Tag Archives: exploring

Late Summer Mushrooms

September 3, 2022 Troy

As late August arrived, we planned a family camping weekend. It was a cloudy and wet weekend at times making it more challenging to get out and photograph nature. While hanging around the campsite preparing breakfast, I started wondering around and came across these small mushrooms popping out of a mossed covered log laying across the forest floor. Looking through the camera lens, the lighting was very nice creating a soft image perfect for these delicate little fungi.

The next weekend brought a trip to the North Shore to help my daughter move in to her new place for the winter as school gets back underway. While in the area, I got up to watch the sunrise which ended up being a bit dismal. After the light began to spread across the landscape I headed for a nearby trail to explore the north woods. Walking all alone into these beautiful trees, I came across a large rotting stump. Examining closer I could see coral mushrooms. And then red capped mushrooms. Continuing to walk around I found brown mushrooms. So much to capture all in one piece of wood.

This little red capped fungi stood out against the more natural tones of the forest floor bringing fantastic color on such a small scale. It was such a picture perfect mushroom to enjoy. Walking to the other side of this stump, coral mushrooms were coming out of the ground. These are definitely one the most unique mushrooms I’ve seen. I remember reading about them in one of my magazines but had never seen one to know a mushroom like this existed. A few years later I finally saw one and now I find them from time to time enjoying it each time with their interesting branching structure. I had a saltwater tank with coral in it and these always bring back positive memories of that aquarium.

The first coral mushroom I saw was fairly large but in a difficult spot to get a nice photo of it. Searching the area I saw this one surrounded by birch branches bringing a little more interesting background to the photo. When I look over this picture, I always think it should have water droplets hanging off of it to soften up the image and make it more inviting. There was no rain that morning so it wasn’t an option. Moving on to one more of the fungus growing out of this decomposing tree stump, I wanted to show a different moss surrounding these mushrooms. These were fun to capture because there are several stages of opening present from the rounded to top to becoming flattened to having a cup forming in the top of the most open stem. This brown was a nice contrast to the brilliant green moss growing around them completing the earthy tones often associated with a forest in late summer.

It was getting to be time to rejoin my family for breakfast and one more day of exploring together before needing to return home. My little adventure had been a successful one with some great mushrooms along a beautiful north woods trail near Lake Superior and I was ready to get back to my car. Almost…. While walking back towards my car I kept stopping just to take in these surroundings and the plants making up the woods. At one point I bent over to examine some plant leaves and berries growing from them when I looked closer towards the ground and noticed a bright yellow mushroom. I had seen one of these earlier but it was not in great shape. A little too old to capture. As I continue to get closer to this one, there was a snail climbing around it. Watching it for awhile, I moved around with the camera to get an interesting picture as it worked its way over the top of this next meal. That was really fun to witness and a great send off from the trail as I returned to my vehicle to meet my family.

Exploring, Monopoly Traveler Reflections, National Parks, Nebraska, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Agate Fossil Beds

August 13, 2022 Troy

After a long, enjoyable week of exploring in the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota with a few days in Rocky Mountain National Park, there was one more stop from our Monopoly Board for this trip. The next destination was Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. We only left a few hours in our schedule to visit as it’s a smaller National Park and focuses on fossils. Great! More dirt formations that require the requisite paintings to portray what might have been roaming at one time millions of years ago. Not my favorite thing to see and learn about. In addition, it was another museum covering the importance of Native American History, which also wasn’t very interesting to me. With all of the exciting places we had seen over the past several days, I was not real enthusiastic for this park. Let’s pull in, see the must items, get our board signed, snap a few photos, and get back on the road. Trying to convince myself this would be a worthwhile stop, I tried to emphasize the positive things about this area to myself. The vast prairie, a bathroom break, and an opportunity to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

The vast prairie was beautiful with green grass waving in the breeze which could be seen for miles and miles. Agate Fossil Beds would be a great learning opportunity for our children…. and myself. Pulling into the park, we stopped for the necessary picture by the sign and headed towards the visitor’s center. Here we picked up packets for our future Junior Rangers and looked at the displays beginning to learn some of the history in this Western Nebraska place. Talking with the rangers and reading some of the plaques, I began to be more interested in the animals which once roamed here a long time ago (at the same time, I was smiling as my kids where learning about history also). Having walked around the visitor center and museum, we pulled out the National Parks Monopoly board for the required signature and presented it to the ranger. As he looked at it, he laughed because the picture used for the board was a photo he took years earlier of Fossil Hills in Agate Fossil Beds. Pictured above is Fossil Hills Trail with University Hill in the center, Carnegie Hill on the right, and the ranger, who signed the board, on the trail on the left side of this picture.

