22 September, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well guys, we made it back to Horn in one piece, so we can all give ourselves a pat on the back for that! We had our ups and downs but hopefully we all learned from our mistakes and will use those lessons to become better outdoor leaders. We experienced so many amazing things in such a short amount of time and most of those things many people will never experience in their entire lifetime. We are seriously some of the luckiest people alive. As much as I hate to admit it, but none of this would have happened without Jeff and we will forever be in debt to him for that. He would go out of his way to make sure we are all safe and to ensure that we take away as much as we can from this program. I could go on and on about the things he has done for us but I don’t want his head to get to big, so I will just say Thank You from every one of us Jeff. Now, about today, it was a long hot day in the van, but excitement levels were high for our return to Horn. After a short but fun visit to Storer YMCA we finished the rest of our drive back home. Storer YMCA was an awesome experience. We had the opportunity shadow staff and observe how they teach and interact with children. I think we had just as much fun, if not more fun than the kids did. We got to god hold several different reptiles and some of us even got to make candles. I was even lucky enough to teach a group of kids about how the Ball Python got its name. Based on the amount of fun we had with our visit today and the others over the past couple days, I cannot wait to see what the rest of our professional visits have in store for us. After we arrived back at Horn we are greeted by Mindy and a few members from last year’s ECOEE for pizza and to share our adventure with them. This is only the beginning of a once in a lifetime adventure and we better cherish every second of it. 

21 September, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

We started off the day by once again saying goodbye to the Gates and Jeff’s parents before we left for the Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center. Before ECOEE I never knew such  program existed in the United States. I was amazed to find out that Battle Creek was the first facility of it’s kind and was created thanks to the generosity of the Kellogg foundation during the Great Depression. Battle Creek had a beautiful facility that featured a high ropes course and a rock wall for older students to try. It made me wish my schools had offered me the chance to spend up to a week learning about the outdoors   in a place where nature matters. I was also glad that over the decades budget cuts and other hardship hadn’t prevented this place from giving children the chance to understand instead of reciting information. After we finished our tour we got the chance to talk the staff in training and learn about how this place operates a well as how each instructor got the job. Largely we heard the same phrase that has been recited to us every year of our lives, It’s who you know, not what you know. Although I have trusted this statement to be true, I was surprised how many people at the camp had gotten the job through word of mouth instead of merit based. I was reminded today of how thankful I am to have this opportunity to see how the world really works.

20 September, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

A fine morning waking up in Newaygo State Park. Today we went to our first administrative center now that we are back in the United States. Breakfast burritos started us off right and then on the road we went. Howard Christensen Nature Center was really neat to visit, and we learned a lot about the history of the center itself. Our friend David told us about the interpretation and outdoor education programs they have for young elementary kids all the way up to high school kids. We got to to learn more about the public relations aspect of their business too and how they bring in different school districts to their site. Getting a tour of the place was really neat and I think we all enjoyed seeing the free-range chickens as well as the pot-bellied pig and two male billy goats. So many displays of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects flocked the interpretation center and gave us all some insight into how many species really belong in the surrounding ecosystem. After our exciting visit we were on the road again and made our way to the Gates house once again for a warm welcome stay and a delicious meal consisting of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and other delicacies that included even a German chocolate cake. So delicious! A lot of us were able to work on some homework too which we have all been in desperate need of accomplishing. I even got a good start on the first part of our ECOEE 2016 documentary. Yay! It has been a nice first full day in the states again and I have been learning a lot my first week of being a LOW. I would say that this has been a great birthday for me as well and I look forward to our arrival at Battle Creek tomorrow. 

19 September, 2016 (Alex Olson)

As everyone was waking up this morning from a short night’s sleep from all of the cleaning done last night, we encountered something we have not come across yet during our expedition.  The moon and stars were visible as the cooks woke up to prepare breakfast but only until the storm moved in with thunder and lightning which caused some delay in our departure from camp.  Most of us were still in our tents so we got a little extra sleep until it was safe to come out while the rest of the group waited the storm out in the van.  After the first front country meal in about a month filled our bellies with eggs, bacon, and potatoes, we loaded up and got back on the road to the good ole U.S.A.  A short drive from Pancake Bay on the coastline of Lake Superior put us on the international customs bridge in Sault St. Marie.  We got through border patrol without any hassle and were finally back on American soil.  Once we were in Michigan, we made our way down to St. Ignace for a lunch break and to visit some museums in town that featured the Ojibway tribe history which has historic roots in the area.  We met back as a group for lunch featuring BLT sandwiches following our look around at the coastal town on Lake Huron at the North end of the Mackinac bridge.  Crossing the famous suspension bridge for the second time took me back to our first week of the expedition as we had no idea on what to expect in our previous four weeks spent together in Canada.  With hundreds of miles being covered today, we only made a few stops with our last one being in Big Rapids, Michigan, to fill our trailer up with groceries up at Walmart.  Our final destination today is a campground in Newaygo, Michigan where we had dinner that filled our bellies with hot dogs, baked beans, and topped off with Tyler’s surprise birthday ice cream cake.  We will be heading to our first professional visit tomorrow to Howard Christensen Nature Center so we will try to look as “professional” as possible with wearing our sharp looking polo shirts that we received at Horn Field Campus.  Looking forward to hearing from some experts in the field besides hearing Jeff and Ryan all day every day.  Early morning ahead of us with lots to do tonight but we will take each day as it comes. 

18 September, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Woke up to the sound of rain hitting the rain fly. Early start to the morning and I don’t know about anyone else, but my motivation to move was pretty low. We all still managed to get moving, got all of our gear packed, and hopped into the van, a familiar yet forgotten feeling. To me, it was exciting because I love to go on long car rides (like a big puppy). We drove for several minutes till we got to a Tim Horton's to pick up breakfast. Realizing I had forgotten my wallet in the other trailer, Tyler graciously bummed me some $$$ so I could get a hot chocolate. It was our first time in 28 days that we had eaten something other than back country food. It warmed my insides as well as my soul. Got to stop at a gas station after about 1 hour of driving to go to the bathroom, load up on snacks, and stretch the ole’ legs. I got my diet coke which I have been craving for over 1 month now! It was delicious to say the least. Later we arrived at Wawa, a small Canadian town of 3,700. We got the opportunity to walk around and get groceries. Tyler, Cody, Joel, and I stopped at a small food vendor called Mona’s Kitchen. We all got poutine, a mix of fries, gravy, cheese, peppers, pepperoni, and mushrooms. It may or may have not been the greatest thing I have eaten in a long time. Afterwards, we went to Pancake Bay to where we would be camping for the night. We later conducted a debrief about our 28 day adventure. For the most part, it seemed like we were all conscious of our goals we had set for ourselves at day 1 of paddling as well as working towards them. After some time, we set up camp and got ready for Jeff to take us out for dinner, his treat. We went to a gift shop while we waited for Jeff and Ryan to make reservations. I ended up buying some 100 percent Canadian Maple Syrup and a post card for my parents. I bought myself a Baja Joe. Guess I’m a true hippie now. We went to the Voyager Lodge for supper and on our way we saw our first black bear trying to cross the road. After we passed it up, we backed up our van to get a closer look. It took off in the other direction after that. We were all convinced that Jeff scared it off. After this, we were treated with yet more poutine and appetizers galore. We ate to our hearts content. I had a grilled chicken wrap with fries. Some individuals had “The Meat Pie.” Which seemed like quite the Canadian delicacy. Also, I have never seen someone eat more fries than Alex did tonight. Have mercy on your soul Alex… and your lower intestines. We get a bit of a later start tomorrow, so getting to sleep in a little bit will be refreshing. Until next time!

