doug jumped ahead with a ride from his friend Paul and caught up with me where there was a low head dam that I’d have to portage. Once back on the water I could see some folks on the lawn next to the next bridge one of those folks ended up being the second big surprise of the day. There waiting to greet me was my friend Neil (whom I met up with in Fort Lauderdale last February). After a quick hello, Doug and I continued under the bridge and on to the very end of the canal just past the refurbished canal lock. Neil and others had followed along on foot and were there to help Doug and I carry over the flood control embankment back out onto the Wisconsin River.

Rod, Mark, and Neil greet me on the canal

From that last carry it was a very quick run downstream to exactly where it all started early last December. On top of the bank was at least three dozen people cheering me on to the finish line. With their cheers of encouragement, I touched the bank, officially back where it all started, at 2:45. In the park shelter nearby was a huge spread of potluck items to feed all the masses.

Quite a crowd gathered at the finish line

I regret not having the energy or ware-with-all to give a speech at the picnic. It would have been the perfect opportunity to thank, first hand, many of the people that helped me make it back. So if you were there, or only wish you could have been, please know that I truly feel blessed to have been surrounded by so many great people thorough this trip and I thank you.

It has taken a lot of work but the blog and e-mail access I’ve had throughout this trip has allowed me to share the adventure with you. In return your kind words of encouragement have helped me all along the way. I couldn’t have done it without you and in many ways it felt like we made it back to Portage together.

If you’re like many people at the picnic that told me that reading the blog has become such a habit that they don’t know what they’re going to do now that I’ve reached Portage, you don’t need to despair. Tomorrow I’m going to be right back at it on the Wisconsin River where I left off last winter. Follow along as I close up the gap over the next thirteen days on my way to Grafton Illinois.

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Day 266 (happy birthday Myrna)

8/28/2010

9 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 10:00 AM - Endeavor, WI
Finish 1:45 PM - Governor’s Bend, WI
Time: 3:45 hours
Daily dist: 10 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: John
Weather: Clear skies, 80’s, SW winds 10+
Notes: River getting small and crooked

The paddle today was a rather straightforward and pleasant endeavor with the highlight being when we spooked a nice sized buck out of some high grass along shore. Starting out over two hundred feet wide, the river twisted and turned more and more loosing a little width and a little depth with each bend. By the time we neared the take out I had to slide over three different downed trees that blocked clear passage of the river.

The river is getting smaller allowing trees to block the entire river.

After paddling John and I collected my truck from the put-in where we left it in Endeavor then returned to the Indian Trails campground where my family was beginning to rally from points far and wide. With only a couple hours to go before I was scheduled to do a slideshow at the campground, I quickly updated my slides by adding the Great Lakes and Fox River stories. By show time at 5:00 a group of about twenty people had assembled in the campground dancehall. Even the owners of the campground Dave and Myrna (who was celebrating what I think was her 34th birthday) made time to hear the stories of the trip.

For dinner our crew made our way into town and ended up at the very same restaurant where we had breakfast last December on launch day. I have to say it was a little spooky to be back there eight months later on the eve of the last day of paddling into Portage. While we ate we made plans for the paddle and picnic celebration tomorrow then finally returned to the campground for a campfire.

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Day 265

8/27/2010

3 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 3:00 PM - Montello, WI
Finish 7:00 PM - Endeavor, WI
Time: 4:00 hours
Daily dist: 11 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: John and Tim
Weather: Clear skies, 80’s, SW winds 10+
Notes: Seemed to take forever to work the shuttle with cars.

At the rate it took the three of us to meet up, run a shuttle, paddle 11 miles, and get back to the campground it would taken two years to paddle as far as I have on this trip. It didn’t help that road construction had us detouring all over to reach Endeavor nor did it help that for a short while we weren’t 100% sure where our take out was.

Much like my efforts with shuttling with a bicycle yesterday, car shuttles for paddling trips tend to be riddles of a higher order that are often run on faith rather than full understanding. In fact when I explained the plan to Tim (while taking his boat off his car to put it on my truck along with the two others) he understood as far as the first stop but quickly got lost in what went where and why. Finally as he shook his head and waved his arms to ward off confusion he simply said, “I’ll just follow you.” It truly does require faith… just don’t forget your car keys.

Buffalo Lake - long, narrow, and weedy

With all three boats on my truck, and Tim following along in his empty car, we left the campground in route to the town of Endeavor. A fairly quick drive got us to the outskirts of town where a “Road Closed to Thru Traffic” sign blocked our access to the put in. Undeterred we detoured to another highway (the only other access to town) and quickly discovered another identical sign on the other side of town. Apparently Endeavor, much like an island, had been completely shut off from the rest of the world during most of the summer road construction season. We cautiously drove around the barricades into town and onto the take-out wondering how the local species may have evolved during their brief geographic isolation.

When we reached the town boat ramp we found a man on shore with a small mud splashed flat bottomed boat. He was there paddling the clumsy craft with a kid sized canoe paddle through weed choked water, not to go fishing or bird watching, but to pick up credit cards that were discarded by some unknown thief. Apparently the ancient dented craft the man had employed had a fairly fast leak. He explained that he had to paddle around as quickly as he could to pick up the cards then head back to shore to empty the boat of water and put the cancelled cards in his truck. More interested in the water than who this man was or how he came to be responsible for collecting the wayward cards, we scanned the several hundred yards of thick vegetation that separated the ramp from the open river channel and asked if there was another access point that had more direct access to open water. The man directed us to another boat ramp nearby which is where we left Tim’s car.

The weed cutters and some of the weeds they battle

From Endeavor it was a quick drive to the put-in in Montello where I ended my day yesterday. Once on the water we were greeted by a fairly stiff head wind that slowed our progress down the nine mile long and half mile wide Buffalo Lake. The very shallow lake is overgrown with thick mats of vegetation. About half way down we came across the huge aquatic weed mowers that keep three lanes clear for navigation, one along each shore with connector channels that allow lakeside homeowners to reach the third main channel down the middle. None of the channels provided passage that allowed us to hide from the wind. As we paddled on enjoying each others company and conversation it came to light that both John and I had read that the lake got its name from the last free ranging bison to live in Wisconsin. Apparently the hapless (and I guess lonely) animal fell into the lake and drown…

I wonder where those credit cards came from.

Three hours after starting out we reached a point where we knew we should be nearing the take-out. Somehow, however, the water didn’t look anything like where we had left Tim’s car. A half hour of investigating (which involved slogging through hundreds of yards of thick weeds to shore) revealed that we were as far as the first boat ramp we’d found and that the other ramp where we left the car had to be further upstream. The only thing we had to do was figure out where exactly, in the weed choked water. upstream was. There actually was a clear channel where the deeper flowing river prevented weeds from growing. We just had a hard time accepting the fact that the very twisty channel would indeed lead back to the western shore (where we knew we had to be) as it wound its way east and north toward the opposite shore of the mile wide marshy valley the upper end of the lake was morphing into.

Just before sunset we finally reached our destination and, with mosquitoes taking blood samples from our legs, quickly loaded Tim’s boat on his car and locked the other two to trees. We then drove back to the Montello to retrieve my truck and picked up the other two boats on the way back to the campground.

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Day 264

8/26/2010

5 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 12:30 PM - Marquette, WI
Finish 3:30 PM - Montello, WI
Time: 3:00 hours
Daily dist: 11 miles
Total dist: 5200+
Companions: None
Weather: Clear skies, 70’s, calm winds - nice
Notes: Ran the route as a day trip using a bicycle to work a solo shuttle.