We decided it was time to get out and do some hiking. A short trail would be a good fit, before entering the car for several more hours, so we explored the Daemonelix Trail which led to a fossil of an ancient dry-land beaver which created these spiral dens. It was nice be outside hiking with my family surrounded by this beautiful landscape on a warm summer afternoon. It was early July after all. Arriving at the end of the trail, there was this box surrounding a corkscrew formation. We read the plaque describing what this was and the creature that created them. I could envision this ancient animal creating its den through the soil from this display made by the park. I began to wonder what else was hidden in these hills from long ago and why these creatures no longer existed?

Walking back towards the parking lot, I gazed out over the prairie and buildings and began to think about the Native Americans and how they used this land and their cooperation with people coming from different lands. Since this time I’ve become a lot more appreciative of the Native Americans and their importance in the history and development of the US. This was one of the parks that began to signify what these people mean to our country and how they helped shape where we are today for me. Since Agate Fossil Beds, I’ve learned quite a bit more about Native Americans and how they worked with the each other, the land, and other people from National Parks. On this walk back, we encountered this different plant which I thought was really interesting with these yellow and orange pouches. I still haven’t been able to identify what it is though.

Climbing back into the car to continue our journey home after our junior rangers received their badges, I was really glad this was on our Monopoly board so we could learn about this place. Seeing the bones of animals that roamed the area a long time ago was interesting. Dinosaur bones from a far off place are what I think of when hearing about skeletons being found. Here there were animal remains discovered in Nebraska. I would never have guessed that. This was one of the parks that surprised me the most with how much I enjoyed my time here and what all I learned. That’s the point though, isn’t it?

With our last signature captured for this trip, the game board was safely stored back in it’s place for the rest of the trip home and we continued east once again. Shortly after driving out of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, there was a rattlesnake coiled up in the middle of the road. We were warned of these in most of the parks we visited on this trip, but this was the only snake we saw. Thankfully it was from the safety of our car while we drove by!

Family Ramblings, Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Driving Out West

June 12, 2022 Troy

Heading west always meant getting on an airplane and landing on the West Coast. Because of our determination to visit every National Park on our Monopoly board, we made plans to begin our adventures by driving to bordering states to explore those parks on our board which were closest. This seemed like the best opportunity to experience how this was going to go for our family. If it didn’t go great we could head home early since we drove. I had been as far west as Sioux Falls, South Dakota but that was as far as I had ever driven. I was excited to see the open prairies of the west but not certain were the west really started. Our first day brought us to Sioux Falls where we spent the morning getting breakfast and exploring. By late afternoon we made our way further west to Wall, South Dakota were we stopped for the day. A few days later we continued on to the Black Hills and then ventured into Wyoming. The vast openness was stunning watching the tall grasses sway in the breeze for hundreds of miles.

Once reaching the western side of South Dakota, we kept seeing attractions depicting the Old West. I always thought Wyoming would be the beginning of the west. The Prairies seem to begin around Wall, South Dakota though which start to transition from the Midwest to the West. While driving in Western South Dakota we saw critters not found in the Midwest such as Prairie Dogs and Pronghorn Deer. It was fun to see all of these pieces of the west and experience these low, rolling hills. Many people consider this a boring drive but I was just enthralled with the landscape. Almost mesmerized by it. The only thing that would have made it complete would have been to watch storms roll over the grasslands of the west.

As we continued west, the scenery began to subtly change. The prairies continued on for miles and miles around us but off in the distance, hills began to pop up. A few hours later, which felt like less than an hour, larger hills became visible as we reached higher points on the road. It became clear we would soon be entering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Another area I was excited to drive through. The day continued on as we drove through the prairie moving west. Eventually we entered Wyoming and soon after turned south. While we were still in the Prairie, larger hills were getting closer. After a short time we entered Colorado, still in the western prairies with the Rockies definitely making their presence seen.