17 September, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Today marks the beginning of an end. It is officially the end of our time on the Missinaibi River. Jeff had us do an end of expedition where he and Ryan left us alone for about 24 hours with one simple set of instructions. We leave Glassy Falls in intervals and have the last boat get to Mattice by 1 pm at the latest. As the first boat left at 8 am, we all joined in on one loud, long whistle blow to satisfy our itch most of us have had since day one of wearing them. With this as our send off, we all started our staggered departures. Tyler and I were the fourth boat to take off and we left a little after 9 am to begin the few miles to our destination. We talked for a few minutes then decided to do a 30 minute reflection where we were only allowed to talk if it was essential for navigation purposes. Good thing we allowed that since we went through some rapids during this reflection time. After our silent reflection was over we reflected out loud with each other, asking questions and attempting to find a good answer. With so much to reflect on and so little of a paddle to do it in, I found myself wishing that I had more time, not just to reflect, but to be on the river as well. I’m sure that many have said it, but few have meant it. So when I say that this is not a good bye, but an until next time, it isn’t just words, but a promise to myself that I will someday return to the Missinaibi River. After getting off of the river, we went about our usual Saturday routine of feedback and LOW transitions. This was also accompanied by a list of chores that we had to get done so that we would be ready to leave tomorrow morning. With our transition from back country into front country well underway and my transition from LOW back to group member, I can’t help but to think that it’s all going to be different from here on out; fun, exciting, educational, and nerve racking, yes, but different none the less. As I lay here in my tent, listening to the patter of rainfall, I can’t help but to think back upon what all has happened and how the waters have been a part of it all for the last month or so. The Missinaibi River, the rain, all of the different lakes, and even the fog; these are the waters that have shaped us all over this time. They have helped us grow, helped us learn, helped us experience what few can say they have, and even helped us to stay hydrated. This is not and experience I will soon forget, and the best part, is that there is still so much more to come.

16 September,2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well Guys this is it, twenty-eight days on the river have come and gone. Twenty-eight days ago we stood at Hawk Junction what we had gotten ourselves into and wondering what the next twenty-eight days had in store for us. As we stand here today all of those questions have been answered for us. We have had our ups and downs, but overall I can say this experience will forever be in all of our hearts. We have all grown so much in such a short amount of time and we have grown stronger as a group. I don’t know about you guys, but today was full of emotion and thoughts of, “will I ever be back here?” for myself I hope the answer is yes. Part of this place will forever be a part of each and every one of us. I could go on and on about this place and what it has done for us, but there are not enough pages in this journal so I will move into the events of the day. As we arrived at Glassy Falls we were again reminded of the first half of the twenty-eight days with a soft sandy beach which we have not seen in quite some time. We set up camp and gathered for a group meeting. We were granted the best gift ever with a night without Jeff and Ryan. As we watch them paddle off we all stood there asking ourselves, “do they really trust us to survive by ourselves out here?” We had an amazing afternoon. Some people took naps, some played Frisbee, and others took personal time to reflect, while Kolin, Alex, and I went fishing. The afternoon was full of smiles and laughter by everyone. The evening consisted of a community supper of fresh fried fish and hash browns with veggies. After the group split apart after dinner, Joel, Alex, Kolin, Tyler, Nick, and I sat around under the tarp, in the rain, and made hush puppies. All I can think about is how tomorrow is our last day on the river which will be the beginning of the next chapter of ECOEE. Only one way to find out what is going to come next. All I can say is, “it has been real, it has been fun, and yes it has been real fun!”

15 September, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Another lovely day here on the Missinaibi River. We paddled early in the morning. But were first greeted by a French man (Tommy) with quite the colorful outfit on which included tall socks under red shorts, three layering shirts and a curly mustache. Needless to say, it woke us all up with some much needed laughter on such a cold morning. Looking around it seemed as though the trees had changed in color overnight. It felt like fall was beginning here in Canada. Once we arrived at Big Beaver, we were all delighted by the sheer beauty of the campsite. The steep rocks, rolling water, and colorful moss seemed to put us all at ease. After a long break, we met up after dinner at the end of the portage trail where we were greeted by a spiritedly Irish man (Kolin). We were given a brief history on what the fur trade used to be like and how all the portage trails were used before us. With some catching theme music we all left smiling. As I sit here on the rocks under the light of the moon, I am reminded of just how fortunate I am to be here. I have never seen such gorgeous landscapes, and will most likely never see them again, or at least in the same way. I think back to day one of our trip to the river mumbling to myself “What the hell have I gotten my elf into? How can I do 28 days of this?!” And now I am deeply humbled by the fact that I have almost completed this section of the expedition. To imagine how this trip will affect me for the rest of my life, and is now a part of me.

14 September, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Lessons are being taught, rapids are being run, and food barrels seem to be getting low. We are closing our chapter on the river, and with only a few days left, thoughts drift towards front country dreams. I know I am dreaming of some Mac Daddies. It is hard to not think of these things I am missing… I also know I will be missing the river and the back country life as soon as were out of the woods, so I have been trying not to get too lost in my front country dreams. Any who I guess I should talk about today a little, haha. We successfully navigated our way from Two Portage Falls to a nice large camp”SITE” on a hill next to a gravel pit. Many names have been said for it tonight, but I will dub this site personally as the three loaf site (haha three dog night?) Any who there was a lot of portages today, quite a bit of rapids running and a little bit of tension between everyone as some decisions were made. The night started with a lesson by Em and ended with most everyone in a circle screaming, “DOUBLES!” I think it had something to do with cheesecake? So that was today, I think it is time for a little bit of bread and coffee before I knock out.

13 September, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

Laying in the tent right now with Liv and Joel. Joel and I are about to make a Liv sandwich! It’s a tight tent but so dance cozy. Speaking of sandwiches, hot dogs are not a sandwich. We paddled our longest mileage today with a total of 21 miles. Pretty cool stuff. It misted most of the day but I still did not have any room for complaints. Although I’m extremely exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here. I am falling asleep to 2 Portages Falls in the background. I’m having some awesome tent talk with my good buddies. I get to paddle under blue skies and white cotton balls on a daily basis (well most days) and last but not least, I can call this my classroom. Funny thing is, I have learned more out here than in a normal classroom setting. I’m really nervous to leave. I’m really sad to be leaving soon. However, the many lessons and memories will last a life time. This is not a goodbye Missinaibi River, it’s a see you later. Now a night filled with cuddles and well deserved rest.

