DAY 1 – LAUNCH AND SUNSET TOUR

Three days earlier, we’d hidden the boat behind some bushes at Gulsvig Landing, and (of course) it was still there, waiting to pack and launch through the wild rice. As everything else had that long day, it took slightly longer than we’d hoped to prepare and push off, but we set off with equal parts enthusiasm and exhaustion.

The river twisted through the reeds and grasses, and it was pretty challenging to follow the main current. The sun set beautifully, and the northern twilight lingered with us for a while before the mists started rising. It was challenging enough to paddle that I didn't take any photos, but I did check Google maps once or twice when spirits started to lag, and could see that we were making progress. We’d visited our unmarked destination the previous week, so knew vaguely where it was on map.

I’m a little ashamed to say that I gasped in relief when we finally sighted the canoe-landing sign at Wanagan Landing. The headlamp beam had been fighting the mists, and I had let myself become worried that we would slip past the campsite and spend the night looking for a dry place to sleep.

I unpacked the boat in the dark while b1 set up the tent. Frogs (I think!) rustled around me, and the mosquitoes were a moderate nuisance. I had let myself get too cold and stupid, and was glad to strip off the clammy spandex and climb into the sleeping bag. The proportion of enthusiasm to exhaustion was no longer in balance.

[One map says 2 miles. Another says 3 miles. I’d based the first leg of the trip on the first map and our ability to go 2 miles before night fell. Hmmmm!]

At Gulvig Landing

The boat was in the bog for three nights

We got covered in wild rice

DAY 1 – HEADWATERS

As they say in Italy, the headwaters were in restauro (essentially, a bridge and path were under construction, and they’d blocked the river). During reconnaissance, we determined that our boat would struggle with the shallow river, so we waded (without the boat) at the headwaters and put in 2 miles below, at Gulsvig Landing.

[BTW: All the river runners we met later had put into Lake Itasca above the headwaters, portaged the stepping stones, and floated under the construction fence...]

Headwaters Signpost

Stepping Stones Across the Mississippi

The top of the river is under construction

day 1 - 0 MT

st. paul, MN

on my way to the airport top pick up FA.

day 1 - 0 miles traveled

if all goes well (and it's been going very slowly so far) we'll put in today.

[I've been -and still am- sick for weeks ... HIGHLY unusual for me - 1st time in the 21st century ... and it's kept me from working on the website and giving you a verbal lay of this 'blog land ... my hope is to shoot a picture every morning with the miles traveled [MT] to that point ... my signal is spotty so there'll be occasional delays ... enjoy your read.]

ALL PACKED UP

Most clothes and supplies get stowed inside the boat; just a few larger items will be tied atop the stern. Because access to the interior is through three small, round hatches, we've stuffed the gear into a colorful collection of long, sausage-shaped bags. Some less-water-resistant items (e.g., paper maps) are packed in sealable, "dry bags."

There are weight constraints because we'll have to portage around some obstacles at the beginning of the trek. We aren't as careful as the through-hiking community (who weigh every safety pin because they carry every safety pin), but packing entailed a lot of hard decisions nevertheless.

Stuff bags stack like cord wood

Color-coded according to content

A SCHEDULE TO BEAT...

...we'll travel faster than the raindrop, but stop to eat and sleep...!

Wall Display at the Lake Itasca Visitor Center

RECONNOITERING

This is what two days of reconnoitering looks like:

Scope maps, drive on back roads, stop at bridges and culverts, admire the Mighty Miss where it is still extremely modest, hike into canoe landings, nap, discuss, repeat.

The goal is to confirm a safe and reasonable place and time to launch. Gotta take into account: park construction at the top of the headwaters, the height of the wild rice (creates challenging navigation), river levels at rocky sections, plus our transportation and daylight schedule.