Leaving Ely

Ely likely has more open canoes per capita than any other town in the world. Canoe Heaven!

Downtown Ely

Kawishiwi Ranger Station Superior National Forest

Zup's has moved!   When we first drove into Ely we saw that Zup's was boarded up. CRAP!!!  We have been buying groceries for the wilderness at Zup's for 25 years.  We were relieved when we learned that Zup's had opened a new, larger store 12 blocks east of their old location

Zup’s is a family-owned food store originally established in Ely in 1916 by John Zupancich. “Grandpa John” operated the business with his seven sons, and it quickly became popular for its wide variety of products including their store made Old-World sausages. 

The new Zup's includes a liquor warehouse. Can it get any better???

We like to eat at Stony Ridge Cafe, located on Shagawa Lake in Ely.  Their specialty is gourmet and stuffed burgers.  

On their menu they feature some challenge items, including the "Sasquatch Challenge". It occurred to me that it might be a good idea to order the Sasquatch Challenge, but not even try to eat it at one tine.  A 4-pound burger with one pound of cheese for 40 bucks is not a bad deal, especially considering their menu item burgers are only about 1/2 pound and cost over $20.  Plus we'd have leftover burgers for week!  And you get a free number sticker!  What a deal!

We departed Ely about 8:30 on Friday under rainy skies and cool temps.  We regretted having to leave Ely, but it was time. We had 3 nights to get to Pisgah Forest NC, where we were to attend a motor home rally with the Southeast Country Coachers. We successfully circumvented the major construction project on I-35 in Duluth and crossed into Wisconsin.  Rain continued most of the day.  

We spent Friday night at the Ho-Chunk Casino in Baraboo Wisconsin near the Wisconsin Dells.  Casinos often let motor homes park overnight for no charge.  Usually they are very quiet and peaceful, with a level of high security. We stayed at this casino once before in 2018.

Our Camp at the Ho-Chunk Casino in Baraboo WI

At the Illinois Welcome Center I-39 southbound

I have the hots for an EV pickup. I have deposits on two models including the Rivian R1T.   The Rivian manufacturing plant is located in Normal Illinois, only a few miles off our route.  I called to ask about plant tours, but it was Saturday, and the phone message said they were closed.  I wanted to stop anyway just to see what there was to see.  It turns out, the assembly line was running and production was in progress, but I never made it past the security guard at the front desk.  We did get some nice exterior photos. 

Amazon has invested heavily in Rivian.  In addition to the R1T, their pickup and the R1S, their SUV, Rivian has an assembly line for Amazon EV delivery vans.  

There was a row of  charging ports near the front entrance to the plant.  There were about 6 privately owned R1Ts lined up charging. 

We had no specific destination spotted for Saturday night.  Dorcas went online and discovered Charlarose Lake & Campground in Hillsboro IN.  It was close to our route and was a very reasonable cost.

When we checked in the folks here were extremely friendly and genuinely welcoming.  This park was a very pleasant surprise, and I hope we can stop in again some time.

A stormy evening at site 56 at Charlarose Lake & CG

I don't know what this was supposed to be, but these two vehicles had artifacts and items and other paraphernalia all over them. I can only assume that they were traveling together.  Trying to see all the things on the cars was very distracting and probably dangerous.

We spent Sunday, our third night from Ely at the Walmart Supercenter in Williamsburg KY, located in Whitley County, of all places.  About 1/2 hour prior to reaching camp we encountered one of the most intense thunderstorms I can ever remember while driving. I'm talking 25 MPH on the interstate, hoping we were on the road and that nobody plowed into us.  

Camp Wally World Williamsburg KY

As mentioned previously, I'll be getting an EV pickup, as soon as my number comes up.  Friends and neighbors have chided me about that decision, specifically noting the lack of available charging stations. There is no doubt that charging an EV, particularly on a long trip can be a challenge, but things are improving.  At this remote rural Walmart there happened to be a bank of 8 charging stations in their parking lot, ranging from 50 to 350 kW charging capacity.

This rig was parked next to us.  The driver has a good sense of humor

For breakfast on Monday we walked about 100 yards to the Huddle House next door to the Walmart.  We had yummy omelets, then pulled out and headed south and east once more.  Our destination today was Pisgah Forest NC for a 5-night motor home rally with the Southeast Country Coachers.