When I first got started in paddle sports more than twelve years ago it was with open canoes on the rivers around Wausau and later Sparta Wisconsin when I lived a summer down there. At that time I could never seem to find anybody to go along with me, so I often went alone. To avoid having to paddle upstream on out and back trips, I worked my own shuttles by using a bicycle to ride back to where I’d leave my truck at the put-in. Sometimes I would lock my bike at the take-out if it was on the way to the put-in. Other times I’d simply put the bike in the canoe with me. Either way, when I reached the take out I’d lock the canoe to a tree then ride back to where I left my truck and pick up the canoe on my way home.

Now, you may remember that my goal for this trip was to paddle a continuous loop of water around the eastern US while seeing what there is to see and meeting folks along the way, with the only rule being that I had to start each day on the water where I left of the day before. I had no rules regarding who carries my gear or where I stay at night. That being said, at this point in the game I’ve honestly had my fill of sleeping on the ground and am very happy to take advantage of any civilization that comes my way. Of course I’ve been doing that all along anyway, so no surprise there. With just a few very short days of paddling left on the way in to Portage I’ve decided to go the lazy man’s route and set up a base camp to day trip the last miles to the finish line.

Day tripping on a one way water route, of course, involves a shuttle to be able to return to camp each night. Seems how I was running solo today, I figured I’d dust off my old bike and work a shuttle like I did when I was paddling around home twelve years ago. Shuttles are always a bit of a brain twister to figure out and are often more complicated “on paper” than they are in reality, add a bicycle to the mix and it just seems worse. When I explained my plan for today to my brother Luke (a high school math teacher) he had trouble following the logical sequence of [drop bike - drive truck - paddle boat - ride bike - drive truck - pick up boat - go home] and asked “Geeze man, is it worth the trouble?” I thought so, for old time’s sake at the very least, and arriving in my truck from Wausau (pop up camper in tow) I set about finding a place to lock my bike in Montello which was my water borne destination for the day.

A secure spot for bike and boat

The drop spot for the bike had to be secure because ultimately my boat would be locked there while I rode back for my truck. The canoe trail take-out at the dam in Montello was crawling with people fishing from shore and had few suitable trees or poles onto which to lock the bike/boat anyway. Searching for the right spot, my attention was drawn to the Rendezvous Paddle & Sports shop across the bridge just a hundred yards away. After explaining my situation Charlotte from “Charlotte’s Café” (which is part of the business along with a bait shop, canoe/kayak sales, and canoe/kayak/tube rentals on the river) she said it’d be no problem for me to lock my bike up to a tree behind the store. Conveniently there was a low floating dock nearby in a quiet backwater of the Montello river (connected just downstream to the Fox) where I would be able to take out later on. Before I departed in my truck (with the lunch rush filling the counter in the café) I gave Charlotte one of my trip flyers and promised to explain more fully what I am up to when I returned.

With my bicycle securely cabled to a tree I jumped into my truck and poked the boat ramp in Marquette as my destination into my navigator. It was then that I once again realized how a bit more pre-planning could have made my life a bit easier on this trip. Normally, by the twisty nature of rivers and straight nature of roads, the distance covered by a day of paddling can be retraced by a bicycle in a comparatively short time. If I’d looked ahead last Sunday when I selected my pull out spot for the day, and picked a location on the north shore of Lake Puckaway, that would have been true. However, I didn’t look that close at my maps, nor think that far ahead, and simply picked a convenient spot on the south shore of the lake.

What my navigator revealed to me (and what was plane to see on my maps when I finally focused on the roads instead of the water) is that on the south shore of the lake between Montello and Marquette is a large wetland through which no roads cross. Instead the highway skirts way south then way east and finally back to north before it returns to the shore of the lake. This roundabout route creates a rare instance where the bike ride is more than twice as long as the paddle (25 miles vs. 10 miles in fact.) Later in the day when I was talking to the folks at the Rendezvous store I learned that they don’t run their shuttle pickup trips to Marquette for that very reason… smart…very smart.

As I drove to the put-in in Marquette…and drove… and drove… and drove… I realized that I’d have my work cut out for my (eight-months-in-a-kayak spindly legs) when it came time to ride back to pick up my truck. The plan was set and, I was committed either way, so it didn’t pay to worry about it until the time came. Making great time in an empty boat in ideal conditions I covered the ten water miles in about three hours. The most interesting thing I saw along the way was what appeared to be a cable ferry designed for livestock. It was set up just upstream from the lake to apparently move animals from the south shore to an “island” in the marsh to the north. In 5000 miles of paddling this was the first time I’d seen such a contraption.

One of

After pulling out at the Rendezvous dock, securing my kayak, and switching into biking mode, I stopped into the store long enough to have a quick bight to eat where I had a chance to visit more with the owners. With a belly full lunch I hopped on my bike to begin what turned out to be a pleasant ride back to my truck. The ride was nice but my underused legs protested the sudden work load all the way.

In my truck I motored back to my boat loaded it on to the rack and headed south to the Indian Trails Campground outside of Portage where I’ll be base camping for the next few nights. The campground owners Dave and Myrna (who were in Portage on launch day and have followed along with the entire trip) were expecting me and took time out of their busy schedules to visit for a bit and make me feel at home.

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Day 261-263

8/25/2010

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Off the water

With less than 40 miles to go to Portage (and the celebration we have planned this coming Sunday Aug. 29th) I needed to slow down before I reached town too soon. With time to burn I figured it’d be a good chance to get back up to my parent’s house in Wausau to re-group and, of course, enjoy some of my mom‘s cooking. These three days off gave me a chance to sort through my equipment boxes to find replacements for some of the gear that has begun to fall apart after months of use. In addition I had the opportunity to concentrate on plans for what is to come after reaching Portage. Plans are now coming together for a twelve day “closing the gap” run from Boscabel, WI to St. Louis, as well as the “long walk in the desert” that I’ve been telling people I’m looking forward to (after so much time on the water) when this trip is over.

My Nephews Noah and Ty with their catch

Of course being home also gave me time to spend with family. On Tuesday my brother Luke asked my dad and I if we’d like to go fishing with him and his two sons. This wasn’t so much an invite to a day of fishing as a request for extra hands to help tie hooks an pull lines out of snags for the two energetic young fishermen. The outing was a success and the boys had a great time even taking home a few fish for dinner.

Our group in downtown Wausau nearing the top of the white water course

Wednesday had me running around taking care of non-trip errands such as new tires for my truck. I did finally have time to get out and visit my grandmother who will be turning 96 in October. I’m looking forward to being at her birthday party for the first time in ten years. Late in the day I took the opportunity to join a group of paddlers for an evening paddle here in Wausau. About nine of us put in at Schofield Park on the west side of town and enjoyed an hour on the water which took us down stream to the top of the whitewater course then back up and around some of the islands above Gilbert Park. It was a beautiful late summer evening and I had a great time meeting folks on what will once again be my home waters when I return from the end of the end of the trip next month.

Above Glibert Park in Wausau

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Day 260

8/22/2010

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Daily Stats
Start: 7:00 AM - Princeton, WI
Finish 1:00 PM - Marquette, WI
Time: 7:00 hours
Daily dist: 15 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: Mark and my brother Aaron
Weather: Clear skies, 80’s, calm winds - amazingly beautiful
Notes: The first “real” paddle with my brother Aaron.

It’s interesting, after such a long trip seeing so many amazing places, the simple and sometimes silly things that stand out in my memory… The first sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico, a cormorant trying to swallow a fish so big his neck wasn’t strong enough to lift it, the smell of frying bacon wafting from the windows of passing tow boat kitchens when I paddled down the cold lonely Mississippi last winter…

Aaron approaching on Lake Puckaway

As simple as the day was, early this afternoon as I watched my brother Aaron approaching in his kayak, I knew it would be one of those I will long remember. I’ve been on the water with Aaron three times before this. The first was Neil’s bachelor party in Florida which was a quick outing on West Lake during which I spent my time rescuing multiple guys from capsizes in the mucky shallows. The second was an hour long session on an overgrown farm pond of a lake where I gave Aaron a rolling lesson. The third was aboard a dragon boat for the annual YMCA dragon boat races in Manitowoc. Despite those other times on the water, today was the first time I ever really paddled with Aaron where we were actually paddling somewhere with a purpose.

