Helping Family Resorts Stay in Business | Big Bog State Recreation Area | MN Fishing Coalition
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Contents
In This Issue 6 From the Office by Erin Hintz
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Chow Down Camp Chow Takes Trail Food to the Next Level
by Alicia Underlee Nelson
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The Crazy Bike Guy
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Local Bicycling Enthusiast Dave Jensen by Patrice Peterson
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Getting Involved in Biking A Sampling of Bike Tours, Rides and Races Throughout the Area
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Leader of the Pack 32 Heirloom-Quality Craftsmanship sets Frost River Apart
by Craig Gustafson
44 Kayak River Safari
by Richard Massey
53 Fishing Contest Winner
presented by Underwood Quik-Stop
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Helping Family Resorts Stay in Business by Jennifer Teegarden Cooperative Forest Management Outreach Specialist
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Big Bog 58 State Recreation Area Featured State Park
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MN-Fish Represents Anglers
Volume 2, Issue 4 • SUMMER 2019
66 Service Directory
BUSINESS OFFICE
118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN
PUBLISHED BY Compass Media
Publisher Kip Johnson
EDITORS Brent and Jennifer Rogness
Sales manager John Burns
ART DIRECTOR Kip Johnson
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32 WALLEYE
FISHING CONTEST WINNER page 15
For advertising rates and information, contact artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com. Subscriptions available upon request.
Sales staff Jerry Shea jerry@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.7454 Erin Hintz erin@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.2120
MAILING ADDRESS Lake & Home Outdoors 118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN 56537 artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com
We’re bringing you articles sure to improve your camping experience, with topics such as Camp Chow, a line of dehydrated and freeze-dried gourmet foods, and Frost River’s premium canoe packs. You’ll also find a Kayak River Safari article, in which Will and Richard Massey will be showing us all that there is to discover in a day spent on a Minnesota river.
The summer season is finally in full swing and after a winter that had my house feeling a little bit like a prison, I could not be happier to be outside again. My feet are calloused, there’s dirt under my fingernails, I’ve got a solid start to my farmer’s (or gardener’s) tan and my heart is happy. But, my brain is sending out panic signals. Like the Starks, I’m continually reminding myself and others that “winter is coming,” and I have so much to try to pack into the season before it’s over. Numerous landscaping projects, gardening, grilling and campfires, and a full “summer bucket list” of things I want to do
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and see with my daughter. Then, of course, there’s the urge to throw all of that to the wind and spend every free moment of the summer at the lake. All you have to do to be reminded of summer’s expiration date is walk into a major retail store. On the last week in June, not long after the first official day of summer, many were already clearancing their summer selections and bringing in back-to-school items to take their place. I can’t keep up. But I’m not here to doom and gloom summer away, so I’ll remind myself, and everyone who feels the same, that it’s far from over. It’s really just getting started and this issue of Lake & Home Outdoors was put together with summer recreation in mind.
Also in this issue, we’ll be chronicling the many adventures of Fergus Falls native Dave Jensen, whose passion for biking has brought him on a trip across the nation and led to a foundation dedicated to helping others pursue their dreams. After closing your copy of the magazine, you’re sure to add to your “summer bucket list,” and let me say again, we have plenty of summer days left to accomplish it all. We hope you enjoy!
Erin Hintz
Marketing Consultant Lake & Home Outdoors
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backpacking
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S
arah Hamilton is a woman with a passion. The chef, recipe developer and entrepreneur turned her passion for food into a comprehensive line of dehydrated and freeze dried food products designed to bring gourmet flavors to the trail. Her company, Camp Chow, has brought her passion for cooking to outdoor enthusiasts far from her kitchen outside of Grand Marais. Hikers, cyclists, anglers and paddlers can choose from single servings or dinners for up to six, which are popular with outfitters along iconic routes like the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and throughout Minnesota’s untamed Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Camp Chow has been enjoyed by mountaineers
in Montana and by ultra marathoners who need quick nutrition on the go. Chisholm, Minn., musher Nathan Schroeder brought Camp Chow with him when he raced the Iditarod two years in a row. The complete line of Camp Chow products includes an impressive range of appetizers, entrées and side dishes designed to take camp cooking to the next level. Wake up with a breakfast of scrambled eggs and asparagus, roast beef hash and light and fluffy pancakes. Hearty beef and vegetable stew, vegan chili or bacon cheeseburger chili pair with fry bread for a quick lunch, while sides like garlic chive couscous, cheese grits, green bean casserole and garlic mashed potatoes elevate an outdoor meal to a true culinary experience. The entrée list reads like a restaurant menu, tempting campers with wild mushroom Alfredo (a hit with vegetarians), shrimp fried rice, a variety of savory burrito options, beef stroganoff, and classic Midwestern favorites like scalloped potatoes and ham. Campers can even treat themselves to dessert. (Options include chocolate and berry
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As complex and flavorful as the final results are, preparing Camp Chow is about as easy as it gets – just add boiling water and they’re ready to eat in minutes.
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cheesecake and sweet little apple pies.) A solid selection of vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options are also available, providing variety and nutrition without adding weight to a backpack. As complex and flavorful as the final results are, preparing Camp Chow is about as easy as it gets – just add boiling water (or try the cold water options if you don’t want to carry a stove) and they’re ready to eat in minutes. Most options are one pot meals and can be hydrated right in the bag, for an easy and convenient meal and minimal clean up. Hamilton has been developing recipes in her kitchen outside of Grand Marais for decades. But the foray into this new line of products was prompted by the same combination that has kickstarted all of her ventures – her own insatiable curiosity and listening to her customers.
“I own a restaurant up on the Gunflint Trail and I love to cook. People coming in complaining about their meals in the woods probably started it. It just gave me an outlet to create recipes, which I love.” Sarah Hamilton
“I own a restaurant up on the Gunflint Trail and I love to cook,” says Hamilton, “People coming in complaining about their meals in the woods probably started it. It just gave me an outlet to create recipes, which I love.” The restaurant is part of the Trail Center Lodge, a complex that also includes a gift shop, grocery store, gas station, a small Northwoods style hotel
and private cabins that include a private deck or sauna, as well as complimentary canoes, paddles and lifejackets. Located along the Gunflint Trail, on the shore of Poplar Lake, this former logging camp has been a local landmark since 1938. Hamilton runs the business with her sister, Anna Hamilton. Originally from Iowa, the sisters visited their aunt who had a cabin nearby when they were children. The Gunflint Trail made a lasting impression. “My sister moved up here in the 80s and I followed her, whether she wanted me to our not. I’m the youngest, smartest, good looking one,” says Hamilton drily, before bursting out in laughter. ”She has a lot to say about that.” 12 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
Hamilton has a long history with family businesses and with the restaurant business. In her life, the two go hand-in-hand. “My mother had restaurants my entire life,” she explains. ”The first one was back in 1960 and she forced us to work at it. When I was about 10 I said I’d never ever work in the restaurant business. But then I worked alongside her my whole life and bought this one 25 years ago.” Hamilton’s mother actually ran more than one restaurant. She operated an impressive array of food enterprises, all named for her children. “Our mom had a restaurant named Charly’s in the 60s,” says Hamilton. ”Then two bars, a mobile funnel cake trailer called Mary’s Mobile, a cooking school called Sarah’s Soups and So Forth and then a café named Annie’s.”
The Camp Chow recipes spring from Sarah Hamilton’s imagination. But they’re perfected through the same kind of side-by-side collaboration and tireless work ethic that she learned as a girl at her mother’s side.
“When I make a new recipe, the employees eat it, and eat it, and eat it until they like it,’” Hamilton explains. “Then we sample it here in the store and get customer feedback before we actually package it.”
“When we’re closed, I sit at home and make new recipes,” she says. Inspiration can come from anywhere – “Watching television, reading, running across an item that sounds good, thinking of a new way that sounds good, thinking of a new way to use a spice, just like you would in any kitchen when developing a recipe.”
Little tweaks to the water measurements and cooking time are the most common adjustments that Hamilton makes. The time to prepare each meal varies a bit, but most are ready in the time it takes to decompress from a day outdoors.
Once Hamilton feels the Camp Chow recipe is done, she sends it off to the second phase of development, product testing. It doesn’t have to go far.
