The Key to Sucess

Teamwork at it's core is by far one of the most valuable skills you need to have in order to succeed in life.
You can't always expect that every time you're assigned a project that you always have to do yourself there is always opportunities for collaborative work.
A truth about life is personalities don't always mesh and although you may not always like the people your working with you got to learn how to cope with  them.
Be punctual if your always arriving late to work then your not going to have a job for very long; its better to be early than late even if it means having to get up earlier than your use to.
In addition you are being considerate of the people your meeting and you don't want to hold them up from going somewhere else that they may need to go.
Be a leader as well as a follower, lead your coworkers by sharing what knowledge you have acquired when they need guidance or vice versa.
You always need to put your best foot forward because when you produce something it should be your best work and you shouldn't have to redo the project over.
This all comes from experience so don't worry if your first few attempts aren't the best you'll learn what works and what doesn't it'll just take some time to figure out how everything works.


 

A Strenous Day

August 10, 2012 Canoe Base Day 7

Today amongst all others was by far the most strenuous and longest.  Breakfast was simple we had cereal with dried fruit. When I first saw the fruit in the cereal I thought the cereal wasn't going to taste very good, but to my surprise it wasn't half bad.  Then we were off and the sun was shining and it was a hot morning. At our first portage we stopped along the way to check out Eddy falls which was a waterfall that was about sixty feet tall with roaring rapids. As we were admiring the falls our guide started walking towards the falls at first we weren't sure what he was doing until he went right into the water falls. We all followed suit and I was surprised by how warm the water was and I'm glad that I went into it because it made me feel refreshed and gave me a sense of strength that helped me throughout the day. By lunch time we had done about five portages and canoed eight miles. The portages varied in size some of them where long where as other  didn't even seem like it was worth getting out of the canoe because they were so short. For lunch we had peanut butter and jelly on Hudson Bay bread which I didn't like at all the bread tasted like I was biting into a cinder block. The rest of the afternoon we did another five portages and nine more miles and by the time I we reached the camp sight everyone was exhausted.

As for dinner we had pasta and corn it was delicious. For desert we had mouthwatering brownies which were by far the best snack we had yet. The journey is coming to an end as we have a day and a half left and I'm disappointed that its coming to an end. But the way I see it, I got to experience this once and lifetime opportunity and I'm glad that I was given the chance because this trip has taught me so much about myself and the people around me. Most importantly I learned that the only person who holds you back is yourself. If you don't take advantage of  the oppurnities given to you and don't make the most of what you have, your going to being missing out on your experience and not gaining as much value if you had acted.

Lifes Obstacle Course

August 9, 2012 Canoe Base Day 6

Today was by far the most challenging day I've had on this trip. Early in the morning I was awakened by my tent mates crushing me. The way we had set up the tent the previous night was on a slant which caused us to slide and crush one another. I tried numerous times to wake them up but with no avail they were out stone cold. Finally when breakfast time came I was able to slip out without disturbing them. The morning air was cool goose bumps lined my arms. To the east the sun was rising and it's beauty was astonishing I was overtaken for a while as I sat and watched it rise. Once everyone had gotten up I got to cook breakfast which was maple brown sugar oatmeal with fruits mixed in. After breakfast was when things started going downhill. As usual I was doing my regular morning routine checking the campsite for trash, making sure all the bags were packed. However this morning when I was helping carry down the canoes into the water I slipped and became bitterly cold. We quickly packed everything up and headed out so that I could warm up, however the weather didn't help much. It soon turned from a sunny morning to an overcast of clouds with an occasional breeze which made me feel miserable. Once we had gotten to our first portage I was relatively dry. This portage was mostly uphill which made it very challenging to carry an eighty pound bag on you or a canoe. After climbing up the hill for a short distance I slipped again scraping my arms up against the rock. I got up and shook it off and kept pushing through. Finally we started going down hill for a bit but as I continued to walk I ran into a gigantic puddle over a foot deep. As I was walking through it my foot caught a rock underneath the water and I landed face first in the water and yet again I was soaked. I tried numerous times to pull myself back up but I was unable to support the weight on my back and get up at the same time. One of my other crew members had to help me get back up on my feet and then I powered through the rest of the portages without getting wet. What lied ahead of us proved to be the most challenging obstacle we had to overcome it was a test of  not only ones strength, but of ones willingness to achieve.