After driving for a little while in Colorado we once again turned west. The mountain foothills were now all around us and the excitement to begin climbing higher into the mountains increased. The drive continued to be beautiful watching the landscape slowly transition from the vast prairies to mountains just in front of us. Soon we began going up at a fast pace. We had definitely entered the Rocky Mountains. For the next hour and a half we climbed higher and higher with steep cliffs next to us, sharp corners to drive around, and raging rivers pouring down the Mountain all while the temperatures transitioned from summer to spring. It was all so breathtaking. Seeing this all for the first time from the windows of our car was incredible. Soon we reached Estes Park, our destination and as far west as we would travel on this adventure. What a great experience and amazing views during our entire trip.

Orchids, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Wild Orchids

April 9, 2022 Troy

During our few days exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the ranger led programs that looked interesting was a hike around Lily Lake looking at the wildflowers. As a horticulturalist I’m always interested in seeing plants in their native environment. We had hiked mostly around the lake looking at the different plants growing there. Many of these I was familiar with and was enjoying seeing them here up in the mountains. As the program was nearing the end the ranger pointed over to an area and mentioned wild orchids were blooming there if we wanted to go in search of those once we made it back to the parking lot.

Wild orchids? I didn’t realize there were orchids growing in the mountains. Or in most places including were I lived. I was vaguely familiar with Native Lady Slippers but didn’t really know much about them. Intrigued I convinced the family we should go back and see what these orchids looked like. We searched and searched but weren’t exactly sure what we were looking for. Scouring the landscape in the place the ranger had pointed to I saw a number of different plants but knew they weren’t orchids. Continuing to look I became distracted by a couple of hummingbirds floating here and there stopping for nectar occasionally. While watching them glide back and forth I spotted something unusual. Focusing closer on it I realized that must be the orchids we were told about. They had an unusual flower that must be from the orchid family. It turned out these were Coralroot Orchids which are shown in the top photo. Taking a few photos and now satisfied in a successful hunt, we retreated back to our car and discussed where we should eat for lunch.

During our time in this incredible park, we were driving along looking for wildlife and happened to spot what looked like a moose in the woods. Getting out at the next parking area we went in search of this large animal. A few steps into the surrounding forest I spotted it and took a few pictures as it was moving on. Not wanting to disturb the moose further we turned around heading for our car when I looked down and realized I was in a bed of what must be different wild orchids. Again it was the flower that gave it away. I didn’t really know for sure it was an orchid but had a hunch. Upon returning home I looked into these potential orchids and confirmed they were indeed native wild orchids. That was it, I was hooked! Ever since I’ve been searching for and growing native orchids finding more fascinating and unusual types within a short distance of where I live. What a great hobby to go out in search of orchids that can survive in cold climates.

Flowers, Troy's Blog

Native Orchids of 2019

March 8, 2020 Troy

Last year was an amazing year as far as finding native orchids to Minnesota. When people think of orchids, Minnesota is not a place they believe can grow orchids but there are over 40 different orchids that grow in this harsh environment. I was fortunate to find 6 of those, mostly by accident. One of my ‘someday’ goals has been to find as many of those orchids living in Minnesota as possible. This must be a good time to start that adventure which I hope to continue further in this next year. I have one expedition in the process of being planned currently and may put together another one or two as time permits. Some of these orchids are quite different than I imagine them as I’m searching for them. In fact I miss them at first and if it weren’t for help, I wouldn’t know they’re there right in front of me which makes finding one that much more of an accomplishment and enjoyable.

This first one, pictured right above, is an early coral root orchid. On my June adventure to Northern Minnesota I re-visited Sax-Zim Bog primarily in search of interesting wildlife since it was such a treasure trove of winter migrating birds. It must be amazing in the summer also. In addition to birding, Sax-Zim boasts some great wildflower habitats. Being a horticulturalist, that captured my attention even further. Having just one day there I made sure to stop at the Welcome Center after spending the morning in search of birds. There one of the volunteers, Clinton directed me to a trail near the welcome center to look for an orchid in bloom right next to the trail. If I didn’t spot this one he promised to highlight it for me. Venturing out on the trail I began to re-think the decision to not use bug spray. The mosquitoes were unrelenting in their pursuit of my blood but I continued on determined to find this orchid. Eventually I was walking along the trail and noticed a small flowering plant near the ground. It happened to be the Early Coral-Root orchid. Once you know what you’re looking for it becomes easier to spot. I realized how many of them were around me. Success! I took a few photos but the mosquitoes eventually chased me from the trail and back into the building to share the success with Clinton.

