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Monthly Archives: June 2009
Grilling UpNorth(ica)
Notebook Grill from Direct Designs
It’s summer, time to breakout the “kiss the cook” aprons and charcoal. But grilling anywhere outside of your backyard generally requires you to show up at the park a 3AM to squat on a grill, or try to avoid starting a massive wildfire with your Hibachi (I’m looking at you, guy who used to use one on the apartment deck below mine).
Just in time for the outdoor eating season we give you The Notebook Grill from Direct Designs. It’s a small lightweight grill available in black or stainless steel, that folds flat to become a 1 inch thick slab of portable goodness. Grab your grill, Frisbee and a PlatyPreserve and you have a good Saturday outdoors.
Conan O’Brien Canoes the “L.A. River”
Proud as I am of the BWCA and the many other waterways of Minnesota, once again I have to concede that everything is better out west: Conan goes canoeing in the L.A. storm drains.
Seeing Andy Richter in an orange summer camp PFD just makes me laugh out loud. Enjoy the scenery. Via Canoeing.com.
Four Free Things to Do Outdoors This Weekend
This week, President Obama proclaimed June “Great Outdoors Month,” and with good reason. There’s a slew of celebrations during the month, including National Trails Day, National Fishing and Boating Week, National Get Outdoors Day, and the Great American Backyard Campout.
But before you start Googling all those, check out our list of Five Free Things offered this weekend, both Up North and state-wide. Read on…
“The First Wildlife Photographer (R.I.P.)”
We found this piece of silhouette art, rather to our liking. It did bring about a certain air of mirth as we recalled our many prolepses incurred whilst in the pursuit of Inspiration. Via Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre.
PO’ed as a Pine Marten
We’ve posted before about efforts to relocate pine martens, but nobody’s ever asked them how *they* feel about it.
Here’s one cantankerous pine marten offering opinions of its temporary housing situation. It’s also the first-ever recording of an animal dropping the f-bomb (could be my imagination.) But if you do understand the language of martens, this is definitely NSFW. Via Boundary Waters Blog.
Good News for Roadless Areas (BTW, What’s a Roadless Area?)
First, the good news: Thursday, President Obama put a halt to logging and development in all National Forest roadless areas. Although the order is good for only one year (during which a long-term policy can be formed,) it brings a needed respite for those protecting these places.
So, just what *are* roadless areas? Basically, they’re just that: plots of raw, undeveloped land not yet under federal protection (the Boundary Waters were once under this designation, before they became what they are today.)
The map detail above shows only some of Minnesota’s 24 roadless areas. 19 of them are adjacent to the BWCA. Many contain or sit aside lakes; some are critical habitat for species like the Canada Lynx. These areas are open to the public to explore, fish, and even camp upon.
The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness has more info on their site. Hopefully these places will ‘graduate’ to federal protection. And as always, you’ll find updates here in UpNorthica.
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