From the east a powerful wind started blowing right at us making it much more challenging to canoe. The waves began to forum into white caps and our canoes began to rock back and forth. My heart began to beat faster as we tried powering through the waves. Pretty soon the canoe was in the air and I was praying that we wouldn't capsize. Our campsite was a mere three tenths of a mile away and what seemed like an eternity was only a matter of minutes as we arrived at the camp sight safe and sound. We broke out lunch and I ate like a mad man I was so overcome by today's obstacles I just wanted to put them behind me and look towards the days ahead. We had already at that point canoed a considerable distance that day so we made the group decision that we'd relax for the rest of the afternoon. At the end of the day just getting to relax for the afternoon was comforting it gave me a chance to unwind and reflect upon the day. Even though today might have been a obstacle course it taught me a lot about myself. It showed me that even though at point your whole world keeps crashing down you can always get back up. You have to take control of your'e life and pull yourself back up because if you don't your going to be on the ground going nowhere.

The Journey to the Scenic Lakes

August 8, 2012 Canoe Base Day 5

Last night was an interesting experience for me I slept in a five person tent and it was very difficult to sleep because it was too crowded. Despite it being crowded I still got a decent nights rest and was ready to take on  the next day. At sunrise we all got up and we started to prepare breakfast. We had bagels with peanut butter and jelly which tasted odd at first but then I got use to it. After cleanup we embarked yet another journey with the goal to make it to The Scenic Lakes which is a region of the lakes we were in. Once we were out on the water a sense of tranquility instilled  the moring air and all my thoughts were directed to admiring the world around me. Eventually after we had paddled for a few hours we made it to this place known as thunder point. Thunder point is an overlook of the region, as far as the eye could see there was vast landscape ranging from lakes to hills to forests. Shortly after we  left thunder point we came across our first portage and just along the outskirts on the other side was an open campsite were we would be having lunch. For lunch we had eggs and hash browns which were scrumshish. What came next proved to be the most challenging part of the day.

The wind picked up speed as we continued to canoe each stroke became more strenuous than the last. Eventually the wind had died down and we  had canoed 2 miles in a very short amount of time despite the wind. I had thought that was going to be the end of the wind but sure enough it picked up speed once again. We escaped the wind for a short while as we did a short portage but as soon as we went back out onto the water the winds raged on. We arrived at yet another portage but this portage wasn't like the rest we had done it was mainly all up hill and was by far the longest we had done so far.  At that point I was purely exhausted and was ready for some much needed rest.  But in the end of the day our hard work had paid off and we had made it to The Scenic Lakes.

As for dinner we cooked macaroni with tuna fish which at first didn't sound to appealing but wasn't half bad. One of the most important lessons I've learned so far is that you got to make do with what you have because to be truthful your'e not going to always like the food you have but your limited on what you can bring and you'd have to wait till the next morning to have some food.  In the middle of dinner it began to rain lightly at first each drop was like a tear drop falling from the sky but then it started picking up speed and we quickly made a shelter were we spent a few minutes until everyone decided that they'd go to bed. The way I see it I'd rather it be pouring buckets tonight than raining during the day. Hopefully tomorrow will be a much more easier day than today till then we relax awaiting tomorrows challenges.

And So The Journey Begins....

August 7, 2012 Canoe Base Day 4

The day had finally come the day that I had been anticipating for months. Before we set out we double checked to make sure that we had all of our supplies and then we made our way down to the waterfront to get our canoes. Every canoe was inspected by a waterfront advisor to ensure that there was no damage prior to giving you the canoe. After the canoe inspection was complete we went and got our paddles and our life jackets and then we were off.