After putting out a last minute call for people to join me on the water today, I got three takers. Mark (who has now paddled with me six of the last eight days), my mom’s cousin’s husband Tom, and my brother Aaron (who was coming down to pick me up at the end of the day). The storms that passed through two days ago had the river pushed up and flowing a little faster than normal. So, instead of driving to Princeton to paddle all the way upstream with me, the plan was for everyone to put in at the take out in Marinette and paddle along Lake Puckaway until crossing paths and paddling back.

Foggy morning with floodwaters up into the trees

Ultimately, the very same storms that drove the river back up had knocked down a bunch of branches in Tom’s yard so he got stuck doing clean up and couldn’t join us. That left Mark and Aaron trying to join me today. Mark got an earlier start and caught up with me at about noon. Aaron was about a half hour behind and found us at 12:30. Making very good time on the tranquil (flat calm) lake, it took us only a half hour to make it back to the boat landing. It was just a short half hour but it was great to be able to share the water once again with a new friend and for the first of what I know will be many times with my brother Aaron.

Aaron and Mark enjoying the calm water on Lake Puckaway

At the boat landing we loaded my gear and kayak on my truck and I drove Aaron back to where his truck was waiting in Green Bay. From there Aaron went home and I continued on to my parent’s house in Wausau. The plan now is for me to take the next three days off to rest up a bit and get myself and my gear organized before the last four day push into Portage.

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Day 259

8/21/2010

3 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 6:45 AM - Eureka Lock, WI
Finish 3:35 PM - Princeton, WI
Time: 8:45 hours
Daily dist: 20 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Mostly cloudy skies becoming clear late, 80’s, calm winds
Notes: I can now say I've been to Princeton

The mosquitoes that chased me into my tent last night were hungry and waiting for me to emerge this morning. I waited in bed as long as I could but the call of nature pulled me out of the tent into the gauntlet of tiny stingers. Thankfully my bug suit protected me from most of the attackers and I was able to dive back into the tent without letting too many back in with me. The bugs were the only troubling thing I had to deal with today, even the slightly higher river flow from the overnight rains didn’t do too much to slow my progress upstream.

Fall colors already

The only real obstacle that made for some work was a portage around the remains of the Eureka lock and dam. The old and weathered lock gates are still there but the dam has eroded into a pile of rubble and a rapids. This I was able to portage by way of a short carry down a grassy path on the SE side of the old dam. A few miles upstream from the dam I passed by Berlin Wisconsin and, much like Omro, it too had beautiful riverside parkspace that seemed to go on forever. Unlike Omro, however, I didn’t stop for a break today and instead continued on all day along the winding rain swollen river until I reached my destination in Princeton, WI.

Old railroad bridge below Princeton

My first order of business upon reaching my camp spot was to dry out all the gear that got wet from last nights storm, which mainly included my tent, raincoat, and tarp. Afterward I made a foray into town in search of a store that sells hunting licenses. My brother Luke was sure to inform me that bonus deer permits went on sale at noon today and that if I could I should get one. It took a little asking and a fair amount of walking, but I finally did find a gas station that could help me out. With a license in hand, as well as two fresh apples, I headed back to the river and called it a day.

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Day 258

8/20/2010

5 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 8:30 AM - Oshkosh, WI
Break: Noon to 3:45
Finish 5:45 PM - Eureka Lock, WI
Time: 5:30 hours
Daily dist: 17 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Mostly cloudy skies, 80’s, passing storms (some strong)
Notes: From big lakes to a small river.

We had planned on getting a leisurely start to the day, but Bob and I were both up early so I decided to pack up and head for the water sooner than later. True to the rules of the game Bob took me right back to the boat ramps were we pulled off the water two days ago and watched as I once again made four bags of gear disappear into the hatches of the Ikkuma. With promises to paddle together again some day, I bid farewell to Bob and headed out across the last large lake I’ll see on my run to Portage. With the morning haze obscuring the view of the far end of Lake Butte des Morts about seven miles away it made it seem even bigger than it is. The mouth of the Fox river lie only five miles up and I soon made that and entered a river only half the size of what I’d paddled from Green Bay to here.

Probably one of my last views of a watery horizon on this trip.

With record amounts of rain fall this summer the current is still flowing as it would be in early summer which means a bit more work for me, but with fair winds and comfortable temps it was smooth sailing. At about noon I came into the town of Omro which had beautiful waterfront parks that seemed to stretch on forever. With lots of time and not too far to go, I decided to take a break at the boat ramp on the west end of town and take advantage of a good cell connection to get caught up on e-mails and blog posts. While I was typing away on my computer a SUV (with kayak racks on top) rolled by very slowly then stopped when the driver saw my boat. The driver then got out and took a closer look at the boat then finally noticed me sitting a few hundred feet away under a park gazebo.

Hey aunt Bev your niece Pam says hello

It turned out that the driver of the car was a local paddler named Pam. She’d been tipped off about the trip by her aunt Bev who lives on the Wisconsin River up in Rhinelander. Both are kayakers and have been following the trip for a while. After a nice visit, Pam drove home and I finished checking my e-mails with the sound of thunder rolling continuously my way. Any thoughts of getting back on the water had to wait as I quickly re-stowed my gear in the Ikkuma and pulled it a bit further up the boat ramp as the winds began to whip the river into a frenzy. Just as I pulled my rain coat on the skies opened with loud cracks of thunder and I retreated back to the shelter of the gazebo I’d been in before. As quickly as the storm arrived it passed leaving broken clouds and some sunshine in its wake.

Figuring the coast was clear I put back on the river and enjoyed another couple of hours of fine paddling. However, with only a half mile of river between me and the camp I was headed toward, I got chased off the river by yet another even more lively storm. Fortunately I was able to pull out on a gravel beach next to two huge oak trees. Once again I battened the hatches on kayak but this time, instead of a nice park shelter, I was forced to rely on my rain coat while I crouched behind one of the massive trees as monsoon like rain fell and winds blew hard enough to rock my fully loaded kayak sitting on the ground next to me. The worst of the storm lasted only a half hour or so but the rain persisted for a half hour more. By the time it all let up it was getting dark so I decided to make camp where I was. With darkness descending it became a race to get the tent set up so I could escape the swarms of mosquitoes attacking from all sides.

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Day 257 - Waupaca Chain of Lakes

8/19/2010

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One of the goals and purposes I set in this trip was to meet local paddlers and experience local paddling destinations both on and off the route. With plenty of time to reach Portage by the 29th, I have every reason to take every opportunity to explore local waters that are not necessarily on the route. It was that spirit that had me paddling “the wrong way” on the Fox River last weekend and that had me riding home with Bob (known as Wisconsin Bob to his friends in Florida) last night.

Two of over a dozen boats in Bob's fleet.

Bob lives in the Waupaca area which is known for its locally famous chain of lakes. This series of small interconnected lakes is a very popular destination for paddlers from all over the area. Unfortunately it’s also very popular with motor boaters as well, thousands of which crowd the waters on nice weekends making it not as pleasant for paddlers as it could be. Because it was mid week we thankfully didn’t have to worry about crowds.

After breakfast we got on the phone to rally some of the local crew to see who was up for a paddle. Mark and Terry were up for the adventure but wouldn’t be able to catch up with us for a few hours so Bob and I decided to do a warm up run on the Crystal River giving the others time to catch up with us. The Crystal is actually a river I had paddled in the past. Actually the distant past it startled me to think it had been over 20 years since my family camped with some friends in Waupaca and floated the river in canoes. Like so many things you see as a child, the river didn’t seem as big as I remembered it. In fact, relative to where I’ve paddled, it was pretty darn tiny. Just the same it was a fun run through pretty stretch of water making for a great way to start the day.

