We've had a little weather here lately. Not really all that bad. Certainly not as bad as the East Coast but enough to call school. Didn't get anything accomplished the last couple of days other than some odds and ends but the new Wooden Boat and Garage magazines came in the mail. I've been devouring the Wooden Boat. This issue has a directory of places offering boat building classes and related maritime skill builders. The Michigan Maritime Museum has a class on building a small canoe. Their web site doesn't have all the particulars up yet but I'm ready to build something. I guess I'm always ready to build something, but I've got a plan for an adventure someplace down the line: The Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail runs 740 miles from northern Maine along the U.S.border, with a short section into Quebec, ending in New York. How cool would a trip like that be? Pack up the canoe you built yourself with provisions and camping gear and have at it. I suppose it sounds a little daunting to most people but if you've taken a couple of bicycle trips of 500 miles, you should be able to handle a 700 mile canoe trip.
The trouble I'm having now is finding people who want to do this kind of stuff. My bicycling partner and I travel together real well but he's pretty much a confirmed cyclist. We were planning on doing some backpacking a couple of years ago but he got cold feet. Finding someone my age - I'll be 60 this year - who's in good enough shape to tackle these kinds of trips is hard enough. Then they have to be able to get a couple of weeks off in the summer and be willing to undergo the expense. And last but certainly not least, try to find someone you can tolerate under less than ideal conditions. Of course, if I don't have a canoe or small boat, I won't need to look for anyone, now will I?
3 comments:
I have a canoe and a kayak if you need to borrow either.
i was reading the indiana rv trader today at work and some outfit has a whole page of houseboats for sale from 150 to 200,000 they are in tenn. so i would be game if you want to go that route cause i don't fit into that category about being in shape other than that i travel well and i'm easily entertained so if you would like to go halves or get us a goverment grant i'll start packing cuzzin ricky
Traveling Pirate: Thanks for the offer but I would have to build something in order for the trip to work for me.
Cuzzin Ricky: Or should I say Commodore? You do travel well and we're both easily entertained, that's "sho nuff". We could rent us a houseboat for a week or so - that could be fun. Plus, that way if we get a laughin' jag going we wouldn't have to worry about falling out of the canoe.
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