Today's goal was to head east to the Canadian border and stop for lunch and then canoe a few more miles. After about five minutes of canoeing we were stopped by the forest service they were checking to make sure that all the adults and the guide had their permits. Once we got that cleared away we were off the lake was as smooth as glass which made it easy to canoe. When we got to the Canadian border we broke out some cold cuts for lunch and relaxed for a bit and then set back out into the boundary waters. After canoeing for about a half hour we came to our first portage. A portage is when you walk along small trails that connect the lakes together carrying either your gear or a canoe. By the end of the day we had done four more portages and everyone was exhausted we had canoed about 14 miles.

Today was a new start for me this experience is truly like no other.  I went into today thinking  that it wasn't going to be hard, granted its only the first day and it makes sense that were all tired. My dad said that our experience was going to play out like this that the first day we'd be totally exhausted, the second day we'd still be tired and the third day we'll power through it like it's nothing. At this point it's too early to tell if this will be true we'll just have to see how we feel by the end of each and every day and see how far we want to go the next day.  Most of all I am hoping to encounter some more wild life we didn't see much today but one never knows what they'll see you just have stay quiet and hope that you see something. When and if you do encounter wildlife enjoy it while it lasts because it might not be here for much longer and admire wildlife for its natural beauty.

The skyies are the limit

The feeling of the wind rushing passed my feathers as I soar across the sky gives me sense of freedoom.
The skys are my domain and I have the freedom to go anywhere the only thing that limits me is myself.
From miles away I can spot my prey as I soar in the sky.
I swoop down rocketing from the sky only to miss, and try again.

Into the Sudan Mines

August 6, 2012 Canoe Base Day 3

Today we visited the Sudan Mines which use to be a quarry deposit that got shut down because it was found that it would cost more money to operate the mine than the incoming profit. When we arrived we were given hard hats and we were told that we'd be going down into the mine. Eventually when the time came we fit everyone into two mineshaft elevators and it was tight. At first we were going down slow but then we picked up speed and all you could hear is the sound of rolling thunder. As we got deeper underground the temperature began to drop and soon became very chilly.When we arrived on the bottom floor there was a sign that said you are on the 27th floor which is 2,789 feet below the surface which surprised me I didn't know that mines went that deep underground. We all got into a mine cart and drove deeper into the mine where once we got to the center of the mine we all got out and were given a tour of how the mining system worked. After the tour was complete we stopped at dairy queen for lunch once again which was starting to become redundant.

Finally we made our way to canoe base and we hung out for the rest of the afternoon. Once the other troops had arrived we all conjugated into a small field and played various sorts of games and activities while the adults filled out paper work. My favorite activity was the tom hawk throw although most of the time I missed the target completely it was still fun just to be able to throw it. Another fun game we played was cat and mouse. Basically how it is set up is you have two stand alone stumps horizontally from one another and one person stands on each stump with and end of rope and the objective is to make the other person lose there balance or lose their end of the rope.  Amongst all things the history staff impressed me the most by far.  They were acting as voyagers who were the first people from the outside world to explore the boundary waters. They were able to keep up a french accent the entire time which made me convinced that they where really French Canadians but they weren't really.

Once the adults had finished all the paper work we planned out our voyage with our guide and decided that we'd be going on the scenic lakes route as discussed the previous night. Tomorrow we set out for a journey of a lifetime who knows what wonders may lie ahead of us or what we may encounter. I wait in anticipation for this voyage to start I can hardly contain myself I'm so excited. Tomorrow starts a journey  that I will truly never forget.

Lake Superior

August 5, 2012 Canoe Base Day 2:

At morning light we went out for break feast at a local diner that was a few blocks away from the Church where we had spent the night. The morning air was cool an occasional breeze sent chills down your spine. When we arrived at the diner I was surprised to see that it was much larger than I had imagined the place to be. Once everyone had settled in we ordered break feast. I ordered to cakes and I'd have to say they were the best cakes I've ever had. Each bite was sweet and savory and was a truly a one of a kind taste. Just as we were about to pay our bill we were surprised to find out that the priest of the Church we had stayed at, had already paid for us. We owed much gratitude and thanked him immensely then we set out for Duluth.