“The cold water hydration ones are around 10 to 15 minutes,” Hamilton explains. “The ones that take the longest would be the gluten free noodles, and that’s about 20 minutes. The chilis are better the longer they cook; like any chili, they thicken. But they’re edible in 15 minutes or so.”
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Once the cooking time is set, Hamilton finalizes the recipe and sends it off for packaging. This also happens in house.
flavors and reimagining dishes that seem next to impossible to recreate from a dry mix of ingredients.
“I have one gal and all she does is pack Camp Chow every day,” says Hamilton. “I have a lot of amazing employees,” she says. “They help me with every venture I do.”
But Hamilton is doing it. And she’s doing it so well, that a few Camp Chow favorites have moved out of backpacks and camp stoves and back into a more conventional kitchen.
Camp Chow started as an experiment with a comforting grilled cheese and tomato soup about five years ago. But 2018 was the year Hamilton really started expanding her selection. The meals contain tastes and textures that really push the limits of the imagination, combining rich and savory
“Of course I have a favorite – sausage gravy on toast,” she says. “It’s full of butter and cream and some spices. We liked it so much we changed the recipe in our restaurant to that recipe. The chili is the same thing. We actually changed what we serve at the restaurant to the Camp Chow recipe.”
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The fact they’re clamoring for dehydrated Camp Chow at Hamilton’s restaurant is a big thumbs up, since both the cooks and the regulars here have high standards. This is a place that’s known for decadent bread pudding, a hearty hot beef sandwich with homemade gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. The signature dish is prime rib served in a homemade Yorkshire pudding. “We’re a super casual, American fare restaurant, but we put a little twist on everything we do,” explains Hamilton. “Everything’s homemade.”
“We’re a super casual, American fare restaurant, but we put a little twist on everything we do. Everything’s homemade.” Sarah Hamilton
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Hamilton applies that same attention to detail and emphasis on quality ingredients to everything she creates for Camp Chow as well. She’s especially excited about expanding her vegetarian and vegan lines in the coming months. “Lucky for us, they make dehydrated tofu with lots of good protein, good flavor,” she says. “And there are some amazing organic ramen noodles. The new ramen noodles just cook so fast, it’s kind of exciting.” The availability of quality ingredients makes the food taste better and cook faster. It also enables Hamilton to expand into new ways of cooking that set Camp Chow apart from its competitors.
“The cold water hydration is the most exciting to me. I don’t know that anyone else actually does it out there.” Sarah Hamilton
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“The cold water hydration is the most exciting to me,” says Hamilton. “I don’t know that anyone else actually does it out there.” So what does a Gunflint Trail outdoors mogul do when she’s not working? Hamilton chortles her good-natured laugh as she thinks that one over. “When I’m not working… I hate to say it, but I work!” she chuckles. “I’m a workaholic. My brain’s going all the time. I should say that I camp and hike and fish and eat Camp Chow, but I don’t. Well, I do love to fish. It just doesn’t happen very often.” She also likes to take her Rottweiler, Mikee (pronounced “Mikey”) out to take in the unique Minnesota landscape that draws so many to the Gunflint Trail and Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This place has colored her life and inspired her multiple businesses. It’s also inspired her to give back. Hamilton passes on what she’s learned from decades in business to other entrepreneurs in the region. When she heard that people were dying of exposure on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, a Native American friend told her about how the non-profit group One Spirit was working to provide residents with firewood for the cold winter months. Now Hamilton and her friends and colleagues regularly collaborate with the Rapid City, S.D., non-profit on the firewood project, as well as gathering washing machines, dryers, food and toothpaste for the Lakota people. Hamilton has high praise for the organization.
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“They’re amazing, the work they do,” she says. “Everything they do is to lift people up and create jobs for them.” Hamilton is working on lifting people up closer to home as well. She and her sister Anna just started an affordable housing company, which is currently building its first home in Grand Marais. Like the sisters’ other ventures, both entrepreneurial and philanthropic, this project was prompted by a specific need. “We have a huge workforce housing problem here,” Hamilton explains. “We have a big, big tourist influx in the summer, we need lots of worker bees and there’s no affordable housing. And for those who want to live here and spend their lives here, there’s no starter homes. We’re doing it with a no-profit markup and seeing how cheap we can keep it.” Sarah Hamilton loves this wild stretch of Minnesota trail. So it’s completely in character for her to want to make sure that people can make it their home, just like she did. If you’re in the neighborhood, you can find her at The Trail Center Lodge, chatting up guests and whipping up something excellent to eat. And when the doors are locked, the lights are off, and guests are tucked into their beds night, Hamilton will be hard at work on her next Camp Chow recipe. No matter where they roam, outdoor enthusiasts across the country can have a taste of the Gunflint Trail.
OUTDOORS
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Camp Chow Meals FAST COOKING | JUST ADD WATER 218.388.2214 (V) Vegetarian Items (GF) Gluten Free (H/C) Hot or Cold Hydration All products are available in single (1), 2 and 4 person meals. Call for larger portions.
Entrees: Pork Shepherd’s Pie Alfredo Noodles Alfredo Noodles (GF) Beef and Pork Spaghetti Beef and Pork Spaghetti (GF) Beef Burrito (GF) Beef Chili Mac Beef Chili Mac (GF) Beef Stroganoff Beef Stroganoff (GF) Beef Stroganoff Couscous (H/C) Beef Stroganoff Dressing (H/C) Beef Stroganoff Rice (H/C) Black Bean Burrito (GF) (V) Broccoli Cheese Pork Dressing (H/C) Broccoli Cheese Pork Couscous (H/C) Broccoli Cheese Pork with Rice (H/C) Cheddar Beef Goulash Cheddar Beef Goulash (GF) Cheddar Couscous (V) Cheddar Grits (V) GF) Cheddar Mac and Cheese (V) Cheddar Mac and Cheese (V) (GF) Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Ham Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Ham (GF) Cheddar Mashed Taters (V) (GF) Cheddar Wild Rice (V) (GF) Chicken Alfredo Chicken Alfredo (GF) Chicken Alfredo Couscous (H/C) Chicken Alfredo Dressing (H/C) Chicken Alfredo Rice (H/C) Chicken Burrito Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
Chicken Stroganoff Chicken Stroganoff (GF) Gunflint Potato Pancake (V) (GF) Ham Scalloped Potatoes Hash Browns with Cheddar Cheese (V) (GF) Hash Browns with Pork Sausage Hash Browns with Wild Mushrooms (V) (GF) Italian Beef and Pork Couscous (H/C) Italian Beef and Pork Dressing (H/C) Italian Beef and Pork Rice (H/C) Mac and Cheese with Ham Pork Alfredo Pork Alfredo Couscous Pork Sausage Gravy Puerto Rican Chicken and Couscous Puerto Rican Red Beans and Rice Red Quinoa with Wild Mushrooms (V) (GF) Refried Beans (V) (GF) Roast Beef Hash (GF) Seafood Mac and Cheese Seafood Mac and Cheese (GF) Shrimp Alfredo Shrimp Alfredo (GF) Shrimp and Grits (GF) Shrimp and Pork Gumbo (GF) Shrimp Fried Rice (GF) (H/C) Turkey and Dressing Turkey Burrito (GF) Turkey Cranberry Couscous (H/C) Turkey Cranberry Dressing (H/C) Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Turkey Cranberry with Rice (H/C) VEGAN Black Bean Burrito (V) VEGAN Gumbo (V) VEGAN Spaghetti (V)
VEGAN Spaghetti (V) (GF) Vegetable Beef Stew Vegetarian Alfredo (V) Vegetarian Alfredo (V) (GF) Vegetarian Spaghetti Vegetarian Spaghetti (GF) Wild Mushroom Alfredo Wild Mushroom Alfredo (GF) Wild Mushroom Casserole (V) Wild Mushroom Casserole (V) (GF) Wild Mushroom Couscous (V) Wild Mushroom Stroganoff (V) Wild Mushroom Stroganoff (V) (GF) Wild Rice Sausage Casserole Wild Rice Sausage Casserole (GF)
Hash Browns with Cheddar Cheese (V) (GF) Hash Browns with Pork Sausage (GF) Hash Browns with Wild Mushrooms (V) (GF) Pork Sausage Gravy Roast Beef Hash Sausage Gravy with White Toast Scambled Eggs with Asparagus (V) (GF) Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese (V) (GF) Scambled Eggs with Pork Sausage (GF) Scrambled Eggs with Sausage Gravy Scrambled Eggs with Wild Mushrooms (V) (GF) Trail Breakfast (GF) Trail Center’s Pancake Mix (V)
Veggies: Broccoli and Cheese (GF) (V) Camp Asparagus (GF) (V) Camp Carrots (V) (GF) Camp Corn (V) (GF) Camp Green Beans (V) (GF) Camp Peas (V) (GF) Cheddar Cauliflower Cheddar Wild Rice (V) (GF) Refried Beans (V) (GF) Twice Baked Potato
Soup: Bacon Cheeseburger (GF) Beef Chili (GF) Broccoli Cheese Wild Rice Soup (GF) (V) Cheddar Smoke Potato Soup (V) (GF) Cheddar Wild Rice Soup (V) (GF) Chicken Chili (GF) Chicken Chili Mole (GF) Grilled Cheese Tomato Soup (V) (GF) Quick Cook Bean Soup (V) (GF) Shrimp Chowder (GF) Tomato Grilled Cheese Soup Turkey Chili Soup (GF) (H/C) VEGAN Chili (V) (GF) VEGAN Quick Bean Soup (V) (GF) Vegetable Beef Stew Vegetarian Chili (V) (GF) WIld Mushroom Soup (V)
Breakfast: Apple Raisin Oatmeal (V) (GF) Blueberry Oatmeal (GF) (V) Blueberry Pancake Mix (V) Cinnamon Honey Couscous (V) Grits and Pork Sausage (GF) Gunflint Potato Pancake (V) (GF)
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Biking
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D
ave Jensen is a local bicycling enthusiast in Fergus Falls. Descriptions of him from friends and acquaintances range from a “fierce competitor” to an “adventure cyclist” to a “community bike and safety advocate.” He is well known as a genuinely good guy, but he is most commonly known as the passionate, goofy, half insane, one-of-a-kind “Crazy Bike Guy.” “People see me out in torrential rain or frigid cold, riding my bicycle any day of the year, so yeah, I guess I can understand why they call me that,” Jensen says with a laugh. “But I’d have a hard time putting myself into one particular category of cycling. I just really enjoy every aspect of it. If it has two wheels, I’ll be involved in it.”