12 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Another day, another dollar!

Just kidding. We’re not getting paid for this at all. Anyway, it was another beautiful day on the river. We may not be getting monetary gain but I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I have already gained so much more than I could have imagined in the short month that we’ve spent on this endeavor. Today felt like a long one for all of us, lucky for me I got to spend it in a canoe with one of my dearest friends. One of my favorite parts of our day-to-day paddling is the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with whoever we’re paddling with that day. Days are long and busy for all of us, so I took full advantage of the chance to finally catch up with Mariah. With just a few more lessons to be taught while we’re here in Canada, I’m looking forward to having some time to reflect and consider my appreciation for this place. Our time on this leg is almost through, but man, there is still so much more to see…The music isn’t stopping, my friends!

11 September, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Another day on the river. We paddled from wavy rapids to split rock today and made decent time despite our slow start to the day. That may have been due to our groggy day we had yesterday with all the rain. At least we made the most of it. However, today was a welcome reminder that this Canadian weather is very temperamental and tends to turn on a dime. Today was nothing but sunshine. We went through several rapids and had a blast getting splashed by the large waves. Tyler and I had a great time as paddling partners, laughing and making goofy impersonations the whole way. We also got to experience Greenhill portage. I never really seemed to mind portages, I actually slightly enjoy them. Nonetheless, Greenhill was a challenge and it pushed me as an individual. I am ½ way used to the ruck sack marches, but this is much different and challenging in its own exciting way. Going along these lines, Tyler asked if I knew any marching songs to sing while we were carrying the canoe. I knew of “Jodies” that I used to sing while doing ruck marches and it brought back a lot of memories for me. I had a blast singing them and at about the same time, I was ironically reminded of 9-11 and took some personal time out of my day to reflect and was reminded of the tragic events and all the lives that were lost. I decided to redeem myself for Nick tonight by cook supper. The last time I made him dinner was during Cody, Nick and I’s LOW debrief. It was going so well that night till I spilled noodles in front of my fellow LOW’s… as well as Jeff and Ryan. Woops! Anyways, tonight I made a delicious stir fry, but it was too spicy for Nick. Harsh critique! Next time brother. These mosquito's, also known as “skeeter’s,” are nasty but the beauty of the campsite makes up for it. Till next time.

10 September, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

Today is our day off at Wavy rapids and we got  up to a rain storm and chilly temps that barely broke 50 degrees. Liv and Tyler quickly set up the group tarp for everyone before heavier rains came in. while most people slept in, the LOW team of Tommy, Mariah, and Kolin met with Jeff and Ryan for LOW debrief with Jeff and Ryan. They only cried a little and the rain hid it well. When the rest of us did get up, we made a huge pan of hash browns. We were lucky to have breakfast get done as the LOW's got ready for the feedback section of the day. This week feedback was led by Liv and Joel, they started off with constrictive feedback then ended with positive. After feedback, Jeff announced that he wad postponing tent evals until the weather got better. All we had to do for the rest of the day was stay warm and well fed. Everyone congregated under the group tarp to hang out for the rest of the day, it turned into a huge party. People began to cook all kinds of food and drinks to keep us warm. Kolin cooked one of ECOEE’s famous delicacies, pancake loaf. Shortly after we finished cooking Tommy and I took naps. I awoke to an ECOEE concert staring Tyler on the harmonica. We had people playing the spoons, wash board, and pots and pans. Even when the weather gets bad, we grow closer together. For the rest of the day different snacks were made until we bean to make dinner.  We made dinner as a group with Tommy and me each making a different dish. Tommy made a tvp chili for half of the groups and I made a rice spaghetti with pepperoni. Everyone was to able to have as much of either dish as they wanted get ready for a cold night in the woods.

09 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Another day of thrillage and cool experience points as we added a few more rapids to our list of conquered obstacles. We had a few people flip their canoes entirely, but I’m sure it was just all in an effort to take a quick, impromptu bath. After all, we are beginning our 4^th week out here in the woods. Woot woot! I could really see the progression in everyone today. As we scouted rapids, though we weren’t always right, I heard the confidence growing in everyone’s voices and the discussions moving from “this looks dangerous” to “I know we can do this, lets just see how.” One of my favorite memories of the day was hearing the boys laughing like school girls as they ran the rapids just outside of camp. Once again, just a reminder of how lucky I am that this is my classroom. And even luckier that these are my classmates. Things may get rocky at times – in fact they will get rocky. At the end of the day, there’s nothin’ left to do but smile, smile, smile.

08 September, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well guys, this is the final stretch. Only eight more days left on the river. No, I am not saying that as a good thing. We had better make the best of what we have left. Now, about today, it started out as a wet morning, which turned into scattered showers throughout the day. We have been very luck with the weather we have been having up here so we should all be thankful for that. The rain put a damper on the day and the LOW's decided it would be best for the group if we hunkered down and spent another day at Peterbell. After an hour and a half and the help of just about every member in the group, we were able to get the group tarp up so we could start lessons. Lessons were pretty short today. Nick and Emily taught us two more knots and Tommy followed them up with a lightning strikes campers scenario. After that Ryan followed him up with a more in depth lesson about lightning and we ran a quick lightning protocol drill. Shortly after that a group discussion began which allowed people to express their emotions and get things off their chests. Although Jeff said he believes we have now entered the storming stage, I believe the final outcome of the discussion was a positive one. I believe we can all work together to make this stage as short and sweet as possible. The rest of the day was a free day to allow people to stay dry and get caught up on sleep/homework. Debrief was pretty short as well and was followed by us all biting our tongues and saying three nice things about another member of the group. (Just kidding). As we left the circle at the end of the day, there was a rainbow awaiting us. A beautiful site for a crappy wet day. Just remember guys, no matter how bad things may get, there is always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

07 September, 2016 (Alex Olson)

Today had quite a few obstacles that we all had to face. Some of them came in the form of rocks while other obstacles came in ways that better ourselves as outdoor leaders. What seemed to be a shorter day according to the map turned out to be one of our longest days on the water when we finally arrived to our campsite this evening. After all was said and done, a lot more was said than done. We all took in lots of valuable information on reading currents in moving water and we all had some great experiences out there running the rapids. Deciding what to do in certain situations can be one of the most important skills as we each develop our decision making process and figure out how to lead our peers throughout the semester. I think that we are all still constantly working on decision making that we sometimes overlook or over think things but that will come with time leading. When our roller coaster of a day came to an end in Peterbell, Nick had his interpretation to give us on the abandoned logging town. It’s crazy to think that this very piece of land we are on tonight looked much different back in the day.  There are still signs of settlement visible even today as we saw remnants of the past such as old railroad ties and even an old truck and boat.  Speaking of railroads, it’s almost like we are back in Macomb with them passing by! One of the few bridges we cross under on our journey reminds us that our “classroom” out here in the wilderness can be much more than we would be getting in a four-walled room. I’m not sure about anyone else, but I can’t wait until we can get several more rapids conquered tomorrow as we continue our journey through the historic Missinaibi River.