Bob showing his moves on the placid, shin deep, Crystal River

Once we returned Bobs whitewater boats to their racks we re-armed with Greenland style kayaks and paddles to add a little extra excitement to our adventure on the Chain of Lakes. Waiting for us at the boat ramp at the top of the Chain was Mark and after exploring one of the lakes Terry caught up with us. With only three miles to paddle from one end of the lakes to the other, we took our time exploring the nooks and crannies that we found as well as taking time out to practice a few rolls.

Like so many great days on the water, we ended this day at a local eatery and enjoyed a sandwich while telling stories about trips past and planning trips for the future.

Previously posted phone update

Jake is out of internet contact once again. Since he is a little ahead of schedule he decided to take the day to explore the Waupaca Chain of Lakes with new paddling friends. He hopes to be back on the route tomorrow.

Also, details for his arrival in Portage have been ironed out (at least for now). Check out the home page for more information.

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Day 256

8/18/2010

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Daily Stats
Start: 10:00 AM - Menasha, WI
Finish 3:30 PM - Oshkosh, WI
Time: 5:30 hours
Daily dist: 15 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: Mark, Terry, Tim, and Bob
Weather: Mostly clear skies, 70’s, SW wind 15-20
Notes: Lake Winnebago was my last run on open water.

Quite a crew to see me off today. L to R - Nancy, Vern, Luke, Amy, Noah and Ty

It’s not big by great lake standards, but just the same Lake Winnebago is big enough to demand some attention. Long enough to display an empty horizon line when you look down to the south, and well over 10 miles wide where I traveled on the north end today. The wind was up a bit but thankfully out of the southwest putting me safely in the lee shore as I paddled twelve miles south to where the Fox River enters the lake in Oshkosh. A few of the guys I’d met over the last few days had mentioned trying to catch up with me on the lake. After an hour of paddling solo, I looked over at a boat ramp where I saw some other kayakers land and, sure enough, there were Bob and Terry pulling their boats off Bob’s car.

The three of us continued south together and after another hour of paddling, another paddler, Tim, joined our growing armada. A few miles further on we ran into Mark who had paddled out from a park in Oshkosh bringing our ranks briefly up to five boats.

L to R Mark, Bob, Tim, and Terry

As quickly as our group grew it soon began to shrink. With several miles to paddle, Tim had to turn around and head for home while Bob and Mark headed back to where Mark left his Jeep in order to have another vehicle to shuttle boats. This all left just Terry and I continuing on the last few miles to the take out where Terry’s car was waiting.

When we reached the boat ramp we were greeted by yet another now familiar face, Dave, who was one of the coordinators that had organized the Fox River Heritage Paddle that I had joined last weekend. He was there to try to catch up with me to escort me a few miles further on to a spot he knew I could stay. As much as I appreciated the help it wasn’t needed because plans had already been hatched for me to head to Bob’s place in Waupaca. There I planned to take a day off the route and explore the Crystal River and Waupaca Chain of Lakes with Bob and anybody else that cared to join us.

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Day 255 A Post From Noah (and a follow up by Uncle Jake)

8/17/2010

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This is a post from Jake's nephew, Noah who spent the day following Jake through the Appleton area.

Me helping Jake portage his kayak

Today we drove to Kaukauna and I took a little walk with Uncle Jake and his kayak. Then we went to play at my Nana and Papa's house while Uncle Jake was paddling.

Me and Ty in Kaukauna

Me and Ty waiting for Jake at a park.

Then we met Jake at a park then went to Tom's Drive In to eat lunch. We brought Jake lunch from Tom's Drive In.

I liked Uncle Jake's lunch too!

Then I opened the locks and bridge for Uncle Jake.

Me opening the lock.

Me opening the bridge.

When I was done helping Uncle Jake I let this man take over!

We then brought Uncle Jake back to Nana and Papa's house. This morning we had scrambled eggs and sausages and then we went to the water and we saw Uncle Jake paddling away. Then we went home.

Day 255 (Followup post from Uncle Jake)

Daily Stats
Start: 9:00 AM - Kaukauna, WI
Finish 6:30 PM - Menasha, WI
Time: 9:30 hours
Daily dist: 15 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: Mark, Terry, Tim, Jeff
Weather: Mostly clear skies, 70’s, SW wind 15-20
Notes: Seven portages in fifteen miles.

If someone told me that they had fun portaging their boat around seven lock and dam facilities in one day I would think they were nuts. Yet I must admit, that despite all the carrying, I had a great time today.

However, if things had been different… if I still had my boat full of eighty pounds of gear, if I hadn’t been able to pre scout the portages in my friend’s car, if I had camped on the hard ground the last few nights, if my cousin and her daughter hadn’t seen me off in the morning, if my brother and his family hadn’t met me along the way even with a burger for lunch, and (most importantly) if I hadn’t had three friends join me on the water and another to help carry at the last four portages… without a doubt, I wouldn’t have had as much fun.

A rough way to start a day of paddling

Forget about enjoying any day of portaging, how crazy do you have to be to start your day by taking your kayak off the top of a perfectly good truck to place it on a portage cart in order to begin a mile long walk down a paved road. Throughout this trip the only rule I’ve had is that I can’t be conveyed forward along the route by automobile. You can pick me up and take me half way around the world, but you must drop me off to resume the trip right where you found me. Implied or not, the rule was never specifically applied to the kayak and gear as well. It is my trip, and my one and only rule, so I have interpreted it as I pleased. That being said the gear I don’t care about. If someone is willing to lighten my load by hauling my gear ahead for me, they are more than welcome. The kayak however, is a different story.

This may sound strange, but after eight months and 5000 miles I have developed a sort of connection to my boat, almost to the point where we have become partners in the effort to complete this loop. After so much time spent looking after the kayak, I feel a sort of separation anxiety every time I leave it behind and travel into a town. It would be unimaginable for me to have the Ikkuma hauled ahead of me around an obstacle, such as a mile long portage, while I walked empty handed. Or at the finish line for me to leave the Ikkuma at the end of the Fox River while I walk the last two miles across town to where I started on the Wisconsin last December. We’ve done the entire route together so far so I intend to make sure that we do every inch together all the way back to where we started.

It is with that spirit that I passed on the opportunity to do the sensible thing and start the day by driving around the non-operating lock and paper mill that blocked the river this morning. Instead I rolled my kayak for a mile around the facility on the wheels I’ve carried on the entire route. My gear however, I was very grateful to have hauled around in my brother’s Jeep.

Jenny and Lydia saying goodbye from the road rather than the dock

It was my cousin Jenny and her daughter Lydia that dropped me off this morning. I’ve been staying with them for the last three nights getting the chance to get caught up, at least a little, after I’ve been away for ten years. About a half hour after I parted ways with Jenny and Lydia, my brother and his family (including his father in law Vern) caught up with me while took my kayak for a walk. His wife Amy is from the Appleton area and her parents still live here so it gave them enough reason to drive over to see me as I passed through her old stomping grounds. After taking a few photographs they checked in on me throughout the day at parks and bridges I passed along the way. A mile up the river from my third portage they even brought down a burger, cheese curds, and fries for lunch. Thank goodness it was a busy day to burn off a meal like that.

At the third portage local paddlers Mark and Terry jumped on the water to join me. Then a mile later Tim joined in on the fun. Any thoughts I had that I was crazy were diluted when I considered the fact that these guys came out to do all the portages with me, regardless of how many carry free paddling destinations there are in the area. Even more crazy still may be Jeff who came out straight from work to see us through the last four carries of the day. He mostly came to say hello and take pictures but was quickly recruited into hauling boats. They may be a little nuts for coming along today but I sure did appreciate the company and help along the way.

With Jeff's help we were able to make a train and carry all the boats thru in one go.

