Eleven salts. Eleven boats. Seven days. Four launch ramps. Five camp sites. A clutch of small towns and hamlets. Not one jet ski. Pretty cool, no?
Realizing full well that ADVENTURE is anything that doesn't kill you outright; the 2014 Movable Messabout was a success! All hands departed for homeport in good health and spirits. All vessels came through with only minor cuts and bruises.
Yep. We had a grand time.
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Tom Gale rides Old Salt's bow, the last day on the water, Sprague Lake, WA |
Thayer, and Bolger, and White, and Welsford, and Leinweber, and even Lewis & Clark and Chief Joseph -to remember but a few - sat with us at our nightly campfires. We swapped lies and favorite stories.
Yep. We had weather.
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Mike Cox and Priceless slam off to weather in our Big Blow, Day One, Priest Lake, ID |
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Joel Bergen and Ellie clip off the miles to shelter in a group dash under power, to Indian Creek, Priest Lake |
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Tom Vetromile and his Klamath skiff tow Kim Apel in Punkin' Seed during the cold, hard slog to Indian Creek for the first night's camp |
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Dennis McFadden and Scram Pram with Steve Lansdown aboard seek a smoother ride in close to shore. It wasn't dangerous. Just really windy, cold, and unexpected. |
And quiet camp-overs.
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The fleet assembles at Indian Creek campground for the first night's stopover |
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The calm before a cold and windy night on the lee side of Bartoo Island, Priest Lake |
The wind blew, and then it didn't. I got pretty durn cold, when it wasn't hot. We did a bit of rigging and un-rigging and re-rigging. We towed those boats over a passle of hills and gulches. But, ya know what?
Every little town. Every gas station. Every camp ground. There was somebody who wanted to know who we were, where we were going, and what all those interesting boats were about. Often, lots of somebodys.
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We checked out a couple of the local old/ancient car and truck lots in Sprague, WA |
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Toward the end of the trip we "hit town" in the farming community of Davenport, WA for lunch and a little socialization |
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It's hard to be anonymous in a small town café when you fill the parking lot with trucks and boats. A great way to meet people, though. |
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Joel and Steve consider an alternate form of transportation |
But, no mater what. Each day was launched with alacrity.
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Somehow, Michael Scott managed to get fully dressed and... |
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...launched out the door of his really tiny tent... |
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...without tripping, stumbling, or even seeing the "candid cameraman." |
Every discussion. Free flowing, wide ranging, and above all: filled with a sense of shared wisdom.
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Michael and Dennis talk boats with the camp host, Porcupine Bay, Lake Roosevelt, WA |
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Kim, Tom V. and Tom G. discuss the world situation while the bacon sizzles, Porcupine Bay |
Enthusiasm.
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Tom, Kim & Joel try to warm up the second, frosty, morning, Priest Lake |
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The other Tom moves in close to the fire, to thaw out |
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We also had warm and calm, Spokane River, WA |
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Tom G. and Steve set up camp on Bartoo Island, Priest Lake |
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Mike Cox restows Priceless for the trek back to Cavanaugh Bay and the drive to the next lake |
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Joel considers what could have been a lot worse from a late-night collision between Ellie and Scram Pram in the surf on Bartoo Island |
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Tom, Dennis and Steve break camp, Bartoo Island |
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Dennis preps Scram Pram for getting underway |
New discoveries.
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Steve and Joel search for fresh eggs and dry socks |
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Dan checks out an old tractor "Just like the one I have at home!" Hunters, WA |
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Dennis sees something interesting on an ancient tractor-one of about a hundred crammed into a roadside collection |
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The gang in a group mugshot, Hunters, WA (Pop. 67) |
Vessel maintenance.
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Dan's Lady Bug gets hauled up the narrow access road, leaving Priest Lake, and bound for Roosevelt Lake |
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Joel "flosses" Ellie's centerboard well of sand and gravel, from nights on the beach |
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Dan takes the "pit sawyer" position |
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...and collects some of the sand and rocks with his teeth |
Time for quiet contemplation.
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Steve has found a small spot where his phone can contact the outside world |
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Michael has found a new love, the Welsford Navigator, Ellie |
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Kim makes the best of a morning breeze in Punkin' Seed |
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Tom G. proves that his Bolger Old Shoe can, well, foot |
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Scram Pram is more than just a pretty face, she can sail! |
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Ellie and Priceless grab spots on Kalispell Island, Priest Lake, for a lunch stopover |
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Loafer gets a boost from the "Yamaha wind" |
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The water is clear, the sun is warm, and we have the lake to ourselves! |
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Punkin' Seed was the only boat without a motor |
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...and she took a tow on occasion |
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Michael in his lovely, but nameless, Co-sine Wheery, Porcupine Bay, Lake Roosevelt, WA |
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Scram Pram retraces the route of early trappers and explorers, Spokane River, WA |
And, then, a true highlite. Four gentlemen of a "certain age" discovered an unoccupied beach on an untraveled stream when the sun was high. Once a boy, always. Need we say more?
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A sunny, deserted section of the Spokane River |
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The water's not too cold |
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Time for a bath! |
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Nobody caught a fish, but here, Joel gives it another try |
Plans for next year? Yep.
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