06 September, 2016 (Emily Smith)

What a fantastic day. We started the day off on a good foot with being earlier than our expected time for departure. I’d like to say that we’re just that good at packing our things up, but I think that the anticipation of our first sets of rapids had a bit to do with it. We ran both Cedar Rapids and Long Rapids and kudos to Tommy and Cody for being the only two to not get held up on some rocks. I’m marking that down as an ECOEE 2016 win.

            After coming off the river for the night and finishing our daily and evening routines of lessons and dinner, I was feeling some emotion that I didn’t quite know how to express – or even that I needed to. Turns out debrief was exactly what I needed. More than letting out my own feelings, I totally needed the conversation about where everyone else’s heads were. It was great to realize that I’m not the only one feeling some things like anxiousness or tiredness. It was even better to realize that I’m not the only one feeling some really great things too – like strength and gratitude. While this was such a powerful reflection time for me we all were also reminded one thing about this river experience. There are nine more days. Just nine. Only nine. I’m left with a repeat line running through my head. 

05 September, 2016 (Liv Smith)

This morning we started off before sun rise in order to be ready for today’s paddle. With the stars above us we started making breakfast and packing our bags. After hashbrowns, a small hike back to the beach where our canoes waited for us and journal, we were on our way to the Missinaibi River!

The paddle started off slow, following the lake and it’s many bays. Crescent moon after crescent moon, we tried to cut our time down in order to get off the lakes sooner with the wind picking up. We decided to cross a large bay together as fast as possible with our best interests in mind. WE all moved efficiently and made it safely across, no t-rescues required. We had a short break on a sandbar which later turned into a longer break while we searched for the Brunswick House. We never did find the dilapidated building, but we all enjoyed the trek through the tall grass with a brief dance party in-between. Before continuing onto the river, Tommy was able to pint out some racoon and bird prints in the sand. From there, we traveled through more tall grasses until we paddled onto the beginning of the river. We landed at a small campsite just before the portage. While we camped beach side, Jeff and Ryan chose to stay on the other side of the portage. I guess we really do stick. After lunch we went over to the rapids to receive a white water lesson from Jeff. We watched as Ryan slipped through the rocks so easily, we did not expect to get as banged up as we did on our way down. We planned to show off bruises later. With bruised elbows and sore butts, we went back to our site to cook dinner. Most of us decided to stick to a warm meal of soup. Our included a tasty treat from Alex. More Walleye! WE had a short debrief and a brief for what tomorrow will bring. Though most of us look very tired from the day, I can sense the anticipation between us as we embark on our journey down the river.

04 September, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

Week two I done and week three is here! Sure nice to have accomplished all that we have on the lakes and now we look forward anxiously to the accomplishments we can make on the river, Tomorrow will be the last day on Missinabi Lake. This morning we had to say goodbye to our two day campground where we could look over Missinabi Lake and the beauty of the land we exist in this very moment. The royal throne was pretty cool too have too minus a few funny intrusions while it was being occupied. Everyone got a chance to freshen up and take time to themselves for the preparations this week has for us. The mile long portage is this week too and I think it will be an awesome challenge to tackle and the whitewater portages will be good too. Today we left on time and got moving pretty wll and even got to see some pictographs. The lunch break we had got us looking ahead and anticipating the increasing winds that were developing. Before we knew it we had some pretty good waves going out in the open water and with a on thought and well considered decision we were on our way again. The group felt the adrenaline rush as we zipped along to the campgrounds we had noticed on the map. After the waves hadn’t died down after a few hours, we decided to stay put and head into the campground since we couldn’t stay on the beach. I think everyone was happy to get rid of their garbage and the running water. Tomorrow we technically will be at the mouth of the Missinabi River and the next leg of our journey begins! 

03 September, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

I set my alarm for 7 am this morning. Woke up and decided that wasn’t going to happen so I set it for 7:30am. I woke up to Tommy’s alarm and them mine ringing seconds after. I turned to my head to where he was sleeping and found him head banging to the different beeps of our alarms. That instantly made me smile and I got up and did my happy dance. I was in charge of breakfast and decided to make hash browns. Emily made her hash browns Mexican style by doing a little dance beside the pot. I guess that would only make sense to the group. I set up my hammock in a sunny spot to to do some reflecting. I have learned more about myself in the past 2 weeks then I have in the past 20 years. I’m becoming more confident in myself. I’m learning that the best possible person I can be is myself and myself only. I haven’t felt like this in many, many years. I was always afraid to be my true self and constantly fears what other people thought of me. It is an extreme chance in my life and do not know if I would be feeling this way if I did not go on this trip. Pretty cool stuff. Anyways, I made stir fry tonight and accidently made so much I probably could have fed the rest of the group as well. Thank goodness we are all basically vacuums since the whole pot was gone after I got back from my shower. Live and I had a fun, little adventure. That’s all I have to say about that.

  

02 September, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Today started off kind of crummy weather wise. It was cold and so foggy you couldn’t see more than 30 yards off shore. To psych myself up to face the day I had a big bowl of coco-wheats. Unfortunately I couldn’t find my sugar to sweeten it up. Liv and Mariah were able to swoop in to my rescue and provide sugar and butter. I top these barely rescued coco-wheats off with coffee and then it’s time to face the rough morning. We are cursed with fog but blessed with little to no winds as we cross the Missinaibi Lake. We reached Red Granite Point with no issues and stopped so that the nav. boat could get a bearing. Jeff wasn’t very happy that they hadn’t planned ahead and gotten a bearing beforehand, but it couldn’t be helped by that point. As we started our paddle across the main body of the lake we could hear a motor boat, so Jeff told us we needed to stay close together since it wouldn’t be able to see us. There was only one motor boat though, and we made it across just fine. By the time we were across the lake, most of the fog had lifted and we could actually see where we were going now. As we were rounding Fairy Point, we stopped to check out the pictographs and for Liv to do her interpretation. It was my first time seeing some in person too. it was a pretty cool experience, even if I couldn’t tell what half of it was supposed to be. After stopping for the pictographs we set off for camp. It seems the LOW’s misread the map and lead us into the wrong bay at first. Luckily the correct bay with our campsite was just a half mile away from this bay. After arriving at the Maze, our campsite, and getting camp sites picked out, we took a break to set up and get lunch. After the lunch break was over we all settled down for some lessons. Tommy got to show us his other knot, the surgeons knot. He messed up how it’s supposed to be tied at first, but quickly corrected his mistake.  After that Jeff had us take the ELSA inventory and taught us about four more leadership styles. This brought a close to the lessons for the day. We then had a few hours to ourselves for dinner before debrief and Liv’s life story. Dinner was stir-fry mixed with mashed potatoes. Oh boy was it great! After dinner we had a shorter debrief followed by Liv’s life story. Hearing all about someone’s life can really make you see just how amazing of a person they truly are. After Liv’s life story we were free to do as we pleased. It got chilly real quick, but at least there is another great night sky to look at.