After enjoying a successful hunt with Clinton he pointed me to a couple of other directions to look for more orchids. One such candidate was the Yellow Lady’s Slipper orchid recently spotted on a piece of property recently added to the bog. Driving back and forth looking for this location I finally decided a grass covered driveway looking thing must be what he was referring to. I walked along this old roadway for a distance and there it was. A native Lady’s Slipper in bloom! I’m a little more familiar with this species so I knew what I was looking for and the approximate size of this plant. It’s one of the larger orchids to Minnesota thus easier to spot. Clinton pointed out a few other locations where this orchid was spotted in the past but I had no luck in finding any on this expedition. Still a fun time exploring.

After driving around the bog on the first day just taking in the different views seen earlier in the year covered in snow, I stopped at the Welcome Center to see if there were reports on orchid locations. It happened to be closed but Sparky was there grabbing some materials to continue working on their bog boardwalk and took a few minutes to talk with me giving some direction on where to find Pink Lady’s Slippers. I immediately headed to the Bog Walk to find these hardy orchids. Walking on the boardwalk so as to protect the bog I kept me eyes scanning the plant life with no luck. There was another couple walking towards the exit of the boardwalk. We stopped and conversed for a few minutes. I asked what birds they spotted and heard and then mentioned I was searching for the Pink Lady’s slipper which was supposed to be here. One of them looked at me a little surprised with a slight smirk on his face. “They’re all over here” he said. Puzzled I returned with a surprised expression of my own. Armed with this new information I looked back over the bog flora and soon spotted one. Excited that I successfully found what I had come here to see I saw another one. And another and another. Now that I knew what I was looking for I saw them in numerous locations along the boardwalk. It makes me laugh now every time I think about my search for this beautiful native orchid. I had the opportunity to enjoy these orchids for a second time on Isle Royale National Park a few weeks later.

Another one of my treasures on Isle Royale was the Western Spotted Coral-Root orchid. Hiking along the trail towards Feldtmann Lake enjoying the beautiful plant life I first came across the Pink Lady’s Slipper. Soon after, the Early Coral-Root caught my attention. Continuing on the trail further there was another Coral-Root orchid. Studying this more extensively I was able to identify it as the Western Spotted. A happy, unexpected surprise of backpacking on this large island located in the Monstrous Lake Superior. These really added to the Isle Royale experience. It was a beautiful, small orchid only rising about 6 inches above the ground with small, intricate flowers pointing in all directions around the stem. I would have liked to be able to get closer images of the flowers but my macro lenses were safely stored on the mainland as I didn’t want to carry the additional weight. A fun find non the less!

This next orchid, a Lady’s Tresses orchid, was one I was intentionally seeking out. I had heard someone at work talking about listening to a radio program where these orchids had been spotted at a refuge not very far away from where I work. I decided to take a day and explore this refuge in hopes of spotting another hardy orchid. I got there before sunrise and began to drive around trying to figure out where a good place to start hiking would be. Eventually, with not much of a clue, I got parked and started walking a trail. Walking for awhile I was just enjoying the nice fall day stopping once in awhile to take in a butterfly or a mushroom. On one of these occasions I stopped to photograph a beautiful dragonfly. After snapping a couple of shots I happened to look down at what I was about to step on and there it was. Right in front of me. The white Lady’s Tresses hidden among the grasses wavy in the mid-day’s breeze. Once the first one was found, others began to appear along the trail and then on other trails. I was in disbelief at successfully finding this orchid after an earlier adventure a few weeks before resulted in not finding the orchid I was looking for.

My final orchid in this post is the Showy Lady’s Slipper below. I knew approximately where it grew and just happened to find it as it was beginning to bloom. It was definitely a beautiful Lady’s Slipper with it’s white flower and pink pouch. It was the first time I’ve been able to catch this orchid in bloom. I had found this plant a few times before but was never successful in catching it while it was blooming so this was a nice treat. Unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of time as there was a meeting requiring my attendance a few moments later. I still enjoyed the opportunity to take in this fascinating flower.

With some luck, and a lot of help, I will continue to find different native orchids to Minnesota in 2020.

Adventures, Troy's Blog

A Few 2020 Adventures

February 29, 2020 Troy

At the beginning of this year I had nothing planned as far as adventures go which I didn’t really like. It felt almost like I was trapped with little hope for an adventure to enjoy. Recently some things started to come together. A quick snowmobiling trip came through (as long as the snow doesn’t melt before I get there) which will be fun I’m sure. There may be some time for a little ice fishing also which is something I haven’t done in probably 20+ years. Winter is nearing the end so any winter activities need to be done soon. There have been a number of projects to do inside so I haven’t been out with the camera in awhile so I’m really looking forward to some outdoor activity.

