View topic - First Solo trip

Just got back from my first solo trip,Started at Smoke Lake and stayed on Ragged Lake the first night .Than moved on to Big Porcupine the second night with a side trip over to bonnechere Lake and to the end of Phipps Lake at the Kirkwood Lake portage and back to Big Porcupine.Than the next day moved on to parkside Bay for the last night.
The weather was great but the bugs were out thick in the bush but to bad along the shore and open water as there was wind most of the time.
Traveled something around 50Kms and a tolal of 3960m in portage,single carry.
Had a great time and can't wait to go again!

Here's a link to some pics
http://www.harman.wildrec.net/Solo%20Trip%20destination/

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It's all mind over matter,You don't mind it don't matter.
www.harman.wildrec.net

Hey, nice shot of the Cow and her Calves. They're so cute this time of year.

Nice shots Dave! What design is your canoe and did you make it? Was your route very busy? or did you go mid-week?
thanx
jim
I'm still planning my first solo trip!

Nice shots. Soloing is a total kick. How long before you stopped talking to yourself?

And started talking to the animals

Impressed by your lack of stuff. Singling is a dream for me. Maybe its just old age!

OMG, every year on my first solo trip I mutter something along the way of, "Stop talking to yourself and the beasties, no one cares." On the plus side, I win every arguement!

On the minus side, whining is ineffective. There is nobody to listen.

Congrats!

My first solo was also on Smoke/Ragged/Big Porc/Phipps/Head/back to Smoke.
That was 18 years ago and I can remember every step of the way , every moment as if it was today.

I am heading to Temagami next weekend for my annual solo trip.
This will be the 12th year.
I have been tripping in Temagami for the last four years.....and that's ok by me.

I am doing a control/alt /delete trip this year.....and I am clicking on shutdown.

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Save Temagami
http://www.friendsoftemagami.org/

http://misabiadventurecompany.ca/

Yes I built it.
The canoe is an Osprey , A John Winters design.What a great boat!

I went on the weekend Fri - Mon Only seen 5 other boats !

Solo tripping ROCKS!!, Can't wait to go again!


I did catch me talking to my self .Had to blame someone for my mistakes



I hope this is my first of many trips solo.

_________________
It's all mind over matter,You don't mind it don't matter.
www.harman.wildrec.net

Dave you really werent alone were you? Dont those 18,000,000 blackflies per cubic centimeter count?

I am wondering how you went light...one way would be stewed blackfly....its protein.

Speaking of nostalgia I am heading out the Canoe Otterslide Macintosh route for six days beginning the 15th. Hoping to beat the crowds of people. Havent done that particular route since the mid 70's

I gave up on the crowds of blackflies; they are awful here at home and we have gone through a bottle of Bens in three days. Apparantly lots of rain and warm weather really excites them and floats their boat... From what I gather Algonquin is drier, but I will bring the Bug Jacket because if I dont I will be sorry.

Blast the BF are at the computer. Someone left the door open.

Kim
I was picking the blackflies out of the coffee in the morning.I was surprised how many were out in the middle of the open water.I picked sites that were open so that the wind would keep them at bay and the bug shirt helped a lot and the next time I will take a small bug tent to eat in .

Have fun on your trip.
Maybe take ear plugs to block out the constant buzzing

_________________
It's all mind over matter,You don't mind it don't matter.
www.harman.wildrec.net

Hey Dave,

Welcome to the solo club. Congratulations on your first. If you stick with it, you may find that most of your tripping becomes solo. It is extremely rewarding.

Forget the bug tent. It will confine you. Because things are so quiet solo, wildlife will come by in camp. I have had songbirds feeding around my feet and under my little folding stool, as I sat there, quietly reading, and slowly turning my head to watch. After they get used to you, they sometimes don't mind movement as long as it is not sudden and loud. I have had mink run by my feet several times, including an entire family. The loons and red breasted mergansers always come in close to visit when you are quiet, so why be confined in a cage, which also cuts down your vision significantly. Up in the Barrens the wolves come by to check you out. You might miss them if you are holed up in a bug tent.

By the way, it is not good to brag about single carries. First of all it indicates you weren't gone very long or far. In many cases, especially on longer trips, a single carry is not a wise thing to do, especially if you have a royalex tripping boat on a whitewater trip. Heavy! Besides the extra food, fuel, and gear will require multiple carries.

The more you travel, the more you will encounter wet days with banana peel ground lichens on rock, which can result in torn knee and ankle ligaments, or a wrenched back or neck. Don't underestimate the probability of serious injury while carrying heavy loads. It would be downright stupid to end up disabled on a long solo trip and have to call for rescue. The absolute worst embarrassment for a solo tripper is to have to be rescued. It must be prevented at all costs. Travel long and hard and well, with skill. But don't tempt disaster. I know. I have done thousands of kilometers solo for 25 years now, fallen on slippery logs and lichens under a heavy load many times in close calls, and now I always multiple carry. My nearest disaster was falling carrying two packs over blowdown, and I fell, missing being impaled by very sharp snapped off spruce branches about 1-2 inches thick. I could have easily died being skewered. Taking my time I see more of the portages than people in a hurry do, and I see the land from the interior, which is different than the shoreline. I get to pick blueberries and raspberries on the way back. I see most of the wildlife sign on portages when I travel below treeline. I have encountered moose, bear, fox, wolves, and glorious forest songbird communities on portage trails, and the landscape in almost an endorphin induced euphoria as I almost float along after a killer painful stint with a heavy pack or canoe. On the walk (float) back I see way more that when I am loaded and sweating with bugs in my face.

Take your time and spend some time in the deeper forest. It is worth it.

Dave,

It's a great trip! Last year I went down the Mckenzie River in NWT Solo after suffering a spinal cord injury 6 years ago and Doctors telling me I'd never walk again. - Screw Them.

I wrote a peice on my website -[url]www.stillmevoyage.com [/url]about traveliing solo. Fot me travelling solo was half the trip. I went 1000 miles and can't imagine it being any better. There's a whole thing about 'solo.'

I'm going back up north in two weeks to do it again. - This time 1400 miles. I can't imagine tripping any other way. As someone said "Welcome to the Club" For me it's a question of when you go solo you're no longer disabled - cause it's all relative. When You're alone you're not disabled.

It's great!

Comments above about single-carrying portages on your own are very appropriate! having said that, one thing I really enjoyed about a short solo trip in Algonquin was that with no extraneous-type gear that less experienced partners often request, my kit was compact enough that single carries were in fact quite easy! and so the routes could reach a little farther.