IT IS AUGUST and Fall appears on the horizon. A good time for a reminder about our upcoming ‘Writers in the Woods’ Workshop, October 8-11. We’re looking to fill out the last few spots! A follow-up to last year’s delightful gathering (people are still staying in touch) which featured a warmth and camaraderie that was lovely and empowering, this is
WOULD YOU LIKE to hear a great story? Full of fate, adventure, and happy serendipity? Okay, go grab a cup of coffee, I’ll wait… There. Ready? So it’s 1987, and after years of guiding in the Boundary Waters-Quetico region, I’m leading my first big expedition—520 miles on northern Saskatchewan’s Churchill River. We are paddling this route to retrace Sigurd Olson’s
OUR ROAD SCHOLARS have had a great time exploring Voyageurs National Park and environs. A last evening in Ely overlooking Shagawa Lake. Then two days of lovely weather (after a tough stretch.) A Park Boat cruise to Kettle Falls in the heart of the Border Country. A fine meal at The Dam Restaurant in tiny Orr, MN. Then paddling among
FOLLOWING A GRAND sunset on the shore of Gitchi-gami, our Road Scholars awoke to a drizzly morn. The drive to Ely remained foggy and misty, and with arrival at Sigurd Olson’s Listening Point the thunderstorms and torrential rains began to roll through with a vengeance. But we enjoyed the old cabin and the writing shack, with stories and mandolin music
A BEAUTIFUL DAY to start our June Road Scholar North Woods trip. Heading out with rain in the morning, we drove out of the bad weather and by the time we reached Gooseberry Falls the skies had cleared (mostly) allowing a grand view of the falls and a lovely hike out to the tip of Shovel Point in Tettegouche State
ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY OF ROAD SCHOLAR explorations in southeast Minnesota’s Bluff Country. Almost 90 species of birds in two days! Bitterns, trumpeter swans, Sandhill cranes, woodcock, barred owls, peregrine falcons, towhees, buntings, redstarts, warblers, rose breasted grosbeaks, and so many more. Grand weather, beautiful wildflowers, the pleasure of hiking along trout streams, up limestone hills, and through the Big Woods.
IN THE GORGEOUS Bluff Country-Driftless Area, gazing across the Mississippi Valley at the cloud and sun mosaic of the Minnesota hills, we find ourselves in Wisconsin. Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge is spectacular, for scenery, wildlife, and particularly birds—from double crested cormorants to great egrets, bald eagles to red-tailed hawks to barred owls to gray catbirds to red-headed woodpeckers, all of
ON TODAY’S Road Scholar adventure we took in Whitewater State Park and its surrounding wetland marshes. What a grand day! Including a highly unusual bird-sighting. In the park, on the Trout Run Creek trail, we found the palm warbler and eastern towhee, our first rose-breasted grosbeaks, and others, while enjoying a woodland carpet of violets, spring beauty, trout lily (yellow
AS OUR LAST Road Scholar trip of the season comes to a close, we are left with indelible images and memories. Sunsets and moonrises, loon calls and paddling outings among quiet islands, eagles and rocky escarpments, a wilderness cabin, a winding trail to a high overlook and the drifting tones of a Native cedar flute. And most of all the
YESTERDAY WAS a marvelous day for Doug’s Road Scholars. After Tuesday’s visit to Sig Olson’s iconic Listening Point with Listening Point Foundation president Patsy Mogush, my great friend, we arose early and hiked in to scenic Kawishiwi Falls, along a trail populated with glorious trees, unique specimens growing over boulders and old white pine stumps, surrounded by blue bead lily,