Archives for August 2016

“But love of the wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had eyes to see.” -Edward Abbey

Please visit http://ift.tt/1x2erSX and take action today. The Boundary Waters belongs to all of us and it is up to us, as engaged and responsible citizens, to ensure that this national treasure remains pristine.
#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #canoe #wearethewild #sunset #wilderness #adventure #BWCA #BoundaryWaters #captureMN #onlyinMN

“We are waging a battle for man’s spirit. No task is more important, for the wilderness we save today will provide moral and spiritual strength and balance in a world of technology and frenzied speed.” – Sigurd Olson

Please sign the petition at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX (link in bio) and help protect this national treasure.

#savetheBWCA #WildernessYear #BWCW #BoundaryWaters #WeAreTheWild #Wilderness #onlyinmn #captureMN

The Milky Way arched overhead, a brilliant ribbon of light and wonder that makes you feel small and contemplate what’s out there orbiting around the millions of stars. Is there other life as we know it hidden among the pin pricks of light? Will we ever find it? Standing on the beach gazing up, I felt like humanity is clinging to a tiny island in the midst of a vast and limitless sea. Another oasis of air, water, life-nurturing temperatures– precious things– may or may not exist out there somewhere. Regardless, we better take care of this blue marble we call home, because it’s the only home we have. Protecting places like the Boundary Waters play an important role in caring for our planet.

This place is just too precious to risk. The sulfide-ore copper mines being proposed along the edge of the Wilderness threaten this national treasure and now is the time to take action.

Please sign the petition at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX (link in bio). #savetheBWCA #WildernessYear #BWCW #BoundaryWaters #WeAreTheWild #Wilderness #onlyinmn #captureMN #stars #nightsky

We always enjoy baking cakes and other treats in our fry-bake and when I am guiding canoe trips I almost always bake at least one cake. The best is when someone in the group has a birthday so we can add candles and sing Happy Birthday to them out in the Wilderness. Last summer I planned to bake a chocolate cake and a carrot cake for a group I was guiding and I was surprised to learn that Abby and Carlos Jimenez own two cupcake shops, @nadiacakescupcakes , and that Abby won Cupcake Wars several years ago.
Before I knew it Abby was zesting oranges, substituting coffee for water in our cake batter, and helping me take wilderness cakes to a whole new level. The cakes were a big hit, and we had a lot of fun. Besides the baking tips, they also gave me a tiny radio when they learned Amy and I would be paddling into the Wilderness for an entire year. We listen to that radio almost every day; it has proven to be our major source of news.

This summer Abby and Carlos brought their kids to the Boundary Waters and they dropped off 4 cupcakes for us at Ely Outfitting Company for our friend Jason to deliver. Jason said it took a lot of self control, but all 4 were delivered in pristine condition! Thank you Abby and Carlos– what a wonderful treat!

After 300 plus day in the Wilderness to help @savetheBWCA those cupcakes tasted so good!

#savetheBWCA #WildernessYear #BWCW #BoundaryWaters #WeAreTheWild #Wilderness #onlyinmn #captureMN #canoe #cupcakes

As I lay awake at 3 AM unable to sleep because of the deafening sound of rain pummeling the tent, thunderous rumbling and flashes of lightning, I thought of all the bluebird days we have had recently. July and August in the Boundary Waters often mean paddling across calm, warm lakes under blue skies dotted with bright billowing clouds, portage trails sprinkled with blueberry bushes covered with juicy bunches of ripe berries, plenty of swimming and lounging in the sun.
However, the heart of the summer also brings some the year’s most tumultuous weather. I guess we have to take the good with the bad. After all, the storms in life help us appreciate the calms and the people that help us weather the hard times a little more.

In the Wilderness, we must rely on only our skills, our tent’s thin layer of fabric and the few items we can carry with us. Our senses are sharpened, elevating the intensity of the calms and the storms. We feel alive, in-tune with ourselves, our companions, and the world in a unique way that is hard to duplicate in an urban setting.

This special place needs our help. Sulfide-ore copper mines are being proposed along the southern edge of the Wilderness, which threaten to pollute our nation’s most popular Wilderness. Please follow the link in our bio, sign the petition, and take action today to help protect the Wilderness for future generations.

#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #sunset #onlyinMN #BoundaryWaters #Wilderness #canoe #canoeing @canoekayakmag @granitegear @mitchell_paddles