01 September, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein)

Happy September first! Today started off quite well. I made oatmeal with peanut butter and banana chips for my tent mates, Tommy and Liv. The group was canoe ready before 8am and we only had to do a quick sweep before we were on the river once again. Today I was paired up with Nick in the canoe. I extremely enjoyed his presences and here are a few reasons why. While canoeing I learned we have similar interests in performing arts (while I later learned more about that evening). At the end of ECOEE we plan on going to one of WIU’s dance performances that occurs around the same time we will be getting back into Macomb. Also, as many of you know now, Nick is an extremely funny guy. He had me giggling and smiling all morning long. One thing I would like to point out is that he knows when and when not to help me. I’m stubborn when it comes to doing stuff myself (such as portaging, getting in and out of the canoe, and setting up camp) and when Nick asks me if I need help he back off when I say no with with no fuss and of course helps me when I ask for it. I want to be as tough as the boys even though I clearly cannot be. It’s a weird thing to observe, but thank you Nick for helping me when I ask for it and letting me do the job by myself when I ask for that space. He might of not noticed it but I sure did. Moving on, today’s portage was super easy. Nick and I stayed together the whole time and it was nice talking with him since I really haven’t had the chance to. I learned that he really isn’t a good liar and smiles when he tries to. Nick and I have that in common. We stayed by the portage today because of high winds on the river. It was a nice change because because we spent the day basically just hanging out and getting to know each other. I took a nice nap of course. A little while after, I sat next to Alex and we had a good talk. He said his hair was getting long and didn’t know what to do with it. So I tried to put it in a ponytail. He did that cute, shy smile he always does then took it out. That won’t be the last time I do that. We finally got to camp around 5 pm and started dinner immediately. Tommy made an awesome pasta dish that I hope he will soon make again. Tommy and Joel danced hand in hand but broke apart before we could pull out any cameras. We ended the night with Nick’s life story. Who knew Nick was such a punk. I have three older brothers and I don’t think I got as much crap from them as much as Nick’s brother got from him. Man, he is insanely funny! Oh! And he said a swear word that rhymes with duck. And finally we ended the night we a sweet surprise—the Northern Lights! Holy duck it was beautiful. This trip just gets better and better! I should probably shut up now and go to bed. Excited for what tomorrow will bring. Goodnight.

31 August, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Today started off as a new adventure just like everyday day does out here. Nick, Kolin, and I decided to have pancakes for breakfast today. I was the first one up today so I guess I was in charge of cooking. I made the batter and realized we have no spatula. I made the quick decision to change the game plan to funnel cakes. That ended up being an awful idea. Kolin ended up eating a soggy oil soaked dough ball while I drank what was left of the raw batter. Nick was the only smart one of the group and made himself oatmeal. We laughed about it and it will be a good story to share later on down the road. At least the other two groups looked like they had a better breakfast than we did. Shortly after that Ryan came skipping down to our camp like a giddy little school girl asking for my camera to show Jeff the fish he caught the night before. Remember Ryan, “size doesn’t matter.” We then had another fun filled day of listening to Jeff and Ryan’s voices. We were taught about conflict resolution, stages of group development, and more risk management. After that Kolin, Tyler, and I taught a few lessons on Outdoor Education and I learned that I would rather hear their voices than Jeff’s. Totally Joking!! But Really. After that was supper. Nick made some awesome cheesy garlic bread which we dipped in tomato sauce. To finish up the night we did debrief and heard Tommy’s life story. The rest of the night was the usual, packing up to move in the morning. Tomorrow will be another chapter in this crazy book we call ECOEE.

30 August, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

Another day has come and gone here in the great Boreal Forest of Canada. Day eleven and I can’t believe two weeks are almost done. Today started out pretty well and everyone seemed to be up and ready to go when we needed to be. I even got to take a nice swim to wake myself up. We headed out from our camp near Hay Bay and made our way to the portage of the day and the crossing of the continental divide. The Height of Land Portage was one that proved much easier than the previous ones we did. Maybe we are getting stronger and more communicative too. I think the Crooked Lake float to our campsite tonight was a ride everyone seemed to be getting more familiar with. We are really getting our strokes down and getting better every day. The leaders found the campsite pretty efficiently and I think everyone is digging the slammer. It won’t be long before we hit Missiniabi Lake and Fairy Point. The pictographs will be something truly special to see. Before we know it, we will be switching the tides of water travel where the water moves by itself, whoa. Tonight was Mariah’s life story and she had a pretty cool story to tell. I sit back now and prepare myself for another nice day tomorrow to stay put and make pancakes together. Yay! The trip will soon continue through to contribute to our accomplishment of conquering the Missinabi River. We are truly gaining experience we will cherish forever.  

29 August, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Today is our seventeenth day of ECOEE, and our tenth day camping / on the water. Everyone seems to be getting a little more comfortable with canoeing or I should say I sure do. Each day seems to be full of lessons, both from book lessons, as well as from an emotional standpoint. Sometimes I feel like I’ve had it clear up to my head. Other days I keep having to remind myself that I’ve only got eighteen more days left and it feels as though only a week has gone by. This kind of stirs my heart up and makes it hard to want to move fast. Today one of the lessons we learned was a more in depth look at map reading and compass skills. As a side lesson we also learned that Jeff is human, either that or his equipment might be a little outdated haha. I think today was all in all a good day, we covered the same amount of miles and I think we even shaved off about a half an hour off of our time. Traditional lessons ensued around three p.m. after a good break and a short nap. Dinner was awesome, we had lots of stuff and a lot of good colors on the plate. We finished with the debrief of the day and Tyler’s life story, as well as a quick lesson in how loud girls can fart. TVP? Almost everyone took a slip and fell into or near the water, hence the nickname I have given it, “Slip Rock”.  As I sit here finishing my journal entry (as well as my other Academic one) I hear a chorus of ominous buzzing, which seems like some sort of foreshadowing for tonight. As I stated earlier I don’t think I’ll want to leave here any time soon, so in the words of whoever, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, and that’s why they call it present”