With all the help and company the day was more fun than it should have been. The first few portages were a bit challenging but the longest of those three was made much easier by the Fox River Lock and Canal workers when they unlocked a gate allowing me to use a service road that parallels the canal. Without that shortcut I would have had to roll a lot further, up a hill through city streets. The last four portages made about as convenient as they could be by the recent addition of stairs, ramps, and signs to help people off and on the water as they carry around the many dams in town.

The last lock I would come to is actually still in operation so Luke and I carefully planned to have his family there when I finally locked through rather than carry around. This lock was the end of the road for my paddling partners so I bid them farewell before entering the lock chamber. I figured my nephew Noah would get a kick out of just seeing the lock operate. However, the lockmaster made Noah’s day when he let Noah push the crank bar to open the lock gate himself. He then topped that off by letting Noah open the adjacent draw bridge as well. What a thrill for a five year old.

A few miles past the lock I met up with Luke and his crew one last time at a boat ramp where we loaded my boat onto his Jeep and drove out to his in-laws’ house where we spent the night. It had been quite some time since I’d visited with Nancy and Vern and it was great to see them again. They’ve been following the trip since the beginning and had noticed that a frequently mentioned underlying theme to many of my posts was food, so they did all they could to stuff me full with an awesome home cooked meal before sending me back out on the water. Before I left Nancy was sure to show me the project she has planned for finishing off their basement a project she’d like me to do and a reminder that the real world is catching up

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Day 254 (back on the trail)

8/16/2010

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Daily Stats
Start:                9:00 AM - De Pere, WI
Finish               5:30 PM - Kauakauna, WI
Time:                8:30 hours
Daily dist:         18 miles
Total dist:         5000+
Companions:    Mark
Weather:         Partly cloudy, 70’s, SW wind 15-25
Notes:              Upstream in now familiar waters.

After getting dropped off by my parents with cousin Jenny and her daughter Lydia, the plan today was to paddle as far up the river as the wind and current would allow then call Jenny for a ride back to her house, rather than camp only a few miles away. It’s always a kick to realize that an entire day of effort on the river amounts to a few minutes of driving on city streets. Getting picked up also meant that I could paddle an empty boat which would make getting around the dams that lie ahead much easier.

Dad, Mom, Jenny, and Lydia seeing me off at the landing at Zellers Sports

Most of the day was spent paddling all of the same water that I paddled over the last two days except this time I was paddling upstream. It was finally a chance to find out just what kind of time I’ll be able to make while pushing into the unusually high flow. Thankfully, even despite a brisk wind blowing downstream at times, I was able to maintain a pretty good pace. What also helped my progress was the ability to carry around the two locks that were along the route. At the first one the lock operator actually helped me carry around which was ultimately easier for him than cranking the lock gates open and closed by hand, which is how the Fox river locks are operated. At the second lock I simply pulled off the river and slid my boat on the lawn around the lock and back into the water on the upstream side.

Hand crank used to open and close the lock gates on the Fox.

The good pace had me two and around two dams and as far up as Wrightstown by 2:00. At Wrightstown I was once again found on the water by a local paddler named Mark. We had talked about meeting up on the river sometime during the week. We didn’t have a solid plan as to when or where we’d meet instead he figured he could just jump on the river in front of me and wait for me to come by. Of course the good pace I was setting almost had me by the boat launch before he ever expected me to be there. I’m always grateful to have people join me on the water and today I was exceptionally happy to have Mark along when we were faced with portaging around the third dam of the day.

Lock no longer used in order to prevent the lamprey from getting upstream. Chicago may take note.

This lock was shut down (never to be used again) a long time ago to prevent the invasive lamprey from climbing up the Fox River off the great lakes where they had already caused loads of trouble. While the previous two locks and dams were easy to portage around, this one proved to be a bit more challenging. After scouting both the end of the lock canal and the river at the base of the dam, we decided to pull out on the east side of the dam. This route meant a steep uphill climb on a narrow brushy path on very slippery clay. It was tough enough with help it would have been a bit of an ordeal without Mark’s help.

Mark helping me portage around the third dam of the day.

Our day ended a few miles further upstream at the first lock of the Kaukauna lock series. There is an effort underway to get these locks operable again, but it is easy to tell by the state of disrepair that they have not been used in years. Intertwined with a paper mill and hydroelectric plants and lying in a now dry canal that parallels the river, getting around these locks requires a bit of a carry. I had thoughts of doing some of the portage today (rather than start the day wheeling my boat) so I hopped out and began surveying the route. Just then Mark got a call from Jeff Mazanec who is one of the coordinators of the Fox River Heritage Paddle and who has given me a lot of information about what I’ll have to deal with on the river. Jeff lives in Appleton, WI only a few minutes from where we were and was on his way over to show us just how to get around the locks.

When Jeff arrived we decided to save my cousin a drive and loaded both our boats on his truck to catch a ride back to where the day started. Before we headed downstream, however, we went for a drive along the river stopping wherever we could to pre-scout all of the portages I’ll have to do tomorrow… and there are many. Jeff also gave me the phone number of a gentleman that will be able to open a gate for me that will give me access to the service road that parallels the canal which will spare me the effort of rolling the Ikkuma up hill through a city neighborhood and back down to the water. Now armed with the knowledge of where I have to go to get around all the (non-operating) locks and dams I’ll see tomorrow, it will make the day go much easier. An hour spent riding with Jeff and Mark saved me half a day of walking through brush and bramble to sort things out. Once again it is the kindness of new friends that is helping me through a sticky spot on this adventure. I will always wonder how this trip would have gone without the help of so many great people.

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Day 253

8/15/2010

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Daily Stats (side trip)
Start: 10:00 AM - Wrightstown, WI
Finish 2:00 PM - De Pere, WI
Time: 4:00 hours
Daily dist: 11 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: About 30 other paddlers!
Weather: Beautiful partly cloudy skies, 70’s
Notes: A Fox River Heritage Paddle

My parents in the voyager canoe

Today brought another opportunity to paddle with the Fox River Heritage Trail group. The paddle today backtracked up the river eleven miles to Wrightstown where we put in for a run downstream to where we started our day yesterday in De Pere. Today’s group was quite a bit smaller than yesterday but we still had 17 boats on the water one of them being the very full voyager canoe. I had planned on paddling in the canoe with my parents but gave up my seat so that a woman and her daughter could enjoy the ride.

We once again passed through a lock as we made our way downstream, of course no where near as full as yesterday. Beyond the lock a brisk tail wind combed with a strong current helped us set a fast pace downstream on the river.

A couple of hours into the day we were in need of a break but couldn't find an open and accessable piece of shore line to accommodate everybody. Just as we resolved ourselves to staying in our boats and rafting up for a break, one of the guys in our group paddled ahead and managed to find a shore side property owner that was gracious enough to let all of us pull out on his lawn. During the break three of us played musical boats in order to open up a spot for me in the voyager canoe. The voyager was an interesting experience, somewhat like a dragon boat (sitting side by side with multiple rows of paddlers) but with a quite-a-bit more relaxed pace.

Another hour of paddling brought us to the take out in De Pere. After shuttling drivers back up to their cars at the put in and loading up our boats and gear many of us adjourned to a local pub where we celebrated a great day on the water with a burger and drink.

My mother would never be satisfied until I finally saw it in person. So after lunch my parents took me to the famous home of the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field.

The last two days were an amazing chance for me to join well over one hundred local paddlers on the water. In addition it gave me a chance to paddle with both my parents while they experienced some of the same things I have on my journey including locks and (even if just for a short time) the wide open water of Lake Michigan, not to mention the kindness and generosity of fellow paddlers. Thank you Heritage Paddlers for allowing us to join you for two legs of your summer long adventure on the Fox River.

