Mother's Day and Fishing Opener -- Adventures in Ely

This past weekend were two of my favorite days of the year.  For once, Saturday, came without snow, without hail, without a blustery windy, rainy day that was more about what rain gear to put on that would allow for multiple warm layers underneath than fishing. It was a pleasant day. So of course, that meant that I ultimately had other plans.

One of my fishing partners had to travel to Virginia, Minnesota mid-day to finish up her last hour of behind-the-wheel-driving so that she can take her driver's test as close to five minutes after she turns sixteen as possible.  My oldest daughter is all about fishing, just like her mother.  Her younger sister is also one of those people who will sit in a canoe or ankle deep in water for hours as long as they are biting.

Sure I had a couple of friends that had asked me to hit the water for opener, but I'd promised Lucy that I'd fish first with her, and so, I took the day to work on my novel.  Writing went well enough and all and all it was a relaxing day in which I solved some problems, gained some ground on character development and discovered something I'd been hoping to find.

That evening we went to an early graduation party for one of my son's friends and the next morning was church.  After that Lucy, Juliet and I changed clothes, loaded up the gear and canoe, stopped at the bait store for supplies and headed out.  We needed to be back before five to get started on dinner for Mother's Day.

The sun was out and there was a breeze that pushed us around a little bit, but most often let us be.  The water isn't very warm due to quite a few nights in the twenties, but it isn't just a few degrees above freezing any longer either.  We had sustained ourselves with a quick lunch just before leaving and I have to admit that with the warmth of the sun on my face I was perfectly comfortable just lounging in the stern seat of our Wenonah Champlain.

We had our lines out and the girls spent time between bites to add laughter to the lake.  For some reason Lucy and I repeatedly over cast nearly every time we threw towards the shore.  Probably over zealous after a long winter :) and so we ended up tangled in a few branches and bushes.  That only contributed to the hilarity.  It didn't take long though for her to land the first fish of the season.  On Mother's Day.

Well before that I felt like I'd achieved my goals.  Sitting there in the canoe, peering down through clear water, I felt like Spring had finally arrived.  With the sound of strong wings beating the air a wood duck landed on a house attached to a dead spire of cedar rising up out the lake bottom about 6 feet from my end of the canoe.  She disappeared inside and it was about that time that we too, felt the pull towards home and dinner and the celebration of MOM.

I pulled up that anchor, we stowed our lures, hooks, and rods and put our paddles to water.  Pulling through the cold water it was hard to imagine that just a little while ago we'd have been walking out here.  Up ahead though, shot up two of the clearest signs that the season had changed for good... a pair of loons surfaced, stark white markings against black so deep in color that it takes on purple and green coloring.  Sleek, young, streamlined.  Up close, only a few feet from the canoe, I'm taken with just how beautiful they are each time I see them.  One after the other, they dove underneath the surface and with powerful kicks from their legs glided past.  Every detail was visible in the clear water and their white spots seemed to glow until they surfaced again twenty yards away.

I wanted to stay, but the blackflies had arrived as well, and so we climbed out, grabbed everything and Lucy took off down the trail with the canoe on her shoulders.  Just like when Simon was a very little boy, Juliet now voiced what always comes to mind.  Walking behind, it looked like Lucy wore a giant yellow hat.

Olive bread and barbecued chicken awaited and the giving and receiving of gifts for the two moms in my life.  My wife and my mom.  As Simon would later post, "GOAT" -- the Greatest Of All Time!

Happy Mothers Day to all you moms and Guys, if you spent all weekend fishing, you missed out.

Peace, Tim Stouffer, Piragis Northwoods Company.

North Shore Road Trip

Monday was a day off for Easter break for my kids and so we hit the road.  Jen and the girls headed one direction and Simon and I headed into the wind, for the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Down Highway One out of Ely, into the teeth of an April "snowstorm".  The flakes were huge and the further we drove, the more evidence of snow could be seen on the branches of the pines and forest floor.  It was April, though, so 95 percent of it wasn't destined to last the hour, let alone, the day.

