Vantage Washington -- wind

Today was a long day and reminiscent of the 2008 Brigade when a 70 kilometer day was common. The 2008 Brigade was a more physically demanding trip with many long hard days early in the trip. I recall being both physically and emotionally drained for the first several weeks. In 2008 we traveled 3000 kilometers in 9 weeks, this is about half that in 6 weeks.

Today we left Wenatchee late -- 8:30am -- because we had a 10:30 arrival about 17km down river at Rock Island. The morning current pushed us along nicely and we even had a tail wind at time. After an arrival ceremony, some hotdogs and some time spent chatting with visitors, we moved the canoes around the next dam and headed down river again. Soon the current slowed and the wind turned towards us. The canoes split into two groups, each betting that the opposite shore would be the easier. Our group was in the shade for much of the hot afternoon hours and we even saw a few groups of wild sheep perched on the canyon-like walls. It is very beautiful along this section of the Columbia.
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Who planned this thing?

The Brigade has taken several thousand hours of volunteer time to plan the route, scout the route, establish contacts in communities, explain the significance David Thompson played historically here, plan camping locations, explain the Brigade story, arrange community participation events, and many, many more details. And while there was some generous financial support from a few organizations there are lots of costs associated with this trip that are not covered by the participants who cover much of the costs.

Today was a day off in Wenatchee, Washington and that gave a chance for the organizing committee to meet and assess the mid-way status, including our financial status which of course is always a concern for a voilunteer group. A few important people are missing from this photo -- Eloise who with Ross MacDonald are the kernel of energy that started this ball rolling and Don Galloway who had a major role planning the route and continues to be helping make community contacts as we move down the river.

The photo just missed capturing the snow-capped mountains which are about 30 miles away. Another photo I might have taken was during our excellent supper at a local Mexican restaurant Mariscos Camino Real.

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National Canoe Day

Sunday was national canoe day and fortunately I was in a canoe. We paddled into Winatchi Washington -- the self proclaimed apple capital of the world. Apparently many of those famous orchards are being turned into vineyards now. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful area with parts of the Cascade Mountains not far away.
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Food

The daily routine of the Brigade revolves around three things: sleeping, paddling and eating. Unlike some canoe trips where you might carefully prepare the daily menu many days in advance, we buy new food almost every day and the shopping list is always being updated. Breakfast is often underway by 6am and every hour the canoes stop for a break and quickly food is consumed to keep everyone's engine fired. Every evening the routine is similar: eat, clean-up and make lunch for the following day.

Fortunately my fellow paddlers enjoy eating well. The evening we had tacos we also ate a big slab of smoked salmon -- a gift from Daniel, a 17 year old local boy from Keller who paddled with us a few days ago. For the next three nights, the towns of Pateros, Entiat and Wenatchee, Washington will be our hosts and crew members scheduled for cooking duty will enjoy their rest days more fully.
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Tight quarters

Wednesday night we were camped at Spring Canyon, a short distance up river from the Grand Coulee dam. Thursday we moved the boats around the dam and paddled about 40 kilometers down the Columbia with a strong current most of the way. The camp site was somewhat small which makes the Brigade feel better to me since the tents must be packed closer and everyone interacts more often. It also makes for a colourful photo with all the different tent colours.
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1640 friendly people & one grouch

In Kettle Falls there is an annual vote for the town grouch, nominations are by anyone with $0.25 to start a donation bucket. Proceeds go to charity. Reputation lasts a lifetime.
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Dinner guests

Last night was the start of a two day rest for the Brigade. We paddled about 50 kilometers yesterday morning to Ione and then moved the canoes an hour over a mountain range -- David Thompson did it by horse -- before arriving here in present day Kettle Falls, Washington.

Last night Marg Bates made a big pot of stew and invited the No Way Corveé crew to join us. Most of that crew have worked together for years at Old Fort William in Thunder Bay where the 2008 Brigade ended. At the Fort they learned a great deal about the fur trade era and they have entertained the entire Brigade daily with bagpipe playing, singing and the reenactment of historical events -- they have shaped the character of this journey almost as much as the nearly daily rain.

Tonight we will once again have supper provided by a community -- the Cattlemen's Association -- and a pig roast tomorrow. That follows a salmon dinner at the Kalispel Indian Reservation on Wednesday. Members of the Kalispel suffered in the poring rain to watch the arrival of the canoes and then welcomed everyone into a dry building for a drumming ceremony before heading over to their beautiful community center where paddlers enjoyed the swimming pool, hot showers and ate salmon while watching the NHL victory of Boston over the Canucks.

The hospitality of small communities has been the other defining characteristic of the journey. We have been welcomed into school gymnasiums on rainy nights, had police boat escourts and sensational meals. And the schedule ahead seems to have more to come as well.
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Re: Paddling at last

... Oops, I mis-typed and sent that last one a little before I finished typing.

A week ago I hurt my back moving a canoe so I spent the first five days of the Brigade slowly limping around with a sore back. This afternoon however I decided to join one of the canoes that needed another paddler. It was great to paddle again and the water pushed us along quickly. I will probably avoid carrying canoes for awhile -- the unexpected transfer of weight and awkward carrying position is a problem for me and my back continues to need to recover.
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Paddling at last

Every night on this Brigade, the crew captains and some of the advance crew gather to discuss the next day's paddle. Last night the meeting was held in a school gymnasium in Rexford Montana. Close to half the Brigade slept in the gym as it was raining. The rain continued all night and this morning at 8am the forecasted rain made for a wet start. The nine canoes paddled about 24km down the Koocanusa reservoir, slowed by both rain and a head wind. We trailered the boats past a dam and then paddled another 22km into Libby, MT -- this was my first paddle of the Brigade.
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On to the USA

We arrived at the Koocanusa reservoir last night and this morning the Brigade is paddling towards a ceremony at the border. The reservoir has been almost emptied in anticipation of the huge snow melt that will soon arrive.
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Off to the Sea

Friday we began the David Thompson Columbia Brigade -- a six weeks canoe journey to Astoria, Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River, about 1000 miles away. Saturday morning the Brigade was up shortly after 5am and headed to a breakfast hosted by the community of Canal Flats and followed by the canoe launch pictured here at the nearby Kootenay river. Yesterday was the first day with a large arrival celebration at the beach in Invermere. The beach was crowded to watch the ten canoes arrive and paddle around in figure eights before a race to shore. Bagpipe players lead a short parade followed by more music, story-telling, fur trade-era exhibits from Parks Canada and comments from local leaders.
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