His pursuits include competing in triathlons and the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series, racing his bike across North Dakota in a single day, and a more ambitious ride across the entire continental United States.
knack for endurance sports, I wasn’t into the swimming part,” Jensen remembers. “Once I learned how to swim, I got it into my head that I wanted to go back home and enter that race.”
Growing up in Fergus Falls, the 35-year-old says biking was his outlet during his childhood and a form of freedom, where he and his friends could be out exploring the town for hours on end. The bike was pushed aside, however, once he got his driver’s license, finished high school at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, and attended college at Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State Fergus Falls), where he currently works as the student life director and video specialist.
A triathlon is a three-sport event, starting with a swim in a lake, followed by a bike ride, and then a run.
A TRIATHLON COMPETITOR
Jensen may have been new to swimming and road biking, but he had a solid running background to make him competitive in that leg of the race, and he trained hard.
After two years of college at M State, a 2004 spring internship in Colorado exposed Jensen to an active outdoor lifestyle, which just happened to include swimming as one aspect of the training and studies. “I used to watch the Hoot Lake Triathlon in Fergus Falls when I was a kid and was always curious about it, but although I had a
“I bought my first road bike before I even left Colorado, and I completely fell head-overheels for biking,” he says. “Once I got back to Fergus Falls, I rode every single day – out and back on the Central Lakes Trail and then to different locations across the entire area as I trained for the triathlon.”
“I think I was the first Fergus Falls guy to finish the Hoot Lake Triathlon that year, and I was awestruck by the genuinely serious competitors,” he says. “I wanted to learn more about every aspect of the triathlon and see how far I could take it.”
“But I’d have a hard time putting myself into one particular category of cycling. I just really enjoy every aspect of it. If it has two wheels, I’ll be involved in it.” Dave Jensen 22 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
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For the next few years he continued entering triathlons in the summer while he furthered his college education at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, where he also ran on the cross country team. Prior to his graduation with a public relations degree in 2007, he went to the nationals in cross country and that same year discovered an interest in off-road triathlons, where a road bike is replaced with a mountain bike on hilly terrain, and a trail run replaces a run on smooth pavement.
It turned out he was quite good at that, too. After graduation, he put his career search on hold, working part-time and training hard in hopes of qualifying for the XTERRA 2007 National Championship in Lake Tahoe. He did qualify for the Nationals, but he did not compete in the championship. The drive to California was supposed to be a two-week adventure, but he crashed his mountain bike on a training ride just outside of Las Vegas. Needing 50 stitches and facing a long and
labored recovery, he used the time to look for employment. In a crazy twist, he found a job with an event management company in San Diego, which just happens to be the birthplace of the sport of triathlons. “I wasn’t only inspired by working in that industry,” Jensen claims. “I was consumed.” The next year, however, the downturn in the economy forced the business to close, and ended his California dreaming. “I knew I’d be back in Minnesota someday, so that part wasn’t much of a surprise, but I wasn’t necessarily expecting to be back in my hometown,” he says. “The one job that I knew would definitely bring me back to Fergus Falls was to work at this college, and now it’s all come full circle.”
“The one job that I knew would definitely bring me back to Fergus Falls was to work at this college, and now it’s all come full circle.” Dave Jensen Following his recovery and his move back home, Jensen spent the next two years competing in triathlons from Morris to Alexandria to Perham, and had a string of successes in many of these races. “I just call him ‘Adventure Dave’,” says Isaiah Weber, a fellow Fergus Falls athlete who owns a business out of Fargo called CEI, LLC. “What I respect most about him is how much he pushes himself. Others may need a push, but he has an internal drive, and when I met him, he was doing well in the local triathlons, always coming in first or second place. He is just a well-rounded athlete.”
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A Ride ACROSS AMERICA
Competition isn’t the only driving force in Jensen’s biking. That internal drive has also pushed him to fulfill some of his own individual goals and dreams. “From the first time I got on a road bike, I wondered what was possible,” he relates. “I rode to Duluth. I rode to Minneapolis. I was blown away with what you can do on a bicycle and how far you can go, like traveling across an entire state in a day. One dream of mine was to take my bike and ride across the
entire United States. As I thought about it more and began planning it in my mind, I realized that if I go through with this huge ride, it should be for a good cause.” Since it was his dream to pursue this ride, he decided that he should use that ride to raise funds for others to pursue their individual dreams. “I worked with the Fergus Area College Foundation to establish the Dream Big Scholarship, which is now awarded each year to help future M State students realize their dreams,” he says. “The community rallied
“I worked with the Fergus Area College Foundation to establish the Dream Big Scholarship, which is now awarded each year to help future M State students realize their dreams.” Dave Jensen
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behind my efforts, which included the Lake Alice 100, the world’s most compact century ride, as well as other local biking events.” Aaron Christenson was a student at M State in 2013 when Jensen asked him if he would consider traveling with him in a support role. “I was 23 years old and had already been in the military, so I had experience in the kind of route reconnaissance that he needed, like making plans, thinking ahead, coordinating schedules, and driving the car,” says Christenson, who is currently a chaplain with LB Homes, a nonprofit multi-care facility in Fergus Falls. “Of course, there were glitches, like when his phone died in Dallas and we lost our communication. There were other bumps in the road, too, like tough winds and 19 flat tires, and his personal, ambitious goal of doing this in 15 days when it actually took 19 days. It took every ounce of passion he had, but there’s an energy about him that adds to that passion.”
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY
Besides riding 2,500 miles, Jensen wrote a detailed daily blog, and created a video that chronicled the adventure with passion and humor. His fundraising efforts and resulting bike ride also ignited community interest and awareness of biking. With its winding bike trails and increased efforts toward improving bicycling accessibility and safety, Fergus Falls has benefited from Jensen’s intensity and advocacy throughout the years. His largerthan-life presence has helped increase interest in biking, and the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota has designated Fergus Falls as a Bronze Level Bike Friendly Community.
