Gee, memaquay you sound like you would fit right in with my group of misfits, 50/50 Canadian and the states. The old guard of the Wabakimi Project, all of whom apprenticed under the tutelage of Uncle Phil.
What's your morning routine on canoe trips?
- Thread starter Glenn MacGrady
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Lol, I have smoked with Phil before in T Bay while he was schooling me in MNR double-speak in regard to forestry plans. He was a great guy.
Head down to the water and have a coyote breakfast, that is, kneel down, take a drink, wash my face and have a good look around.
Really, at my age, I hope to make it to the latrine, then wash up, boil some water for tea, get the pancake batter mixed, ad some blueberries if its August. Maybe some slab bacon early in the trip.
Break camp and head out at a leisurely pace.
Really, at my age, I hope to make it to the latrine, then wash up, boil some water for tea, get the pancake batter mixed, ad some blueberries if its August. Maybe some slab bacon early in the trip.
Break camp and head out at a leisurely pace.
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I like to get the inside of the tent packed up before getting out, but I leave the tent up in case the weather changes, which it did frequently on my last trip. I used to enjoy a cup of cocoa every morning, but didn't have much appetite at all the last trip. Most of the cocoa came home with me. As well as most of the granola and other food.
When young and restless it felt great to be paddling as the sun was rising and there were numerous portages I wanted to get through in my journey. Now I do not mind flying into a remote lake and basecamping. Just returned from 6 weeks in the same camp in Atikaki (Manitoba)where morning routine was waking to the alarm before sun-up and making a thermos of coffee. Set the Sunsetter chair facing the lake and sip that thermos of coffee for as long as was required.
I live in MD between Philadelphia and Baltimore.
If I stop overnight to see my folks on the way up, I get them from Liehs & Steigerwald's on Grant Blvd in Syracuse.
If I go directly north NYC and then to Albany and beyond, I get them from Binkert's, ahead of time, in Baltimore.
Normally the most difficult part of mornings is mustering up the resolve to depart the comfortable, warm embrace of my sleeping arrangements.
You know you must endure a bit of cold and discomfort as you make that transition. When to do it is based on a simple mathematical formula factoring :
A) how good you were sleeping
B) how cold/miserable the weather is
C) +|- proximity to sunrise
D) urgency of your bladder.
Of course these factors all nullified once you realize your buddy is already up, has a fire going and is making breakfast/coffee.
You know you must endure a bit of cold and discomfort as you make that transition. When to do it is based on a simple mathematical formula factoring :
A) how good you were sleeping
B) how cold/miserable the weather is
C) +|- proximity to sunrise
D) urgency of your bladder.
Of course these factors all nullified once you realize your buddy is already up, has a fire going and is making breakfast/coffee.
I generally wake pretty early, with my body waking up about an hour later. I spend that hour firing up the Kelly Kettle for a rehydrated breakfast and the first cup of coffee.
Then a trip to the thunder box, if there is one, once the coffee kicks in. Except for the thundering, I’m relaxing in my Helinox chair. Second cup of coffee (coffee bag in boiled water) and my body has caught up with the rest of me.
Then, I’m ready for whatever the day and weather dictate…paddling, hiking, hunkering down, packing up.
It’s just that first hour when I wake up old, once I get past that I can go all day non stop.
Then a trip to the thunder box, if there is one, once the coffee kicks in. Except for the thundering, I’m relaxing in my Helinox chair. Second cup of coffee (coffee bag in boiled water) and my body has caught up with the rest of me.
Then, I’m ready for whatever the day and weather dictate…paddling, hiking, hunkering down, packing up.
It’s just that first hour when I wake up old, once I get past that I can go all day non stop.
If I am alone I will awake to singing of the birds. I love the mornings especially when I am alone. Being alone allows me to enjoy the wilderness in silence and be in that moment. I love not being in a rush especially in the solitude of the wilderness. It's one of my favourite things just to be in that moment. I'll make my coffee on a butane stove and watch the river go by and the animals come to life. I usually start my wood rocket stove and dig out my cast iron frying pan and make breakfast. Usually it's thick cut bacon and eggs. Perhaps another coffee is due and sit there and enjoy the moment. I am not that much of an organized person in civilization mostly because I am usually overwhelmed by time restriction and having to much stuff to look after. But here time has no meaning and I only have a couple of dry bags of things. For some reason, in this silence of the singing of the birds and the din of the river I enjoy this careful organizing and packing my gear.
I load my gear into my 17.2 old town tripper and set sail I suppose between 8 and 9 a.m.but the time is not a goal. It's just when I'm ready to leave. I sure enjoy the peacefulness and hearing the water lap against my boat. I usually canoe in moving water so except for the rapids I can more or less just sit back an enjoy the show.
When my friends are there the morning is different. We get up drink a beer and go fishing for a couple of hours. Then we come back to the tents or camp and cook some breakfast. There is not as much silence when my buddies are around but there is alot of laughs.
I load my gear into my 17.2 old town tripper and set sail I suppose between 8 and 9 a.m.but the time is not a goal. It's just when I'm ready to leave. I sure enjoy the peacefulness and hearing the water lap against my boat. I usually canoe in moving water so except for the rapids I can more or less just sit back an enjoy the show.
When my friends are there the morning is different. We get up drink a beer and go fishing for a couple of hours. Then we come back to the tents or camp and cook some breakfast. There is not as much silence when my buddies are around but there is alot of laughs.
