It's been a few years since I made my first solo trip to the BWCA. At that time, I only owned tandem canoes - a 17.5 foot Bell Northwind Royalex and a Souris River Quetico 18 Le Tigre kevlar. I took the Souris River because at 43# it was about 25# lighter than my Northwind. The SR travels well under load, is very stable, and can ride big water and whitecaps very well. It can be a bit tricky to steer a tandem while paddling solo, but my solution was to turn the boat around - and sit in the bow seat facing toward the stern. That put me much closer to the middle of the canoe and I found it much easier to paddle steer, and more importantly, make miles. I decided later that using a kayak paddle would help even more. Paddling purists scoff at such an idea, but it works - especially if you want or need to go fast.
My first trip was a big, audacious loop starting at entry point 16 - Moose/Portage River North. I went up through the Moose River over countless beaver dams (okay, like 5), in the rain, through Nina Moose Lake into a gale of a headwind (1.5 hours across on the way in - 20 minutes on the way out a few days later), Nina Moose River, Lake Agnes (killed a squirrel and listened to wolves at night), Lac La Croix, and a series of small lakes and rivers to bring me back through Oyster Lake, Nina Moose and the entry point. 70+ miles of paddling. Single portaging. Because.
A few trips later I was feeling spunky. and bought my Bell Magic (lightly used) - a 16-foot kevlar solo canoe. 34#. Nice. I haven't looked back since. It was also the first trip I took with my warbonnet hammock and mambajamba tarp - which changed my sleeping habits in the 'dub forever. But, I digress dear reader. Back to the magic. On its inaugural trip, I put in at Bower Trout Lake (super mucky up to the thighs put in by the way) and made my way westward through Swan, Vernon, Brule. the Temperance Lakes, Cherokee, Gordon, Long Island, Muskeg, Kiskadinna (tough portage) Moega, Henson, Gaskin, Horseshoe, Vista, Misquah Little Trout, and Ram with enough side trips to total 55+ miles. I had to hike a bit down the road to go get my vehicle at Bower Trout when I was done. My legs felt weird. I should have carried at least my pack. That trip had beautiful weather, glass-like lakes, perfect autumn temps, challenging portages, a couple of falls, moose, and run-ins with a couple of crazy people. But the magic of the BWCA is enough.
I love my Bell Magic and my solo trips. Right now the magic is useful when I do my father/son(s) trips. Two of us can be in the Souris River and one of us is in the Magic. We take turns. It's been a couple of years since I've been able to make a solo trip but I plan to do one after covid. I'd like to do Hunter's Loop in the Quetico (Canada), a 150+ mile loop of challenging lakes and portages. The Quetico is a bit like Texas - everything is bigger and a bit gnarlier there - but so much fun. Maybe in 2021 when I turn 60. Yikes. But, I have to trust the Magic. It has done me no harm.
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