Duluth is a relatively small city that is encompassed by Lake Superior. Lake Superior is a part of the great lakes in Minnesota and happens to be the largest. We arrived in Duluth and split up into groups and spread out around the city. Most of us stayed together however and walked along a board walk that surrounded Lake Superior. For lunch we stopped at Dairy Queen for a quick bite to eat then headed off to see the cargo ship leave the harbor. We waited about fifteen or so minutes before it passed by and when it did I was astonished by its size. The ship spanned over a thousand feet and was five hundred feet wide it was truly a captivating sight.

Later in the afternoon we went to the Maritime Museum which is a museum that is dedicated to the Edmund Fitzgerald. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a ship that sank on Lake Superior; the ship was caught amongst a horrible storm. There were no survivors and many speculate on what exactly happened to the crew and the ship but what is known from the wreckage is that the boat split in half  and they believe that  the ship sunk partly because of the structural design of the ship.  Only time will tell and further investigation of what really happen to the Edmund Fitzgerald.  We were then off to have dinner at Olive Garden and then we'd be proceeding to the Giants Toe hotel which is a ski resort during the winter.

When we arrived at the hotel virtually no one was there the place was like a ghost town. We are sleeping in dorm style rooms with two bunk beds and a shower.  We have the place to ourselves which means it's going to be a long night for some reason everyone likes staying up all night and partying hopefully I'll get some rest.  Tomorrow we are off to the Sudan Mines we are going to have a tour of some sort. I'm not exactly sure what it may entail but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

 

As each day passes I become closer and closer to canoe base. I've been anticipating this voyage for a long time now and I just know that it's going to be a blast. Who knows what I'll get out of this experience. The only thing  that I can say for sure is that by the end of this voyage I'll have learned more about myself. This trip is a test not only physically but mentally it will test my ability to overcome challenges and cope with the results. But the end it all goes down to my other crew members we work as a team to accomplish a goal and if we don't give it our all then we wont make it very far. 

Off to Minnesota We Go

August 4, 2012 Canoe Base Day 1

                The day was young as we set out on a journey of a lifetime. We are heading to Minnesota to canoe in the boundary waters.  I’m uncertain of what to expect along this voyage, however I do know that this experience is going to be one that stays with me for the rest of my life.   Every day I plan to make the most of and make every moment count because if my spend my time paying attention to every little detail I’m going to be missing out on the scope of my journey.

                In total we had twenty four people going along for this trip. Each person was divided into groups of eight people plus a guide.  I am the crew chief of my group; my responsibility is to assign various tasks to be done by my other crew members. These tasks consist of fire set up, cooking, cleaning, and tent set up and fetching water.

                Today when we arrived in Minnesota we went to the Mall Of America, which is the largest mall in America.  We looked around for a couple hours and explored what the mall had to offer. Before going on this trip I had been to this mall before so its size didn’t faze me as much as the other people in the group. After the mall we drove for about an hour and a half and stopped at pizza hut for some dinner. We then headed out to a church where we would be spending the night. Once every one had settled in we had a crew meeting to discuss how far we wanted to canoe.  We had some print outs of already set out treks that we could choose from that gave a brief description of the route, the difficultly and the amount of portages.  We all shared a similar interest in the scenic lakes route which was seventy miles and had about forty portages however we had an alternative if that route we planned on didn’t work out we’d go on the bear loop which was only fifty five miles and we could add more miles if we wanted to. Tomorrow we are off to Duluth to see Lake Superior and the Merit Time Museum. Who knows what may lie ahead of us in the coming days, but the way I see it every day brings on a new adventure and it’s up to us to explore the possibilities and endure the world around us.