We turned off of Highway One and onto Two on our way towards Two Harbors.  Easy on the directions, easy on the eyes.  We stopped at two points of interest on our way through the forest and the surrounding lowlands.  One was a little public access to a roadside lake and one was a forest service picnic area.

This particular spot has a sign titled, "Sentinels of the Past" and shares the fact that these old White Pines were already 70 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.  Standing under them, with the last evidence of of winter desperately clinging to their branches I couldn't help but notice a chill running up my spine.  They are survivors and they are a constant reminder that the forest around us is a living, breathing organism.  It isn't simply a place to enjoy, it is, very much so, a part of our home that has a much longer history than we do.

How many have stood under these trees?  How many have stood there with their sons who are now men and are making preparations for college.  What kind of lessons could be learned with time enough to sit on a fallen pine that has been in this place for 300 years or more?  It was a quiet morning under the clouds and a perfect beginning to our road trip.

Ely is a great spot to visit and to kick off your Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness trips.  It has a lot to offer, including spending time around town and our area before and/or after your canoe trips.  The North Shore is less than two hours of driving that could include multiple wildlife sitings like moose and more!  Our bookstore manager, Jordyn, saw a moose the day before we drove down Highway One and so did Drew Brockett, our canoe trip outfitting manager.  Here's a shot of the one he saw on Sunday.

We continued our trip, down to Two Harbors and took a left to check out how the waters of Gitche Gumee were breaking against the shore and the Split Rock Lighthouse.  Driving through massive tunnels in the granite, pulling over at various rivers and rest stops, listening to music on the winding road.  Everything combined for a fantastic soundtrack to the best movie I've seen in years, right through the windows of the Mountaineer.  Best of all, whenever we wanted, we could park and walk right into the environment all around us.

The black sandy beach filled with battered and softened rocks and driftwood, the bike paths, the cold spray in our faces and the snowflakes that were by this time fading in their strength, these things woke me up to the beauty of Spring and the ice-out season.

We turned around at some point and headed to Duluth for lunch.  Afterwards, we returned by the Scenic North Shore route and stopped to experience anything that caught our eyes.  The sun had come out and the blue of the sky was now reflected in the big waters of our inland sea.

It was hard to leave...

Poem: Low Water Mark

Steve Piragis went out paddling into the early evening yesterday. His picture reflected some of the most subtle afternoon light we've seen so far this year.  It is hard to believe that November is already upon us.  This poem came to mind.  Enjoy.

Low Water Mark

Rising from dark water;

spires climb,

the green trees of years

gone by.  Now like 

bannerless flag posts

rooted in the wetland soil.

Sentinels of the lake

silent, watching.

Reaching through gray.

blue and pink toward

the retreating sun.

Arms entreating dead

grasses to join in the dance.

Canoe bow splits

reflection’s perfection.

Abandoned wood duck

house rocking slowly

to the rhythm of the 

dead wind.

Redwing blackbird

calls from the cattails.

Beaver tail slaps to 

the North.  Pileated beak

strikes home and keeps

the beat, hidden in the 

dark, jagged line of pines.

The colors deepen.  No

one is home, or,

are they?  Paddle pushes

us into the night.

© Timothy James Stouffer, 11/04/2015

All Rights Reserved

Discover the Trezona Trail

Ely’s Trezona trail has a lot to offer.  For some of us it is our regular exercise path during all four seasons.  You’ll see wildlife like whitetail deer and snowshoe hares and plenty of birds.  To walk, ski, run or bike the complete trail is a four mile love affair with nature.  Walking and talking at leisure takes about an hour and a half around, but at a faster pace, focused on the exercise, you’re much closer to 60 - 70 minutes of quick stepping.

On Saturday we walked together as a family and took time to admire the many colorful flowers and greenery along the path.  If you want a lesson in the forest around us, you can’t find a better choice right in town as the trail winds its way through red and white pines, spruce, paper birch, ash and cedar trees.  There are pin cherries, june berries, raspberries, honeysuckle, vetch and many other smaller ground cover type bushes and plants.

