[ reader tiPs ] Squeaky Clean oil Paddles like a Pro
Getting the perfect oil finish on your paddle is easy. Wet sanding your paddle between oil coats makes a huge difference in the finished quality and creates a much smoother end re- sult—simply use oil and sand paper together. Tung oil works best because it is more water- proof and mildew resistant. For detailed in- structions visit
www.badgerpaddles.com.
MIKE and FIONA RAMSAY BADGER PADDLES HUNTSVILLE, ONTARIO
easy, no-dish Breakfast
This is a simple tip, which saves me time in the morning when I want something hot for breakfast and don’t want to wash dishes. Sim- ply boil water and ladle some into an open packet of Quaker Instant Oatmeal. Stir into oatmeal flakes and eat straight from the pack- et. Be careful not to burn yourself—the packet is boiling hot. Repeat with as many packets as needed for a full stomach.
DAN CALDWELL HALEY STATION, ONTARIO
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Off-grid with Erik Simula
E
rik Simula’s 1,600-kilometre expedition last summer in Minnesota was really just an
extension of his lifestyle. Simula, 45, lives in a small cabin in northeastern Minnesota, with- out electricity or running water. He makes a living as a dogsled guide, birchbark canoe builder and park ranger; he hunts and gath- ers natural foods—fish, wild game, wild rice and berries. With his daughter Anna set to graduate from
high school last spring in Grand Rapids, Min- nesota—a town on the Mississippi River—it seemed only natural that Simula would jour- ney by canoe to get there. In April, he and his dog launched his 14-foot
birchbark canoe on Lake Superior, followed the coastline south to Duluth, and connected to the Mississippi River, reaching Grand Rapids for Anna’s graduation. Then Simula traced an- cient water routes linking Voyageurs National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilder- ness and Quetico Provincial Park, returning in August. “This voyage was a celebration of my love of this glorious region,” he says. Although Simula’s current project is building
a new log cabin, don’t expect it to come with many amenities. “This lifestyle fulfills my dream of sustainable, traditional, cultural living,” says Simula, “[and it] keeps me happy and healthy, and nourishes my soul.”—Conor Mihell
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PHOTO: LAYNE KENNEDY
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