by Kari Frisch

Recently I set out on the sunny afternoon to bike a portion of the Soo Bike Line, a bike trail that is accessible off of Highway 10 just south of Little Falls. Last summer I had biked 25 miles of the trail. Although I wasn't expecting to go that far, I was certainly thinking I'd get further down the trail then just a couple of miles before I stopped. However, this stop turned into one of the most delightful unexpected discoveries I've had this summer.

The Soo line is a nice, mainly flat trail that is nature-lined for miles. About every 7 miles or so there is a little town or a spot where one can rest if needed, otherwise it's mainly farms and forests. However, about two miles in, before it approaches any towns, the trail meets the Mississippi at Blanchard dam. From the trail is great view of the dam and power station on one side and the post dam river on the other. A portaging trail crosses the bike trail a few hundred yards before the bike trail crosses the river. I had noticed the canoe portage sign on one of my previous bike trips, but had never seen anyone using it--until my most recent trip.

Here’s what happened…

Seeing as the bike trail is not only relatively flat, but relatively straight as well, something caught my attention long before I even approached the crossing. As I got closer I figured it had to be an inanimate object and then as I got closer I could tell it was several inanimate objects. Soon I could see the bridge for Blanchard Dam and I deduced it must be a canoer portaging back to the river. I slowed down but didn't see anyone. There was a lot of stuff: duffle bags, water jugs, cooler, sleeping bag (spread out to dry), one canoe, a waterproof bag and other miscellaneous stuff. My reasoning lead me to believe it had to be a few people who were canoeing since there was “so much stuff” and that they must be in the processing of coming with another canoe.

I continued on my way, but something was pulling me back. I thought about the principle of portaging and thought maybe that would be a good blog topic...so I turned my bike around and went back to capture a picture as inspiration. Still curious about the mystery traveler, I decided to hang out for a minute or two. Like I said, I was mysteriously drawn to who might be coming down the trail. And in case they had seen me, I wanted to make sure they knew I wasn’t stealing their stuff. And if I could explain myself I might also get the travelers' permission to use the photos I'd just taken. I didn’t have to wait long before they mystery was solved. I could see someone approaching--but it was not who I expected.

I guess I was being stereotypical, expecting some young teenagers on summer vacation or twenty-somethings doing the "up north" adventure. Instead, there was Dick. A fifty-something-year-old gentleman in bib overalls and work boots "incrementally moving forward" (to quote Dick). To break the ice, I asked if this stuff was his (a stupid question I know, but I had to start somewhere). Upon his reply that it was, I asked where he was traveling to...and thus began a 2 hour conversation.

Dick was a history buff who had recently lost his job due to the economy. A former Navy guy and "paddle expert", he had a few long river voyages already under his belt. When he lost job, he figured it was time for another paddle trip. He told me he was planning on going to Norfolk, Virginia. Traveling the Mississippi to New Orleans, he'd then take a couple other riverways to the Potomac and to Virginia. He anticipated this taking about a year. Those now seemingly “few” bags were all he would have for the next year. Wow.

He didn't have set plans or deadlines. He planned to “take it like it came”. His only rule was like that of Stonewall Jackson, a man he'd studied through his history hobbies, work for 50 minutes and rest 10—“that way you won't burn out”. I helped him portage his load with a few trips, each of us carrying what we could. It was maybe about a quarter of a mile with a few slight hills that Dick would take slowly, “moving incrementally forward”.

Each time we came back to the trail crossing we’d dutifully rest and he'd share more of his stories. The last time we got to the bike trail, he offered me a beer. How could I resist? I wanted to hear more. So at 1:11pm we opened a beer and grabbed a bit of pavement in order to continue our conversation.

He told me about the other river journeys he'd been on (one from New York to Texas and a white water journey on the Salmon River). He talked about another fellow he'd met on the river in Brainerd who was also planning to canoe the entire length of the Mississippi. They had paddled a day together and camped together one night before continuing on their separate ways.

This other paddler, Neal Moore, a freelance CNN reporter who was blogging and vlogging his way at http://www.flashriversafari.com/ was making a two day stop in Little Falls. Dick thought I should hang out at the portage crossing over the next couple of days so I could meet Neal too. He shared some of Neal’s stories too, just in case I didn’t hook up with him in person. He joked about all of Neal’s electronics but admired him for getting his story out there.

Although Dick had written a book about one of his previous river adventures, he only had 12 copies published. He was going to try and publish a book about this trip too. Unlike Neal, Dick was documenting the trip the old-fashioned way--with paper and pen.

It's amazing the amount of people Dick seemed to have met on his trips, considering most of his time is spent on the river by himself in his small canoe. He seemed like a genuine people-person, an irony as he spent so much time alone on the river. Maybe that’s why conversation seemed to go so effortlessly between the two of us strangers. He shared his secret recipe for pickled sausage, one of the stock foods he travels with, and explained the necessary gear he takes along. I learned 400 paddle strokes equals about one mile in his world. As much fun as he was to listen to, he’d also ask a lot of questions about me and my world. We talked religion and politics, travel and history. We talked about the economy and employment. We talked facts and opinions.

It was funny to think we shared so many ideas and philosophies. Though there were similarities there were of course differences but what a treat to just visit with no time constraints or obligations to be someplace or do anything else than appreciate the opportunity at hand. Although part of me kept thinking about the fact I wasn’t getting many miles in on my bike ride, another part of me said “who cares…look at the miles of memories you are creating!” That side eventually won out. I am glad our paths crossed, literally, and that I took the opportunity to be open to this unexpected discovery along my route.