Camping is definitely an activity I want to pursue this year. The only problem is when and where and who with? I had so much fun camping last year that it would be disappointing to go all summer without setting up a tent. The people I went with last year are unable to commit right now. Unfortunately camping spots in prime areas tend to fill up fast this time of year. Going through places I would like to camp provided some insights. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is high on my list and exploring different areas for orchids is also up there on my list. While discussing this with my wife, she asked if I would like some company. Camping is not really her thing so for her to offer to go with means a lot. Taking her up on her offer, we’re going to spend a couple of days in the fall camping on the North Shore. I don’t want to wish the summer away but I’m looking forward to exploring more of Split Rock State Park over several days. It can get a little cold on the North Shore in fall but it can also be absolutely gorgeous with fall colors just beginning to show up so it should be interesting and fun.

Another adventure that seems to be coming together is a hunt for more native orchids. Last year was really successful with finding several orchids growing in Minnesota that I’ve never seen before. It was quite intriguing for me and something that I’ve wanted to do for many years. Seeing the orchids I did last year happened to be just dumb luck. It wasn’t my goal to see them, they were just blooming in the areas I was in when I was there. Now that I’ve kind of started successfully finding native orchids, I want to continue the hunt so that dictated my next camping trip. I’m heading to Northwestern Minnesota in search of these beautiful flowers. I’m both really excited and nervous to do this. Nervous seems kind of odd when thinking of a vacation. I’m going through all of this effort to see these orchids and what if they’re not blooming when I’m there? Will the adventure be a let down if I don’t see orchids in bloom and be able to photograph them? That seems really kind a crazy to me to think it could be a let down. I know I’ll still enjoy the trip but if I’m going through all of the effort to plan and drive all that way, seeing some orchids I haven’t seen before would really make it a fantastic trip.

Photos, State Parks, Troy's Blog

Exploring Carlos Avery State Wildlife Area

December 14, 2019 Troy

Carlos Avery Wildlife Area has been a place I’ve heard of a number of times and even view photos from but not some place I’ve been to. I just kept forgetting about it whenever I’ve decided to go out to a park for awhile. Finally I took the opportunity to explore this wildlife area this summer to see what’s there. Much of it is wetlands and lakes but there are some gravel roads that allow you to drive around and see some of the scenery and wildlife living in this large protected place. I arrived before the sun came up to enjoy a beautiful summer mornings sunrise. To make this even more enjoyable, fog started to develop just before the sun ascended above the tree tops. As the suns power continued to grow, the fog quickly disappeared leaving a heavy dew engulfing all of the plants near the ground.

Since the dew drops were so large I decided to try and capture the mornings soft, yellow light reflecting in these drops. My efforts provided less than interesting results. As I was continuing to photograph different drops I noticed a bee sitting on one of the still blooming flowers. As I studied the bee further I saw all of the dew drops preventing it from flying away. And since it was a cool morning the bee wasn’t moving much at all. I set up the camera for close up photos since I knew the bee wouldn’t bee going anywhere real soon. With the camera lens inches away I snapped photos until I had one that was nice and sharp. The wind was beginning to pick up moving this flower around so it took a few tries of clicking the shutter at just the right time to capture the flower and bee in focus before they swayed away again. Wind can be very frustrating sometimes when you want sharp photo in the early morning light causing the shutter to be slower. Still a fun challenge.

As the day went on and I continued exploring Carlos Avery I came across several different late season flowers blooming away under the warm sunlight. One that really stands out against grasses and ferns is Blue Gentian. One of the few true blue wildflowers around. It’s so striking but I always continue to look for an open flower. It always appears to be just about to open but never actually seems to. Part of the interest I guess. As the afternoon approached, clouds increased and a stray shower passed by. There were even a few cracks of thunder with a lightning bolt flashing from time to time. Staying mostly dry I continued exploring different trails to see what treasure may lay ahead.

Many of the interesting finds on this late summers day where interesting mushrooms of different sizes,colors, and shapes from the wet, cool days just before. I could have spent most of the daylight just photographing these fungus but I would have given up opportunities to explore other areas. I expect there will be other trips here in the future to see how it changes throughout the year. Winter could be a fascinating time to explore some of the wetter places once they freeze over. Spring promises to provide many different bird sightings as they migrate north and early summer likely produces many blooming wildflowers. I always enjoy another place to explore beautiful days that should include an outdoor adventure.