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“This city is becoming a leader in biking infrastructure, and I hope that in some way my Ride Across America sparked some of that interest and awareness within the community,” he adds. “The idea that I can inspire people is truly meaningful to me. The competition has become secondary, and it’s more about the lifestyle that I can embrace and pass on and share. If someone wants to get more serious about biking, I would tell them to consider signing up for some type of biking event – it will give you a goal. Whether it’s a charity ride, a bike tour, a triathlon, or joining a bike club, you should make a commitment that will hold you accountable for your training and your skill building.” It’s also important to learn about bike maintenance, techniques, training methods and group riding, but Jensen says that at the end of the day, it isn’t important what you ride. The most important thing is that you ride it and it fits you. Finding a local bike shop with honest and experienced staff that will understand your riding goals and put you on the right bike to meet those goals is the best route to take. “Even the new e-bikes (electric assist) are a brilliant addition to the biking world,” he says. “They open biking up to more people and can expand commuting opportunities. More people on any kind of bikes makes for a better community.” Nick Mariotti has joined Jensen on many of his biking adventures and fundraisers, and he agrees that yearly events, like the Lake Alice 100, have contributed to Fergus Falls becoming a bicycle friendly city. He also adds that along with Jensen’s athletic ability, he truly has a heart of gold. “He owns more bikes than you can imagine – all different kinds of bikes – and people come to him all the time, asking him to help them find a bike to buy or borrow,” says Mariotti, a Fergus Falls entrepreneur who is retired from a career in banking. “I know him as well as anyone, and he continues to even surprise me with his generosity and kindness. He wants everyone else to have as good a time
“This city is becoming a leader in biking infrastructure, and I hope that in some way my Ride Across America sparked some of that interest and awareness within the community.” Dave Jensen
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PHEASANTS as he does, and he gets enjoyment out of exposing others to the adventures of life.” Biking may have been a form of freedom for Jensen as a child, but as an adult, he has turned biking into a lifestyle, and he shares that lifestyle with anyone and everyone who shows an interest. Although competition may not be quite as important as it used to be, he continues to compete in mountain biking events, and is currently ranked third overall in the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series (marathon distance class). Creating that video on his Ride Across America, however, sparked another interest that he is pursuing. You could say it’s a “Dream Big” kind of passion. “I discovered my love for film documentaries, and being able to capture events on film for people,” he says. “It’s one of my dreams to be the guy who tags along on something like a Mt. Everest expedition, being the videographer and covering extreme events.” They call him the Crazy Bike Guy. “The world needs more people like him,” adds Christenson, “the kind of people who do crazy things to make it a better place.”
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Getting involved in biking
Cuyuna Lakes Crusher August 18, 2019 Minnesota Mountain Bike Series Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton Kiwanis Kids Triathlon August 24, 2019 Whipple Beach Park, Baxter Off the Back Century August 24, 2019 Beaver Island Brewing Company, St. Cloud
For ideas on exploring Minnesota by bike, this list is a simple sampling of the many bike tours, rides, races and events happening in the lakes area this summer. For additional details on each event, along with other statewide locations, go to the MN Bike Trail Navigator website at: http://mnbiketrailnavigator. blogspot.com/2018/09/2019minnesota-bike-tours-rides-races. html?m=1
July Gravel Group Rides July 1, 2019 Continental Ski & Bike, Duluth, MN Pedal Fergus Falls Board Meeting July 1, 2019 Fergus Falls YMCA Weekly Tues Morning Ride on the Mesabi Trail July 2, 2019 July 16, 2019 Natural Harvest Food Co-op, Virginia
Paul’s Bacon Ride - Part Deux August 24, 2019 Northland Arboretum, Brainerd
The Wheels On the Bike July 9, 2019 Duluth Folk School, Duluth
Dirty Lemming Gravel Ride July 27, 2019 Watertown
Bikes Beer Burritos July 11, 18, 25 August 1, 4, 15, 22, 29 September 5, 12, 19, 26 Beaver Island Brewing Company, St. Cloud
Tour de Bun Bike Classic July 27, 2019 Memorial Park Stadium, Montgomery
Big Woods Classic July 13, 2019 Lake Rebecca Park Reserve, Rockford Habitat 500 Bike Ride July 14-20, 2019 Central Minnesota Tour of Saints July 14, 2019 College of Saint Benedict, Saint Joseph Cuyuna, Minnesota Kids MTB Camp July 15, 2019 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton
Pivot Cycles Demo Day July 28, 2019 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton August Graniteman Big Lake Triathlon August 3, 2019 Lakeside Park, Big Lake Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Tour August 3, 2019 Mesabi Trail, Northern MN Rail Trails 100 August 3, 2019 Fergus Falls Powder Monkey August 4, 2019 Minnesota Mountain Bike Series Spirit Mountain, Duluth
Traverse the Traverse July 4, 2019 Lester Park, Duluth
Bike MS: Ride Across Minnesota July 21-26, 2019 Willmar
PEDAL FARR, Falls Area River Ride August 10, 2019 Remedy Brewing Company, Sioux Falls, SD
Freedhem 76 July 7, 2019 Freedhem Store, Little Falls
Blow’s Bikes MTB Demo Day July 21, 2019 Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, Detroit Lakes
Tour de Pines August 17, 2019 Itasca State Park, Park Rapids
Cuyuna, Minnesota Kids MTB Camp July 22, 2019 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton
Bikes Beer Burritos August 29, 2019 Beaver Island Brewing Company, St. Cloud Laddies Loppet August 31-September 1, 2019 Minnesota Mountain Bike Series Maplelag in Calaway September Caramel Apple Ride September 7, 2019 Lake Wobegon Trail, Sauk Centre Moonlight Bike Ride September 12, 2019 Outdoor Motion Bike Shop, Hutchinson Mora Bike Tour September 21, 2019 Vasaloppet Nordic Center, Mora
Heck Epic July 20-21, 2019 Two Harbors, MN
Cuyuna, Minnesota Kids MTB Camp July 8, 2019 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton
Paul Bunyan 200 August 24-25, 2019 Life Cycle, Brainerd
October Teravail Oremageddon October 12, 2019 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails, Ironton Gnarl of the North 2019 October 19, 2019 Black’s Grove Park, Wadena
YoungLife Triathlon August 17, 2019 Detroit Lakes City Park, Detroit Lakes SUMMER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 31
FEATURE
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T
he appeal of voyaging deep into remote wilderness drives thousands of canoe trekkers to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota each year. Aside from an injury, however, not much can quash that spirit of freedom and adventure faster than a pack failure.
Nifty gadgets and ultra-light equipment tend to get most of the attention when it comes to wilderness camping, but seasoned trekkers know: After your canoe, paddles, and map, your pack is the most critical piece of equipment you own.
A bulky pack nestled into the belly of a canoe gets dripped on by paddles, sits continually in bilge water, and is beaten on by the sun. It gets hauled up by the cover flap, scraped against rocks and outcroppings, and dragged across bedrock portage and campsite landings. In return, it enfolds and protects everything that keeps you safe and comfortable, reduces effort on portages, staves off the ever-present wetness, and if packed properly can even keep your gear afloat if your canoe swamps. Keeping this in mind, Steve Emerson founded Frost River in 2001 to manufacture wilderness canoe packs made with premium materials and craftsmanship and bring them to market at a fair price. “He wanted to give customers something great, that they felt was worth the money that they were putting out—and stick a lifetime guarantee on it, knowing that he built it,” says Lynn Hopper, vice president of sales and marketing at Frost River. 34 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
“He wanted to give customers something great, that they felt was worth the money that they were putting out—and stick a lifetime guarantee on it, knowing that he built it, ” Lynn Hopper, vice president of sales and marketing at Frost River
Pure Functionality
Frost River’s facilities in Duluth, Minn., sit at the gateway to the BWCA. Many trekkers’ pilgrimage to the canoe wilderness spins within rods of the Frost River Trading building, where US Highway 53 crosses Interstate 35 and runs north toward Ely. For Frost River, it all happens within these walls: storage, manufacturing, management, sales, and retail operations. The location, at the fringe of a canoe adventurer’s paradise, links Frost River to a wilderness tradition that hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years. “We focus on the canoe-pack side,” says Hopper. “But some models find their way onto the trail as hiking packs, too.”
