A Year in the Wilderness – Resupply for the Soul

I had fallen asleep to rain and woken up to snow. Blown from the North, it was wet and heavy, weighing down branches, pulling trees to the ground. I loaded my banjo, guitar and other supplies onto my bike. The roads weren’t plowed yet. Ely was quiet, headlights like fireflies winking through the handfuls of fat tumbling flakes. As I rode out of town towards Snowbank lake wind blew the snow back into my eyes like spears. I was headed to an entry point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota, to give resupply to Explorers Dave and Amy Freeman. Dave and Amy are living in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for 12 months in support of the Campaign to Save the BWCA. Their aim is to raise awareness about the need to protect the Boundary Waters from the threat posed by sulfide-ore copper mining operations, from Twin Metals and others, which will pollute the pristine waters and unspoiled forests of the Boundary Waters. Since beginning their expedition in September 2015 different groups have been volunteering to bring Dave and Amy resupplies every couple weeks. This was the nature of my trip, but the contents of my resupply was slightly different. I was planing to resupply Dave and Amy with songs, poetry and conversation, in addition to rations. Since mechanized forms of transport are not allowed in the BWCA, I would leave my bicycle near the wilderness boundary, transferring my supplies to a pulk sled and walking across the lake to Dave and Amy’s camp. As much as I love riding a bicycle I believe there are some places they don’t need to go.

Link to Minnesota Public Radio video and streaming of radio broadcast. Save the Boundary Waters Link Explorers Dave and Amy Freemans Link

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