Exploring, Troy's Blog

In Search of More Native Orchids

October 13, 2019 Troy

For the most part this has been a fabulous year for finding native orchids. I’ve managed to find six different species over the summer, a few of them in multiple places. One of the orchids, the Prairie Fringed orchid eluded me on my adventure to Blue Mounds State Park and Touch the Sky Prairie in Southwestern Minnesota during the late summer. I was likely a few weeks too late to see them in bloom and wasn’t able to recognize the plant without its flowers. That was a little disappointing but seeing six different native orchids was still a good find. Besides, it gives me a reason to return to Blue Mounds again. As fall approached I heard of a late blooming orchid just a 45 minute drive from my house. So of course I had to make a trip there.

Once in the area I saw multiple roads with multiple trails. Which one should I take? Where would this orchid be? I did know it liked more prairie like places with sandy soil so that is what I focused on as much of the landscape was wetlands or water. While this eliminated some places I still was unsure of which places to look in. My expectations declined as far as actually finding this orchid, especially after my last experience searching for orchids in Southwest Minnesota, but it’s still fun to explore new places and it was a beautiful day to be outdoors. I just picked a trail that had less wetlands and began walking the trail. There were so many interesting mushrooms which captured much of my attention. After awhile of walking I came upon a pair of dragonflies landed in a shrub next to the trail and stopped to photograph them. While doing this I wanted to get closer so I looked down to see where I was stepping and something small and white caught my attention. It was the Nodding Ladies Tresses orchid. I found it! I almost couldn’t believe it as I almost stepped on it. It was so small compared to all of the other plants around it. In the photo above there is one of these orchids near the bottom of the photo in the middle. It’s really tough to see but it’s the only white flower among the grasses and ferns. I was pretty excited and enjoyed capturing pictures of the tiny, white flowers. Later in the day I almost stepped on another one of these orchids on another trail so my chances of finding it were better than I thought. A seventh orchid to add to my list for 2019.

Photos, State Parks, Troy's Blog

A Day on the Prairie

September 29, 2019 Troy

After spending the night in search of Persied meteors blazing across the sky, I was awakened by a blast of wind on a calm summer’s night. This blast came from an approaching storm. Another hope for me while staying in Blue Mounds was to see a storm approach from the west over this mostly cultivated landscape. There was some excitement but the darkness would make it a challenge to get great pictures showcasing the prairie under a stormy sky. I got up and began to prepare for the sunrise which I was quite certain would not be visible due to the clouds from this storm. To my surprise the sun appeared at the horizon and lit up the sky creating a beautiful beginning to what would be a warm summers day on the Prairie. My goal for the day was to explore nearby Touch the Sky Prairie for Prairie Fringed orchids. They had been spotted a few weeks earlier and my hope was to see and photograph this orchid adding to new native orchids found this year.

The sun continued to move higher in the sky going in and out of clouds from the storm that continued on its trek towards the south. Most of the storm was a state away. It’s amazing how far you can see from a high point looking out over the prairie and farmlands. Taking a short break to enjoy a little nourishment and dry my feet from the heavy dew and quick shower from the mornings walk I headed to Touch the Sky parcel of the the Northern Tallgrass Prairie a few miles away. There are some nicely mowed trails through this prairieland allowing you to explore this preserved land without much difficulty. Beautiful liatris bloomed all over the prairie providing a great source of food for the many monarchs fluttering about but no orchids in sight. Throughout the day I continued to search different areas of the prairie for what promised to be a stunning orchid. By late afternoon it was time for a break, and maybe a nap.

Storms were predicted for late in the day. The sun had heated the air thoroughly during the afternoon and humidity added to the warm sun to create a bit of a stifling atmosphere almost sure to produce some nice thunderstorms. I had an area in mind to photograph these storms and thought it was probably time to get there. On the way, there were a couple of vultures sitting on rocks. I typically don’t want to photograph them but they were in such an easy spot and because of the heat had little interest in flying away. They are interesting birds up close with features that are often difficult to see from the air. Taking a trail to a better vantage point, a storm was out over the horizon approaching from the west as I was hoping for. Unfortunately the sun was getting close to setting so the pictures of prairieland underneath some interesting lightning would have to wait for another time. As it got closer, I moved towards my campsite for shelter and continued to take pictures. Most of the lightning was cloud to cloud reducing the chance for a nice photo. I did manage to get the one you see below which includes one of the teepee’s available for rent at Blue Mounds State Park. If you look closely there are a couple of lighting bugs flying around also creating the photo I call camping with lightning bugs. So while I didn’t find the orchid I was looking for, I did enjoy so much of what the prairie has to offer on a warm summer’s night.