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The simple design of a canoe pack stems from pure function: A large envelope for packing gear; a load that rides below the shoulders so a canoe can be carried while wearing the pack; wide, heavy-duty straps to support and transfer the weight of the pack; rugged, water resistant canvas to protect the gear; a long cover flap with buckled straps to hold everything in and keep water out; and a squat shape that stays low in the canoe to keep it stable.
What ’s in a Pack
The best material for making packs that can be handed down to the next generation also happens to be the traditional one. White sails on ships leaving Europe for America were made from cotton-based canvas impregnated with wax. Waxed canvas is a natural fiber that offers strength, durability, and water resistance. Aware of these properties, trappers and fur traders recycled their sails when they reached their destination to make tough, water-resistant clothes and packs, according to Hopper. “That is the first Gore-Tex style performance material that we are aware of today,” he says. “And once that sail cloth got dirty, that’s where field tan comes in.” Field tan remains the preferred color tone for the majority of the items in the Frost River product line.
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Furthermore, as a natural fiber, waxed canvas is not 100 percent waterproof, but that is not a disadvantage, says Chris Benson, owner of Frost River. “It used to be what people called waterproof, but nowadays you can buy modern fibers and zippers that truly become waterproof. Waxed canvas actually breathes.” In the field, canoe packs spend the majority of their time in wet conditions. “As you drag your paddle across your pack, you are going to be dripping water on them and into the bottom of the canoe; not to mention portaging and loading,” Benson says. Furthermore, a tent packed away while covered with morning dew comes out of a
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PHEASANTS
synthetic-fiber waterproof pack wet at the end of the day. With waxed canvas, “the water is going to find its way out of your pack,” he says.
buckle getting caught between a couple of rocks,” says Benson. The buckle may get bent, but it’s not going to break, which means that it will still be functional and get you out of there.
To those who look at a canvas pack and see old-fashioned equipment, Benson insists that modern equipment makes the Frost River packs more desirable. Commonly, the trade off for durability is weight, and canoe packs are no different. A Frost River pack may weigh 5 or 6 pounds. That may not sound like much but when trying to keep the pack at 60 pounds or less, that pack now represents 10 percent of the total carrying load.
The leather used on the packs comes from the same tannery that supplies Red Wing Shoes in Southeastern Minnesota. Premium shoulder straps, however, are crafted by Frost River from native buckskin. “Its tensile strength is the highest of any hides out there,” says Benson. “And its ability to maintain its strength and supple nature after getting wet is second to none.”
“You have got to protect your gear,” says Benson. “You can offset the weight that you give up in the pack with ultra-light camp stoves and rechargeable, high-lumen headlamps. I challenge you to leave something else behind and have a better pack, because the Frost River pack isn’t going to fail you.” More than canvas, however, goes into manufacturing a bulletproof pack. “All of the hardware we use is solid brass,” Hopper says. “The reason we use solid brass is because it’s soft.” Not only will steel corrode, but as a harder metal it tends to snap and break under stress. “The example we use all the time is the 38 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
Lastly, every Frost River pack is designed to employ a tumpline. The weight of a heavy pack hanging by a pair of shoulder straps and pulling you backward with the force of 25 to 50 percent of your bodyweight can be uncomfortable. A tumpline redistributes the weight of the pack forward to keep your body in alignment, explains Hopper. Connected to the face of the pack, opposite the shoulder straps, a tumpline runs up and across your forehead. “Almost like a sweatband, but just higher,” he says. “It allows your neck and your head to be straight in line with your spine, and it pulls the weight off of your neck and off of the back straps.”
Craftsmanship Counts
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Local manufacturing ensures quality at every step
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Half-inch seam allowances mean packs can be easily repaired
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Buckskin provides comfort, strength, and water resiliency in straps
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Waxed canvas from US source with nearly 200 years of production
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Confidence in craftsmanship allows for lifetime guarantee (that you’ll never need)
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Craftsmanship and Pride
In 2009, the recession had left Frost River at the edge of extinction. Up to that time, the company had some wholesale clients, but primarily sold packs by mail order and over the internet. The sales drought forced Emerson to lay off his staff and begin the process of liquidating the assets. Benson and his business partner at the time responded to his ad for a hydraulic press, which they wanted for making mittens. Everything that was left of the business was piled into Emerson’s pole barn. “There was a piece of plywood that said, ‘Canvas bags 70% off,’ that he must have had leaning against a telephone pole up on Highway 2,” Benson says. Emerson told them: “Well, you can have the piece of equipment for this, or you can have everything in the pole barn for that.” While Benson and his partner
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didn’t immediately jump at the offer, they weren’t even out of the car before beginning to reconsider. Six months later, they owned a pack company. But owning sewing machines and presses and patterns and desks doesn’t get product made. That requires labor, and all of Frost River’s employees had been gone for more than a year at that point. “We were just getting going in the first couple of weeks— got a sewing machine going and we hired a sewer,” says Benson. “A couple of days later, another sewer showed up, and she said, ‘I want to sew.’” Benson’s plan was to ramp the business up slowly, and he tried to tell her that the position had been filled. The sewer would not give up that easily. She said, “I just want you to know that my husband has been laid off from Cirrus and I was laid off from Frost River. I go down to the Twin Cities
during the week and sleep on my sister’s couch and water trees at Bailey Nurseries all week long. And then I come back to be with my family over the weekend. I’m a good sewer and you need to hire me.” Benson says that was the end of his carefully prepared business plan. “I was able to hire back former employees who were interested in coming back and making bags again and who had pride in being part of the manufacturing economy as opposed to being part of the service economy. Over time, I think most every employee came back.” That base of experienced, skilled craftsmen allowed Benson to uphold the quality standards established by Emerson when he started the company. “The way we manufacture things is not necessarily the fastest way or the easiest way to do it,” says Benson. “The way we manufacture things is
Filling Your Pack Over the past 10 years, Frost River Trading has evolved into a retail presence at their manufacturing facility in the rejuvenated Lincoln Park Craft District, where you can find much more than just packs. “As the brand grew, there was demand for other items,” says Lynn Hopper, vice president of sales and marketing at Frost River. “Today when you come into the shop or visit us online at frostriver.com, you will see that we do a lot more than canoe packs.” The line now extends to more than 300 products, including daypacks, luggage, briefcases, firewood haulers, tents, and gear for hunting and fishing. Its canvas tent has even caught the attention of adventurers planning extended wilderness expeditions. For his journey up the Yukon River to document the decline of king salmon spawning, journalist Adam Weymouth asked for a Frost River Campfire Tent. “Those tents are amazing, any time of year,” says Frost River owner, Chris Benson. “But at 35 pounds, they belong in the bottom of a canoe, strapped to a dog sled, or on the back of a mule.” At the shop itself, the Frost River line is augmented with hundreds of items for outfitting a canoe trek. These additions may not carry the Frost River logo, but as an American manufacturer it carries only products also manufactured in the USA.
the right way to do it; the strongest, but also so that you can take them apart and fix them, as well.” That attitude goes right down to managing material usage. “Part of the sewing process is what we call seam allowances,” he says. “Pulling two pieces of fabric together and sewing them. We do a half-inch seam allowance on our products so that we can take them apart and put them back together multiple times. Your modern Samsonite piece of luggage uses an eighth-inch seam allowance, which basically means it is a disposable product.
“It is the principle of it,” says Benson. “If people come into our store and see us manufacturing, let’s make sure that everything they are able to purchase in the store is made in the US, as well.” Indeed, visitors to the store will hear the sounds of packs being manufactured on the second level and see 100-pound bolts of canvas being hand carried into the lower level. The store is even licensed to issue entry permits for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. “We’ve become a main stop for people heading north to begin their adventure,” says Hopper. “Whether it’s paddles, a water filtration system, camp food, or other accessories that someone has forgotten or wants to add for their trip, we can pretty much fully outfit everybody.” SUMMER 2019 Lake & Home Outdoors 41
Once the zipper blows, you can’t take the bag apart and put it back together because there is no fabric left.” Each artisan has a unique, but critical role to play in crafting the reputation of a Frost River pack, according to Hopper. Many manufacturers add a personal touch by having the sewer stitch their name into the bag. “We would have a lot of names that would need to go on the bag because they all touch it,” he says. “It was the designer, it was the cutter, it was a sewer, it was a finisher. So instead of putting everybody’s name on it, we just stick our own name, Frost River, right on the front.” “That handcrafted nature drives our willingness to stand behind our products,” says Benson. “We know that people develop a connection with our products over time and they get better with age. Because they start to show character, people want them fixed rather than getting a new one. It is fun to do that, and it really comes down, again, to the skills that our folks have, the patterns that we follow, and the techniques that we follow.” Frost River puts quality materials and
craftsmanship into its products with the intention of supporting each with a lifetime warranty, according to Benson. “Because we all know that the best warranties never get used.”
