Midwest Paddle Trip

[Mule]

Since Canoebie (love that handle) is a real professional EVERYTHING-River, I vote for group cooking with all of our help. However, if someone wants to opt out of that and bring their own, I guess that could be OK. That's my humble, humble (but undoubtedly correct) point of view. I will do what the crowd decides. Mule

[canoebie]

hey micheeeeegunnnerrrs with paddlezzzzz,

Since we have a couple a Daves, I, ''dplant'' will adopt the handle of CamperDaver? Got that with my bicycle camping daze. Sort'a stuck in a "few" places. Plus, I liked it. Penned a newsletter column about bi-CYCLECAMPING wit CamperDaver

Food? I vote for each person packing their own. Helps a lot with no-shows, appetites, tastes, and pricing? Course I know ... NONE a "u" would ever be a "no-show" Plus, CampBeans and Sardines get old after 10-12 meals. Ohhhhhh wait ,,,,,, did someBODY mention "peach cobbler"? Tell ya' what ............. Chef Peachie do his thing and put a price on it?

Gear? hey you guys load up with what ever? Me? My 40* Base Weight is 8 pounds. Pack, Shelter, Bedroom, Kitchen, and all the SillyStuff I think I might need. 8 pounds BASE weight; That's no food, fuel, or water. I've poured and poured and spent and spent to arrive at this backpacking/cyclecamping weight.
AND
Rest assured (ask the Mule) I'm a "neither a borrower or a lender". I"ll share at a camp fire how I came to be said.

Gear weight? Check out Backpacking Light .com and you might become a convert to "Light is Right" ?

So, there is my two cents with the Food and Gear ...

Later, my bicycle is calling me to "use and abuse" her ...
CD

Ok dplant, I need clarification. Are you ok with the group food plan except for lunch as described? Do you want a quote on cost? I need clarification on this one.

In addition, when canoeing, you will need additional gear, pfd, sponge, bailer, painters, etc. that will add to your eight pounds. The river is not the trail and you need to be prepared for the water, and you need to be prepared in the event you become a swimmer unexpectedly in 30 degree temperatures. A few more ounces (grams) may be called for. Hypothermia is no fun!! Been there, done that.

Now that I done my preachin, I would say that if you have 8 pounds, I might wanna throw some group gear in your canoe. (smile) You are gonna need some ballast!! Anyway, I think it would be difficult to have some in and some out of the food plan. It would be awkward. I will work to keep cost minimal, food basic, and the cuisine delightful. Just thinkin out loud with ya on this.

David

[canoebie]

Oh, btw, I have a gravity fed water filter, so we will not need to carry much water. Only what we need daily. I carry 2 quarts in my boat.

David

[Mule]

I too have a gravity fed purifier. 2 is better than one. What is a painter? I carry the rest of the stuff.

[canoebie]

I too have a gravity fed purifier. 2 is better than one. What is a painter? I carry the rest of the stuff.

Yes sir on the water filter, with two we shall want not. Painter refers to the ropes used fore and aft to tie the canoe. Here is a description of how the term came to be.

There are actually three separate kinds of "painter" in English, three words that share a common spelling and pronunciation, but entirely unrelated meanings and origins. The first sort of "painter" is, obviously, someone who paints, whether it be a fine art painter or the guy who paints your bathroom. Another sort of "painter" is the North American cougar, in which case "painter" is simply a regional pronunciation of the word "panther" (possibly influenced by the French "panthere"). Ogden Nash's famous advice, "If called by a panther, don't anther," seems a suitable prelude for an exceedingly odd citation for this sense from none other than Davy Crockett, who wrote, in 1834, "This alarmed me, and I screamed out like a young painter." King of the Wild Frontier, my foot.

The third kind of "painter" is the line attached to the bow of a boat, used to moor or tow the vessel, although when the word first appeared in the 15th century it meant the anchor chain or line of a boat or ship. There seems to be several theories about exactly how English acquired "painter," but fortunately all roads seem to lead back to Rome, in this case to the Latin verb "pendere," meaning "to hang." One of the descendants of that verb was the Old French "pentoir," meaning "strong rope" or "clothesline," which certainly brings us into the "line for tying up a boat" ballpark.

[fin]

I'm flexible with meals either way - I usually don't eat much when I'm canoeing except fish, jerky, oatmeal and pb with tortillas and homemade jam, so anything else is a treat.

Oh yeah, and COFFEE! I am a coffee fiend, but not a snob. Any coffee will do, as long as it's strong, black and NOT decaf.

