{"id":253,"date":"2016-10-08T16:33:07","date_gmt":"2016-10-09T00:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/?p=253"},"modified":"2016-10-08T16:33:07","modified_gmt":"2016-10-09T00:33:07","slug":"boundary-waters-canoe-trip-june-2-4-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/?p=253","title":{"rendered":"Boundary Waters canoe trip, June 2-4, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29903668450\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5834\/29903668450_67243abd58_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve had a summer full of travel &#8211; a lot more than I usually do &#8211; and I&#8217;m about to go to Greenland in less than two weeks, which will also generate a ton of pictures, so I figured I should probably get some of the summer&#8217;s pics and stories posted before I get too far behind!<\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29903701520\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c1.staticflickr.com\/9\/8560\/29903701520_c38b6966a8_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I spent much of the spring this year traveling to work for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wildmed.com\">Wilderness Medical Associates<\/a>, teaching WFR courses. My last course of the spring was at the Widjiwagan YMCA camp, outside of Ely, MN. People have been telling me for many years that I need to check out the canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, so I decided to take an extra week off, as long as I was already there, and do a little canoeing and exploring. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199629555\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c4.staticflickr.com\/6\/5329\/30199629555_7da2be69a1_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My plans were cut a little bit short by some high winds and lightning storms that kicked up on the day that I had intended to go in, so I was stuck waiting for a couple of days while that cleared up, but I finally picked up a really nice, very lightweight <a href=\"http:\/\/northstarcanoes.com\/canoe\/northwind\/?option=solo\">Northstar Northwind Solo canoe<\/a> from <a href=\"http:\/\/sawtoothoutfitters.com\/\">Sawtooth Outfitters<\/a> in Tofte, MN, and headed up to the Kawishiwi Lake entry point. I had planned to go in for four or five days, but now only really had three, so I just drove up to the put in, and jumped on the water, and figured I would sort out the details as I went. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165087626\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5693\/30165087626_09e77f003d_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570478114\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5274\/29570478114_c5c7e30059_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30114541241\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/9\/8557\/30114541241_70a4e927e8_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>It was a really cold, grey, cloudy and drizzly day, and I wasn&#8217;t in a very good mood already, and it took a while of just paddling and paddling to start to get my head clear.  For the first part of the trip, I was paddling through a pretty recent burn zone, too, and the landscape seemed kind of bleak. There were tons of biting insects, and there were a couple of extremely soggy and muddy portages, too. I ran into a beaver dam that wasn&#8217;t on any maps, but eventually found my way to Polly Lake, where I had hoped to camp for the first night. I paddled up towards the north end of the lake, and found a really sweet, empty campsite on a big block of granite right over the water. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165207526\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c7.staticflickr.com\/9\/8136\/30165207526_c27959af40_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570438594\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5454\/29570438594_dffbe23972_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165279266\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/9\/8415\/30165279266_90d330c5b9_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I set up camp, and then paddled back out in the rain to try some fishing for a while, before calling it a day, and going to bed. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199497885\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c6.staticflickr.com\/6\/5137\/30199497885_b31cac267a_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>It rained and blew pretty hard that night, and I was really glad I had put an extra tarp over my tent. The next morning was bright and sunny, though, and I decided to get a campfire going to see if I could boost my mood. Crumpled up paper was so damp that it just steamed, and I was just sitting there, feeling cold and damp and grumpy, and I just decided I needed a shift in attitude. What an opportunity to practice a little bushcraft! There had to be some way to make a fire, and so I started wandering in the woods to see what I could find. I ended up discovering a lot of dried pitch on pine trees, and also that if I flaked off the outer scales of bark that were wet, the next layer of bark scales was much drier, and I collected a small handful of that stuff, some pitch, and some birchbark, and ended up getting a nice fire going on the first match after that. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570465514\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/9\/8277\/29570465514_109080aa76_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570324883\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c4.staticflickr.com\/6\/5511\/29570324883_e3e6f753ec_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>A good campfire improves one&#8217;s mood considerably, and I had a nice breakfast, coffee, and laid in the sun by the fire for a while, and decided to explore further into the lakes as a day trip, and leave my camp set up where it was. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165231186\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5706\/30165231186_dc801fcec8_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I took a day pack and the fishing gear, and headed out, exiting Polly Lake at the north end, and went up through a tiny little unnamed lake, Koma Lake, and finally into Malberg Lake, where there was supposedly decent walleye fishing. I paddled all around the north end of Malberg for a while, stopping and fishing and exploring the long eastern arm, too, and finally decided it was time to head home. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570352273\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/9\/8133\/29570352273_6355503b03_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199586185\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/6\/5277\/30199586185_9e9dc58919_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I got back to camp, made dinner, watched my beaver neighbors cruising back and forth, had a shot of rye whisky, and went to bed a much more relaxed and happy camper than I had been the night before. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30114571041\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/6\/5085\/30114571041_545dd9e48e_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The next morning, I went fishing again for a while, then finally packed up camp and started back out. The long portages seemed way shorter now that I knew what they were about, and I was back in Kawishiwi before I expected to be and I still had plenty of time to get the canoe back, so I spent a while paddling all around the lake, fishing and scoping it out. I had really, really been hoping to see a moose, and I had paddled through a few places that seemed pretty likely to have some, but there had been no moose anywhere. I was literally a half mile from the take out, and fishing my way around a little island, when I looked across to the shore, and sure enough, there was a moose standing there! She ended up letting me get within a hundred yards or less, before she had enough, and took off, but a few hundred yards later, I ran into another one, too!<\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199378965\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c6.staticflickr.com\/6\/5133\/30199378965_7ae94c319a_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I never did catch any fish on this paddling trip, but got some great pictures, and saw a ton of plants that were new to me. I learned that I can paddle and portage a lot faster than the guide books expect, and I know now that when I come back some day, I can plan on traveling much farther each day than the guide books would have suggested. I also realized how uncommon it is for canoeists to know a J stroke. I saw 32 other paddlers while I was in there, most at a distance, but only two of them were using a J-stroke, and they were the USFS rangers who were doing campsite inventory work. I joked to the outfitter back in Tofte that I was going to move to Minnesota and make $50k a summer teaching the J stroke at the BWCA entry points.  <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199370885\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c6.staticflickr.com\/6\/5498\/30199370885_07cf6d8b30_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I packed up all my gear into the rental car, got in and killed about 100 mosquitos that had gathered inside while I was packing, and headed back to Tofte to return the canoe, and then on to Duluth to fly out the next day. I cannot wait to come back and paddle in the BWCA again. <\/p>\n<p>Oh, and by the way, I can highly recommend <a href=\"http:\/\/sawtoothoutfitters.com\/\">Sawtooth Outfitters<\/a> if you&#8217;re needing a canoe or gear in that area, and also the lovely, super light and perfect <a href=\"http:\/\/northstarcanoes.com\/canoe\/northwind\/?option=solo\">Northstar Northwind Solo canoe<\/a> that they rented me. <\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165129196\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c5.staticflickr.com\/6\/5281\/30165129196_96b8741e11_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199531705\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/9\/8720\/30199531705_b999e9b236_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><\/p>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165183786\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/9\/8550\/30165183786_1812784e35_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165147456\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c1.staticflickr.com\/6\/5498\/30165147456_0eac4f591f_z.jpg\" width=\"428\" height=\"640\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30199385875\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c4.staticflickr.com\/6\/5347\/30199385875_19fab307f6_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165105326\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c7.staticflickr.com\/6\/5234\/30165105326_decb8d4873_z.jpg\" width=\"428\" height=\"640\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570375314\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c3.staticflickr.com\/6\/5610\/29570375314_d8ffdb146d_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/30165177046\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c7.staticflickr.com\/6\/5517\/30165177046_304de36d7e_z.jpg\" width=\"428\" height=\"640\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<center><br \/>\n<a data-flickr-embed=\"true\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/7730590@N08\/29570300974\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" title=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c7.staticflickr.com\/6\/5055\/29570300974_9d5474ec47_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" alt=\"BWCA paddling trip, June 2-4, 2016\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve had a summer full of travel &#8211; a lot more than I usually do &#8211; and I&#8217;m about to go to Greenland in less than two weeks, which will also generate a ton of pictures, so I figured I should probably get some of the summer&#8217;s pics and stories posted before I get too [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[416,7,29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=253"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":268,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253\/revisions\/268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.redalderranch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}