OUTDOORS
Designing a Great Canoe Pack •
Roomy. Ask any trekker: Double portages stink! A good pack should adequately hold everything you need— but not what you don’t.
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Rugged. Tears and broken buckles complicate a voyage. Sturdy, abrasion-resistant textiles and solid brass hardware provide dependability and peace of mind.
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Low center of gravity. Packs should nestle into the belly of the canoe, where they add to the stability, not lessen it. Swamping in the rapids ruins a good day on the water.
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Water resistant. Wet happens. With constant exposure to the elements, a pack should shed water to protect your gear, but not trap moisture within the pack.
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Low shoulders. A hard-framed pack that rises behind your head prevents carrying a pack and canoe at the same time (see double-portage comment, above).
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Weight distribution. Optimizing for capacity and shape can leave comfort in the lurch. Improved shoulder straps, a sternum strap, and including a tumpline make a big difference.
“Because we all know that the best warranties never get used.”
Chris Benson, owner of Frost River.
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KAYAKing
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Kayaking
W
hen most people think of kayaking they see a helmeted man sitting in a bright red kayak twisting and turning in white water with paddle flashing while dodging dangerous rocks. I rode a kayak too, but instead of excitement, I rode the river for discovery. After retirement, I decided to ride the river. My favorite part of the job I had been doing for 38 years was teaching my students about the classic “Huckleberry Finn.” Every time I re-read Twain’s novel it made me want to ride the river with Huck and Jim. The Mississippi they rode was not unlike the river I rode now. No class four rapids on this one either. But like all rivers, a voyage of discovery. Gray as I am, it didn’t matter. I floated free on the river and around every bend was something new and more often than not, unusual.
My partner on this expedition was my son, Will Massey, a wildlife photographer who rode with his Nikon strapped to his chest in a holster with a lanyard to keep it relatively secure. Not three years ago, Will lost a camera and lens valued at 4,000 dollars. He’s more cautious now. He learned a valuable lesson that day. The river he rode that day was at flood stage and the big current pulled him under a low branch that rolled him.
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The river today was low and slow, just the way I like it. We crept along using our paddles to steer, as the current alone moved us along. What happened next made the whole trip well worth it. We saw a beaver lodge along the shore and upon it, two beautiful beavers sound asleep. Will’s Nikon began clicking and eventually the beavers came awake and slid into the river. Then with a warning slap of a big tail, we knew it was time for us to continue drifting. This was a prairie river we
were navigating near Lac qui Parle Lake. No doubt those beavers once represented the reason those voyagers were on the river. Will and I spoke of what we knew of beaver trapping and dipped paddles to keep moving. Being a literary man, I brought to mind Zebulon Pike and Henry David Thoreau who had both paddled up the Minnesota River to visit the Lac qui Parle area. I’m more than sure they marveled as we did at the variety of wildlife we encountered. Deer often turned their heads to watch us glide by but went back about their browsing business. I had never seen deer eating cattails before and neither had Will. A special treat was a spotted fawn. As with all rivers the turtles were everywhere.
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The most numerous were snappers and leatherbacks, with painted or box turtles as well. It’s hard to guess how much some of those snappers must have weighed. They love to nap in the sun and unless startled, who knows how long they would doze. Leatherbacks seemed much more alert and during our trip we caught none of them dozing.
of lizards and the ubiquitous garter snake. The rest of the bird life was so unusual I couldn’t begin to put a name to most of it. That was the value of the camera that Will carried. How marvelous to live in a digital world where Will took hundreds of bird pictures that we could identify online when we returned home.
Mink have always been on these rivers but otters have not. Since my boyhood in the 60s, these sleek critters have been reintroduced and have made a remarkable comeback. What did I discover this day? Watching them running the river bank, I noticed that like a mink, they ran with a jump backed gait that I had always noticed about a mink’s running style.
Rivers are a birdwatching paradise. They are natural corridors for migrating birds. Secretive species like the river as a way to migrate without drawing attention to themselves. The usual trees and brush mask their movements. Water and food are always available for them on the river. We knew the only reason we were able to get near them was because we traveled quietly, unlike the two and four legged predators that patrol those shorelines.
Far and away the most variety we noticed was among the bird life. Paddling along we would come upon eagles, a variety of hawks, and daytime hunting owls. It surprised me to see that their prey this day consisted mainly
Being quiet is a mania for Will, who has even fashioned pads to fit over the gunnels of our kayaks. That way, as he puts down his paddle to take a picture it won’t bang or make even the slightest noise to alarm his subjects. But he
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doesn’t stop there. The kayaks are painted in a camouflage pattern and our paddles in that hand-painted pattern as well. Will’s attention to detail puts me often in a face mask, which annoys me but I put up with it to see at close range what we traveled past today. With that camo, we can stop and tie up or beach our boats to wait for something to develop. Riding the current can be fatiguing even though we’re not racing along. There’s always time for a stop and some lollygagging as old Huck would say. This is the ultimate stress relief for me. As Siddhartha discovered, the river will soothe you with its sound. It has a rhythm to it that will make you sleepy if you let it. Sitting motionless, the butterflies will draw near you and amaze you with their vibrant colors. The river is a migration corridor for them, too. Unfortunately, the kingfishers are always on patrol to make a meal of them. Those same kingfishers are a nemesis to Will and me as well. When we run into them, they fly downriver to chatter a warning as they go. Also, they will continue to stay ahead of you as long as they can.
That’s the reason for our stop along the shore, but not the only reason. Today, we’ll build a fire and enjoy a hot lunch and hot coffee with it. When the cooking is done, we add some green leaves and branches to our fire to make it smoky enough to drive the mosquitoes from us. Yes, a summer trip down the Old Man includes our pals the ticks and skeeters. When possible, we try to paddle on a windy day when the bugs won’t bother us. But if that’s not possible, I recommend a Therma Cell to keep them away. Even on a still day, you are moving most of the time and that helps with the bugs. If you stop though, you’ll really appreciate a Therma Cell. The sad fact of our wonderful digital world is that too many of us have lost our connection to the natural world. That has led to a movement to put down our cell phones to get us to evaluate what we have been missing by tethering ourselves to technology. Now
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whole families are taking these “time outs” to reconnect with each other and often to get outside for the healing that nature has always given us. For adults it has been termed “rewilding.” In the world of children it has been identified as “nature deficit disorder.” Screen time can damage any life. What a great solution we have found on the river. Each time we visit it, there’s something new to discover. There’s something new to see literally around every corner. One day it’s a bird we cannot identify. The next day we’ve found a large spider that can literally walk on water. Relationships among the creatures
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of the river are endlessly fascinating. Seeing a murder of crows attacking an owl they have found in the daytime sets the mind to wondering if this is revenge for the nighttime depredations of that crow killer. So much to see, so much to learn from the river, but also what fun to stop and kindle a small fire to toast a brat and sip a beer. With the granddaughters along the s’mores can be constructed and shoes can be shucked for some wading. It’s also a great time to break out the fishing poles and give our girls another impromptu lesson. If luck is with us and the fish cooperate the frypan will be used.
So let’s see how you could get started. Let’s assume you have a kayak, paddles, and PFDs. The next step is to plan your route on a slow moving river. With all the twists and turns you’ll run into, it’s best to plan a short run at first. Then you can expand the next time. This brings you to the drop and the pick up point. You will need two vehicles. Only one needs to be capable of carrying the kayak or kayaks. You drop the kayaks off at the starting point and drive both vehicles to the pick up point. Then after leaving your carrying vehicle, you drive back and launch.
