It’s clear that Iowans, as proud Midwesterners, are starting to wake up to the fact that there is something strange in the water, both physically and metaphorically. I was recently having a conversation with a friend via text, someone who I would call an average Iowan, someone who camps at Ledges State Park and rides a bike on the High Trestle Trail.
It’s been a long week at work; kids have been driving you crazy, and the weather has not been too cold; what would you do? I will tell you what an Average Flatlander does. Call up a buddy and head for that river valley for some Bushcraft Taco Time.
The Driftless Area is one of the very few unspoiled places to explore in the upper Midwest. The rolling plains run into the wide open valleys and drainages that surround the Mississippi. The landscape is speckled with beautiful oak forests and dotted with trout streams; small quant towns are hidden down inside the recesses of these deep valleys.
It’s almost like the Driftless has been able to escape the hands of time, it’s the perfect place to escape for the weekend, to forget the worries of the hustle and bustle of life. Sitting in a hot tent next to a warm fire with coyotes howling out their songs in the cold winter night, you get the same feeling those French trappers and traders had when a few hundered years ago the paddled down that big river and first laid eyes on those giant wooded hills.
You could say there forever. I almost did.
There are few things better in life than heading out to that wide, deep, and wild river valley for a little bushcraft. When the weather is overcast and grey, a little bit of rain in the air, it gives it all another worldy feel. It’s almost like you transported yourself back in time; it makes you wonder about the old ones who came before and walked those river bluffs thousands of years before.
Take a tarp, string it between two trees, build the perfect campfire, fire up the stove, and cook that hot ham and cheese sandwich. Get the soup boiling, dip the sandwich in, and take a big old bite. This is living life, not tied to a glowing screen.
The eagles soar, the owls hoot, and the wild geese send down their call while they call down their noisy chatter from up high. A person could stay out here forever, disconnected and far away from the troubles waiting for you at home.
The river is something that has been running its course for centuries, the animals find their home on its banks and high hills, and there is just something about a river.
It’s that time of year again, the Christmas and Holiday season is already upon us, 2024 went flying by! If you’re like me, you might be looking for something new, something different for the outdoor adventure lover in your life, better to order early than wait till it’s too late.
If you’re in mind for some National Parks and you want to escape the crowds, I have the best-kept National Park road trip that you can ever imagine. I’m talking about epic views, plenty to do and see, with nary another soul around for miles, an outdoor adventure lovers paradise and be found in that most underrated of States. South Dakota.
Have you ever been in the backwoods … backpacking, camping, hiking, whatever … and you’re sitting there eating some nasty freeze-dried meal, or a MRE, or another stupid power bar? You start thinking about all the good food waiting for you on the other side of your trip.
Like pizza.
Today, I’m going to go over everything you need to know to plan your next Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe trip. The first time I did this I didn’t even know where to start. You don’t know what you don’t know. The permits, the rules, the canoes, on and on. What to bring and what to plan for.
This is part two of the family vacation to the Great Smokey Mountains, most of which was spent on the North Carolina side of the mountains, by far, the better side for anyone looking to get away from the crowds and find quiet seclusion, peaceful waterfalls, nice hikes, wildlife, small towns, interesting and unique places to visit, and swimming.
Compared to the overrun towns and trails of Tennessee, North Carolina holds a faction of the people, and has a better selection of trails, parks, waterfalls, and a wider variety of activities.
In the previous post, I gave the general overview of the entire trip, and I will work on another blog post going into more detail about each location in the Smoky Mountains, giving specific advice and tips about where you should visit with a family, or just someone looking for the best experience overall.
Enjoy this part 2 video, and more to come on the blog!
This story starts with a 43-year-old man, one could call him an experienced Adventurer and someone who was well-traveled and used to remote wild places. He was on an epic travel adventure by all accounts, had just visited the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota, hit the Badlands, and was in the process of exploring the Grand Teton National Park … nothing too crazy for this adventurer who had spent time in Russia and even attended school in Germany.