Adventures, Troy's Blog

Canoeing in the BWCA

August 3, 2019 Troy

In order to camp in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, a permit is needed and these can be challenging to get as they’re often reserved well in advance for the popular summer months. One alternative is to camp or stay in a lodge just outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area or BWCA. This was my choice for visiting this vast wilderness in the middle of June. While on a Northern Minnesota adventure with a friend from college, we spent a couple of days in one of the US Fish and Wildlife cabins in a Superior National Forest campground near one of the many entry points of the BWCA. There initially were no plans to rent a canoe and spend a day paddling in the Boundary Waters, but there really were no plans other than to relax in this beautiful place.

Early one morning I got up to watch the sunrise, hoping to see a moose in the water under the brightening sky. There were no moose but it was still an amazing sunrise in this beautiful wilderness. An occasional call from a distant loon interrupted the near silence on this peaceful and calm morning. As the sun climbed higher in the skies I realized it would be such a mistake to come all the way to the edge of the Boundary Waters and not spend some time exploring this pristine place. I’ve thought about an adventure in this area several times but have never actually pursued one. What is it like canoeing among these clear lakes and camping under the bright stars of this north country? Returning to the cabin I suggested we rent a canoe from a nearby outfitter and answer these questions. After making breakfast we packed up some supplies along with our fishing gear and headed out to Clearwater Lake for the day. After filling out the necessary permit and renting a canoe, we were off towards the solitude of the BWCA.

From the outfitter, you have to paddle about a quarter of the lake before entering the designated wilderness which really didn’t take long. The day before we had explored this area a little by vehicle and found a boat landing just outside of the BWCA. After passing that landing on this morning we knew it was a short distance to the protected area and we were now inside this often heard about place. A short time later we encounter the first campsite. It struck me by surprise there was a campsite that close to the edge of the Boundary Waters. This one was occupied so I would have to wait for another campsite to check out what they are like. Continuing on down Clearwater Lake, I spotted an area on the opposite side of the lake that appeared to be another camping area. Some of these are well hidden but once you have an idea of what you’re looking for you can start to spot some of the signs such as a worn area where others have taken their canoes out of the water. We pulled up to this place and confirmed it was a campsite. Getting out of the canoe and pulling it ashore, it was time to see a Boundary Waters Canoe Area campsite. From stories I had heard they generally have a clearing for the tent, a metal fire ring, and a pit toilet. The spot for tents and fire ring were obvious. Others had placed logs for a place to sit but where was the toilet? Searching some worn foot paths I soon found it. Just a toilet sitting on top of a dug out pit with no shelter or privacy other than trees and shrubs around it. Grabbing a snack and exploring for a few minutes and it was time to return to the water.

Eventually we made our way to the other end of the lake, fishing along the way, where another campsite existed just before needing to portage to another nearby lake. We spent some time at this campsite in order to eat and do a little fishing from shore. I did manage to catch one but it released itself from my hook and rolled all the way back into the water before I could catch it. While enjoying this spot I heard what sounded like thunder. Quickly making my way back to the canoe I could see storm clouds blowing in from behind us. I guess we’ll be waiting that out here before paddling back up the lake to the outfitter. Fortunately it wasn’t a strong storm and moved quickly overhead with a few flashes of lightning. Once we were sure it was safe to enter the water we began paddling back to end our time in this beautiful wilderness. There was one issue though. The storm had brought high winds which stayed once the weather had passed. Now we had to fight these in order to get back. It took most of our strength with no chance to rest to fight these winds for nearly the entire length of Clearwater Lake. We would pull into a tree near shore once in awhile to rest our arms for a few minutes but then it was back at it paddling at full strength. Before nightfall arrived we managed to get back to the outfitter, tired but satisfied with our Boundary Waters adventure. I hope to return someday and spend a little more time on these waters. Maybe even do a portage once to complete the experience.

Gaining Life Experience

Tag Archives: exploring

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