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Day 252

8/14/2010

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Daily Stats (side trip)
Start: 10:00 AM - De Pere, WI
Finish 2:00 PM - Green Bay, WI
Time: 4:00 hours
Daily dist: 8 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: 99 other Wisconsin paddlers!
Weather: Beautiful partly cloudy skies, 80’s
Notes: A Fox River Heritage Paddle

One of the goals for me on this trip was to join fellow paddlers along the way to share their local waters with them. This weekend is giving me an amazing opportunity to meet and paddle with literally dozens of other paddlers. The Fox River Heritage Paddle is a series of short day trips strung together on weekends over the course of the entire summer. Starting in early spring a hearty group of paddlers set out from the Indian Agency House in Portage (where I’ll be ending my paddle in a few weeks by the way) and enjoyed a run down the twisty narrow river under trees just starting to fill in with bright green sprig leaves. Over the course of the summer the adventure has taken them all the way down the river (minus a couple of sections that had to be postponed due to unusually high water) to today where we ran the last section from De Pere to Green Bay where the tall ships festival was in port.

The same SUP paddler Doug that escorted me out of Portage on launch day was with the group today.

The organizers of the event have done an incredible job of promoting the trips which themselves do a great job of highlighting the history, ecology, and beauty of the river. Throughout the summer attendance at the paddles has been good with an average of forty or more people showing up to share the water. Today, when my parents and I pulled into the launch area in De Pere, I was somewhat surprised to see the entire parking lot full of cars and every inch of the lawn lined with kayaks and canoes.

Over 70 paddlecraft and 98 paddlers crowd the lock in De Pere WI

After sorting out the shuttle and a quick orientation we launched into the Fox river and headed down stream toward Green Bay. Only a half hour into the paddle we reached the lock in De Pere where we crammed over 70 boats into the chamber and (after a few words from the mayor of De Pere) were lowered about ten feet toward Green Bay.

Mom helped lead the group up front in the voyager canoe

Once out of the gate the enormous group spread itself out along the river and I spent the rest of the day paddling from the back to the front and back again taking the chance to meet and chat with dozens of people. All the while I checked in on my mom in the voyager canoe up front and my dad paddling a kayak, for the second time in his life, somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Dad and the wide open horizon of Lake Michigan behind him

A few hours of paddling brought us to the downtown waterfront of Green Bay where we viewed the tall ship fleet which was in town for the weekend. After another half hour of paddling we reached the end of the Fox River and the open water of Green Bay. Many of the paddlers seized the opportunity to venture out into the open water then returned to the city boat ramp where we ended the day.

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Day 251(off the water)

8/13/2010

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Off the water

Green Bay, WI

With a ride back to town last night from my brother Aaron I spent the day today hanging out in Green Bay. The day started with breakfast at the Black Stone diner with my aunt Lois and cousin Ben. From there they dropped me off downtown so I could see a bit of the downtown area. My first stop was at the waterfront to have a look at the old and replica sailing ships that are in port for the tall ships festival. Many of the boats are the same ones I saw when we crossed paths in Cleveland Ohio last month. What was interesting too was that the ship called the Lynx is the same ship I saw moored out in Mission Bay in San Diego two summers ago. They do get around. Just as I left the tall ships to explore deeper into downtown Green Bay, the skies opened and it began to rain. Not being the best day to see the town I decided instead to hustle back to my cousins house to do some map work for the run up the Fox River.

Dad waving to the Foxy Lady dinner boat.

Along the way I stopped in at Zellers outdoor store to check in on my boat. There (shopping for a paddle) I met Dave (who is an organizer for the Fox River Heritage Paddle). As luck would have it, Dave actually had a few maps of the river that he had printed out to give to me when we crossed paths on the river tomorrow during one of the organizations group paddles on river that I was going to join. Dave was gracious enough to give me a ride back to my cousins house which I really appreciated as it was a few miles and my lazy under worked legs were already complaining.

After a little break at Jenny’s house my parents arrived back over from Wausau. We had planned on heading over to a little local lake to do a bit of a paddling lesson before they joined the group with me on the river tomorrow. However, at that point the wind was blowing hard with intermittent showers enough to make any time on the water quite unpleasant, my parents would have to wing it a bit paddling on the river tomorrow. There was no worry, with Dave’s help we’d procured a spot for my mom in the 28 foot Voyager Canoe that was going to be with the group, and I was sure my dad would pick things up fast enough that he’d be just fine.

Instead of the paddling lesson we drove down to Zellers to get my kayak out of their way. My mother had brought my truck over from Wausau so we’d have a vehicle with proper racks to transport kayaks for the next couple days. It was strange to drive anything (much less my own truck) after having not driven in almost a month. My unpracticed driving, on unfamiliar streets, made my parents a bit nervous to say the least.

- A question for kayakers - Am I the only person, after spending a lot of time in a kayak, that finds himself unconsciously trying to edge turns while driving? I have to ask because that’s exactly what I found myself doing. And, let me tell you, it doesn’t work.

After loading my boat on the truck we stopped at a nearby restaurant for an early dinner and to meet up with a gentleman named Jeff. Jeff is the coordinator for the Fox River Heritage Paddle and was driving over from Appleton to check on the river to be sure the higher than normal water level wouldn’t trouble people too much during tomorrows paddle. Jeff was also coming over with a few more maps so we could discuss what I have to expect when I start making my way back up the river on Monday.

As we chatted my cousin’s dinner boat, The Foxy Lady, went by and we walked out on the dock to give them a wave. With fear of deafening the guests on the bow of the boat, Captain Mitch couldn’t blow his horn in reply, but he did give me a call on my cell to invite us to join them for their cocktail cruise later in the evening.

Amanda challenged me to a hula contest

I lost a shoe doing it but managed to match all of Amanda's trick moves

You’d have to be crazy to pass up on that invite so before the night was over we enjoyed a great time on the boat on a balmy warm and calm evening. Somehow, even though I was the only one not drinking, I ended up in a hula-hoop competition with a young woman named Amanda. During the show down I managed to match all of her tricks (although not as gracefully) and ended up being the only person to not have to bow out to her superior hula-hooping skills.

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Day 249-250

8/12/2010

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Off the water

Manitowoc, WI

The last two days were spent with my brother Aaron’s family in Manitowoc, WI (about 45 miles SE of Green Bay). The better part of the day yesterday was spent on the dining room floor playing crash up derby with my nephew’s match box cars. I was having a great time then Aurise reminded me that the boys would probably like to play too. Micah, the older of the two, knew me a little from past visits and warmed up to me fairly quickly. I’m essentially unknown to fourteen month old Jonas (who is a little shy) and am having to earn his trust before he lets this funny looking, long haired, stranger get too close.

During a break from the toy car action, my nephews Jonas (left) and Micah staying cool with their water table on one of the hottest days of the year.

The turned over cars from the many crashes we experienced while playing yesterday revealed the need for a Match Box tow truck. A stop at Wal Mart, after Aaron's rained out softball game, didn’t provide a tow truck but I did find a fire truck (apparently one of Micah’s favorites) to come to the rescue to the many crashed cars. That new truck, as well as a bright yellow Jeep, put me up a couple notches in the “Favorite Uncle” race this morning (sorry Luke).

Another purchase I made last night was a “Sportsmans” hunting and fishing license. This set of licenses includes fishing, small game, and deer and cost only $70. Of course $70 is not chump change but for the last ten years of spending over $200 for out of state licenses (that allowed me to only hunt deer) $70 for three licenses was a bargain. I felt just like I do when I buy tacos for ten pesos in Mexico… “Shoot only a dollar... Cinco mas por favor!” What can I say it’s great to be back.