28 August, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Today was our second long mileage paddle. Just like our last long day, we did 12 miles. To make this happen we were supposed to be paddle ready at 7am. Unfortunately it was raining out until almost 6am, this along with communication issues among the new tent groups lead to us being 30 minutes behind schedule to start the day. I got the privilege of being Ryan’s partner today. He and I had a bit to talk about due to our shared interest in scuba diving. I also got to talk to him about his time spent at Elements in Utah and living out of his truck. I at least think that we had a good talk, even if he would say otherwise. Part of what made today's paddle so long was that we attempted to to go see some pictographs that were a few miles out of the way. We got to the only place they could have been to find the rock face covered in vegetation. So much effort put in for no reward, oh well, that’s just part of the adventure of it all. After this we set our sights on camp. This was an adventure in and of itself. The LOW’s weren’t able to find the exact location of the campsite in the maps or in the Missinaibi book, so we had a bit of a scavenger hunt looking for it. We looked at two potential locations before passing the actual campsite. Jeff had to yell and tell everyone that we had passed it. While everyone was unloading their gear, Cody and I accompanied Jeff and Ryan to their separate campsite location on one of the smaller islands off of Rabbit Island. Once we got their stuff out of the boats, Cody and I returned to join the rest of the group for camp set up. Once everyone had finished set up and lunch we all went to Jeff and Ryan’s island to do our lessons for the day, since their site had the better sun setting. Emily and Mariah introduced their Outdoor Education topics during this time. Ryan also did a lesson on “the 10 essentials of camping.” Once done with the lessons I got a little nap in while the LOW’s had their meeting with Jeff and Ryan, since they needed one person to stay back and wait. We then had a couple hours to ourselves to relax and have dinner before we did our debrief. The debrief got started at about 6:30 since Tommy and Emily had to fill out an incident report. After debrief we got to ease out of the day by hearing Alex’s life story. It’s crazy to think that I get to spend this amount of time with someone who could one day be an Olympic Archer. After a lot of laughs Alex’s story and our questions came to a close and Ryan and Jeff departed, leaving us to ourselves for the rest of the night. After watching an amazing sunset, we had a small meeting with just us students. It was basically a repeat of stuff, just in a less formal capacity. This brings us to a close of our first day under student LOW’s.

27 August, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

Today was our first day off since ECOEE started. After two weeks of working and learning everyday to prepare for our expedition, we took today to clean up and relax while getting our new tent mates. The day started with LOW debrief which was led by Kolin and I. Overall the feedback was positive for Cody, Jeff and Ryan. After a short break, the new LOW's briefed the group on the upcoming week. Now that the group business was done, each tent group was able to meet with Jeff and Ryan to discuss how it was for the first week on the river. During the final meeting, Tommy and Emily went for a short hike to a marsh on the other side of the river. They hiked throughout the day and arrived back at camp at 6:30pm. By this time Jeff had had grown anxious and worried that something had happened to the two. Kolin and Ryan went out in a canoe to search for signs of Tommy or Emily. Coincidentally, Tommy, Emily, Kolin, and Ryan got back to camp at the same time avoiding any future stress. Although it was a worrisome time for some, we all learned that traveling without letting people know where you are going puts other people in danger while attempting a rescue. On a lighter note, all three cooking groups cooked together for the first time and shared our best dishes with the group. Alex caught several fish and fried them up for us and even Liv ate a piece of fish after telling us she doesn’t eat fish.

26 August, 2016 (Liv Smith)

Today was quite the adventure. Today was the first time we all experienced a portage together. We paddled for about a mile to the portage where we all but glided across the glass lake until Cody and Alex gracefully collided with an underwater tree trunk. The portage was very exciting. We all trampled across the winding trail with little issue besides a few sore shoulders and a lost Alex. I think it’s safe to say that we all felt very accomplished afterword’s, which then led to whoops and hollers of joy once the other side of the trail was met. After the portage we paddled for another mile where we arrived to our third campsite. The terrain was all rock and moss covered. This in turn caused a few slanted tents and sore butts. Lessons were taught by Cody and I, but were promptly interrupted by a sudden helicopter! The helicopter had come to do some work on the nearby dam, but were hindered by Jeff, Ryan and Cody’s gear they had put on top of their landing pad! After the shuffling around of a canopy, sleeping bags, canoes and water bags, the helicopter was able to land and leave in just a few short minutes. After a much needed dinner, we met up on the hill and listened to Cody’s life story. I have really enjoyed listening to everyone’s’ stories and how they have found themselves on ECOEE. The rest of the night was filled with laughter and exploration. A few of us including Mariah, Emily, Tommy, Joel and I went down to the waterfall to write in our journals while Alex proceeded to catch nearly twenty fish! Tomorrow brings new adventures with new tent mates and our first day without any lessons! I can’t wait to see more.

25 August, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

Today was our first long canoe paddle of 12 miles, a bit of a rough paddle but we still made it to our destination. It was my first time as the navigator and even though it was a bit nerve wrecking, it was still an enjoyable experience all the same. We made it to a small little sand bar stretch and set up our campsite. After a knot lesson by Mariah and an accident prevention lesson, we had the rest of the time till debrief free to ourselves. I decided to do my first set of laundry on the trip, scrubbing my sweaty, stinky clothes in the lake. I guess lake water smells better than sweaty gym shorts. I saw Alex, Cody, and Ryan go off fishing while as tempted as I was to fish, the hot day made me want to go for a swim. Joel, Mariah, Nick, Liv, Tyler and myself decided to take advantage of this and took a dip. The cold water felt so relaxing on the strained muscles and it was definitely added a spring to my step. After a delicious supper of a shell noodles and some sort of sauce concoction brewed by none other than Jeff the Jazzy wizard chef, we went into our debrief and we ended with Emily’s life story that had all sorts of unexpected twists, and even more unexpected answers to our ridiculous questions. Finally, everyone went off to do their own things while Nick, Cody, and I discussed and created our initial LOW plan for our week as LOW’s. There is a lot more to it than I anticipated but I am ready for the challenge. On one final note, the parks that stuck out to me the most this day were the foggy morning start, the swim in the afternoon, and watching a few shooting stars streak the sky as we were creating our LOW initial schedule. I have never seen a sky as clear and as bright as the Canadian night sky our of all places I have ever visited. I am so thankful to be here and as my skills improve, I am sure I will come to a point where I fall into a routine, fall in love, and never want to leave this place behind. The reality we will have to leave it behind since we are paddling down a river.

24 August, 2016 (Emily Smith)

Another beautiful day spent in the coolest classroom in the world. We had another day full of lessons and I counted at least six different people dozing off. Right now the best part of all of this for me is getting to know each individual and all of the moments and conversations that aren’t business related. I think its so fantastic how a program can pull all of us very, very different people together into one unit. I’ve had some of the most meaningful conversations in the past twelve days and my gratitude cup is overflowing for that. Today, during our break Tommy, Tyler, Joel and I went for a bit of a hike. I think that hike was the most beautiful sight I’ve seen so far while being out here. In those moments, while we were looking out, I felt completely rid of all stress and worry. My head and my heart were at peace. I spent a lot of this evening reflecting on Kolin’s presentation about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and my circle of concern versus my circle of influence. I kept thinking, I have a pretty big circle of concern and I know this to be very true…I would really like to spend some time with my circle of influence. I guess I’ll have plenty of time to think about that while I spend the day canoeing with Jeff tomorrow! Woot woot.