The terrain which encircles Ely’s Miners Lake (a former iron ore pit) elevates to granite outcroppings and dips down to the edge of the mine pit and into the cedar swamps lush with moss and wetland flora.  It has beautiful sections in the shade of the forest and bright sunlit sections that wind their way out of the woods and along the edge.  You’ll find yourself walking by Miners Dry, the building where our Miners used to wash and dry their clothes at on Saturdays.  These days the Miners Dry and Shaft House is home to the Ely Arts & Heritage Center.

It is a great walk and one you can have your car waiting for at the end in an easy to access parking lot just 3 blocks from Piragis Northwoods Company.  There are benches along to route if you feel you need to take a rest and at the parking lot there is a portable outhouse :)  Bring along a water bottle and an energy bar and your dog if you promise to keep them on a leash and clean up after them.

We started our walk by spotting some Forget-me-nots and discovering some beautiful and hearty wild roses just down the path.  In the first mile we saw many more flowers including Columbines and Dwarf Dogwood (Bunchberry).  Around the bend, bright and tall in the green grasses, we spotted Orange and Yellow Hawkweeds and in the shade by some additional Dwarf Dogwoods some small fragile Canada Mayflowers held court with their airy blooms.  Along the way we spotted a tree that we think looks like it has a face of its own and what Northwoods hike would be complete without the large fronds of Interrupted Ferns.

Forget-me-nots

Wild Roses

Columbines and Dwarf Dogwood

Can you see the old man's face in this tree?

A pale pink wild rose

Orange and Yellow Hawkweed

Yellow Hawkweed

Canada Mayflower (top) and Dwarf Dogwood (bottom)

Large Interrupted Ferns

Secret Creek ;)

As the path curves around the end of the lake and back towards town, keep your ears open for running water (i.e. a babbling brook).  Off to your right hand side there is a hidden path that leads to a small creek just a few steps off the trail.  It is a cool place but don't stay too long because the mosquitoes will find you quick :)

        There’s plenty to look at if you like walks on well established paths with good company.  There are also other paths and hiking trails around the Ely area, just ask us.  Thanks to Nancy Piragis and Jen Stouffer for helping me identify all the pictures that I snapped along the way.

See you around the bend!  Tim Stouffer

Our roots of Tradition.

There are two pictures that hang in the store at Piragis Northwoods Company. Century old pictures. They are shots taken in 1905 of what was then the Bloomenson Store.

The first is an exterior shot that shows vintage awnings and the purveyor outdoors in front of the building with guess what? hanging outside. Coats. Not our staple of windblocker fleece, but two staples of the time, wool and beaver. Nature's answer to synthetic technology. The sidewalk in front of the store isn't a sidewalk, it is a boardwalk. The other falsefront buildings across the street can be seen reflected in the window.

Original Ely. With a look of determination on its face. Promise of a bright future. Open for business and proud to stock what is needed and wanted by the people.

The second picture is an interior shot complete with gas lights and the original tin ceilings and walls. There are wool pants stacked high on sturdy oak tables. Suspenders hanging from circular displays from the ceilings. The stovepipe rises to the decorative tin covered chimney from the essential woodstove in the back. The long glass displays showcase quality men's shirts while the shelves behind are complete with rows and rows of hat boxes stacked up to the tall ceilings. Men's wool driving caps stretch out in a long row across the hat boxes, displayed just at arms reach. There are cases that hold ties, gloves and shoes.

Pride and promise are evident. You can find them both in our store today. Residual benefits of a long history of service commitment to customers. The tin walls are still in place today. The looks on the three clerks faces are recognizable too. You can see the same looks of determination and commitment on the faces of our staff today.

Piragis Northwoods Company still believes that the advantages of high quality goods and services far outweigh the short term value of "a great deal." You can tell the old Ely store owners felt the same way. They are sharply dressed and waiting to help you.

At Piragis Northwoods Company we want you to be at home, to feel comfortable and at ease while you shop. We trust that you can find most things you need here, and hope that you know that you can ask us any question you like about our canoes, kayaks, camping gear, accessories, men's and women's clothing, books and gifts. No question will be considered too small, too odd or too silly. Our staff is on hand to serve your needs, to help you in any way possible.