Part of today’s adventures included lunch with Hugh McCracken who rode his Harley motorcycle all the way around from the Detroit area to help welcome me to Green Bay. He is the gentleman I camped next to way back on the shores of Saginaw Bay at Sleeper State Park who let me borrow his bicycle to ride to town. Always looking for an excuse to go for a ride, he left Lower Michigan yesterday afternoon, spent the night in Manistique, MI and made it to Green Bay late this morning. When he called to check in and discovered I was in Manitowoc he rode down here and we met at a local pizza place for lunch and a visit. Then he was back on the road to see more of the sights on his way back to Michigan.

Hugh and his Harley

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Day 248

8/10/2010

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Daily Stats
Start: 5:30 AM - Oconto, WI
Finish 2:00 PM - Green Bay, WI (Zeller’s Kayak Shop)
Time: 8:30 hours
Daily dist: 23 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Thick fog and steamy hot, 80’s
Notes: Reached extended family in Green Bay

After six hours of paddling along the last twenty miles of shore leading into Green Bay, I must say that I can only guess what it looks like. Excited to be reaching the end of Lake Michigan and the beginning of the next phase of this trip, (not to mention loads of family in town) I hardly slept a wink on the beach of the town park where I spent the night. Finally giving up on trying to sleep, I broke camp at 5:00 AM and launched into thick fog by 5:30.

Not just a picture of the fog. If you look close you can see two lake sturgeon playing catch with an unfortunate perch.

Although it was one of only a handful of flat calm mornings I’ve seen in the last few weeks, which was a relief, the fog added a whole new element to navigating my way down the coast. One can only wish it was as simple as staying within sight of shore and following it south to Green Bay. However, shallow water and weeds tend to steer a kayaker off shore in search of deeper water. Consequently the shoreline quickly vanishes into the fog leaving you staring blankly into a featureless grey cloud in every direction. At times like these you could be a quarter mile from shore or twenty miles from shore and you wouldn’t know the difference.

Rather than fuss with my GPS, I simply worked with my map and compass. Those tools, combined with a watch and the knowledge that I cruise at a fairly consistent rate of 3.5 knots, allowed me to know (with a fair amount of certainty) where I was at all times. It was actually a fun challenge to try to hit the ends of the two long narrow peninsulas that project from the west shore of the bay. After finding and rounding the end of the second point, I continued on toward town by steering a little extra west to avoid the mouth of the Fox River by a wide margin. This maneuver helped me avoid any boat traffic coming and going out of the harbor who could not have seen me with they‘re eyes or radar. After another hour of paddling I hit land (at what I believed was a point west of the river) then turned left and headed in. A mile further I discovered that I was indeed correct and at 12:00 noon I entered the Fox River thus ending the Great Lakes leg of this trip and beginning the last push toward Portage.

My cousin Lydia waving hello from shore

Along with a TV reporter from a local news station, waiting for me a the city boat ramps at the end of the river were my Cousin Jenny and her daughter Lydia. Soon after I landed we were joined by another cousin Carolyn and her husband John. My parents had planned to be there to see me arrive but got lost on their way in to town as they followed the directions from their GPS… go figure. After a bunch of big hugs and handshakes I answered a few questions for the reporter and hopped back on the water so he could get a little more video of me paddling around.

Captain Mitch on the Foxy Lady

From the boat ramp I continued up the river passing by my cousin John and Carolyn’s dinner boat the Foxy Lady where John was already there checking on the boat. Another mile of paddling brought me to Zellers Kayak shop where I pulled off the water and ended my day.

By early evening more family had rallied including my uncle Jim and cousin Brenda and my older brother Aaron and his wife Aurise along with their two boys who I couldn’t wait to see. The whole mob of us descended on a local restaurant and had a great evening. From there I rode home with Aaron to his place in Manitowoc, Wisconsin to take a couple days off with the chance to hang out with the younger two of my four nephews whom I barely know and am looking forward to making up for lost time.

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Day 247

8/9/2010

9 Comments

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Daily Stats
Start: 5:30 AM - Marinette, WI (Seagull Bar)
Finish 11:00 AM - Oconto, WI
Time: 5:30 hours
Daily dist: 21 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy, wind light and variable, 80’s
Notes: Considered running all the way to Green Bay but decided not to.

Ahh… Today was a very good day for paddling, partly cloudy, warm, and very little wind. With such nice conditions the miles were flying by and before I knew it I was poised offshore from the Oconto breakwater. Oconto was my destination for the day but it was only 10:00 AM when I made it there. With only about 24 more miles to go, I seriously considered staying on the water another seven hours to make it all the way to Green Bay today. The hitch was that all the family that had planned on me arriving tomorrow (many driving in from out of town) would be completely unprepared for an early arrival.

You have to love this kind of calm

Figuring a few hours of rest is a good thing too, I landed at a small community park (the only sand beach for miles actually) and found a picnic table in the shade on which to kill time and go over maps planning my run up the Fox River. First I made a call to my mother to let her know that, in fact, I wouldn’t be arriving in Green Bay today. Just as I was hanging up a van rolled up, and what do you know, it was my mom’s cousin Ann and her husband Tom. Apparently Tom had the day off of work so they decided to take a road trip to see if they could catch me. It was a long shot, but amazingly (at the last spot they thought would be worth checking) they managed to find me. We had a nice visit getting caught up on a bunch of family happenings before they had to get back on the road for home.

Mom's cousin Ann and her husband Tom managed to find me today.

The rest of the afternoon was spent ironing out the logistics of rendezvous with family in Green Bay. Now all there is left to do is get some rest and wake up ready to make it happen tomorrow.

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Day 246 (Back in Wisconsin at last!)

8/8/2010

13 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 6:50 AM EST - J.W. Wells State Park, MI
Break: 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM EST - Menomonie, MI (Waterfront Festival)
Finish 6:30 PM EST - Marinette, WI (Seagull Bar)
Time: 7:10 hours
Daily dist: 24 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Mostly sunny turned cloudy, SW wind 5-10mph 80’s
Notes: Entered Wisconsin at 5:50 PM EST (4:50 local time)

My father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Along with a few stories about marching through the jungle with the marines as a corpsman, I remember my dad talking about how, after weeks out at sea, you could smell cities long before you could see them. While I’ve never exactly been out to sea, I do know exactly what he means by being able to smell cities. On this trip I’ve only been away from civilization at most a couple days. But in that time my nose quickly became so accustomed to fresh air that when I did near a town I could almost always pick up the faint smell of civilization. Unless there is some sort of industry producing a smell that overshadows it, they all smell much the same… like cooking meat mixed with car exhaust… think Mc Donalds on a busy street on a muggy day.

I bring this rather unusual topic up because today, beyond the normal smell of town, my nose led me to something I haven’t had in years. Something so rare outside of Wisconsin that when you mention it’s existence to outsiders they look at you like you have two heads. That something is… deep fried cheesecurds.

Overnight a storm passed slowly through the area producing so much lightning my tent was light up like a disco for three hours. In that entire time a heavy rain poured down but thankfully I stayed dry. -I do love my tent.- Waiting for the lightning to finally subside, I ended up getting a later start than I was hoping to. Fortunately, the wind never got up so I was spared another all day slog and ultimately the weather was wonderful and I had a great time heading the twenty miles into the Menomonie/Marinette area.

With finally entering my home state of Wisconsin on my mind, I was all set to bypass Menomonie altogether and just hop across the river into Wisconsin. However, as I paddled along the Menomonie waterfront (about a quarter mile off shore) I could see Jolly Jumpers and several white tents set up along the road above. My curiosity was already peaked but right then (even though it was downwind of me) my nose detected the unmistakable scent of hot grease and molten cheese… Cheesecurds! The border crossing could wait, I had to see what those tents were about and track down the source of that smell.

It turns out that I managed to arrive in town on the final day of the four day Menomonie Waterfront Festival, and just in time for the parade.

After the parade I did find the cheese curd stand as well as the hot dog stand, the cheeseburger stand, the corn on the cob stand, and of course (that carnival favorite) the elephant ear stand. It suffices to say I didn’t have to cook dinner in camp tonight. Instead I used the spare time to listen to my arteries clogging up.