23 August, 2016 (Alex Olson)

At this point in time of our river expedition I have come to realize that there are unavoidable things that you cannot get away from.  Water was expected since a river is obviously made from running water.  I never thought I would hate sand as much as I do now.  It is just simply everywhere it is not supposed to be!  In my sleeping bag, in my tent, in my dry bags, in my hair, in breakfast, lunch, AND dinner!  I could go on and on but the only positive I see from it is the ability to make a comfortable night’s sleep from the soft surface it makes and the ability to make a lounge chair to my own specifications wherever I need to sit.  Enough on that rant for now.  Today we got started right away after breakfast with lesson plans and outdoor education topic introductions followed by making our own version of a section from our map, but of course, with sand.  Like I said I just cannot get away from it.  After our morning finished up we spent the afternoon with another cooking lesson from the best chef out here (Jeff) to learn how to bake with camp stoves.  The only problem we always have with cooking out here is that none of us can ever get anything to look or taste as good as Jeff’s delicious food that he sometimes shares.  It’s almost like he’s done this before?  Of course the day could not be complete with even more sand.  Pots, pans and any type of cooking utensils are not the place for sand to be.  I can’t stand the taste of it as I bite down onto my pizza and every single bite my teeth crunch.  At least I was not like Joel by spilling mine on the beach though. We eventually got finished up with dinner, met back for debrief, and eventually Ryan’s life story.  Definitely looking forward to hearing what makes these amazing people who they are and so glad to call some of them my friends. Just kidding! We are all one big 12-person happy family for the next 109 days!

22 August, 2016 (Mariah Von Bruenchenhein )

Today was the first day of classes back at WIU and while every other student is sitting in a white, four-walled classroom we’re on the Missinaibi River surrounded by beautiful trees and wildlife. Every day I have to pinch myself because I still cannot believe I’m here. I am forever grateful. I could not ask for a better group of people to do this with me as well. I’m learning a lot about other and even more about myself. I would have never formed these kinds of relationships in a normal classroom setting. We moved to the second campsite today and its absolutely spectacular. Everyday just keeps on getting better and better. However, I put milk mix in my Nalgene instead of lemonade powder. I noticed just before I drank it so that’s awesome. Moreover, I’m excited for what each day will bring us and all the challenges that come along with it. Alright I’ll wrap this up and end this on a quote from Nick W, “I don’t trust these dang hippies”.

21 August, 2016 (Joel Davis)

Well, I slept in past my alarm again today. Fortunately when I woke up at 7 Cody came and told us that we were meeting at 9:30 instead of 8:30. After waking up and getting out of the tent, Emily, Mariah, and I started to make a some oatmeal and coffee for breakfast. I forgot to put extra flavoring in mine so it was really bland. I definitely won’t be making that mistake again! After finishing breakfast and cleaning everything up, we did a little bit of camp clean up, since we didn’t know for sure yet if we would be leaving today or not. Upon meeting in the group tarp and discussing the plan to do lessons for the day, I realized that we wouldn’t be leaving for the next camp site today. Tommy and Ryan rejoined the group after staging the van with the canoe trailer up in Mattice for our river exit. We started our group time off with Emily reading her journal entry. Ryan followed this up with a hygiene announcement where he basically told everyone to not be nasty and wash ourselves. He also demonstrated the proper way to brush our teeth and “broadcast” while in the back country. After that I had the opportunity, I guess you could call it, to start off the day’s lessons by doing my “open canoes over open water scenario. I was followed by Tyler going over his scenario, “drowning in forest pools.” After these two scenarios, we got to break away from the mental and have Cody teach us his first knot, the fisherman’s knot. This was followed by more mental exercise with Nick doing his scenario, “black bear problem.” After this we broke for lunch. I had pepperoni and cheese and a snickers. I think that’s my favorite quick lunch. After lunch we got some lessons on feedback and how to do tent mate critiques from Jeff and Ryan. After that we learned the Ashley’s oyster stopper knot from Cody, finishing up his knots. After everyone had figured out how to tie this knot, we moved into feedback for everyone who had done a lesson for today. They were kind of lacking in feedback from people, but this may have been due to the time that had elapsed between the lessons and the feedback session. After feedback, we conducted a debrief for the day and finished up at around 5-ish. After that, Mariah and I made coffee while Emily was out getting water with Tommy. She got back just in time for the three of us to start cooking dinner together. We made spaghetti with peas, mushrooms, and onions in it for veggies and my home-made seasoning mix with crushed red peppers added for flavor. I didn’t want a repeat of breakfast after all. After dinner we took it easy and progressively started to pack up our excess gear so that we could get ready to leave quicker tomorrow. It was a good learning day and we even got about 4-5 hours of sunlight, a great relief after two days of rain.

20 August, 2016 (Emily Smith)

As I sit here under this group tarp, staring out into the rain that hasn’t stopped but for five minutes in over seventeen hours, I have an outpouring of gratitude in my heart. Its hard for me to be annoyed with the constant wetness, frustrated with the temperamental camp stoves, or bothered by the burden of packing my giant river bag all over again when I just feel so lucky to be here. How do we do this for school? How does Jeff do this for a living? There is nothing better right now. Tonight Jeff ended things pretty early with a debrief starting around 3:45 P.M. after a long day full of lessons from him. It was pretty nice to “take it easy” the rest of the night and catch up on some things/relax with everyone. So far we’ve set up camp and been critiqued, made a couple meals, learned a few lessons, and from what I gather from the group everyone is ready to keep moving. I think that now its real. We’re here and as prepared as we’ll ever be with a lot and so, so many experience to be had. I’m having trouble taming the butterflies in my stomach and I think everyone else can say the same. Man, I could probably write a novel with everything going on in my head but the rain has stopped for a few seconds so I better take my soaked self to bed. Tomorrow’s another day to keep truckin’.

19 August, 2016 (Cody Hardy)

Well guys, we finally made it! We are finally in the canoes and out on the water! Twenty-seven more days to go. Congratulations everyone, we made it almost a week without killing anyone. Yes, I did say a week! Although it feels like a month. The days run together and feel like they never end. As I sit here by myself and eat this Milky Way while I write this I begin to realize that we are in bear country and this might not be the greatest idea. Oh well, at least you guys could say I went out happy. So, if you guys find this journal tomorrow on the ground next to my chair just remember I will be a pile of poop in the next couple of days. On a serious note, how about that view last night?!?! It was absolutely amazing. A beautiful sunset over Lake Superior. Things have been going pretty good, but we all need to work on managing our time a little better. We need to work together to get things done in a timely manner so we have free time to have fun and relax. Yes Jeff, “we know this is not about having fun.” Meals have been pretty good so far, so thank you for that chefs. I think we can all agree that it is absolutely beautiful up here and I cannot wait to see what the next twenty-seven days have in store for us. I am not sure how I became leader of the week first, but I feel like I have a huge weight on my shoulders. Just remember guys, I am going to give it my all, and do my best. Hopefully, by the end of the week I will have the skills and knowledge to pass on to Kolin and Nick as they join me next week as leaders of the week. One perk to being in a tent with Jeff is that he does all of the cooking and I have a few minutes each day to relax. I haven’t been able to do that since ECOEE started last Saturday. I will finish with this. “Treat others the way you wish to be treated.” We are all living together for the next month in the backcountry and several more months after that, and it is going to be a long time if we treat each other like crap. I hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am, and I hope I am not getting on your guys nerves to bad yet. 

