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Author Archives: Eric
Here’s to Alaska! Canoeing the Chatanika with Cousin Mindy
(State #41/50) I woke up in an empty terminal, surprised to feel rested. I’ve tried before, with little success, to sleep in airports. Typically, there’s a frequent, booming robotic voice saying “Welcome to…” and reiterating why it’s a bad idea … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the West
Tagged Alaska, American Rivers, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Chatanika, Cousin Stuff, Denali, Fairbanks, Grizzly Bear, Minto Flats, Northern Lights
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Fiordland of Idaho: Canoeing Lake Pend Oreille
(State #40/50) “Who knew Idaho could look so good?” my friend Lawrence remarked in response to a picture. He wasn’t alone with this reaction. “That’s so much prettier than I would have thought for Idaho,” another friend said of a … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the West
Tagged American Rivers, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Clark Fork, Louie Louie, Pend Oreille, Potato, Submarine research
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Welcome to the Smoke Show: Canoeing Glacier NP, Montana
(State #39/50) Sitting on a peninsula no larger than a tennis court, I watched gentle waves lap against the colorful, flat, stones of the shore. In both directions, a smooth, long lake filled the bottom of a u-shaped valley. Peaks … Continue reading
Yellowstone with Taylor: Canoeing Lake Shoshone, Wyoming
(State #38/50) Right after I told her my Canoe 50 plans, Taylor claimed Wyoming. Visiting the Grand Tetons, as she explained, was on her bucket list. So was seeing a wild moose — something I assured her, with the utmost … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the West
Tagged American Rivers, bear spray, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Grizzly Bear, Lake Lewis, Lake Shoshone, Thunderstorm, Wyoming, Yellowstone
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The Niobrara of Nebraska: A Canoe with Uncle Russell
(State #37/50) To be honest, no one expects much nature from Nebraska. Like many states, it isn’t that its undersold, it’s that Nebraskan wilderness isn’t sold at all… Now, I wonder why. My Uncle Russell and I drove in a … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the Midwest
Tagged American Rivers, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Great Plains, Nebraska, Niobrara River, Rapids, Sandhills, Thunderstorm, Waterfall
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Canoeing* the Cheyenne, South Dakota with Cousin Thomas
(State #36/50) Walking the canoe into a pool of muddy water, my cousin, Thomas, turned around. “Should we try?” he asked. I nodded and we hopped back in the boat. We paddled forward for about ten feet and then ran … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the Midwest
Tagged American Rivers, Black Hills, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Cheyenne River, Cousin Stuff, Drought, Great Plains, South Dakota, Wild Horses
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The Great Storm: Canoeing the Sheyenne River, North Dakota
(State #35/50) I stood on a boat dock, South of Fargo, with the July sun beating down. Ty, the reporter for WDAY, asked questions while JR, the camera man, filmed. I intended to be thoughtful with my answers. Inevitably, however, … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the Midwest
Tagged American Rivers, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Fargo, Great Plains, National Grassland, North Dakota, Sheyenne River, Thunderstorm, TV News
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Brothers of the Boundary Waters: Canoeing Minnesota
(State #34/50) Shane and I laid in the tent at 7 a.m., trying to sleep through the passing roar of eighteen-wheelers — turns out the country road we had pitched by wasn’t as lonely as I had hoped. We heard … Continue reading
Wisconsin Wilderness: Canoeing The Flambeau River with my Pa
(State #33/50) My Mother stood, looking impatient and swatting mosquitoes, as I lugged free-ranging laundry from my car and into her rental. In my backseat, I piled junk onto the adjacent seat and crammed some trash under that pile. Then … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the Midwest
Tagged American Rivers, Beer, Black bear, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Flambeau River, mosquitoes, Rain, Wisconsin
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On the Shores of Gitche Gumee: Canoeing Lake Superior, Upper Michigan
(State #32/50) I wanted to canoe Lake Superior… easier declared than done as the body of water acts more like an ocean than a lake; its storms whip deadly cold waters into swells, which have destroyed vessels much larger than … Continue reading
Posted in Canoeing the Midwest
Tagged American Rivers, Beer, Canoe 50, Canoeing, Found GoPro, Grand Island, Lake Superior, mosquitoes, Snorkeling, Thunderstorm, Upper Michigan
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