Video of the Week: Ginger Does the Boundary Waters

I just couldn't help myself.  She's so cute, and everything was new to her, and she just had so much energy  It's hard to see in the video, but in several clips she's chewing on a fresh-water mussel she fished out of the lake.  In another she is harassing a rather large bug. And of course her favorite toy: the orange squeaky bone. 

After performing for the video Ginger said "Being a star is such hard work" and crashed.  

CLICK HERE to enjoy "Ginger Does the Boundary Waters"

Boundary Waters 2022

We put in at Fall Lake Recreation Area on Wednesday August 24 for a 13 day adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Dorcas and I have been going to the BWCAW since we met in 1997.  We have taken a dog with us each time, first Izaak, then Matilda and now Ginger, on her first trip.  Ginger was 11 1/2 weeks old when we put in and had never been in the water or in a canoe.  She had never slept outdoors and had barely any obedience training.   It was sure to be a true adventure!  Not to mention my new left knee is only about 2 weeks older than Ginger.  

Our plan was to put in at the boat ramp at Fall Lake, do the 80 rod portage into Newton Lake and then the 90 rod portage into Basswood Lake. We would take several nights to get to Basswood Lake, then spend most of our nights there.  So that's what we did. 

We spent the first 2 nights on Mile Island in Fall Lake, thereby delaying our first portage by 2 days, allowing us to lighten our food load a bit.  We found a nice site on an isthmus where you could land the boat from both sides of the island. The site featured a lot of blowdown which were useful as tables and furniture.  It rained in the evening and a bit overnight, but we stayed dry under the rain tarp. 

We try to eat some fresh food the first few days because we know we will be eating dried food, pouch meat and cured pork products for the remainder of the trip.

First dinner: steak and onions with mixed veggies and scalloped potatoes

Lots of timber on Camp 1

Corned beef hash and eggs are traditional first morning breakfast

Camp 1 on Fall Lake featured a flat-topped log that made a great buffet table

For about ten minutes, shortly after landing at Camp 1, we tethered Ginger with a leash.  She immediately gnawed it in two.  We didn't bother to tether her again. She always stayed close to camp. She's a bright dog, and she knows where her meal ticket is.

 

A water knot is a good knot to tie two pieces of webbing together.

Sunset at Camp 1 on Fall Lake

Newton Falls

All three lakes we were on allowed motor boats. Consequently they also allowed wheeled dollies to transport either a motor boat or a canoe across the portage.  These portage paths are relatively smooth and flat as to accommodate a wheeled dolly.  So this trip I used wheels to move the boat and some of the gear.  It was not as easy as I thought it would be, and I'm not sure I would do it again, were we to do this route again.

A nice Northern pike on Newton Lake

We camped the next 2 nights on Newton Lake following the 80 rod portage.  Again we were able to lighten our food load before doing the second portage into Basswood Lake. There are only 2 campsites in Newton.  The first one was open so we took it.

Canada geese on Newton Lake

This guy just jumped right in the boat! Honest!!!

Sunset over Newton Lake

Pancakes and country ham are a regular breakfast staple

We have never allowed a dog to sleep in our tent.  Izaak and Matilda always slept on the ground under the vestibule outside the tent, or made a nest in the brush nearby.  Ginger spent the first few nights outside as well.  Initially she wanted to come in the tent, but we said no, and she accepted that.   A few nights into our trip we had a thunderstorm overnight and Dorcas let Ginger into the tent, and that was that.  I'm not sure now we will ever be able to get her to sleep outside.

I had assumed all dogs instinctively knew how to swim, but our vet said that was not necessarily so. While they may learn to swim pretty quickly, they may also sink to the bottom and swallow some water before they figure it out. So in Ely we bought a puppy PFD, which none of our other dogs ever had.  It turns out Ginger had no intention of jumping out of the boat.  While paddling she mostly laid down and slept, occasionally looking up if anything was going on.  When on shore she would wade a short distance into the water, but never any deeper than her belly.  I kinda hoped she would jump out of the boat, so we could see what happened, but she never did.  Perhaps we should have just dunked her to find out. So, we still don't know if she can swim.

