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These Cree boys made fast friends (the cigarette is fake, I promise!)
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A huge hydroelectric dam on the Nelson River (note power lines in the background)
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Scott in canoe
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Yoga on Lake Winnipeg
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Scott's reflections (Entry by Scott)
(Aug 27th, 2005) Almost four months have elapsed since Todd and I set the canoe in his back yard, in the then-cold waters of the Sauk River, amidst snow flurries and the little leaves of spring. Now the north land air is turning crisp and hints of autumn are everywhere (we are close to 57th parallel). In between I have had the adventure of a lifetime. The time has been very well spent, and I am very pleased.

I feel I know my home state much better than I did before and our neighbor to the north, Manitoba, as well. As we traveled slowly through the land, under our own power, we experienced the best this great land and the wonderful people living in it have to offer. We got a first hand education in history, sociology, geology and environmental studies from this northern Midwest region we call home.

Our trip was physically and mentally very demanding. For the last few weeks we were really pushing ourselves to the limit with long days of strenuous paddling amidst challenging conditions. On the cold and rainy days our thoughts turned to Eric Sevareid and Walter Port, and we marveled at their ability to paddle in worse conditions, a month later than we did and without any of the hi-tech waterproof paddling gear we had. We also thought of them as we shot through rapid after rapid, knowing they hadn’t had a whitewater class to learn technical maneuvers. In so many ways it’s breathtaking that they survived.

Often we camped Eric and Walt had camped and saw things that they saw and had experiences similar to theirs. We had their original journals from which ‘Canoeing with the Cree’ was crafted and we read them every morning. Sometimes as we paddled we imagined them paddling alongside us. I’d like to think our journey was as meaningful for us as theirs was for them. We certainly never would have had the idea or inspiration to do the trip had they not pioneered the way 75 years ago and recorded so vividly their odyssey.

Sevareid and Port did got a lot of support from people along the way. They didn’t call their book ‘Canoeing with the Cree’ for nothing. Interacting with the locals enriched their experience, and ours too. Sometimes we got the impression from just a very few people that they were upset by all of our interaction with our fellow humans on the riverbanks. They seemed to think that the wilderness is a more magical place without humans in it. But such a wilderness hardly exists and actually hardly ever has. Rather than try to escape from people, we found it refreshing to interact with people who live in rural and remote places and get a look into their lives. We met farmers, environmentalists, paddlers, musicians and artists. We met Dakota, Anishinabe and Cree people. We met bush pilots, park rangers, royal Canadian Mounted Police, and fishing guides. We met parents, children, and elders. Almost without exception, we found warmth, friendliness and interesting conversation. And so many people gave us food or lodging. Interacting with people and listening to their stories added a depth to our trip that was unexpected and very fulfilling.

The natural beauty of the land and water was also inspiring. The broad and leafy Minnesota River valley, the winding and flooded Red River Valley, the vast expanse and rock-rimmed waters of Lake Winnipeg, and the wild and fast flowing waters leading to the bay all left indelible images in my mind. At this point in history we as a planet are consuming more of our natural resources than ever before, resulting in stresses to the land and water. We saw plenty of evidence of this on our route. We witnessed and heard of mining and logging pressures, increased and faster run-off resulting in poorer water quality and more flooding, and demand for more hydroelectricity from huge dams. If we want to keep our world a safe and beautiful place to live in we will have to learn how to consume less. Certainly we consumed fewer resources on our trip than we do at home, plying our craft gently through the water and cooking over our little camp stove. And though our lives were more challenging in a certain way, we also had a simplicity, depth, rhythm, sense of using and being in touch with our bodies, and sense of teamwork and accomplishment in our daily routine that is sometimes hard to feel in modern life. Hopefully humanity as a whole will discover many hidden benefits to consuming less. Any ways we can figure out to get outside and enjoy the beauty now are, I think, great ways to start.

The hardest part of the trip for me was my initial decision to commit myself to the idea despite my many fears that I could not or should not be able to take a four month long canoe adventure. Once I made the decision, all the hard work I put in towards reaching the goal was mostly just enjoyable and satisfying. I highly recommend dreaming big and then just deciding to pursue your dreams; I think it’s what we humans were really meant to do.

Now that I have been home for a few days my excitement at seeing friends and family and relaxing in the comforts of home are already starting to wear off, and I am dreaming of simpler days spent in the rhythmic pursuit of a singular goal; moving forward across the water. I am someone who likes to ‘be in touch’ with my body and live a healthy lifestyle. If I sit around too much I get antsy, and in order to feel healthy and fit I have to watch carefully what I eat. On the expedition I never sat around too much, and I scarfed down a couple of candy bars a day with reckless abandon, knowing that rather than causing my blood sugar to bounce around it would simply dissipate in service of my muscles. Running around doing taking care of small errands in town, in an automobile, by myself, is just not nearly as fun as running rapids with Matt or even digging in against the current with Todd. Getting new tabs for my car, buying shirts and ties, getting my haircut and navigating the scary world of cell phone plans are all in some ways less fulfilling and more nerve-racking than surfing the giant waves of Lake Winnipeg. But I can comfort myself with knowing that I’ve carved four months out of my life (in some ways a year and a half) to do a fun adventure and if I find myself in need of doing it again sometime, I will.

The next adventure is actually already before me, and I know it will prove in many but very different respects to be every bit as exciting and challenging as the expedition. Many Point Scout Camp is my favorite place in the whole world, and I’ve been a lot of places. I grew up working at the camp and all through my 20’s I arranged my life to be able to continue working there. The people that work there are simply amazing, and the environment in which we work is extraordinary. All 120 some staff members at Many Point devote themselves towards creating an almost utopian, character-building, teamwork and leadership-developing experience for the young people that come to camp each week—some 4,000 people each summer. Bob Gagner, who has run the camp for the past 20 years or so, is very much responsible for creating such a great place and I have had the honor of working closely with him for the past few years. Now I have the awesome challenge of filling his shoes; fortunately with his promotion he will be my boss and I will have his guidance to help me along.

Finally I have to express my deepest admiration and appreciation for my two partners on the trip.

Matt put himself in position to fill-in over a year ago when he was a first-rate staff member and friend on my staff at Many Point. He eagerly and competently stepped in when he was needed. He learned all kinds of things about canoeing quickly and proved a fantastic partner for the second half of the trip I especially appreciate his ability to adapt to all the wacky expedition routines and expectations Foster and I had in place. Thanks Matt!

Todd had the crazy idea in the first place, and it’s a mark of our friendship that he expected me to take him seriously when he approached me with it. Without the trust I have in him I could never have said yes. But having said yes I will live the rest of my life with more confidence in pursuing the dreams and goals I have for myself and the world I live in. That’s pretty cool—thanks Fostie.