BWCA Trip 2009: Part One

Time to finish what I have started in writing. For now it will be my August Northern Mnnesota Trip, but there's alot out there I feel I ned to finish writing. Part of my New Year's Resolution, you see.

Unfortunately, during the trip we did not manage to get any pictures of the fish we caught. Nothing talk about, anyway, though. I caught all of the fish, and those we mostly little guys that we just let go. We only kept and ate one fish, and he was a pretty small bass-fish.

The drive up there was pretty uneventful, though there was fog everywhere and occasionally you couldn’t see much more than 30-40 feet. Rather picturesque, actually, reminded me of Maine.

However a rather funny anecdote did occur in the small town of Grand Marais.

Y'see, due to a traffic accident we were unable to get to our pre-scheduled ranger station for our permits. So Oz makes a few calls and says we're headed up to Grand Marais for permits and a short rest. No problem, right?

Well, it's been 20 years since the older folks here went up north, and there's been a few changes. Apparently, not only are all applicants required to watch a extremely cheesy government video on "leaving no trace", but we had to take a test at the end!

Not a problem, really, but irritating in the sense of "WTF we already know this!"

We actually managed to get to the docksite late on Saturday evening; we debated about whether or not to head out on the lakes right then and sleep at campsite when it got dark, or to find a spot to sleep off the docks. We eventually ended up choosing the latter and took refuge in a mosquito-infested clearing off a ranger’s trail.

We woke the next morning bright and early, ready for our trip east.