Just minutes after leaving Camp 2 on Newton Lake we saw a bear and a cub in a tree near the shore. Unfortunately we were unable to get photos. DANG!

Finally on Day 5 we portaged into Pipestone Bay on Basswood Lake, our home for the duration of the trip. We found a nice site in a cove that was off the beaten path.  Few motor boats ventured into the cove, and it had the feel of being on a smaller lake. 

Ginger likes Camp 3

We think this is a Northern flicker

A pair of trumpeter swans visited our camp

Ginger wants to carry the food pack

This is about as far as Ginger ever went into the water

The gals chillin' at Camp 3

Chocolate chip pancake with extra chips!

You can't buy country ham up here.  We bring it from home.

This is a magical musical pan! Click on video below to see the magic:

A common loon stretching its wings

This is the deepest Ginger ever got into the water

A perfect day to paddle

A misty morning on Basswood Lake

A perfect bear line

We discovered a new bug this year; they were swarming everywhere.  They looked like a midget yellow jacket or a sweat bee on steroids. However, they didn't sting, and they were not annoying. We discovered they were" hover flies"

Ginger learned quickly that she liked people furniture

Only one time did she mount with excess lateral speed and tip the chair

Most people don't ever read food product labels.  They should.  There's some weird stuff out there.

Will you die if you eat it in Feb 2048???

Ok, 2 servings, 90 calories each should equal 180 calories. Right?  So where did the extra 10 calories come from???

Bonus calories

Camp 3 on Basswood Lake

I love a pup with a grab handle

Pooped pup!

My two favorite gals

Robbing a beaver lodge for firewood

Ginger guarding the food pack

A little rain at Camp 3

One day we decided to weigh Ginger using a fish scale.  She did not enjoy the procedure. 

The woods were full of red squirrels.  They would spend half the day gnawing pine cones from the branches and throwing them down on defenseless campers.  The rest of the day they would collect their booty from the ground and scurry into the woods to their secret stash. 

A red squirrel munching on a pine cone

The portages into both Newton and Basswood Lakes are very busy.  Take a number. 

For those who never had a puppy, let me tell you this. A puppy is the Devil, with razor teeth and claws.

The Devil said: "But Daddy, its not my fault"

Then she's an angel

Ginger playing with a stick

Ginger sleeping with a stick

Mergansers at camp on Basswood Lake 

We had some river otters near our camp.  They weren't close enough to get good photos, but hopefully you can tell they are otters.  We also saw a few beavers. 

I think this is an otter, but it could be a beaver. What do you think?

So cute!

Ginger guarding our gear at the portage

On Day 13, our last day in the wilderness, we departed our camp on Basswood Lake, negotiated the 2 portages into Newton and Fall Lakes and returned to civilization.  We always worry about leaving the motor home unattended in a public parking lot for this long, but when we arrived all was well.  We have a residential style refrigerator in the coach that uses 120 VAC to run.  The batteries and the inverter, along with a little help from the 400W solar array will keep the fridge running a few days, but cannot likely keep up for a longer duration.  The coach is equipped with an automatic generator start function that kicks in when the batteries are low.  I have the system programmed to start the generator when the batteries are discharged to 12.2 V, and then run for 2 hours.  The generator ran for a total of 24.0 hours, averaging 1.8 hours per day.

Day 13.  Arriving back at Fall Lake boat ramp

All in all it was another great trip.  The weather was generally mild. Typically temperatures ranged from highs in the mid-70s to lows in the mid-50s. Our single lowest overnight temperature was 40 degrees. We had a few rain events, but they were short-lived, and we were able to stay dry at camp.  Most days were pretty windy which hindered us from venturing out from camp and fishing.  When we did fish, we did pretty well.  On one night we saw the aurora borealis i.e. Northern lights. I expect we would have seen it more if we had gotten up during the night and looked in the right direction. None of our camps had a particularly clear view to the north. 

This trip totaled 22.57 miles of paddling and portaging.  At ages 68 and 67 Dorcas and I are no longer physically able to all the things we could do when we were younger.  Consequently we try to do shorter and easier trips each year.  We do fewer and shorter portages and fewer moves during each trip.  Hopefully we have a few more such trips left in us.