18 August, 2016 (Nick Walberg)

Second and last day on the road today. After sleeping at the Gate’s house we got an early start and made breakfast at 7am. We were not able to say goodbye to “Gator” before we got ready this morning because he had to leave for a funeral. For breakfast we had donuts made from canned biscuits with powdered sugar. They were a great treat before a long day traveling into Canada. We all got back together again at 8am to to brief the day and say goodbye to Jeff’s parents. At 8:15 we headed out to the Mackinac Bridge. Along the way we learned that the dash board to the pickup truck doesn’t work. The gas gauge reads battery mid and radiator reads no temperature. We have been lucky to never run out of gas after traveling this far. By mid-day we made it to the bridge where we planned to have lunch. Ass we crossed the bridge, road construction allowed Jeff to get ahead of the pickup truck and left Emily at the turn off after the bridge to signal that the truck need to pull off to get lunch. For lunch we had cold-cut sandwiches with chips and cookies. The only issue with the meal was the group of seagulls that attempted to eat our food before we could. We then got back into the vehicles and drove until we approached the border. We quickly got a last tank of cheap gas before we would have to pay for Canadian gas. We also got some last minute snacks and charcoal. We entered Canada through Sault St. Marie and I quickly noticed a series of hockey jerseys in apartment windows above a Tim Horton’s. I knew then that I was in Canada . The last section of driving revealed the rocky landscape that we would soon be canoeing in. each waterfall I saw got me more and more excited to be on the river. We stopped for the night in Lake Superior Provincial Park along the beach. While the cooks got dinner going the rest of us started to pack our Bill’s bags. Dinner tonight was made by Joel and included stuffed peppers and rice with an appetizer of cold veggies. After Dinner Jeff and Ryan led debrief and explained the expectations for the river.. Ryan also gave us a little advice; act deliberately in an informed manor is you wish to be successful. The night was finished off with everyone sitting around trying to pack their Bill’s bags to get ready for the river.

17 August, 2016 (Tyler Gebel)

It’s finally here! The day has come where the real expedition journey begins. We have conducted all the necessary preparations for our departure to our destination, Rockford, Michigan. It has been oh so hectic considering what was needed to be done. Packing ration barrels, river bags, and duffel's makes me feel very accomplished for ourselves. We had a late start today, but once we were on the road, the anxiety everyone felt withered away. Traffic wasn’t too bad except for some minor build-up near Grand Rapids. Arrival to the Gates was very exciting, and when we met everyone here we knew we were welcome. Dinner was great with chop suey and even cookies to boot. Professor Gates took us out after dinner to learn more about the plants and animals around his property and the invasive species that can spread. This was a truly unique experience and I think an excellent example of outdoor education. Late after that Ryan brought the torque bow out and we attempted to make a fire primitively, but things were just too damp. I didn’t really care if we had fire or not as I am sure others felt the same. Being up here in Michigan on our first night on the road is something truly wonderful to experience. I am excited to see what tomorrow brings when we enter Canada. I sit back now and take it all in, looking at the majestic moon bugs.

15 August, 2016 (Alex Olson)

We are already three days in and it feels like just one nonstop day with all of our tasks to get finished before we leave.  I am definitely going to get used to an unusual sleep schedule for everything to get accomplished.  The big task at hand today was the ration pulls for our back country travelling in Canada.  We pretty much turned the lodge at Horn Field Campus into a grocery store!  We spent about five hours going to each set of tables with a variety of non-perishable foods at each one.  Once we had found what we needed, which was difficult in itself, we proceeded to pack the item into either produce bags or hard sided containers depending on the consistency of it.  We then started to fill up our bear-resistant food barrels with each thing we picked.  It will definitely be easier keeping those shut than to have to tie our food up in a tree each night.  Our tent groups for the first week in Canada were announced today after our ration pulls so we got a rundown of the additional equipment to split between ourselves in addition to creating a spice kit for all four weeks.  After the pulls and tent group tasks, we worked on dinner for a while and also finishing up cleaning the lodge.  When dinner concluded, we made the only trip from Horn Field Campus the whole day and headed over to Currens Hall on campus for some last minute errands.  On the way back, we made a quick stop at Dairy Queen for a rewarding ice cream cone for everyone.  Some of us got smalls but some also got larges depending on how we finished in our previous activity of identifying risks for our expedition.  Only one more full day until we take off and I’m sure the anticipation along with the excitement or whatever else we are feeling is building up and I can’t wait to finally get this show on the road! 

14 August, 2016 (Tommy LeGrand)

Today was pretty cool, we finally got to take out the canoes at Spring Lake. Breakfast was French toast and coffee for me then we headed out to grab a few things before the main event. As we got there we discovered a new technique to save a life, rope in a bag! Or a throw rope as it is commonly called. This took all of a couple hours for most people to get somewhat under their belts. Finally, around ten a.m. we got in and got our feet wet. We practiced skills such as pry and draw, which should prove useful relatively soon. We also got to try our hand at both driving stern and bow. Eventually Jeff taught us how to rescue a capsized canoe through an experiential method, as he ran full speed at Ryan and Cody, we soon saw a capsized canoe haha! We Finished the loop at Spring Lake, gunnel walked to exchange placed and headed back at full speed for shore. Home again, Horn again! Dinner was good but a little quiet, as everyone seemed to have a lot on their mind. After debrief everyone seemed to have a better understanding of each other. Two more days…

13 August, 2016 (Kolin O'Keefe)

First day of ECOEE, just arrived at Horn Field Campus at 1020. Our first thing on the agenda was a group activity/reflection facilitated by our grad assistant Ryan. We took a hike through the trails at Horn Field. Ryan asked each one of us to reflect and walk silently through the woods. When we made it to a bridge, he instructed us to find an object in the woods and told us to reflect on our biggest insecurity. When we made it back to that same bridge, he instructed us to leave our object we picked, explain its significance, and inform the group of our greatest insecurity. This was to signify the insecurities we leave behind on this trip. After this, we returned to the lodge to receive a debrief from Mindy about Horn Field expectations while we stay here. She also made a reference to how Jeff calls (or thinks) she is a bitch, and it was hilarious. Jeff also had a strange ass dream he told us about where Liv and I killed off our ECOEE members and stuck their decapitated heads in cabinets because they “annoyed us.” Rest assure, Liv and I will not be doing anything of the sort. By this time it was 1230 and time for lunch. Jeff went (into detail over all the different chores from cooks to cleaners and water monitors. He has a very specific method to the madness, but it seems to be a very productive way about making meals and clean up after. Got assigned individual tasks to complete throughout our couple of days here. Tomorrow, we get to go to Spring Lake and take the canoes out, should be fun! However, it seems like the tasks are never ending, but hopefully we will all see the light at the end of the tunnel soon. Pleasure to be the first to write in the journal.