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But what is the easiest way to find the type of calm water you’re looking for? I have found the Minnesota DNR website to be incredibly helpful. Before telling you more about the DNR website, let me recommend the Minnesota River. Unless in spring runoff or other high water times, you will find this 332 mile waterway easy to navigate and perfect for beginning paddlers. There are canoe landings all along its length and you can find out where they are on that same website. The DNR has public water access maps by county for you to peruse. Further, they can give you up-to-date facts on flow and water levels for rivers you may want to visit. There are 35 Minnesota state water trails. That’s a lot of paddling but also an abundance of adventure. There are better waters for your safari and those are the ones that won’t put
you in a dangerous situation. Why spoil all that great exercise with drenching or God forbid, a drowning. For that reason, the DNR has compiled a special list just for our kind of river safaris. These are starter trips that won’t be dangerous. That’s good to know. These are all day trips close to the metro area. Here they are: • Cannon River • St. Croix River • Crow River • Rum River • Mississippi River option one • Mississippi River option two Best of all, if you’re a beginner, DNR canoe and kayak outfitters are able to rent you a kayak, allowing you to try before you buy. A full list of outfitters is available on the website. Now I’ve given you the how to and the why to… The rest is up to you.
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It’s said that the best things in life are free. That’s true of a Minnesota river. You just have to do it yourself. Nobody will be there at the canoe landing to swipe your card. In fact, it’s more than likely that you won’t see a living soul on the river safari. You will like that. It means that the habitat you’ll be visiting hasn’t been disturbed. The camera opportunities are truly endless. Drifting downriver on a gentle current will be a memorable event for you every time you visit the “Old Man.”
OUTDOORS
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FORESTRY
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F
amily resorts on our lakes in Minnesota have been fostering the “good life” for generations. They provide a sanctuary for families who don’t have a cabin up north. A place to gather, family resorts bring together friends and families, often a yearly tradition. Best of all, they allow Minnesotans and people from all over the country an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.
Family resorts are also important to Minnesota’s environment. The woodlands of a family resort not only attract visitors, they keep the water in nearby lakes clean. Trees and leaves slow the movement of rain to the ground. This slower-moving rain picks up less sediment when it hits the soil. Additionally, forest soils are like a sponge and contain large pore spaces that trap sediment and pollutants. As a result, rainwater that leaves a forest to recharge lakes and rivers is clean. Clean water in
lakes creates better fishing opportunities, an important amenity to visitors of family resorts. Today, these lakeshore enterprises are facing tremendous odds to stay in business. Since their peak in 1970, the number of resorts in Minnesota has fallen by 75 percent as of 2010. A 2016 study by the University of Minnesota Tourism Center found that almost three-fourths of remaining resort owners were considering
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Poor water quality due to algal blooms occurs when excessive phosphorous and other nutrients enter lakes. Photo credit: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Trees and vegetation along shorelines are the last barrier to filtering contaminated runoff before it reaches a lake. Protecting forests near wetlands, seasonal ponds, natural shoreline and streams is key to protecting local water quality. Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
selling their resort in the next five to 10 years. Reasons for the decline include aging of resort owners and complex issues relating to business succession; rising lakeshore property values and increasing property taxes; changing demographics and interests of customers for more diverse recreational activities; and impacts of declining lake water quality on game fish populations. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, through a federal grant, is working in collaboration with partners to help family resort owners in Minnesota’s lake country actively manage their woods as a way to stay in business. By actively managing their woods, family resorts will provide more recreational opportunities, improve local water quality, increase wildlife habitat, incur tax relief, and possibly generate income. An added bonus, Minnesota’s forests will stay intact and not be subdivided or converted.
Providing a Woodland Stewardship Plan is the first step to help resort owners actively manage their land. Woodland Stewardship Plans help landowners learn about their woods, identify projects to improve their woods, and when to do work. Unique plans are developed based on the property owner’s goals for their woods. The plan helps the landowner keep their woods healthy and beautiful. Plans are written for woodland owners with 20 to 5,000 acres where at least 10 acres have or will have trees.
A walk through private woodlands with a DNR forester is the first step to active woodland management and developing a Woodland Stewardship Plan. Photo credit: Leslie Robertson National Association of State Foresters
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Landowners who have a plan written in the last 10 years can receive financial assistance. The Sustainable Forest Incentives Act provides annual incentive payments to encourage landowners to keep their wooded areas undeveloped. Private landowners can receive a payment for each acre of qualifying forest land they enroll. In return, they agree not to develop enrolled land and to follow their Woodland Stewardship Plan.
Deb Theisen, owner of Pine Park Resort near Park Rapids, helped forge the development of the Family Resort Project to promote woodland stewardship on family resort lands. As the Minnesota Forest Resources Council’s resort and tourism representative, she challenged the council to take a more active role in connecting the sustainable management of forests with the recreational interests across the state. This project, “Protecting Minnesota’s Family Lake Resorts and Enhancing Local Tourism,” will be developed through a collaborative effort over the next three years.
A healthy, undeveloped watershed. Development in a watershed poses a risk to water quality, particularly when forest cover is replaced by lawns, roads and impervious surfaces that send nutrient-laden sediment or fertilizers straight into lakes when it rains.
Unmanaged forests often become crowded with invasive species such as buckthorn (foreground). A DNR forester will work with landowners to develop a project plan that can include invasive species removal, wildlife and pollinator habitat creation, tree planting and thinning and other woodland improvement projects.
Photo credit: Leslie Robertson/ National Association of State Foresters
Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The goal of this project is to have 30 Woodland Stewardship Plans developed for resorts with more than 20 acres in the 14-County project area.
Landscapes with intact forests have cleaner water than lakes surrounded by development. Forests play a key role in the water cycle by regulating the flow of water across the land and preventing erosion from polluting aquatic habitats.
Family resort owners and other private woodland owners interested in actively managing their woods and getting a Woodland Stewardship Plan should contact their local DNR forester. Find a local forester at mndnr.gov/woodlands/ cfm-map.html.
OUTDOORS
Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Developing trails is an example of active woodland management that can increase recreational opportunities. Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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Featured state park
Climb the fire tower and watch the boats on Upper Red Lake or view a live video feed in the Big Bog SRA Visitor Center. Big Bog State Recreation Area (SRA) is located on the eastern edge of Upper Red Lake near the small town of Waskish in northwestern Minnesota. The SRA totals 9,121 acres and includes a northern unit and a southern unit. The northern unit showcases the 500-square mile, ecologically rich Red Lake Peatland, which is the largest in the lower 48 states. It has been called Minnesota’s last true wilderness and was designated in 1975 by the National Park Service as a National Natural Landmark. 58 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
The southern unit includes the visitor center, fire tower, campground, boat launch and other amenities. Big Bog SRA was established in 2000 by the state legislature. This was in response to local community efforts to provide additional tourism opportunities after many private resorts closed and the local economy was devastated when sport and commercial fishing on Upper Red Lake were suspended
due to the walleye population crash in the 1990s. Visitors to Big Bog have many options while they enjoy some of the most unique plants, animals and birds in the state. The SRA is open year-round. In the winter, snowmobilers can enjoy 10 miles of groomed trails and snowshoeing is permitted anywhere in the park and along the Big Bog Boardwalk. There are six year-round camper cabins for rent as
well, complete with electricity and propane fireplace heaters. A family-style shower/ restroom is available year-round at the visitor center. In the summer, the southern unit of the SRA offers a 31-site campground located along the Tamarac River, including electric, RV and handicap accessible sites. Campers can launch a boat and head out on Upper Red Lake or fish from docks along the river in the campground. There are handicapaccessible fishing piers near the public water accesses on the north side of the river
and anglers can clean their catch in a fishcleaning shelter in the campground. For those who want to enjoy the water but are not interested in fishing, there are canoes, kayaks and paddleboards available to rent, and a sandy beach and picnic area where visitors can play, swim or wade in Upper Red Lake. The historic fire tower, located near the visitor center, was renovated and opened to the public in 2011. Visitors can climb the stairs of the 100-foot tower and look out over Upper
The Big Bog SRA campground is situated along the Tamarac River where visitors can fish from docks, or dock a boat and access Upper Red Lake for a day of quality walleye fishing. There are public boat accesses and handicap accessible fishing piers nearby along the north side of the river.
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beak-rush, and montane yellow-eyed grass – and for rare animals such as the northern bog lemming, short-eared owl and over 300 other bird species. In addition to the Big Bog Boardwalk, there are three additional hiking trails that begin at the picnic area in the northern unit and Ludlow Pond, which is stocked with panfish for those who enjoy fishing from shore.
