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Monthly Archives: April 2009
Balancing Rocks
Ease into the week by watching artist Bill Dan doing some *real* work.
This reminded us of many lazy hours making our own sculptures around the campsite. Do you find yourself wanting to trade jobs with him, too? Via SwissMiss.
Follow This Trip: Erik Simula’s Arrowhead Journey
While many expo-goers are adventuring vicariously this week, one man has quietly embarked upon a dream of his own.
On Wednesday, Duluth-born Erik Simula launched his canoe into Lake Superior on a 1000-mile paddle that will touch on voyageur routes as it weaves through the Arrowhead Region.
But he voyageur detail is no ‘angle’ or novelty here, no mere point of trivia; it’s at the very heart of both the trip — and the man.
Erik is a birch-bark canoe builder who works by day as a park ranger at Grand Portage National Monument. He’s also an instructor at the North House Folk School. And the sled dog musher for the Bearskin Lodge. And wilderness guide. And all of this, before breakfast.
Top Picks for Outdoor Adventure Expo ’09
Midwest Mountaineering kicks off their Outdoor Adventure Expo on Thursday. Still going strong in its 48th year, it doesn’t look at all downsized due to the recession, we’re happy to report.
That’s only sorta good news, because it’s still impossible to see and do everything. From discovering Arctic Scandinavia by paddle, to protecting our own wilderness treasures; summiting Everest, to skijoring local trails with your dog; there’s lots of ground to cover. So read on for UpNorthica’s Top Picks for this year’s Expo.
“Paddle Faster, I Hear Banjos” T-shirt
Paddling for leisure and recreation is part of a healthy lifestyle. This tee is a nice reminder that canoeing to save your ass has its advantages, as well. Just keep that crossbow handy.
We’ve actually seen a few takes on the design out there in the web-o-sphere, but with the hoodie version and several color options, we like this one most. Maybe it’ll end up as classic as the movie it references. And best of all, it’s at a price that won’t have you squealing like a pig.
Podcasting Minnesota’s Water Trails, One By One
If it’s bigger than a puddle and it’s in Minnesota, Lynne and Bob Diebel have likely canoed it. The lifetime paddlers traveled almost 3,000 miles along 58 rivers in researching their books Paddling Northern Minnesota and Paddling Southern Minnesota.
Now you get to ride along as they host Tales of Water Trails, a new weekly podcast on the MN-DNR’s site.
The Diebels give helpful descriptions of favorite spots, difficulty ratings, wildlife, campsite availability and even manage to sneak in a few fond reminisces. A small, but very nice detail: the old-timey audio texture in each podcast makes me feel more like I’m comparing routes around the campfire, versus listening to a digital media file on a PC. I almost don’t miss the standard Google Map for each episode (hint hint.)
This week they covered the Cloquet River (MP3 file). After a listen, I’m about ready to start packing.
This is a novel resource for trip planning; one that’s made all the better by that human element of storytelling.
Survivalist Fashions by Bear Grylls
I guess it was kinda inevitable. And I guess if you’re a dyed-in-the-dry wick fan of Bear Grylls, news of his new line of survival fashions is more than great. And it is.
What, you’re skeptical? Or maybe just content to patronize your local outdoors store for nearly-identical items? Well, that may be your path…
But if you want to go to the extreme, you don’t even need to ask, “why buy Bear?” Just browse the pre-rumpled $40 cotton tees (Bear Grylls logo included!) Or read up on the Bear Adventure Shirt’s ability to double as a life rope in quicksand. The entire product line looks good, both in the wild and at the hotel after your shoot. But more than that, wearing Bear Grylls sends Man — and Nature — the message that the best way to adopt a lifestyle is by buying it. Via GO Blog.
Video: The Making of a Duluth Pack
Check out a behind-the-scenes video of how Duluth Packs are made, courtesy of our friends at the BWCAcast team. Nice to see that someone out there still does “make ‘em like they used to.” Not to mention, in the same place where they used to.
Watching it gave me a greater-still respect for the dedicated people whose craftsmanship produces outdoors gear that’s truly artisanal. How often can ya say that about a typical outdoors chain-store purchase? … That is right: not too many oftentimes, my friend.
You also gotta admire their bravery in operating that ancient, heavy duty machinery — I hope I never run into the grommet-punching thingy in a dark alley!
Art of the Canoe Exhibit
While this post lives a little more DownSouthica (just Winona, not the bayou thankfully) it has everything to do with one of the great loves of any self-respecting Northerner: Canoes.
The Art of the Canoe exhibit at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN gives you everything you love about canoes (hand-built beauty and plenty o’ fiberglass lightness) and none of what you hate (yup, that would be summer camp, soul-crushingly heavy aluminum). The exhibit, which runs through August 22nd, has everything from a birch-bark by Bill Hafeman, to the first boat by We-no-nah Canoes founder Mike Cichanowski. The exhibit also includes art and photography as well as several hand crafted wooden paddles.
You can find more information on the Minnesota Marine Museum’s website and for a good synopsis of the show, there is more from MinnPost.
How Far Does Your iPhone Go?
Spotting animal tracks — with your iPhone? It can do THAT?
It was a short 2 years ago, that the outdoor industry was bemoaning “nature deficit disorder” among our younger generations. Some, like the MN-DNR, had hoped to lure people into state parks with geocaching events and contests. But overall, many observed with concern, a waning interest in the outdoors.
How quickly things can change. Coupled with the frugality of outdoor recreation in a tight economy, new directions in hand-held technology just may bring people out into direct sunlight again.
Today, outdoorsy apps for the iPhone are flipping out from nowhere like tools on a Swiss Army knife. Apple’s latest TV spot (above) highlights apps for navigation, identifying birds and “itchy” stuff. Sure got my attention, but those examples are just the tip of the iceberg.
Pirates of the Great Lakes — I’m Tellin’ Ye No Tales!
Following news of modern day piracy got me thinking today: Have the Great Lakes ever had pirates? What! Ridiculous, right? Of course not, I said.
Wrong, said Google.
Pirates did menace the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior at the turn of the last century, but they weren’t after gold. Aye, these scurvy dogs were after sweeter meats than that, for their cargo holds were laden with things like poached venison, bootleg liquor, and lumber harvested illegally from wherever they saw fit. Shiver me timbers, indeed. Wow, I never knew that before!
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