While I was eating my way through the festival, rain clouds were building in the west. So, to avoid having to set up camp in the rain, I hustled back to my boat and headed south where one mile further and at 5:50 EST (4:50 local time - it’s time to change my watch) I crossed the Menomonie river into the town of Marinette and my home state of Wisconsin. From there it was just one mile further to the beautiful sand spit where I set up camp for the night.

Looking back at the Michigan Side of the rver from Wisconsin.

It feels good to be back!

13 Comments

Day 245

8/7/2010

10 Comments

Daily Stats
Start: 9:45 AM - Park Place of the North Campground (Escanaba, MI)
Finish 4:15 PM - J.W. Wells State Park, MI
Time: 6:30 hours
Daily dist: 19 miles
Total dist: 5000+
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy, south wind 10mph (headwind), 70’s
Notes: Headwind had me in a foul mood but Wisconsin is near!

There is no denying that today I was in a bit of a funk. Perhaps I was coming down off the cloud of being with family over the last four days, or perhaps it was the reality of paddling into a brisk headwind, yet again. The day actually was beautiful with partly cloudy skies and temps in the 70’s. It even started out great with breakfast with my parents and warm hugs (with “See you in four days” promises) before I launched from the beach at the end of the muddy boardwalk near camp.

It was the wind.

That being said, I made fairly slow progress covering only 19 miles in six and a half hours before I spotted a rare undeveloped beach just a mile shy of the state park I had planned on stopping at. Compared to state park campgrounds with flushing toilets, grassy campsites, and vending machines, I vastly prefer to set up camp on a brushy beach in the middle of nowhere. The reason is simple... gear handling.

On an undeveloped beach all I have to do is pull my kayak above the surf zone then pull out just what I need for camp and carry it mere feet to where I set up. A state park generally requires a fairly long walk to the ranger station to check in. Another walk back to the boat for all of the gear which then needs to be carried (usually way off the beach) to the campsite. Depending on how frequently visited the beach is I can either lock the kayak up to a tree or transport it up to camp as well. Of course, in the morning the whole process (sans check in) gets reversed. All told it commonly takes at least two hours extra effort to set up in a state, or county, campground.

A little strip of expedition camping heaven

After a long day of slogging into the wind I wasn’t exactly excited about the promise of all that gear handling. That’s exactly why I got down right excited when I spotted the beach I’m on tonight. In the time it took me to completely set up today I would have still been in the ranger’s hut dolling over $20 for a campsite at the stat park. The site itself would have undoubtedly been wedged between two gigantic RV’s with air conditioners and TV’s running. These weedy, driftwood filled beaches I end up on may not look like much but they’re heaven to me, and I’m going to miss them.

A highpoint of my day was when I was able to bring in a NPR radio station rom Wisconsin. That signal (coming in loud and clear from Egg Harbor across the bay in Door County) was a sign of just how close I am to my home state. In fact, if all goes well, I should be past or near the Michigan / Wisconsin state line by mid day tomorrow. Now if only I would start hearing from some Wisconsin paddlers as well as radio stations.

10 Comments

Day 244

8/6/2010

2 Comments

It took a late-night / early-morning effort, but I had to take advantage of a decent connection to finally get the blog up to date. Be sure to take a quick look at days 241 to 244 to see what's been going on.

Daily Stats
Start: 8:00 AM - Fayette, MI (Fayette State Park)
Finish 1:30 PM - Park Place of the North Campground (Escanaba, MI)
Time: 5:30 hours
Daily dist: 21 miles
Total dist: 4500+
Companions: None
Weather: Partly cloudy, north wind, 70’s
Notes: Ran an empty kayak again

After the forty mile grind the other day it was nice to put in a simple twenty mile day today. The paddling wouldn’t have been all that exceptional except for the fact that by crossing Big Bay de Noc (10 miles) then Little Bay de Noc (6 miles) I put the last two major crossings of the trip behind me. Crossings (rather than coastal paddles) leave you a bit more exposed than coastal tours and as a result require a bit more attention. It’s nice to know that for the rest of the trip I can keep the relative safety of land nearby.

Quite a mob saying farewell today

After waking the boys up so they could wave farewell (for now) from the dock I turned the boat west and pulled twenty miles over the next five and a half hours to the private campground where my parents had relocated camp and were waiting for me. Upon my arrival we discovered that, instead of a nice sand beach, the campground has a “boardwalk” (with a couple muddy sections missing) that leads a few hundred feet to the lake.

Boardless boardwalk

Beth (the TV reporter that had talked to us yesterday) had hoped to get a couple more shots of me arriving on the water but it was just not meant to be. She did get a few shots of my dad and I carrying the boat up from the lake and recommended a couple places in town where we could get a good fish fry (it was Friday after all). Just after she left a newspaper reporter arrived so we sat back down for another quick interview before we hauled the Ikkuma the rest of the way to camp on my Dad’s truck. After getting cleaned up we did run into town for dinner and to make copies of the last maps and to pick up the last of the food I’ll need to reach Green Bay and the end of the Great Lakes segment of this trip.

It works well until you come to a crowded sidewalk

2 Comments

Personal Update!

8/6/2010

1 Comment

This is Jake's brother Luke who just returned to "civilization" from visiting Jake at Fayette, MI. Jake enjoyed a day off from paddling (Thursday) to visit with family and tour the Fayette Historic Townsite (pretty cool place). We saw Jake off this morning and his plan was to paddle from Fayette to just south of Escanaba. Jake is working on the full blogs and hopes to get them posted as he works toward Green Bay and better internet connections.

1 Comment

Day 243

8/5/2010

1 Comment

Off the water

Throughout this trip I’ve been very lucky to have what would have been weather days fall on the very same days I planned on taking a day off anyway. That was the very truth today. With my brother, Luke, his wife Amy, and their two boys camping with us I had every reason to take a day off to spend time with them. It just so happens that he wind was blowing straight out of the west at over 20 mph and the water was very rough so it would have been a no-go day anyway.

Around lunch time we were visited by a TV reporter from a local station in Escanaba. She started by asking me a few questions then cornered my mom and asked her a few more.

We did launch my boat through the rough stuff long enough to get a few video bits for the TV camera. It was fun to play in but would have been a worthless slog to try to get anywhere.

Charcoal kiln for the smelting plant

After talking to the reporter we visited the nearby Fayette Historic Town site where we saw the many remaining buildings of what used to be an iron mill town. It was quite interesting to get a look at what life was like in a company town in the 1800's. It paid to have an education back then to say the least.

Grandpa and Ty swimming

After the town tour we had a snack then drove to the other side of the peninsula to find a beach sheltered from the wind where we all could enjoy a swim. It turned out to be a wonderful day spent with some of my family that I’ve missed so much over the last several months.

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Day 269 - CLOSING UP THE GAP

Day 268 - CLOSING UP THE GAP

Day 267 (Portage at last!)

Day 266 (happy birthday Myrna)

Day 265

Day 264

Day 261-263

Day 260

Day 259

Day 258

Day 257 - Waupaca Chain of Lakes

Day 256

Day 255 A Post From Noah (and a follow up by Uncle Jake)

Day 255 (Followup post from Uncle Jake)

Day 254 (back on the trail)

Day 253

Day 252

Day 251(off the water)

Day 249-250

Day 248

Day 247

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Day 246 (Back in Wisconsin at last!)

Day 245

Day 244

Personal Update!

Day 243

Best of the Blog
Freezing temps, theives, pepper spray, manatees, gators, & tornados.
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Day 255 (Followup post from Uncle Jake)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

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Archives

SPONSORS

Aqua Adventures

Seda Kayak

Kokatat

Werner

North Face

Snap Dragon

Nigel Foster Designs

Seal Line

MSR

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