Doug Easthouse, Big Bog SRA manager, stands on the Big Bog Boardwalk with an old practice bomb dropped during aerial military training conducted in the area.
Take a fall hike through the longest boardwalk in America. The Big Bog Boardwalk is a mile long, is wheelchair accessible and offers a unique hike through the largest peat bog in the lower 48 states. Red Lake and the surrounding area. A camera sits atop the tower and provides live feedback to a kiosk in the visitor center for those not able to make the climb. Big Bog has three easy hiking trails (one handicap accessible) located in the southern unit, offering hikers a chance to view the Tamarac River or Red Lake from an observation deck while looking for orchids or watching waterfowl, shorebirds and beavers. Hikers can also enjoy interpretive panels that share the history of a local fish hatchery or find a diversity of wildlife, trees, lichens and fungi. Visitors can check out a GPS, birding kit, kid activity kit or fishing pole for free.
Take a Walk in the Bog Aside from the great amenities and walleye fishing on Upper Red Lake, the Big Bog SRA northern unit offers the mile-long, handicapped accessible Big Bog Boardwalk that takes visitors on a unique experience through the bog (or peatlands). Its interpretive panels, benches and scenery provide “bog trotters” a first-hand look at the plants and animals that exist in the extensive and highlypatterned peatland ecosystems that have developed over the past several thousand years. Along the boardwalk, visitors can look for over two dozen rare plant species, including linearleaved sundew, English sundew, coastal sedge, twig-rush, bog rush, sooty-colored
There are 6 rustic camper cabins available to rent year-round at Big Bog State Recreation Area. The cabins sleep six, have electricity and are heated with propane fireplaces. 60 Lake & Home Outdoors SUMMER 2019
About Peatlands Peatlands are one of Minnesota’s most extensive ecosystems, covering over six million acres or more than 10 percent of the state. Much of Minnesota’s peatlands have not been cleared or fragmented by development. They developed across the level, poorly drained areas of the region. The Red Lake Peatland is recognized internationally for its significance and presents a rare opportunity in Minnesota for landscape-scale conservation and research on how peatlands develop.
Aerial view of Hillman Lake, a two-acre body of water located in the heart of Big Bog Peatland. Researchers explored the lake looking for signs that a meteorite had created it only to find an old bomb casing.
Big Bog Bombing In 2010, Big Bog SRA manager Doug Easthouse hopped in a helicopter with two researchers for what he thought was a trip to survey rare plants in the big bog. Instead, they told him of the intriguing aerial photos given to them by a Navy pilot, which had led them to the bog. The researchers shared stories with Easthouse of their adventures at Hillman Lake,
Big Bog Peatland. A 500-square mile peat bog, the largest in the state, is located in the northern unit of Big Bog SRA.
a small two-acre body of water that seemed to be unnatural for the area. They thought it may have been created by a meteorite. He learned that while they never found evidence of a meteorite, they did discover an old bomb casing. Puzzled by the discovery of this bomb casing, Easthouse did some research of his own into the history of the area. He learned that during World War II and the beginning of the cold war the U.S. military used the Red Lake Peatland as a bombing and anti-aircraft range. From 1947 to 1952, pilots conducted bombing and gunnery training in the bog. Some bombing runs were not only for practice, but to create moose wallows by blasting holes in the thick, floating moss. Local residents would awake at night to the shock of huge explosions, which blew open doors and shattered windows when the U.S. Air Force dropped massive bombs that detonated 3,000 feet above Upper Red Lake. Although the bombing caused some natural resource damage, the bog is healing well and remains relatively untouched and solitary. For more information on Big Bog State Recreation Area and other Minnesota state parks, visit mndnr.gov/state _ parks.
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FISHING
Minnesota has a new grassroots organization that represents anglers and the sportfishing, marine and fishing industry at our State Capitol. It’s called the MN-Fish Coalition and Foundation. MN-Fish is run by hall of fame anglers and has corporate partners such as Rapala, Lund, Northland Fishing Tackle, Evinrude and Clam Outdoors. MN-Fish was busy at the Northwest Sportshow, where they were registering individuals for free and paid memberships. There was an abundance of anglers signing up at their booth willing to join to protect and invest in their sport of fishing. A major mission of MN-Fish is building a grassroots sportfishing, marine and angler advocacy network that gives anglers a legislative voice and works to achieve public
policies. Fishing is a major recreational pastime in Minnesota, generating 27,000 jobs and has a $4.2 billion economic impact on our state’s economy. Minnesota ranks No. 2 nationally in resident fishing participation and annually ranks at or near the top in per capita watercraft registration. MN-Fish has coined the phrase Minnesota is the “State of Fishing!” Many anglers know that Minnesota is one of the strongest states in the U.S. for fishing, but they might not know that fishing and sportfishing doesn’t have a voice at our State
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Capitol. Even a main target of anglers, the walleye, doesn’t have a group at the Capitol. Ducks, pheasants, turkeys and deer all have groups that represent those interests–why not anglers? A major strategic focus of MN-Fish is taxes. Fishing generates $200-300 million per year in state taxes, yet it’s not being reinvested in fishing resources. MN-Fish calls this ‘Taxation without Angler Representation’ and wants anglers to have a say in reinvesting some of that money back into fishing resources.
A key focus for MN-Fish is getting everyday anglers who join to become aware of issues and to participate in winning victories for anglers. MN-Fish will be creating a statewide grassroots system that allows anglers, in an informed way, to let their voices be heard with the governor, legislative leaders and the DNR at the Capitol. This past legislative session a major MN-Fish priority was to create a new grant program to expand and accelerate the growth of the Minnesota High School Fishing Leagues. MN-Fish was successful in establishing that program and making available $200,000 in grants to grow the fishing leagues.
“Our goal is to reverse the continued decline in youth fishing participation through programs to promote youth fishing recruitment and competitive fishing in school curriculums.� Al Lindner
Other priorities for MN-Fish include seeking investing in the statewide fish hatcheries system, shoreline fishing facilities and fishing piers, increasing walleye stamp sales and looking at new investments in public boat ramps. MN-Fish is looking for ways to increase the sales of the walleye stamp, which is a voluntary program and is a dedicated account. Walleye stamp money goes to purchase walleyes from private sector hatcheries for stocking in state lakes. The Department of
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MN-Fish will also be advocating for strategic targeting of investments for aquatic fish and spawning habitat in lakes, rivers and streams for natural reproduction. MN-Fish is looking at getting engaged in AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) issues, striving for the right balance between protecting our lakes and impeding the public’s access to our lakes, rivers and streams. Also areas where MN-Fish may seek various roles is the federal sportfishing excise tax on purchases. This will address areas MN-Fish believes are the highest priorities for the future of sportfishing in Minnesota.
Natural Resources then stocks the walleyes. Purchase is voluntary. In recent years, stamp sales have raised less than $90,000.
“Buying the five-dollar stamp is one way for walleye anglers to improve their own fishing success’’ Ron Schara, president of MN-Fish MN-Fish is also doing outreach to sign up anglers at events and will have a booth at the Game Fair August 9-11 and August 16-18. They also will be at the St. Paul Ice Fishing show. MNFish is looking at hosting a legislative meeting, providing an opportunity to have anglers get some ear time with legislative leaders. The group has expressed interest in multi-species angling, as fishing is a year-round activity with many opportunities to engage with anglers who prefer one species over another. Another priority for MN-Fish is to work with the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum based in Little Falls, Minn. MN-Fish and the Hall of Fame and Museum believe Minnesota, which generates billions in state economics, is the ‘State of Fish’ and should have a worldclass facility for the fishing Hall of Fame and Museum. They are working together to seek funding for the facility.
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There are plenty of topics where Minnesota anglers need to remain engaged and educated. MN-Fish seeks to make the information about fishing-related investments easy to understand, and more importantly, easy for non-experts to take action on by contacting legislators or other leaders for their support. MN-Fish can be joined for free, or one can choose from their numerous memberships at www.mn-fish.com, Membership funds go toward educating and advocating for profishing policies.
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ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
FLOORING
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
CONSTRUCTION
LUMBERYARD
INSULATION
RADON TESTING & MITIGATION
MARINE / WATERCRAFT REPAIR
LANDSCAPING