Our merchandise speaks for itself, our reputation stands on our ability to serve the customer above and beyond the norm. We stay open to serve the local population year round with clothing, equipment and a full service bookstore that rivals any other in Minnesota. In the summer our doors open at 6 a.m and don't close until 10 p.m. Giving you time and opportunity to shop on your schedule. We go the extra mile because many people travel far and wide to reach Ely and all of you deserve our best. Each and every one who comes through our door deserves old fashioned, honest to goodness service with a smile. If you have a destination in Ely besides the Boundary Waters we hope that it is Piragis Northwoods Company, Your Friends in the Great Northwoods.

We know that many of you will never get the opportunity to visit us here in Ely, and that is one of the reasons that we uphold the same commitment to customer service and great items in our online catalog. Please call us with questions or customer service concerns at 1-800-223-6565.

Thanks for helping us forge new memories in Ely!

Tim Stouffer

Sunrise in Ely

What follows is a pictorial essay of a very beautiful morning.  The light was fantastic -- capturing the first colors of the day as dawn crept out of darkness.  A rainbow graced the sky with the promise of a new day with new challenges and new adventures.  A glorious golden hue descended on Tuesday.  At 5:22 a.m. Steve Piragis began taking these shots.  The only thing more spectacular would be viewing this light from the shore of a favorite campsite just as your slip bobber went under...

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Prism - Premier BWCA Solo

Here's my second blog in a series reviewing Wenonah Canoes. Last time I covered the Spirit II (A great all-around tandem), and this week I'm going to talk about the Prism solo. Like the Spirit II, the Prism has been around for many years, and it has proven itself to be a great solo for BWCA camping trips.

The Wenonah Solo Prism from Piragis Northwoods Company

At 16'6" and no rocker, it is a straight tracking model that will haul you and your gear to your favorite campsite in the heart of the BWCA efficiently, and then be ready to hit your favorite fishing spots. Over the years it has been the most popular solo in our rental fleet, stable, seaworthy, and fast. It is available in three different materials and four different lay-ups, with the most popular being the kevlar ultra-light, weighing in at just 34lbs!

Like all of our rentals we have these available for sale after every paddling season. Give me a call if you would like to reserve one for yourself. You can check out all the specs and prices on our website, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

No Campaign of the Army Worms on the Northwoods Front this Summer

About 10 years ago we hit the peak of the Tent Caterpillars or Army Worms as we refer to them around here.  You know the little worms responsible for the tent-like structures they weave into the branches of your trees just before they eat all the vegetation present in your yard -- yeah, those.

They arrive in cycles -- as near to the ten year mark as only they fill comfortable with.  They usually show up little by little during the years previous and years after their peak.  Since the late 1800's, according to an article published this March by the Duluth News Tribune, their arrival has been plotted in a range of 6 to 16 years.  John Myers continued in his report to say, "The last peak defoliation from the caterpillars, 7.75 million acres, occurred in 2001, with 7.3 million acres of forest defoliated in 2002. They were the largest such outbreaks in Minnesota recorded history."  This information was from Mike Albers, DNR forest health specialist for Northeastern Minnesota.

These worms can sometimes be so thick that when they trek across the roads their squished bodies cause the tires of vehicles to slip and slide.  The last peak year we would carry a little broom brush with us on the golf course here in Ely and brush a clear path to the hole so that we could putt.

The good news is that these guys are native species so other native species like "Friendly Flies" and parasites will increase at the same rate to knock down the population until the cycle eventually depletes.  Just like other caterpillars, their life-cycle moves through eating leave, transforming into moths, laying eggs, hatching and repeating...

Anyway, according to the experts, this is not the year, so 2011 should be relatively free of the slimy little visitors.  They are part of the Northwoods, part of what makes Ely UNIQUE.  It is good information to know, and that's why we're passing it on.  Thanks to Sam Cook, John Myers and the DNT as well as Mike Albers and the MN DNR for helping me with this info.