Canoe Trip

My son, Steve, and I have just returned from the BWCAW, a long set of initials that mean Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For those who are unaware, the BWCAW is located in far northeastern Minnesota, snuggled up against the Canadian Border. It’s one of the few true wilderness areas left in our country (outside of Alaska). The BWCAW is more than 100 miles long, some 30 miles wide and includes more than one million acres, with no motorboats allowed on almost all of its 1,000 lakes and streams.

It’s a place for canoes and quiet contemplation, a place for settling down and checking out (no cell-phone access). A place to listen for loon calls, and, if you are lucky, hear a wolf’s lonesome howl in the night. A place to hear waves slapping against ancient rocks. A place to reconnect with nature.

Oh, it’s also a place to fish. In our annual fishing contest, Steve landed an 18-inch small mouth bass, which meant I had to buy him breakfast on Friday morning when we began our long drive home. I won’t get into my fishing success this year—I’ll save that for another day.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: You can’t catch a fish if your line is not in the water.

CHECK THIS OUT: See my new book, Campfires and Loon Calls. It’s all about the Boundary Waters and our adventures there. Publisher: Fulcrum Press, 2011. Check my website, www.jerryapps.com for more information.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 7, Noon. Friends of Eagle River Library Banquet.

September 10, Barnes and Noble, La Crosse. 1:00 p.m. Campfires and Loon Calls.

September 11, Woodland Country School Reunion, 1-4, Speaking at 2:00 p.m. Two miles from Hustisford on Highway R.

September 17, Creekside Bookstore, Cedarburg. Book Signing, 1-4.

September 18, Creekside Bookstore, Cedarburg, Book signing, 12-3.

September 21, Cumberland Library, 5:30 p.m. The Lighter Side of Country Living.

September 22, Midwest Bookseller Convention, Minneapolis

October 2, Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI.

October 4, Union Grove Library. 1:30 p.m. Horse Drawn Days, 6:30 p.m. History of Cheese Making.

October 8, Horse Drawn Days, Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI. 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

October 15, Horse Drawn Days, Wade House,Green Bush, WI. 1:00 p.m.

October 18, New Holstein Library, 1:00 p.m. Book talk featuring Cranberry Red. 6:30-8:30 Writer’s workshop.