[canoebie]

I'm flexible with meals either way - I usually don't eat much when I'm canoeing except fish, jerky, oatmeal and pb with tortillas and homemade jam, so anything else is a treat.

Oh yeah, and COFFEE! I am a coffee fiend, but not a snob. Any coffee will do, as long as it's strong, black and NOT decaf.

I read a story once about a guide who was going off of caffeine and decided to bring just decaf coffee with a group he was outfitting. The rest of the group was caught off guard. End result; double vision, nausea, screaming headaches, and a discontented group to the extent that many asked for a refund. All because they did not have good caffeine!! I always make good ole cowboy coffee with caffeine! That is the first priority on the morning fire.

David

[d-p]

Ok dplant, I need clarification. Are you ok with the group food plan except for lunch as described? Do you want a quote on cost? I need clarification on this one.
Ho-K ... Clairfication with CamperDaver (dplant) ... I'm thinking I just might be out of my league with you "take the kitchen sink" types. I'm thinking I should keep a lower profile and wait and see what the general consenses is with the group. I'm not one to be an outcast and insist on my way or the hwy. If I attend, I'll be good with the group's decision.

So, no need for pricing at this point.

And yes, if you have a vote, I vote for each to pack his own food.

In addition, when canoeing, you will need additional gear, pfd, sponge, bailer, painters, etc. that will add to your eight pounds. The river is not the trail and you need to be prepared for the water, and you need to be prepared in the event you become a swimmer unexpectedly in 30 degree temperatures. A few more ounces (grams) may be called for. Hypothermia is no fun!! Been there, done that.
Hypothermia? Been there and done that too ! Was in a raging, 40* river for about 5 minutes. When I "finally" got out of my wet swimming clothes, my general body was turning blueish purple. AND, I was alone about an hour from the van. Did a BUNCH of jumping jacks ... neeked. That guys, was my closest brush with the grim reaper.

FYI: I've been paddling a while ... Stable has 4 canoes and 2 kayaks.

Now that I done my preachin, I would say that if you have 8 pounds, I might wanna throw some group gear in your canoe. (smile) You are gonna need some ballast!! Anyway, I think it would be difficult to have some in and some out of the food plan. It would be awkward. I will work to keep cost minimal, food basic, and the cuisine delightful. Just thinkin out loud with ya on this.
Again, I'm going to take a sabattical and watch where you guys land.

Have FUN planning the next 4 months

CD

[fin]

Have FUN planning the next 4 months

CD

It's going to be a loooonnnnngggggg 4 months.

Looks like I won't need my water purifier, with 2 gravity filters. Canoebie, what do you use for your coffee, a regular camp perkolator? Or one of those fancy presses? Or crystals in boiling water? Again, COFFEE IS VERY IMPORTANT!! Doesn't matter if it's good or bad, just strong.

I'm fine with the shared breakfast/dinner, but pack your own lunches. I'd be willing to share a packing list that we use for our BWCA trips for those who haven't done a longer canoe trip, but keep in mind that those are usually week long trips. David, you're an outfitter/guide so you must do the same thing with your groups, especially for the meals. It would be interesting to post it just to compare notes/methods/ideas. There is no plan that can't be improved, and I know I can learn a few things from someone who does it for a living. Maybe by posting possible combinations of menus/items, camperdaver might have a better idea of how the combined meal thing works out on a trip like this. Keep in mind, camperdaver(dplant), that you are welcome to bring your own food/cooking gear even if we decide on a combined menu. Heck, with only 8 lbs. in your pack on a canoe trip, I may throw some of my stuff in your canoe for ballast as well!

[canoebie]

First, CamperDaver, stay in the dialouge. I apologize if I came across grumpy, I was in a bad way when I responded to you, and should have done it differently.

Second, we really can go both ways with this as far as food goes. I was being too inflexible.

Third, as far as coffee goes, I take a percolator,26 cup (I think those are 6 oz. cups) stainless steel (which is all black for good measure) however I take no innards. I simply pour 2-3 cups of ground coffee in the preboiled river water and let simmer. Prior to consumption, I pour a cup of filtered cold water in the spout to settle the grounds. It makes fine coffee.

Fourth, and finally, I need some river time.

I will be incommunicado beginning Thursday. Wonderful wife and I are heading north, gonna paddle 50 miles, do some erosion control work after the flooding they had. Some areas got 11 inches of rain in 5 hours. Those sand banks may need some restoration.

David